Simple, Non-Threatening, Courageous Acts

This week I received a forwarded email discussing concerns of some faculty at Shaw University. It was an invitation to a conversation. I was not part of meetings from which the document emerged, but I like very much what it had to say and how it said it.

Part of the difficulty university faculty face, whether at Shaw or elsewhere, is the time and opportunity to discuss and act on matters pertinent to their work and the work of the school. When these opportunities are not structured into university life, faculty find themselves relying on the conversations in the hallways, in the parking lots, and at the coffee pots. These fragmented conversations often elicit important ideas, but the bits and pieces of progress lie unresolved or even dormant, while the day-to-day concerns preoccupy our thoughts and energies.

Now and then, these scraps of communal discernment find their way into a document. Some such documents are carefully worded and diplomatic. Yet if there is no energy or structure to keep them moving, the conversation may not go anywhere. Other times, a faculty member may shoot off a hot letter to vent frustration. This often results in a crisis of relationships that forecloses further conversation.

The document "Five Priorities to Improve Faculty Morale" is not the kind of statement that should cut off dialogue. It is composed in reasonable language with appropriate respect for the conversation partners. It does not pretend that all is well, nor does it demonize people by singling them out as the cause of problems. It asks for conversation on important topics, and it expresses a set of priorities clearly. By showing respect and explaining reasons, "Five Priorities" offers to continue a conversation rather than to drop a bomb and see who are the casualties.

It would be pointless to ask for conversation on the pretense that faculty members have not already come to some conclusions of their own about how to improve the university and their place in its work. This document is direct on a number of issues such as at-will employment, contracts and tenure, hiring processes, structures of faculty governance, faculty workload, and compensation. Who would be surprised that these are on the agenda? Acknowledging them is a key step toward addressing them. Thus, by being specific, the "Five Priorities" helps establish the ground for a robust conversation.

Additionally, "Five Priorities" clarifies for the faculty that our role in the university is never as passive recipients of action, nor merely as responders to the work of others. We also are initiators of the work that makes a university what it must be.

All who have studied the history of universities would know that they began as gatherings of students in cities where groups of teachers had congregated. The essence of a university resides in its faculty's capacity to preserve, pass on, and create the knowledge which allows humanity to thrive.

Over the centuries, innovations have led to administrative units which structure that process so that students and public communities can better benefit from the university's work. Therefore the modern university depends on both administration and faculty to assure its effective work. They must work together. Even if they have not been at odds, in isolation they will be hindered from accomplishing all that they can. The "Five Priorities" asks faculty to take initiative to deal with matters which for many seem to have been delayed for too long.

I have been considering launching this blog since late June. The time now seems right. It is not a perfect medium, but I hope it can be useful. Perhaps it will provide a setting where topics of concern and interest to our faculty can be examined and discussed. It may be that some better way to have this conversation will emerge, and rest assured that I have no vested interest in being in charge of the conversation. For now, I look forward to seeing your comments and interactions.

With this commendation, let me encourage you to review the document. Ask a colleague for a copy if you have not seen it. I hope to include it on this site in future postings.