Election Spring 2023
Statewide Senator - 1-Semester Replacement, Fall 2023
Damien Wilson, Business Administration; Nominated by Emily Acosta Lewis
My name is Damien Wilson, and I am honoured to be a nominee for the replacement position of Statewide Senator for Fall 2023.
With an established history of faculty representation as a former Senator for the School of Business and Economics, and elected to Secretary in 2018-19, I would bring an understanding of faculty representation to this appointment. I have a history of wider representation through the CFA, communicating on behalf of our SSU colleagues with the North Bay Labor Council, most recently culminating in the inauguration of Sonoma State’s own Labor Council in 2021-22. Creating a platform for each of our campus’ labor groups to communicate and organize collectively has already led to wider and more visible action among campus communities. I have the endorsement for this role, from a number of sitting senators, and having been nominated for this position, it is a responsibility that I would take on with the trust and support of faculty colleagues.
If elected to the role I will continue to take on the challenges we face as SSU faculty members in Sonoma County. I will prioritize communicating with local faculty on the progress of our campus, with respect to our faculty colleagues across the CSU, and I will support our actions and initiatives as they uniquely hold for our collective interests.
Through an open dialogue, clear direction and regular updates, faculty members have been kept well-informed of CSU faculty progress in years past. If elected, I intend to follow the same pathway in communicating with and for SSU faculty.
The CSU is one of the largest Higher Education networks in the world. As such, it is vital to encourage and establish clear pathways of communication within campuses, and between all our institutions through effective representation. I welcome any opportunities to collaborate as a means for our collective benefit as Sonoma State faculty.
My history of experience, collaboration and exercising of initiative as a faculty representative brings established credentials to represent the interests of my Sonoma State colleagues within the CSU. Accordingly, I encourage you to vote for me, Damien Wilson, as the Statewide Senator for Fall 2023.
Thankyou for your interest in my candidacy and for your vote in Academic Senate Elections.
Chair of the Faculty - 1-year Term
Laura Krier, University Library; Self-Nomination
I’ve been a librarian and member of the faculty at Sonoma State for almost ten years, and have been an active participant in governance for most of that time, starting as the library’s representative to the Senate in my second year to acting as Vice Chair during the 2020-21 academic year. My service to the university has included multiple committees both in and outside of governance structures, and I’m very familiar with the strengths and challenges of faculty governance. I’m putting my name forward to serve as Chair because I believe my experience will serve the university well in the year ahead. I take a collaborative and consensus-based approach to leadership and my position in the library means that I have connections across all units of the university and am able to take a holistic view without emphasizing the interests of any single program. My years on APARC and my previous time serving on the President’s Budget Advisory Committee have given me knowledge of campus budgets and resource allocation, and my seat on the Academic Master Planning steering committee ensures that I’m familiar with the issues currently facing the university. My goal is to work with people across campus to ensure that governance can be a voice for faculty in university decision making.
Emily Acosta Lewis and I have been working together to identify ways that Senate can be more effective, meaningful, and accessible. We’re in a pivotal moment at SSU, one whose challenges will inevitably impact who we are as a university. Governance is too ponderous and bogged down to effectively address our challenges. We need to reimagine faculty governance to be more responsive and accessible, so faculty can be more effective collaborators in determining the future of the university. We need to strengthen connections among faculty, staff, and administration in order to further the mission of the university and to provide the kinds of learning experiences we envision for our students.
Faculty across the campus are overworked, overloaded, and burned out. In order to engage more faculty in governance, the work needs to feel more impactful and meaningful. And in order for our campus to respond quickly to change, we need to streamline administrative processes so people can focus on our mission. We should identify how to eliminate some of the barriers built into our policies and processes to make things like changing programs, creating new courses, working across departments, and engaging in assessment and program review easier.
The faculty must have an active role in determining the future of the university and the Senate offers the best opportunity for doing so, but we have to rethink governance processes and practices. If elected, we will work with committees, Cabinet members, and faculty across campus to re-think how governance operates so that we can work more effectively together.
Vice Chair of the Faculty - 1-year Term
Emily Acosta Lewis, Communication and Media Studies; Self-Nomination
I am in my 10th year as a professor of Communication and Media Studies and am up for promotion to full professor this year, which has given me the opportunity to reflect on what I have learned, the connections I have made, and the impact I hope to have moving forward. During this time, I have worked across divisions, lived on campus as faculty-in-residence for three years, worked with Student Affairs on Summer Orientation and Summer Bridge, and served on 21 different committees across campus. It is through this thoughtful deliberation that I have decided to run for Vice Chair of Senate with Laura Krier as Chair of Senate.
