During its last meeting of the 2021 fall quarter Thursday, the Faculty Senate heard a report and recommendations from the Planning and Policy Board Subcommittee on Campus Climate as well as an update on the new school focused on climate and sustainability.
Provost Persis Drell told the Faculty Senate Thursday that a committee has been charged with developing recommendations for a process to create a new institute on the study of race, ethnicity and society. The Faculty Senate also heard updates on the university’s response to COVID-19 and the state of graduate education and postdoctoral affairs, among other topics.
The 54th Faculty Senate discussed civil discourse, voted to extend legislation allowing its Steering Committee to convene to make decisions on behalf of the full senate in administrative session during the COVID-19 crisis and heard from the Associated Students of Stanford University during its first meeting of the academic year on Oct. 7.
The Faculty Senate heard a report from an ad hoc committee that has been examining the university’s policies for providing faculty and staff with legal representation or indemnifying them for the cost of representation.
A more flexible enrollment process approved on a pilot basis by the Faculty Senate means that admission of potential athletes will be more in line with institutions with which Stanford competes for recruits.
In her annual budget presentation to the Faculty Senate, Provost Persis Drell reported that unexpected market returns and strong university reserves mean Stanford can cover pandemic expenses and shortfalls without further program cuts.
In a presentation to the Stanford Faculty Senate on Thursday, the Committee of 10, charged with reviewing the Student Judicial Charter, recommended how the process might be refocused on education and made more efficient.
The Planning and Policy Board Subcommittee on Campus Climate presented an interim report to the Faculty Senate on Thursday that highlighted students’ concerns about free speech and general campus climate.
The Faculty Senate heard an update on the structure of the new school for climate and sustainability and learned that it will include a Sustainability Accelerator that will translate policy and technology solutions.
Anne Joseph O’Connell, law, and Sara Singer, medicine, members of the Faculty Women’s Forum, presented to the Faculty Senate results of a survey that reflect the stress caused by COVID-19, particularly among women faculty, as well as those who are pre-tenure, at the lowest salary levels and with family obligations.
