Position Description: Secretary of the Faculty

The Secretary of the Faculty plays a key role in faculty governance by facilitating and coordinating the work of its legislative bodies and committees, by overseeing its elections, and by generally ensuring that its critical processes run effectively and on time.

The Secretary serves ex officio on the Faculty Council and a number of committees of the General Faculty, including the Advisory, Faculty Executive, Agenda, Honorary Degrees, University Government, Commencement, and University Day committees. Through these roles, the Secretary is frequently called on to draft resolutions for Faculty Council, and serves as parliamentarian at the Council’s monthly meetings. The Secretary convenes and chairs the Nominating Committee and conducts the annual elections of the General Faculty and the Faculty Council. The Secretary also organizes the honorary degrees and special awards process and is expected to compose and deliver citations for awardees at Commencement and University Day.

The Secretary administers the Office of Faculty Governance and in that capacity reports to the Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost. The Office has three full-time staff positions and a budget sufficient to support the work of the Chair of the Faculty, the Faculty Council, and the 27 standing committees of the General Faculty.

The Office, as overseen by the Secretary, prepares and distributes Faculty Council agendas; maintains minutes of all meetings of the Faculty Council and of the General Faculty; conducts correspondence pertaining to elections and actions of the two faculty bodies; provides a wide array of support services for the Faculty Council and faculty committees; solicits nominations and maintains files of all nominations and citations for honorary degrees and special awards; coordinates all print and electronic communications related to Council and committee activities; and otherwise facilitates faculty governance as directed by the Secretary.

The Secretary must be a member of the voting faculty and is expected to be knowledgeable about the organization and administration of the University and experienced with the governing documents, processes and procedures of faculty governance. The person in this position plays an active role on many faculty committees and must commit to attending numerous meetings each month throughout the full calendar year.

Also see the Secretary of the Faculty webpage.

Submit a nomination at this link.