[Faculty] Updates and recent events related to shared governance

Fri Mar 1 17:10:40 MST 2024

Dear CALES faculty,

As we head into Spring Break, we wanted to take the time to catch you up to speed on various University events. We apologize in advance for the long email, but we believe the details and events described below are important to faculty shared governance and our University. Below, you’ll find a list of events that have happened in the last two weeks that are relevant to the Faculty Senate and shared governance.

In addition to the information below, our next Senate meeting is Monday March 11, 3-5 pm. The agenda<https://facultygovernance.arizona.edu/events/faculty-senate-meeting-6> includes reports and time with President Robbins, Interim Provost Marx, and Interim VP, and Chief of Safety Officer Steve Patterson.

Thank you for your continued engagement in shared governance. If you have thoughts/ideas/comments on any of this, we welcome them (via email or our Qualtrics survey: https://uarizona.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_a4vcRICRZwxfebc).

Have a wonderful break,

Katie, Bobby & Tim

Recent Developments and Timeline:

Feb 19th: Special Faculty Senate meeting. Dr. Gary Rhoades gave a GFFRC presentation about the financial crisis and alternate avenues to pursue. Presentation slides here<https://facultygovernance.arizona.edu/sites/default/files/2024-02/February%20GFFRC%20Deck%20-%2002.28.%20V3%5B99%5D.pdf>. Chair Hudson raised questions about a possible conflict of interest for Fred Duval.

Feb 20. Fred Duval issued a cease and desist letter to shared governance leaders: Chair Leila Hudson, Vice Chair Mona Hymel, Secretary Tessa Dysart, and Chair of C11, Wolfgang Fink.

Feb 22: ABOR holds their meeting in Tempe<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5zFANt0AeQ>. Fred Duval publicly responded to Chair Hudson (video timestamp 7:50) and threatened legal action, publicly naming his lawyer and outlining a litigation plan. Regent Manson then gave remarks (timestamp 10:38) that ended with this statement: “I encourage President Robbins to establish new faculty leadership and to seek out faculty who are interested in contributing to real solutions rather than posturing and undermining potential progress.”

Feb 26: Governor Hobbs’ issued this statement<https://azgovernor.gov/office-arizona-governor/news/2024/02/governor-katie-hobbs-demands-meeting-abor-and-ua-leadership> regarding Duval and Manson’s remarks, stating: “I cannot be more clear: because of Chair Duval and the Board’s actions, university employees are going to lose their jobs. Attacking faculty is not, and never will be, the answer. Instead of taking any accountability and guiding with a steady hand, ABOR is circling the wagons and announcing they are litigating personal grudges during Board meetings. In the February 22nd meeting, an ABOR member openly called for President Robbins to overthrow the faculty's governing body. This behavior is appalling and unacceptable. Chair DuVal and members of the Board of Regents appear more concerned with saving face than fixing the problems they created. It’s time for them to come down from their ivory tower and realize this is hurting Arizonans and the university.”

Feb 27: President Robbins sent a university-wide email<https://view.comms.arizona.edu/?qs=c00f45c03fae7442b00b50400c48c71bc13ee4af77b0de0a8435f31670d51235f1ed21918a5c5b6ef8b1ff14a0eff7fec2e3d8074242f5fdf79a42d4264d9aec37eb812a51dbf7022747783fb443997a> stating that because he is a “proponent and strong supporter of shared governance and community feedback,” he is now forming a new University Advisory Council and will work with deans to select council members.  Shared governance leaders weighed in on this in this article<https://tucson.com/news/local/education/college/university-arizona-president-robert-robbins-advisory-council-faculty-senate-shared-governance/article_60326748-d65b-11ee-be8d-5fe8e81b07f2.html>.

Feb 29: Fred Duval stepped down as Chair of the Board of Regents but retained his position on the Board. Information here<https://tucson.com/news/local/education/college/arizona-board-regents-chair-fred-duval-executive-director-john-arnold-govkatiehobbs-university-arizona-deficit/article_0f95ca90-d760-11ee-9f6e-830fd46f7c0a.html#:~:text=Fred%20DuVal%20is%20stepping%20down,of%20University%20of%20Arizona%20finances.>.

March 1st: UA Regents and Distinguished Professors issued a letter stating that “Regents and Distinguished Professors are deeply disturbed by the current situation at our university. We all want to use our energy to do what we do best – generate and disseminate knowledge. The deep faculty rancor at the present moment reflects the fact that the current crisis is very much not of the faculty’s making. Yet, adequately addressing it will require collaboration between leadership and the faculty.”  The letter is attached.

March 1st: Chair Hudson announced she has obtained enough signatures to call a Meeting of the General Faculty (see email attached). The petition of signatures was initiated by Dr. Carol Brochin and Professor Emeritus Marv Waterstone. A date and time have not been selected for the General Assembly; we will be in touch about any additional information.

Katharine H. Zeiders, Ph.D. (she/her)

Professor | Human Development and Family Science

Norton School of Ecology

College of Agriculture, Life & Environmental Sciences  (CALES)

650 N Park Avenue, Rm 235

Tucson, AZ 85719-5089

University Roles: CALES Faculty Senator, Nominating Committee Member

https://norton.arizona.edu/person/katharine-h-zeiders-phd

I respectfully acknowledge the University of Arizona is on the land and territories of Indigenous peoples. Today, Arizona is home to 22 federally recognized tribes, with Tucson being home to the O’odham and the Yaqui.

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