By Mary Jo Frank
George J. Brewer, Thomas E. Moore and Louise K. Stein will begin serving three-year terms on the Senate Advisory Committee for University Affairs (SACUA) May 1.
The three were elected at the March 15 Senate Assembly meeting. Ronald J. Lomax was elected to a one-year term resulting from the resignation of Donald J. Bord, U-M-Dearborn professor of physics.
The new members succeed Ejner J. Jensen, Cynthia L. Marcelo and Roy Penchansky.
George J. Brewer
Brewer, professor of human genetics and of internal medicine, joined the faculty as assistant professor of internal medicine in 1965. He was promoted to associate professor of human genetics in 1967, professor of human genetics in 1970 and professor of internal medicine in 1976.
A member of Senate Assembly in 1985–88, Brewer was reelected in 1992. In his SACUA campaign statement, Brewer noted that when he joined the Assembly for the second time, he started working for change:
“I’m for change in the lack of consultation and communication with the faculty by the administration when it abruptly makes policy and other changes affecting both the faculty and overall University operations. …I’m also for change in a faculty governance system which often seems to be more interested in the agenda of the administration than it is in determining the issues that are important to the faculty, and acting upon them in a responsible manner. I’m for change in a faculty governance system which operates to keep Senate Assembly out of the loop of effective issue raising, debate and decision making.”
Faculty governance projects Brewer has focused on recently include: development of a faculty newsletter and faculty evaluation of administrators.
Moore, professor of biology and director of the Exhibit Museum, joined the
U-M as an instructor in zoology in 1956. He was promoted to assistant professor of zoology in 1959, associate professor of zoology in 1963, professor of biology in 1966, curator of insects in the Museum of Zoology in 1956 and director of the Exhibit Museum in 1988.
Moore has served on a number of University committees, including the Civil Liberties Board (1968–70), the Committee on Financial Affairs (1973–76) and the High School Accreditation Advisory Committee (1987–92). He chaired the Committee on Central Student Records Policy in 1968–70. Moore served on Senate Assembly in 1971–72, 1980–81 and 1986–89.
In his SACUA campaign statement, Moore wrote: “The role of faculty governance falls principally in the areas of advice and consent regarding policies, procedures and equitability across the whole University. This includes assuring equal access for all faculty members and other members of the University community to a fair arena to address their concerns, and an opportunity to be heard. Because governance is not the full-time commitment of faculty members, the issues chosen for vigorous response must be carefully chosen and the perspectives unusually insightful, long-range, and compelling. The complex issues faced also demand wisdom, patience and cooperation.”
Functions of faculty governance include anticipating needed policies and oversight of the adequacy of policies enacted, according to Moore. Faculty also need to monitor and influence administrative efforts in re-shaping the University and reallocating resources, he added.
Louise K. Stein
Stein, assistant professor of music, joined the U-M in 1987. She was a senior fellow in the Institute for the Humanities in 1989–90. A Senate Assembly member since 1990, Stein has served on several School of Music committees, including musicology and ethnomusicology departmental search committees in 1988–93.
In her SACUA campaign statement, Stein said the “faculty’s voice should resonate beyond the confines of the classroom, the laboratory or the recital hall to promote its high standards.
“The faculty can only assert its values and affect the formulation of policy if the advisory powers of faculty governance are consistently exercised and the channels of communication between the faculty and the administration are actively open.”
Ronald J. Lomax
Lomax came to the U-M as a visiting assistant professor of electrical engineering and computer science in 1961. He was promoted to assistant professor in 1963, associate professor in 1966 and professor in 1973.
A Senate Assembly member in 1987–90, Lomax’s University service includes membership on the Academic Affairs Advisory Committee in 1989–91 and serving as co-chair of the group in 1990–91.
In his SACUA campaign statement, Lomax said: “As the highest level representation of the faculty as a whole, SACUA must serve to ensure that the University administration is fully apprised of faculty sentiment on the key issues with which the University is involved, and that faculty are allowed to participate in the decisions.”
Lomax also said that current pressures have acted to reduce the real influence of faculty on governance of the University at all levels, which is manifested by low attendance at departmental and college faculty meetings as much as by the increasing autonomy of the central administration.
