2017

Resolution on Faculty Office Hours (March 2017): The Senate unanimously passed a resolution calling for a reconsideration of PVAMU’s office hours requirements and offering specific recommendation for bringing these requirements into closer alignment with those of our peer and aspirational institutions. The resolution includes an appended table comparing PVAMU’s policy with those of other comparable institutions. VIEW FULL RESOLUTION

2016

Resolution on Further Actions in Response to the Compensation Study (October 2016): The Senate passed a resolution putting forth four specific proposals for four actions to supplement and extend those already enacted by the administration in response to the compensation study conducted by Sibson Consulting during the 2015-2016 academic year. VIEW FULL RESOLUTION

Resolution on Tenure and Promotion (October 2016): The Senate passed a resolution to the effect that the revised administrative procedures regarding tenure and promotion should exclude any language allowing for a decision on tenure/promotion based on considerations of financial need or academic programming. The resolution clarifies that such considerations are more appropriate to other employment procedures and constitute an unfair intrusion into a procedure that should focus on the academic credentials and merit of the applicant. Among other things, tenure/promotion decisions based on considerations of financial need or academic programming have the effect of unfairly restricting the applicant’s right of appeal. VIEW FULL RESOLUTION

Resolution on Recruitment Service (February 2016): The Senate passed a resolution to address the issue of colleges and departments increasingly defining recruiting as a mandatory rather than voluntary form of faculty service. While faculty members should be duly rewarded for their recruitment activities, the resolution declares that recruitment cannot be designated on Faculty Performance Evaluation instruments as a mandatory form of service such that a faculty member can be penalized for declining to engage in recruitment activities. VIEW FULL RESOLUTION

Campus Carry Resolution (November 2015): The Senate passed a resolution calling upon the executive administration to use the legal/political resources of the university to challenge the Campus Carry legislation through the court system and the legislative process. This may involve joining other Texas institutions of higher education in any efforts to reduce the scope of the law or repeal it altogether. VIEW FULL RESOLUTION

2015

Multiyear Contracts for Contingent Faculty (March 2015): The faculty senate has put forth a detailed proposal outlining a merit-based system for awarding multiyear contracts to contingent faculty members. The proposal calls for a university-wide procedure for 1) transitioning faculty members with “Adjunct Instructor” titles to “Instructor” or “Lecturer II” titles and 2) awarding three-year renewable contracts to instructors and lecturers who meet certain performance expectations. The proposal also recommends that PVAMU implement a new tenure track for teaching faculty with terminal degrees in their field. VIEW FULL PROPOSAL

Compensation Study (April, 2014): The Faculty Senate has requested that the university contract with an external agency to conduct a comprehensive review of the compensation programs for faculty and staff. The purpose of the study would be to reveal any issues with salary compression, internal equity, and external competitiveness so that appropriate non-merit adjustments may be made.. VIEW FULL PROPOSAL

2014

Liaison to the Office of Government Relations: On May 2, 2014, the Senate unanimously passed a motion to create, as a standing position within the Senate, a Liaison to the Office of Government Relations. The senator holding this position will be responsible for meeting with members of PVAMU’s Office of Government Relations on a regular basis and reporting back to Senate on any issues that may require its attention.

Liaison to the Center for Teaching Excellence: On April 25, 2014, the Senate unanimously passed a motion to create, as a standing position within the Senate, a Liaison to the Center for Teaching Excellence. This position will be held, ex officio, by the chair of Committee on Faculty Research & Development, and will meet regularly with the decision-makers within the Center and report back to Senate on any issues that may require its attention.