Faculty Senate Expands to Admit Clinical Professors, Lecturers, Archivists, and Curators
On June 3, 2025, the University Senate approved a resolution expanding the University Senate to include Clinical Professors (Assistant, Associate, and Full), Lecturers (I, II, III, IV), Archivists, and Curators. This resolution was approved after years of consideration within various committees, the Senate Assembly, and the University Senate. The expansion resolution passed by a vote of 1082 (Yes) to 567 (No), with 22 abstentions. A summary of the expansion resolution is provided below, but the full text can be reviewed here.
The Board of Regents subsequently approved the expansion on July 20, 2023.
Resolution Summary
The Senate expansion resolution does the following:
- Clinical Professors (Assistant, Associate, and Full), Lecturers (I, II, III, IV), Archivists, and Curators became members of the University Senate.
- Each unit represented in the Senate Assembly is limited to a maximum of 17 Senate Assembly members.
- All Librarians, Archivists, and Curators from all campuses constitute their own unit for the purposes of apportionment in the Senate Assembly.
- The Senate Assembly is increased in size by three, from 74 to 77 seats.
- Provides that future membership changes will require a 2/3 vote.
- Provides that only tenure-track faculty are eligible to vote on tenure-related issues.
- As a non-exhaustive list of “tenure-related issues,” the resolution provides the following:
- (1) All aspects of the rules, guidelines, procedures, and other requirements governing the University’s evaluation, promotion, and retention of tenured and tenure-track faculty;
- (2) All aspects of the rules, guidelines, procedures, and other requirements governing the University’s dismissal, demotion, or terminal appointment of tenured and tenure-track faculty;
- (3) All benefits specific to tenured and tenure-track faculty, including any sabbaticals, leaves, and retirement benefits that are specific to tenured and tenure-track faculty;
- (4) The following, as they relate to tenure:
- (i) Academic freedom;
- (ii) Course content;
- (iii) Instruction method modality;
- (5) All advocacy related to preserving tenure at the University and in higher education, in general.