Recent budget plans aimed to prepare Ohio University for possible state budget cuts have prompted Faculty Senate to hold an 'extraordinary' meeting.
The meeting, scheduled for April 4, will take place weeks after Gov. John Kasich announces a new state budget on March 15, where he is expected to cut funding for higher education.
OU President Roderick McDavis' final budget recommendations are announced on April 18, the same date as Faculty Senate's April meeting, and the senate would not otherwise meet in time to voice its opinions about the cuts. Faculty Senate meets monthly and rarely adds extra meetings to its schedule.
I guess what we're trying to do by scheduling a meeting is to make sure that we have an opportunity
if we need to to respond to things formally said senate chair Joe McLaughlin..
The meeting will allow senators a timely response to the budget, McLaughlin said. The last extraordinary meeting was held during 2009 when OU was conducting its search for a new provost, he added.
What happens at the meeting depends on what decisions are made by both Kasich and McDavis regarding budget cuts. Faculty senate is holding the meeting to create resolutions of clarification, support or opposition - regardless of the impact, said John Gilliom, a senator from the College of Arts and Sciences.
Whether it will have an impact - I think that's one of the big looming questions of the year
Gilliom said. It depends on how open the university leadership ... is to authentic participation by the faculty senate.
Beth Quitslund, also a senator from the College of Arts and Sciences, said she realizes the administration and faculty have to work together as best as they can.
My ideal scenario ... is that the budget that comes out
the faculty senate looks at it
and says
'We can endorse this
we think that you're making the painful decisions you have to make in the most constructive way for the university
' Quitslund said. Certainly we're not going into this with the idea that we're going into battle with the president's office ... but how can we be helpful
how can we make our views heard.
McLaughlin also said another senate meeting is the most effective and accurate outlet to convey the faculty's opinion.
... at the end of the day
a faculty senate vote is the best mechanism we have
