University senators predict that the goal of effectively reviewing Syracuse University’s procedures, policies and practices of promotions will not be completed before the end of the calendar year.

At Wednesday’s University Senate meeting, S.P. Raj, a senator from the Ad-Hoc Committee on Promotions, proposed a campus-wide initiative on behalf of the committee to review the university’s promotion policies. Yet, many of the senators found the timeline of the proposal to be unrealistic.

More than a year ago, the Board of Trustees’ Academic Affairs Committee raised concerns to Board of Trustees Chairman Richard Thompson about the university’s promotions process, specifically in terms of recruiting and retaining faculty. Thompson sent Cantor a letter asking her to develop an initiative to address these areas.

At the meeting, Bruce Carter, senate moderator and chair of the Agenda Committee, said in a conversation with Thompson that the chairman hoped for the senate to present its recommendations by December.

“The timeline is completely unrealistic,” said Eileen Schell, an associate professor of writing and rhetoric. “I appreciate that we’re going to take this to senate committees, but this is about faculty’s careers, so there needs to be a forum to discuss this.”

Carter said he plans to suggest the creation of an open forum for faculty members to express questions and concerns, but reminded senators to encourage their colleagues to attend the meeting — otherwise it would be a “futile effort.”

Currently, the Ad-Hoc Committee on Promotions is compiling a history of promotions in all colleges at SU, Raj said. He said the committee has completed 60 percent of its interviews with faculty and has interviewed all deans, associate deans and several administration members.

The ad hoc committee has developed four tentative recommendations to improve the promotion process: aggregating promotion data through the vice chancellor and provost’s office; addressing problems with retention, specifically in cases where the university wants to retain faculty it may be in danger of losing; addressing problems where tenure is granted but promotion is not; and addressing a lack of university-wide review in promotions, Raj said.

A senator raised the concern of how the changes the senate highlighted would be implemented.

Carter said he asked the Academic Affairs Committee to consider the senate’s recommendations when they begin its review. To ensure that faculty members are fully aware of the ad hoc committee’s proposal, Carter said the it will be available online. A forum will be held in the future to make all concerns known as well.

“Only senators vote, so it is incumbent upon senators to go to their colleagues and let them know the report is available and get their input,” Carter said.

After reviewing the proposal, the senate moved on to address other issues.

Interim Chancellor Eric Spina discussed the current status of the university’s collaboration with Bain and Co., a global management consulting firm, which will be looking at staff, cost structures across nonacademic and academic areas and several other components of the university.

The firm will then present its recommendations to a steering committee composed of faculty, staff, deans and administrative leaders, which will conduct an “Innovation and Opportunities Assessment” at SU, Spina said. Next week, a public forum will be held to discuss the outcome of Bain and Co.’s research and its future implications, he added.

“We want to find out the best way to educate the community about the scope of Bain’s involvement,” Spina said.

Spina said the Board of Trustees Budget Committee requested an external consulting firm last February because the university was experiencing a change in administration. He said Bain and Co. will serve as a “fresh set of eyes” to look at how the university functions.

“Bain is here to help us validate a lot of the information that we haven’t reviewed in a long time, which is helping us learn more about ourselves as an institution,” Spina said. “It isn’t about decisions, but preparing information for the incoming chancellor so he has a better understanding of where we are in relation to our peers.”

Published on November 7, 2013 at 1:48 am

Contact Annie: apalme05@syr.edu