As a two-term chair of the Academic Planning, Assessment, and Resources Committee (APARC) and another two years as an at-large member, I have learned the intricacies of academic resource allocation and provided a faculty perspective while we are at a crossroads of budget and enrollment challenges. In this role, I also sat on the President's Budget Advisory Council (PBAC) and Campus Planning and University Space Advisory Committee (CPUSAC) which has allowed me to learn more about the university and statewide budget allocation and space planning. In my role on the Academic Master Planning Executive and Steering Committee as well as the Strategic Scheduling Working Group, I am intimately involved with the planning process and will continue to be actively involved in these discussions. Sitting on the Senate Executive Committee and Academic Senate for two years has given me the opportunity to be highly involved with faculty governance processes and learn from leaders across campus. This experience has also shown me that faculty, staff, and administrators are often frustrated with the governance process and do not always find those meetings the best use of their time. This is certainly not due to any of the amazing and hardworking faculty who are Senate leaders or Senators, but we can do better together.
Laura Krier and I have been working together to identify ways that Senate can be more effective, meaningful, and accessible. We’re in a pivotal moment at SSU, one whose challenges will inevitably impact who we are as a university. Governance is too ponderous and bogged down to effectively address our challenges. We need to re-imagine faculty governance to be more responsive and accessible, so faculty can be more effective collaborators in determining the future of the university. We need to strengthen connections among faculty, staff, and administration in order to further the mission of the university and to provide the kinds of learning experiences we envision for our students.
Faculty across the campus are overworked, overloaded, and burned out. In order to engage more faculty in governance, the work needs to feel more impactful and meaningful. And in order for our campus to respond quickly to change, we need to streamline administrative processes so people can focus on our mission. We should identify how to eliminate some of the barriers built into our policies and processes to make things like changing programs, creating new courses, working across departments, and engaging in assessment and program review easier.
The faculty must have an active role in determining the future of the university and the Senate offers the best opportunity for doing so, but we have to rethink governance processes and practices. If elected, we will work with committees, Cabinet members, and faculty across campus to re-think how governance operates so that we can work more effectively together.
Secretary to the Senate - 1-year Term
Jordan Rose, Nursing; Self-Nomination
I would like to apply for the Secretary to the Senate position for the upcoming academic year. Having served as a senate representative for SST over the past three years, I have been able to develop a stronger understanding of faculty governance and the way the academic senate functions. I would like to remain involved in the senate as secretary to continue my service growth on the university level. I began my professional life as a writer and English teacher, developing my prose and strong proofing skills. I continued to hone my attention to detail in my career as an informaticist and nurse practitioner. This position is a perfect chance to apply my skills and expand my contribution to faculty governance. I eagerly look forward to the opportunity.
Statewide Senator - 3-year Term; 1 Available Seat
Richard Senghas, Anthropology; Self-Nomination
I am running for a second terms as SSU’s statewide senator because I am eager to return to the ASCSU in a role that leverages my relatively extensive experience in shared governance at SSU. I have now served three years on the ASCSU, including as a member of ASCSU’s Faculty Affairs Committee. Previously, I have served multiple terms at SSU as senator and chair of the Faculty Standards and Affairs Committee, as Secretary of the Senate, as Vice Chair and then Chair of the Faculty. Especially as SSU’s Chair of the Faculty, I have worked with leadership teams (administrative and faculty) at both SSU and other CSU campuses, as well as the Chancellor’s Office. I have always advocated for accessible, high quality, and transformative education as our primary goal in public higher education, —an essential contribution in the lives of our students, and an essential part of a functioning democratic and equitable state and country. This mission is as important as it has ever been, as we respond constructively to the ongoing climate crisis, issues of justice and equity, our persisting budget crisis, and the Academic Master Plan process now underway. The solutions require articulation between the campus and statewide levels, where ASCSU is the formal voice of the faculty.
At-Large to Academic Senate - 3-year Term; 1 Seat Available
Mark Perri, Chemistry; Self-Nomination
I served on the academic senate for one year when I was chair of APARC. I really enjoyed my time on the senate and executive committee, where I introduced a resolution for our president to pledge to increase the sustainability of our campus. I would like to serve a full three-year term on the senate.
