Faculty Senate will meet Monday evening in Walter 235 to discuss a resolution addressing the interim "Freedom of Expression" policy, vote on changing the Faculty Handbook and hear a presentation from University College Associate Director Angela Lash.
Following presentations from Ohio University President Duane Nellis, interim Executive Vice President and Provost David Descutner, and Lash, Senate will discuss a resolution from the executive committee that tells the administration to redact the “blanket prohibition” of protests on campus. That will start the process over by creating a broad-based group of university stakeholders to discuss whether or not the policy is necessary and what it should address.
“I think that faculty, at this point, are kind of eager to hear what (Nellis has) been hearing or what he’s been identifying as some critical issues or major themes, but he has talked about doing this on Wednesday," Faculty Senate Chair Joe McLaughlin said. "I don’t know if he’s going to feel comfortable previewing any of that on Monday night, but he might, or he might get some questions about that.”
Nellis and Descutner are likely to be asked about the interim "Freedom of Expression" policy, which bans demonstrations, sit-ins, speeches and more inside OU buildings, according to a previous Post report.
Faculty Senate’s resolution also suggests guidelines for that policy, which includes establishing a set of procedures for the university to respond to future student protests, and for the administration to define what constitutes an actual disruption.
Descutner is likely to address anxieties around budget constraints that impact faculty raises and health care coverage.
“Everyone’s being asked for next year to think about some pretty significant reductions,” McLaughlin said. “The context of that (is) basically no new money from the state, no increased money through tuition.”
The Benefits Advisory Committee has begun to look at how costs can be passed onto employees in order to balance that part of the budget.
Following Descutner's presentation, Lash will present about OU's initiative to support first-generation college students. Ohio First Scholars is in its third year and serves the one-third of students on the Athens campus who are first-generation students.
“In addition to working to build the program and support and engage our (first-generation) students, I also work to make sure people know that we’re doing this and that these programs exist,” Lash said.
Because faculty have a lot of contact with students, Lash sees that as an opportunity for them to be advocates for what the program is doing for first-generation students.
