Shared Governance and Search Committees
Drafted by Bonnie Irwin and Barbara Lawrence, Eastern Illinois University

WHEREAS university faculty and professional staff are responsible for setting and maintaining academic standards and curricula; and

WHEREAS faculty and professional staff require academic freedom in order to teach and work to the best of their abilities; and

WHEREAS faculty and professional staff should have primary responsibility for decisions regarding academic personnel and their status; and

WHEREAS faculty and professional staff know best who among them will represent most accurately their interests and professional values; and

WHEREAS administrative staff at all levels are responsible to faculty and students to ensure the maintenance of curricula, standards and academic freedom;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that UPI work to guarantee that shared governance include the exclusive right of faculty and professional staff to select their representatives on all administrative searches; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that UPI work to ensure that department chairs are reappointed with the approval of a majority of faculty in any particular academic department or unit; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that UPI urge Board of Trustees of member universities to name a faculty member as chair or co-chair of all presidential searches.

ADOPTED Oct. 19, 2002