I feel that serving on the senate is important because faculty voices need to be heard on the issues facing our campus. With yet another year of budget deficits (which they say are worse now than the many other years we've had budget deficits), it's especially important that faculty push back against the administration who seems intent on cutting programs. During my time chairing the Senate Budget Subcommittee and chairing APARC I have seen our budget go up and down. I doubt that our enrollment and budget will come back up if we slash programs and limit the reasons students have to come to Sonoma State.
Lecturer Representative to Academic Senate - 3-year Terms; 2 Available Seats
Sakina Bryant, English; Nominated by Bryan Burton
Sakina would like experience serving as the lecturer senator. She has been active in the university for more than a decade. She is currently the Faculty Director for the Writing Center and is well aware of the needs of lecturers and our students. Sakina is well-known and liked on campus, which will make it easier for her to disseminate important information to her constituents. She is familiar with the Senate and would make an effective lecturer senator.
Wendy St John, Biology / GEP; Self-Nomination
As one of SSU's current lecturer senators, for the past three years I have worked to ensure that lecturer faculty and our unique concerns are considered at all times throughout university governance. During this time, I have also been an active and vocal advocate for students, faculty, staff, and our campus community in general. I am the CFA lecturer representative for our campus, and currently serve on the Academic Master Plan Steering Committee, and Current and New Programs working group. I have also served on the Strategic Priorities Task Force for the School of Science and Technology. My strong commitment to Sonoma State stems not only from my experience teaching in both the Department of Biology and the Department of Geography, Environment, and Planning, but also as an alumna of this university, having earned my bachelor's and master's degrees in our Biology Department. Off campus, my community experience includes having served as a regular director for the Oakland Symphony Chorus, and on the board of directors of The Wildlife Society San Francisco Bay Area Chapter. I am also formally trained as a community mediator.
My varied experience gives me a broad perspective on the issues and concerns that impact our campus, and at all times I am focused on our ability to provide an excellent and inclusive academic experience for our students that doesn't come at the cost of working conditions for faculty and staff. I would be honored to continue doing this important service to our campus, and respectfully ask you to vote for me as one of our campus' lecturer senators. Thank you.
At-Large Member; Senate Diversity Subcommittee - 3-year Term; 1 Available Seat
Kaija Freborg, Nursing; Self-Nomination
I have had a deeply vested interest in racial and social equity in healthcare throughout my career. After obtaining my degree in transcultural nursing leadership, I have been devoted to curriculum design that emphasizes a shift from multicultural education toward education in historical and current-day structural determinants of health. I currently Chair the Nursing Department's AJEDI (AntiRacism, Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion) Committee, where the department has recently approved a Position Statement and Action Plan on Racial and Social Justice. In addition, I was accepted into the American Association of Colleges of Nursing's DEI Leadership Program for Spring 2023, where I continue to advance my scholarship on inclusive teaching practices. Please consider me for the Senate Diversity Subcommittee. Thank you.
Patrick Johnson, American Multicultural Studies; Self-Nomination
My name is Patrick Johnson. I am an assistant professor in the American Multicultural Studies department. I am writing to express my interest in serving as the at-large representative for the Senate Diversity Committee (SDS). My teaching and service has demonstrated my commitment to issues of diversity at Sonoma State. As a professor, I am currently teaching four general education courses focused on representations of Black people in media and arts. I am currently in my third year as the faculty co-chair of the Black Faculty and Staff Association. During the 2021-2022 school year, I served as an at-large appointee to the Senate Diversity Subcommittee. As part of SDS, I served as a member of the Faculty Evaluation Taskforce. Our task force was charged with exploring ways of addressing the various machinations of bias in faculty evaluations, especially as they relate to race, gender, and sexuality. We produced a literature review of faculty evaluation research and recommendations for how SSU can combat bias in their faculty evaluation processes. While my one-year term ended last year, I continued to work with SDS during the 2022-2023 school year. I attended each meeting and regularly contributed to discussions as a guest. During the Spring 2023 semester, I was named a semester replacement for SDS. I hope to continue my work with SDS as an at-large representative for the 3-year term.
