The primary role of the Faculty Council is to monitor those policies and procedures that govern faculty professional life at MSU-Bozeman, and provide advice to University administrators about issues that directly impact the instructional and research mission of the University. Over the past five years, the Council has made a number of significant contributions. While certainly not inclusive, the following reflects the contributions that have led to an increased role the Council has had in shared governance at Montana State University-Bozeman (listed from the most recent through the past five years):
- Initiated practice of recognizing award winning faculty members by the President at the University graduation ceremony in May;
- Increased faculty representation on UPBAC through the addition of the immediate past Chair to the Committee;
- Established policies that govern release time for the Chair and Chair-Elect for the academic year and summer months;
- Established policy that provided release time for the Chair of the Faculty Council's Faculty Affairs Committee;
- Created a post-tenure review policy that was adopted by the University;
- Established process and structure for formal faculty interaction with the Board of Regents;
- Began a practice of informal monthly lunches with the Chair, Chair-Elect, and the President;
- Initiated discussions between the Provost and Deans to allow faculty to be paid additional compensation for teaching overloads;
- Conducted a survey to estimate the number of employees' children that might take advantage of a scholarship to attend MSU-Bozeman;
- Established policy that provided raises on promotion;
- Established the Office of the Ombudsman;
- Approval of the Faculty Workload Policy;
- Inclusion of the Chair and Chair-Elect on UPBAC;
- Establishment of processes for dealing with space allocation (a shared responsibility between the Administration and Faculty);
- Presentations made to the Board of Regents concerning promotion and tenure processes resulted in both an affirmation by the Board of our process and marked a major advance in Regent-Faculty collaboration;
- Faculty Council leadership played a significant role in development of the selection process and appointment of the review committees that resulted in the appointment of President Gamble;
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In depth participation by Council members in the faculty section of the ten-year University accreditation visit and self-study;
- Participation by the Chair and Chair-Elect on the Select Special Review Committee to make broad recommendations on University resource and planning issues;
- Faculty Council officers compiled the ACADEMIC BUDGET-CUT IMPACT SURVEY, a report to central administration on the impact of previous operating budget reductions to teaching and learning across the campus; and,
- Established formal meetings between the MUS faculty representatives and the Board of Regents at the Board of Regents' meetings.
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