Resolved: That the Sonoma State University (SSU) Academic Senate affirm the importance of a California State University (CSU) Faculty Trustee to university shared governance; and be it further
Resolved: That the Sonoma State University (SSU) Academic Senate urge Governor Brown to appoint a Faculty Trustee in time for the Faculty Trustee to participate in the September CSU Board of Trustees Meeting; and be it further
Resolved: That the Academic Senate of the California State University (ASCSU) request that the CSU Board of Trustees recommend to the Governor the addition of a second faculty trustee to the Board with a term of appointment staggered with that of the current faculty trustee position; and be it further
Resolved: That this resolution be distributed to Governor Brown, the CSU Board of Trustees, Chancellor White and campus Academic Senates.
Rationale: The Faculty Trustee is a significant part of effective shared governance in the CSU system. The Academic Senate CSU (ASCSU) forwarded two nominees for CSU Faculty Trustee to Governor Brown on March 21, 2013. To date the governor has not appointed a Faculty Trustee, leaving CSU faculty without their legitimate voice in Board matters. If the governor does not act before the September Board meeting, two meetings will have passed without a Faculty Trustee present.
The addition of a second faculty trustee with a staggered term would eliminate situations where a vacancy due to a delay in the appointment of a single faculty trustee, or for any other reason, would mean the Board would not benefit from
the wisdom and perspectives of a current faculty member. It would also provide for a second faculty perspective on the numerous and diverse issues in a system with over 22,000 faculty and 410,000 students. It would also allow for the mentoring of newly appointed faculty trustees by a sitting faculty trustee.