Willie Gin, Political Science; Self-Nomination
I have previously served on the SDS committee for one year as an appointed position, so I am familiar with many of the people on the committee, its projects, and goals. In my previous position at another university, I also served on a task force interviewing minority faculty and preparing a report for the university with recommendations to how the university could better aid minority faculty. My primary research interest is in racial and ethnic politics, so this is an issue to which I have deep connection to both academically and personally.
At-Large Member; Academic Freedom Subcommittee - 3-year Term; 1 Seat Available
Allison Ford, Sociology; Self-Nomination
I am running for the At-Large position on the Academic Freedom Subcommittee for a 3-year term. I have sat on AFS this past year as a proxy for the Social Sciences representative, who is on sabbatical. I was interested in participating on AFS because I have a long-term interest in the area of academic freedom. I previously served two three-year terms on the Pacific Sociological Association (PSA) Committee for Freedom of Teaching and Research, between 2017-2022, where I learned about issues of academic freedom across universities. I left that committee when my second term concluded feeling that issues of academic freedom were best addressed at the level of the university itself. Over the past one and a half semesters, I have learned about the specific issues and goals handled by SSU's AFS, and I believe I have been a valuable contributing member of the committee. My initial contributions were shaped by learning about the specific projects the committee is working on, and I have learned a lot about the different roles and responsibilities of various SSU community members to uphold academic freedom. I would like to build on all that I have learned this year to continue to support this vital area of academic life. Skills that I bring to the committee include expertise in policy, (I hold an M.A. in policy and worked in the field of environmental policy before becoming a Sociologist), familiarity with issues of academic freedom outside of SSU, from my time on PSA's committee, and a sociological perspective on the political culture that shapes today's academic freedom challenges. My own work, which asks questions about environmental privilege that intersect with studies of whiteness, colonialism, patriarchy and capitalism is a potential target of harassment from outside the university, and I have watched close colleagues rely on the academic freedom protections of universities to ensure safety in the pursuit of research and scholarship. I have also explored integrating issues of academic freedom in my own scholarship pertaining to climate change. For example, I organized and facilitated a panel at PSA on academic freedom in the context of climate change, titled "Wildfires, Blizzards and Pandemics: Academic Freedom in a Climate Constrained World." Although I am interested in and committed to academic freedom, I feel that I have more to learn about the specific challenges that are faced by faculty at SSU, and that having spent a year laying the groundwork, I am well positioned to learn more and grow my contributions to SSU. Thank you for considering me for this position.
Emily Ray, Political Science; Self-Nomination
I am interested in the Academic Freedom Subcommittee at-large representative opportunity. I have served in this capacity since 2019 and I remain committed to advancing academic freedom on our campus for the benefit of faculty and for our students. I have learned a great deal about executing the charge of the committee and hope to have the opportunity to bring this experience to bear in my service. Academic freedom is a critical component of a robust research program for individual faculty and for the university, and is part of a sound pedagogy to support intellectual inquiry in the classroom. As a political scientist, I can bring to this committee experience teaching socially and culturally sensitive topics, conducting research on "hot button" issues, and my own experience working collaboratively across disciplines. I also have experience as the former coordinator of the Masters of Public Administration program, serving on the School of Social Science Curriculum Committee, The School of Social Science Council of Department Chairs, and the Graduate Studies Subcommittee, all of which has granted me invaluable insight working on the administrative side of academic programs. I hope to have the opportunity to serve the campus in this capacity.
InHaeng Jung, Business & Economics; Self-Nomination
With this letter, I’d like to express my interest in serving on Sonoma State University’s Academic Freedom Subcommittee. As a scholar who is very involved with research and teaching, academic freedom is one of the most important values for me. As a new tenure-track faculty at SSU, I want to contribute to creating, promoting, and nurturing an environment where everyone can freely pursue their academic interests in both research and teaching. In addition, through this experience, I want to learn about how policies and academic procedures are articulated at our university. Given how important academic freedom is in scholarship, I would appreciate the opportunity to be a part of the progression. Thank you for considering my interest in serving on this committee.
Steven Farmer, Chemistry; Self-Nomination
Previously, I have served two terms on the Academic Freedom Subcommittee (AFS) and was chair for part of this time. This service will allow me join the (AFS) with a firm understanding of concept of Academic Freedom and its importance to SSU faculty. I look forward to returning to the AFS so that I can be part of the active protection of this vital faculty right. If I get your vote, I promise to defend the Academic Freedom of all faculty at SSU.