Dear colleagues,

At the final Faculty Senate meeting of the 2018-19 academic year on June 3^rd, the Senate passed a revision to Section 2 of the Faculty Code of Ethics. On October 7^th, concerns arose due to language in the revision that fails to align with legal definitions and terminology, thereby making it unbargainable for purposes of incorporation into the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the University and the United Faculty of Western Washington. This led the Faculty Senate to charge a task force of faculty and student members as follows:

The Faculty Senate moves to form a task force, composed of three student representatives, who are to be compensated for their work, and three faculty representatives, charged with drafting an actionable, legal document, that adheres to the spirit of the paragraph of section 2 of the Faculty Code of Ethics that was voted on in June 2019. The task force is to provide weekly updates and is charged with completing and presenting its work to the Faculty Senate on November 4th. An assistant attorney general should be present to ensure that legal language is used, and a member of the United Faculty of Western Washington and of the University administration are to be available for advisory consultation. Students are also invited to include an advisory consultant of their choosing.

On Monday, November 4^th, the Faculty Code of Ethics Task Force, composed of faculty members Vernon Johnson, Political Science, Bill Lyne, English, and Clayton Pierce, Fairhaven, and student members Lydia Ashenafie, LaShaiah Dickerson, and Abdul-Malik Ford, presented its report and a recommended revision to Section 2 of the Faculty Code of Ethics. The Task Force unanimously recommended revising Section 2 of the Faculty Code of Ethics as follows (red: June 3^rd version):

As teachers, the Western faculty encourage the free pursuit of learning by students and demonstrate by example the best scholarly standards of their respective disciplines.  The faculty respect students as individuals and adhere to their designated role as intellectual guides and counselors, make every effort to foster honest academic conduct and to assure that evaluations of students reflect their actual performance. The faculty are to avoid and condemn racism, sexual harassment, intimidation, the exploitation of students, and discrimination against students based on all protected characteristics. In particular, faculty condemn verbal use of the n-word racial slur in learning environments. Faculty do not participate in discrimination based on all protected characteristics, including the following: Race, Color, Creed, Religion, National Origin, Citizenship, Sex (including pregnancy and parenting status), Gender Identity and Expression, Sexual Orientation, Disability, Age, Veteran Status, Marital Status, and Genetic Information. The confidential nature of the relationship between professor and student is respected, and any exploitation of students for private advantage is avoided by the faculty member who acknowledges significant assistance from them. Faculty strive to help students develop high standards of academic competency and respect for academic freedom. Academic freedom is a right that does not protect or provide cover for racism or any other form of discriminatory behavior.

The faculty recognize that the university community (faculty, staff, and students) is predominantly white.  Moreover, the university is the product of a social system born in and shaped by institutional white supremacy, hetero-patriarchy, and class inequality.  As the society shifts demographically toward the day that the majority of its members are no longer white, our student body is reflecting this demographic shift.  Our students are also becoming more insistent that their diverse race, class, gender, and sexuality identities are welcomed in the way that we teach.  Faculty members are encouraged to consider student diversity and sensitivity and how best to present material so that the audience can absorb it, reflect upon it, and be edified.  In our academic advising of students, and in our collaboration with them on research projects, faculty will accommodate student diversity.  The faculty will abide by university policies and state and federal laws regarding harassment and discrimination.  However, we recognize that in addressing the inequities of our social system, the United States Constitution has limitations.  Therefore, as the faculty abide by the law, we also support student efforts to transform our university and all societal institutions in ways that dismantle those inequities.

In addition, student Task Force members read the following statement:

As Black students, we would like to first acknowledge that from the beginning, we objected to any participation and or formation of committees to solve this issue with student labor. Our wishes were not honored.

Our committee was charged with “drafting an actionable, legal document, that adheres to the spirit of the paragraph of section 2 of the Faculty Code of Ethics that was voted on in June 2019.”  After much reflection and discussion, we have concluded that this is not possible, that the master’s tools are still inadequate for dismantling the master’s house.

The Faculty Code of Ethics is a set of rules governing faculty behavior.  It may have been written with good intentions and lofty aspirations, but it will always be used to discipline and punish faculty in order to protect Western’s institutional interests, as determined by a Board of Trustees consisting primarily of significant donors to gubernatorial campaigns.  Sometimes those interests correspond with those of students and faculty, sometimes they don’t. 

Western Washington University, like every other U.S. institution, lives in the long shadow of the racialized capitalism that drives U.S. history.  All of our laws, rules, customs, and procedures continue to embody the contradictions and paradoxes contained in the gap between Thomas Jefferson’s “All men [sic] are created equal” and the slave quarters at Monticello.  Our laws and our codes continue to imagine a false universalism and objectivity without accounting for the long and sturdy tradition of white supremacy in the U.S.  The Faculty Code of Ethics is subject to this U.S. law and thus is incapable of considering historical oppression and exclusion.

