This month’s Faculty Senate Spotlight features Deirdre Spencer, Librarian for History of Art, University Library, and a member of the Senate Advisory Committee on University Affairs (SACUA). Ms. Spencer has been at the University of Michigan Library since 1988. In this position, Ms. Spencer serves as the Library’s subject specialist in the HIstory of Art, which consists of collection development, reference, research, and instruction services, as well as liaison to the Department of History of Art.
Ms. Spencer has been involved with central faculty governance by first participating on a Senate Assembly committee, and then by being elected to serve on SACUA, where she will soon be starting the third year of her three-year term.
Ms. Spencer describes her most meaningful experience participating in central faculty governance as the opportunity to work with colleagues and University leadership to represent the best interests of both teaching and non-teaching faculty, while also representing the interests of faculty of color. During her last year on SACUA, Ms. Spencer hopes to assemble best practices, protocols, and competencies to improve the experiences of faculty of color, as well as increase their involvement in central faculty governance.