The University of Michigan’s Faculty Senate has passed four resolutions regarding faculty concerns related to current challenges in U.S. higher education.
The election saw 3,088 Senate members — 40.7% of eligible electors — cast ballots over 72 hours of electronic voting that followed a special meeting on April 17. The meeting was called after a petition was signed by more than 200 faculty members.
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Each resolution is advisory in nature. “We value faculty engagement and recognize non-binding resolutions as an important way for the faculty senate to weigh in on issues impacting our community,” said Colleen Mastony, university spokesperson.
Regarding a resolution that called for the university to establish a mutual defense compact with other institutions, Mastony noted, the university has already been actively partnering with several higher education organizations — including the Association of American Universities, the American Council on Education, the Association of Public Land Grant Universities and the Big 10 Academic Alliance — to advocate for the interests of individual institutions and higher education more broadly.
The Faculty Senate has nearly 7,600 members, including tenured and tenure-track instructional faculty and research faculty, as well as librarians, clinical faculty, archivists, curators and lecturers I, II, III and IV with at least a 50% appointment, and deans and executive officers from all U-M campuses.
A breakdown of the vote is as follows:
Motion 1: Resolution to Establish a Mutual Defense Compact for the Universities of the Big Ten Academic Alliance in Defense of Academic Freedom, Institutional Integrity, and the Research Enterprise
Yes 2,761, No 214 (113 abstained)
The motion calls on President Santa J. Ono to help establish a defense compact among the 18 schools within the Big Ten Academic Alliance. This alliance would contribute to a defense fund that would support participating institutions should they come under political or legal attack.
Motion 2: Statement in Support of the Core Mission and Values of Higher Education in the United States of America
Yes 2,843, No 146 (99 abstained)
The motion asks for the adoption of a collaborative statement drafted by governance leaders in the Big Ten Academic Alliance to express support for the mission and values of higher education.
Motion 3: Resolution to continue DEI initiatives that are in alignment with our university values, an extension of the mission of our schools, and legally compliant
Yes 2,123, No 574 (391 abstained)
The motion urges U-M leadership and the board of regents to retain the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, to rehire employees terminated with the dissolution of U-M’s DEI program and central office — and to support broader and more transparent dialogue regarding decisions that impact the U-M community.
Motion 4: Resolution Urging the University of Michigan to Protect International Students, Faculty, and Staff from Unwarranted Detention
Yes 2,744, No 203 (141 abstained)
The fourth motion urges the administration to adopt, insofar as legally possible, a policy of non-compliance with ICE. It also asks for the university to establish a program of legal support for international staff, students and faculty so that, in the event of visa revocation and/or immigration detention, they are given legal representation by specialized immigration counsel.
