Faculty Senate Resolution on Shared Governance 

Whereas shared governance is no longer functioning as envisioned by faculty at Texas A&M University, and

Whereas both the AAU and AAUP recognize the inescapable interdependence of all shareholders at a university, and

Whereas sustainable and lasting change at a major university comes not via presidential decree, but rather by developing collective buy-in for new ideas from its constituent groups and, as the AAU emphasizes, “by including multiple constituencies in decision-making processes, the university can ensure that different voices are heard and integrated into a cohesive vision. Shared governance thus provides the mechanisms to support the university’s autonomy, enabling the institution to fulfill its educational, research, and service missions.”

Whereas that failure to achieve buy-in was underscored by reorganization plans for main campus and Qatar, neither of which sought faculty input in advance or heeded many of the faculty concerns raised afterwards, and

Whereas President Banks’ apparent lack of commitment to meaningful shared governance is promulgating a mistrust of future administrative decisions, and

Whereas the perception that faculty voices do not matter may engender a long-term problem for faculty participation in university, college/school and departmental governance, and

Whereas an absence of shared governance threatens to heighten anxiety among faculty, staff and students, and

Whereas the problem has been exacerbated by a lack of transparency, including the president waiting for 15 months after taking office to share her vision for the future of the university, and

Whereas this apparent disdain for shared governance is likely to reduce the confidence of faculty and other stakeholders that broadly supported decisions are being made by the administration,

Now therefore be it resolved that the Faculty Senate of Texas A&M University calls on President Banks to demonstrate a new commitment to shared governance by engaging faculty early in the process in the decisions affecting their academic lives, and

Be it further resolved that the Faculty Senate remains committed to advocating for the faculty of Texas A&M University regardless of whether the university leadership chooses to heed our advice, and

Be it further resolved that the Faculty Senate requests President Banks to direct all levels of administration at Texas A&M University to engage in meaningful efforts to improve shared governance and restore trust in the decision-making process.