Debate and Discourse: The Role of the Faculty Senate on the Modern American Campus

Abstract

Shared governance in higher education is a critical component of academic management. The use of faculty senates is the primary mechanism for engaging faculty, yet these bodies have been increasingly viewed as ineffective. Through an analysis of ten purposefully selected universities, faculty senate meeting minutes were analyzed to identify the trends that senates address. Using one academic year as a case study, these senates were identified to be addressing significant campus issues under the themes of academic affairs management, student life and student affairs issues, campus planning, human resources concerns, and faculty personnel matters.