Chancellor issues statements on tenure, shared governance

UW-Green Bay Chancellor Gary L. Miller distributed a letter to all faculty and staff last week, indicating he wanted to comment on developments related to the 2015-17 state budget and the insertion of language dealing with tenure and shared governance. Miller reiterated that Regent Present Regina Millner and UW System President Ray Cross have been adamant in their support of tenure and governance, and noted that a Systemwide task force (both Chancellor Miller and Prof. Steve Meyer are members) will assist the Board of Regents in shaping policies moving forward. UWGB’s Miller shared the following statements on the key topics:

Shared Governance – “Shared governance is highly valued at UWGB and will continue. The new advisory role of faculty and staff does not change the need for an effective shared governance system. Indeed, the collaboration of students, staff and faculty governance bodies will be even more important in the coming years as we celebrate our first fifty years and look forward to the future. The existing shared governance organization and procedures will continue at UWGB as allowed by law.”

Tenure: “I have been, and continue to be, fully and strongly supportive of tenure as essential to ensuring full freedom of inquiry, discovery and teaching in the academy. I will continue to enthusiastically recommend tenure for qualified faculty upon the recommendation of the tenured faculty and with the approval of appropriate administrative officers.”

With respect to program review:
“I strongly support a thoughtful, vigorous, routine and faculty-driven process of academic program review that allows for the possibility of the discontinuation of a program no longer deemed an essential component of the curriculum.”

With respect to the layoff of faculty related to program discontinuance:
“The layoff of tenured faculty resulting from program discontinuation must be governed by rigorous standards of due process operating within an effective shared governance system.”

You can read the Chancellor’s full message.