The Faculty Senate discussed a number of issues on campus at their meeting Monday, including the noose costume controversy, Alec Cook and faculty tenure review policy.
The meeting began with Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Education Marsha Mailick presenting updates on the university’s research enterprise initiatives. Mailick said her office has focused on funding and supporting graduate education, as well as faculty members’ pursuit of cutting-edge research projects. She said she hopes research initiatives such as UW2020 will help to retain faculty.
“I do worry about the impact of budget cuts that our campus has experienced,” Mailick said. They will have an impact on research … I worry that our wonderful faculty will be tempted to move to other universities, as we know many other universities are trying to lure them away with higher salaries … we hope that the efforts we’re making to strengthen our research funding will have their intended positive effects now and into the future.”
Gary Brown, director of campus planning and landscape architecture, then presented updates to the university’s Campus Master Plan. Brown highlighted the new landscape plan, the green infrastructure plan and new utility projects, such as one slated for Bascom Hill. Other notable updates include constructing a bridge at the intersection of Charter and Linden to alleviate traffic and adding 2,000 parking spaces to campus.
Chancellor Rebecca Blank then addressed two hot-button student issues: the Obama noose costume worn at the Oct. 29 football game and the arrest of suspended UW student Alec Cook, who was arrested for sexual assault. Blank apologized for the university’s response to the costume incident.
“I am personally very sorry that the hurt that this incident and our response to it has caused,” Blank said.
Blank also reiterated the university’s commitment to taking sexual assault allegations seriously.
“The safety of our students with regards to sexual assault is absolutely paramount,” Blank said. “The recent case of an individual charged with multiple sexual assaults, I must say, is deeply troubling. It makes me heartsick.”
The meeting concluded with the body adopting changes to faculty tenure review policy made since the the September Faculty Senate meeting.
