A special meeting of the Faculty Senate has been called for April 17 to consider four motions that address faculty concerns related to current challenges in U.S. higher education. 

Per the rules of the Faculty Senate, the meeting was scheduled after a petition was signed by more than 200 faculty members.

The meeting will run from 1:30-3:30 p.m. in University Hall in the Alexander G. Ruthven Building. Those wishing to attend in person are asked to register in advance. The meeting will also be livestreamed via Zoom.

Senate members interested in speaking on any of the motions must fill out an online form by 8 a.m. April 15 to be considered.

The Faculty Senate, also known as the University Senate, is the central faculty governance organization at U-M with approximately 7,600 members. It includes 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.

Following the meeting, University Senate members will receive a link via email to vote on the four motions, all of which are advisory in nature. The voting period will last 72 hours, until 4 p.m. April 20.

The first motion asks President Santa J. Ono to propose and help establish an alliance with other universities in the Big Ten to defend academic freedom, institutional integrity and research.

The second motion seeks approval by the Faculty Senate of a statement in support of the core mission and values of higher education in the U.S.

With the third motion, the Senate is asking the administration to continue diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives that are in alignment with university values and mission, while remaining legally compliant.

The fourth motion seeks university protection for international students, faculty and staff from unwarranted detention.

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