A faculty working group tasked with recommending changes to the university’s policies that cover dismissal of tenured faculty will launch two initiatives in January to gather additional faculty input.
The working group has scheduled a series of town halls to provide faculty members with an opportunity to share their ideas and concerns relating to proposed changes to two Regents’ Bylaws — 5.09, which describes procedures in cases of dismissal, demotion or terminal appointment, and 5.10, which covers severance pay.
The events will be scheduled across the university’s three campuses on:
- Jan. 23, from 1:30-2:45 p.m., Boulevard Room, Pierpont Commons on North Campus.
- Jan. 23, from 4-5:15 p.m., Pendleton Room, Michigan Union on Central Campus.
- Jan. 24, from 10-11:15 a.m., Kochoff Hall (A, B, C) on UM-Dearborn’s campus.
- Jan. 27, from 12-1:15 p.m., Kiva – 126 University Center on UM-Flint’s campus.
The working group is made up of nine professors across U-M’s three campuses and chaired by Sharon Glotzer, the Anthony C. Lembke Department Chair of Chemical Engineering; the John Werner Cahn Distinguished University Professor of Engineering; the Stuart W. Churchill Collegiate Professor of Chemical Engineering; and professor of chemical engineering, materials science and engineering, and macromolecular science and engineering in the College of Engineering; and professor of physics in LSA.
In addition to these scheduled events, the group will launch an online survey Jan. 20 for faculty members on the three campuses to provide feedback on possible bylaws changes the working group is discussing.
The feedback will help inform the working group as it works to craft recommended revisions to the bylaws by Feb. 28 that reflect the university’s community values, protect its commitment to due process, and promote the fair, transparent and efficient resolution of cases.
In its earlier phase, the working group gathered information and assessed the state of similar policies at peer institutions. It also developed preliminary recommendations for bylaw additions and amendments that allow for interim measures in cases involving “manifestly egregious misconduct.”
Any of the group’s recommendations accepted by the president and approved by the Board of Regents would apply to all U-M campuses. Communications to the working group should be sent to working.group.outreach@umich.edu.
