Faculty panel extends outreach during three January input sessions

Topics:

The panel of faculty members appointed by the provost to explore the intersection of faculty members’ political beliefs and their responsibilities to students will continue its outreach to the University of Michigan community with open forums Jan. 10 and 11 on all three campuses.

The outreach is one part of the panel’s work to learn more about the issues involved in determining whether and how principles should be developed to guide these intersections as they arise in faculty members’ work with students.

The panel also is learning more about the ethical, legal and historical precedents and considerations, and is consulting how other universities deal with this question.

The open meetings are one way for the panel members to learn more about the range of views held by members of the university community.

James J. Duderstadt, president emeritus and University Professor of Science and Engineering, is chairing the panel and encourages broad participation in the scheduled listening sessions.

“We are eager to hear from a broad range of perspectives within the community to help inform our thinking about this important issue,” Duderstadt says.

The panel will host open forums Jan. 10 on the Dearborn and Flint campuses, and Jan. 11 on the Ann Arbor campus. The times and locations are:

Dearborn: Jan. 10, 9-11 a.m., Quad E, Fairlane Center North.

Flint: Jan. 10, 3-5 p.m., Kiva Auditorium, 126 University Center.

Ann Arbor: Jan. 11, 10 a.m.-noon, East Hall, Pierpont Commons.

The panel also is continuing to gather input and feedback in the following ways:

• An anonymous online form to gather feedback from faculty, staff and students will remain open through Jan. 18.

• Comments and suggestions submitted to the panel by email.

• Meetings with various groups on campus.

Duderstadt says the panel will continue its work in the coming winter semester with the goal of providing a report and recommendations to Provost Martin Philbert in the spring.

He says the panel will not be writing policy, but will recommend whether and how the university could develop principles to guide the issue of how faculty members’ political beliefs may intersect their work as teachers and advisers.

Members of the panel, in addition to Duderstadt, are:

• Deborah Ball, Arthur F. Thurnau Professor, William H. Payne Collegiate Professor of Education and professor of education, School of Education.

• Susan Collins, Edward M. Gramlich Collegiate Professor of Public Policy, Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy; and professor of economics, LSA.

• Deborah Goldberg, Arthur F. Thurnau Professor, Margaret B. Davis Distinguished University Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, LSA.

• Don Herzog, Edson R. Sunderland Professor of Law, Law School; and professor of political science, LSA.

• Bill Lovejoy, Raymond T. J. Perring Family Professor of Business Administration, professor of technology and operations, and associate dean for specialty programs, Stephen M. Ross School of Business; and professor of art and design, Penny W. Stamps School of Art and Design.

Tags:

Leave a comment

Commenting is closed for this article. Please read our comment guidelines for more information.