Faculty Representation on the President’s Diversity Council
Resolved: That Academic Senate of Sonoma State University recommend to President Sakaki that the elected members of the Senate Diversity Subcommittee (SDS) serve as the faculty members of the President’s Diversity Council (PDC).
Rationale: The intended faculty membership of the President’s Diversity Council currently consists of six elected members, one from each school plus a librarian; in addition, the chair of SDS serves as a liaison. The faculty membership of the Senate Diversity Subcommittee also consists of six members elected by the schools and library, plus two at-large members.
Having two distinct groups of faculty members trying to advance diversity and inclusion through their two different committees leads to diffuse and possible overlapping efforts. In addition, the schools have not regularly held elections for PDC representatives, as there is no office that oversees faculty elections for administrative committees.
Both groups have agreed that the same faculty members serving in both roles would be useful. They will work with the Structure and Functions Subcommittee to coordinate their meeting schedules so as to make scheduling predictable and not burdensome for members.