As we set out to rewrite the Code, we wanted to hold faculty accountable for racist behavior, but not preempt serious discussions of race and racism.  We wanted to curtail participation in the long white tradition of envy and theft of Black culture but not stymie the full investigation of Black history and dissent.  We wanted to ban the arrogant and irresponsible use of the most powerful racial slur in the U.S. without banning the novels of Toni Morrison or the plays of Langston Hughes and Lorraine Hansberry.  We wanted to ban a word that gets in the way of students’ education without creating the license to ban words and ideas that threaten power.

It has become clear to us that our choice is to either write an unenforceable rule that could be abused or to write yet another vague, vanilla statement of support for diversity and inclusion.  We choose to do neither.  Once again, we are reminded that we Black students are left to fend for ourselves, there is no justice. There’s just us.

In discussion, students stated the importance of faculty accountability to students and to each other and asked faculty to do more to support students of color and facilitate the inclusion of student voices in conversations about campus climate, to be cognizant of the impact of their pedagogical methods and to incorporate teaching practices that are considerate of the experiences of students as individuals, and to participate in institutional evolution by encouraging colleagues to participate in the process of seeking and instilling change. In response to Senator concerns about the inclusion of language referring to Western’s demographic composition and the use of the phrase, “white supremacy,” task force members stated that the phrase was intended to be a descriptive acknowledgement of history and reality and is used in this manner in many academic disciplines. Senators and members of the administration stated that the incorporation of the proposed revision into the Faculty Code of Ethics would constitute a strong expression of support for students, shifting the framing of Section 2 from discipline and actions faculty should not take to positive steps that faculty can and should take to realize Western’s aspirations and secure its future.

A motion to endorse the new revision to Section 2, and to send it to the full faculty for a referendum vote, was passed by unanimous vote of the Faculty Senate. The referendum will ask faculty to vote on whether the Code of Ethics revision of Section 2, recommended by the Task Force, is preferred to the version approved by the Faculty Senate June 3rd. If the vote of the faculty is to approve the recommended Code of Ethics revision, it will replace the version of Section 2 that was approved in June.

A motion to acknowledge and endorse the statement read by student members of the Faculty Code of Ethics Task Force, and supported by the entire Faculty Code of Ethics Task Force, passed by unanimous vote of the Faculty Senate. Senators expressed appreciation to the Faculty Code of Ethics Task Force for its work.

Students expressed interest in learning more about faculty efforts and initiatives to discuss and promote equity, inclusion and diversity that are occurring in units and departments around campus and the Faculty Senate stated that it will work to compile a list of initiatives and resources.

The referendum to adopt the new version of Section 2 will be held online from November 8^th till 5 pm November 15^th. Faculty will receive an email with a link to vote, as well as links to supporting documents, on November 8^th.

Thank you for considering this important work… Jeff

Dear Colleagues,

Please take a look at the new policy under review: Ensuring Accessible Electronic Information Technology. The Policies and Procedures web page can be found here.

The review period closes on October 26th. Written comments should be sent to policies@wwu.edu or to University Policy Manager at Mail Stop 9015.

All the best… Jeff

Dear Faculty of Western Washington University,

The Faculty Senate met October 7th for its first session of the 2019-20 academic year. I’d like to bring your attention to two important topics.

Faculty governance in Research and Sponsored Programs is undergoing restructure. Senators will review and vote on proposed Mission, Bylaws, Policies and Procedures at the October 21^st Senate meeting. These documents are available here (PDF). Please forward questions or concerns to your Senator or to me.

The Senate also discussed the revision to the Faculty Code of Ethics passed by Senate on June 3^rd. The Faculty Code of Ethics is referenced in the Collective Bargaining Agreement and thus any changes to the code must be bargained by the UFWW and WWU Administration. As written, the June 3^rd revision (available here in the meeting minutes) cannot be bargained due to imprecise legal language. To address this the Senate passed a resolution to form a task-force comprised of three students and three faculty. The task-force is charged with drafting an actionable, legal document, that adheres to the spirit of the paragraph of section 2 of the Faculty Code of Ethics that was voted on in June 2019. The work of the task-force will be reported to Senate no later than November 4^th.

• Call for nominations for faculty to participate on the Code of Ethics task-force. Questions, self-nominations, and nominations of faculty (that have agreed to serve) should be directed to jeff.young@wwu.edu. Nominations will be accepted until Noon, October 14^th. 

I also want to remind you of the Senate web page (html) where you can learn more about the Senate and faculty governance.

Good luck with the new quarter…

Jeff Young

Dear Faculty of Western Washington University,

I hope that the end of the quarter and finals week finds you well and excited for all that the summer can bring.  It has been both an honour and a pleasure to serve you this academic year, thank you so much for providing me with this opportunity.  Below please find my end of the year Faculty Senate report that I provided to the Board of Trustees this morning:

It has been an honour to serve the faculty of Western Washington University as their elected Faculty Senate President this academic year.  Our faculty, employees of the State of Washington, are truly at the heart of this institution and without them it would be lifeless; without mind, body, and soul.

