Passed: April 8, 2015

Sponsors: Eric Cheyfitz, Laurent Dubreuil, Roger Gilbert, Elizabeth Sanders & Vicki Meyers-Wallen and the University Faculty Committee (UFC)

Senate Discussions: April 8, 2015

Resolution on Shared Governance in Matters of Educational Policy as Required by Article XIII, Section 2, of the Bylaws of Cornell University

Whereas Article XIII sec. 2 of the Bylaws of Cornell University states that one of “The functions of the University Faculty shall be to consider questions of educational policy which concern more than one college, school or separate academic unit, or are general in nature”;
Whereas Article X of the Organization and Procedures of the University Faculty (OPUF) delegates these University Faculty functions to the Faculty Senate as the representative body of the University Faculty;
Whereas by “educational policy” in this context it is logical to assume the bylaws intend any policy that affects teaching and research across colleges and/or academic units or that in one way or another affects the entire university, such as the unilateral decisions that created the current 55 million dollar budget deficit, decisions made by the administration without prior consultation with the senate;
Whereas such policy logically includes the forming of international partnerships, such as those the university has undertaken with the Qatar Foundation and the Technion of Israel, and more generally Cornell’s investment in developing a university-wide curriculum in MOOCS and engaged learning;
Whereas the “Principles of Cooperation and Consultation Between the President and Faculty Senate” adopted by the President, Provost, and the University Faculty Committee on May 3, 2000, and adopted unanimously by the Faculty Senate on May 10, 2000, provide: “Meaningful faculty governance requires adequate time for consideration of issues and development of recommendations. To that end, the President or other members of the Administration will not reach final conclusions or take action on major multi-college educational policy issues until the normal steps for securing faculty input, including a reasonable period for relevant Faculty Senate Committees to act and for subsequent deliberations by the Faculty Senate to occur, have been completed”;
Whereas in general, and with respect to but not limited to the partnerships and policies listed above, the administration has not observed Article XIII, sec. 2, of the Bylaws of Cornell University or the “Principles of Cooperation and Consultation Between the President and Faculty Senate,” which are crucial components of shared governance;
Whereas the current and future President and Provost should act in accordance with Article XIII sec.2 and the “Principles of Cooperation and Consultation Between the President and Faculty Senate,”
Therefore it is the will of the Faculty Senate that from this point forward the administration comply with Article XIII sec.2 and the “Principles of Cooperation and Consultation Between the
President and Faculty Senate.”

• Eric Cheyfitz (English)
• Laurent Dubreuil (Romance Studies)
• Roger Gilbert (English)
• Elizabeth Sanders (Government)
• Vicki Meyers-Wallen (Department of Biomedical Sciences)