Recommendations to improve Senate coordination on DCAS sub-committees:
- Better training for chairs of committees:
- Clarity in all charter statements regarding the role of the Senates, the need for agreement between Senates, and the primacy of the Senates in 10+1 matters
- Clarity for the chairs about which matters fall into this category
- Communication to both Senates so that leadership gets the same information (background, ramifications, options, informed discussions) at the same time
- Better training for Senate representatives on committees:
- Clarity about which issues fall under faculty purview
- Coordination with the other Senate’s representative
- Communication to Senate leadership when such issues arise
- Better communication among Senate leadership
Generally: work together more closely
If a leader at either Senate notices that there might be an issue, bring it up.
Coordinate discussion between Senates, possibly through DCAS
The original question involved a process for when Senates disagree, but we have a general answer to that: if mutual agreement among Senates and the District can’t be reached, then we revert to the status quo. There are some situations where that is muddier than others, but that’s the general rule.
But through discussion, we noted that the real question was how better to address issues where agreement between the Senates is necessary.
The case study: The Academic Calendar Committee’s charter states that the ACC will obtain agreement between the Senates on 10+1 issues. However, when the decision about professional development days was made, that agreement was not obtained; instead, the two Senate representatives got feedback from their respective Senates, and the committee voted.
There were a couple important points of breakdown:
- Though the charter was clear, the process was not followed
- Though Senate Presidents knew that these discussions were going on, and that there was potential for disagreement, they did not communicate these discussions to Senators at their colleges