As stated in the Faculty Handbook (Section 11.B.1), “It is the policy of Western Washington University that there shall be meaningful participation by the faculty, through the Faculty Senate or other recognized faculty bodies, in matters relating to university academics, budget, planning and policy at all levels of internal university governance. This is consistent with the University’s policy of open participation in governance.”  The Faculty Senate is empowered to speak and act for the Faculty with responsibility in the areas of curriculum, academic programs, scholarly activities, the education of students, the mission of the university, and institutional and administrative effectiveness.

Faculty Senate is comprised of  the Senate, ten senate standing and sub committees, nine college governance committees, and nine college curriculum committees.  Hundreds of dedicated faculty serve on these committees and I would like to thank all of them for their countless hours of service, for which they do not receive compensation and that is above and beyond their regular teaching, research, and service commitments.  ALL of this, while still being productive members of and raising families…WOW.  Perhaps our greatest feat as faculty is maintaining a healthy work/life balance.

This academic year the Faculty Senate continued to uphold the tenets of faculty governance, including shared governance between the administration and faculty of Western Washington University.  Through shared governance, Faculty Senate worked with administrators to bridge a difficult situation within Research and Sponsored Programs so that we could continue to best serve our faculty in their research, professional development, and teaching endeavors.  These efforts also brought about positive change to leadership within RSP and ensured fair and equitable representation of, and leadership by, faculty on the Research Advisory Council, Faculty Development Grants Committee, and Institutional Review Board.

Shared governance between faculty and administration also occurred during the transition of the Social Justice and Equity Committee to its new home within the President and Provost’s Office.  This change provided increased financial and logistical support structures to SJEC and ensured growth and expansion of the very important work they do in providing faculty grants, professional development opportunities, and forums that engage the entire campus community in critical issues related to social justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion.  Specifically I would like to speak to the exceptional work of Drs. Aric Mayer and Kevin Covey and Provost Carbajal in these efforts.

The Faculty Senate also appointed a Director of the New Faculty Mentoring Initiative, Dr. Shirin Deylami, and an Advisory Board of diverse faculty members to serve this important program that is the result of a Faculty Senate workgroup appointed to explore how Western could better support the retention and success of underrepresented faculty.  The workgroup’s recommendation for the creation of the program led to a strategic planning proposal to UPRC that was funded by the administration for a two-year pilot period.  The proposal also provided funds for a limited number of new faculty to participate in programs offered by the National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity.  This program, and the process from which it was born, is yet again another example of successful shared governance between faculty and administration.  I would like to thank Dr. Deylami for taking on this enormous task and her positive response to it: “I am enthusiastic about leading the New Faculty Mentoring Initiative.  It is my goal to help facilitate a sense of community and belonging among new faculty so that they can thrive in their positions and make connections across their colleges and campus.  My long-term goal for the program is to help new faculty achieve success and see them become future leaders at the university.”

Western Washington University continues to grow its undergraduate and graduate curriculum and programs.  This year we transitioned the Linguistics Program to a new academic Department (under the leadership of Dr. Kristin Denham), developed a new academic Minor in Holocaust and Genocide Studies (under the leadership of Dr. Sandra Alfers), and created a College Governance Council for the Graduate School (under the leadership of Dr. Bob Mitchell).  At the root of this tremendous academic growth are, again, our dedicated and tenacious faculty.  These faculty leaders, and all who worked with them, exemplify the important value of faculty governance and engagement in shared governance between faculty and administration.  We must continue to support our faculty so that they will continue to endeavor to: think about, develop, create, expand, grow, and nurture invaluable opportunities for our students.  Integral to this support is the upholding of academic freedom.  The University, the Union, AND Faculty Senate agree that academic freedom is essential to the mission of the university and that providing an environment of free and honest inquiry is essential to its functioning. Academic freedom, as defined by the CBA between UFWW and the University and supported by the Faculty Senate, is the freedom to discuss all relevant matters in the classroom, to explore all avenues of scholarship, research and creative expression, and to speak or write as a public citizen without institutional discipline or restraint on matters of public concern, as well as on issues related to professional duties and the functioning of the University. All efforts should be made to be accurate and to show respect for the opinions of others and to make clear they are not speaking on behalf of the institution unless specifically designated to do so. Academic responsibility implies the faithful performance of academic duties and obligations and the recognition of the demands of the scholarly enterprise.

With Respect and Appreciation,

McNeel Jantzen

Dear Faculty of Western Washington University,

The final Faculty Senate meeting of the 2018-19AY is on Monday, June 3rd at 4pm in OM340.  At this meeting Senators will be voting on a motion to revise language in Section 2 of the Faculty Code of Ethics, which you have all had an opportunity to provide feedback on.  The feedback received thus far overwhelmingly and very clearly indicates the need for broader faculty involvement and engagement in further discussion.  The Faculty Senate does not make unilateral decisions, we represent and work on behalf of you our constituents.  I hope that you will all attend this meeting so that you may participate in the process of faculty governance, something we as faculty have fought long and hard for, and ensure your voices are heard by Senators.  Just in case you need a little extra incentive, we do have cookies, donuts, and coffee at Senate meetings.

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns.  It has been my pleasure to serve you this academic year.  I want to thank each and every one of you for your grace, candor, and patience as we navigated the waters together this year.

With Much Respect,

McNeel