LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - Some faculty leaders have told the University of Nebraska president that they want more input in important university decisions.
The UNL Faculty Senate executive committee has criticized the university for making decisions “with little or no faculty input,” the Omaha World-Herald reported .
Faculty members have complained about a lack of involvement in discussions about budget cuts and a new freedom of expression policy. They also cited having no input on the decision to lower mileage reimbursement or the new travel policy draft.
“At no other time in the history of the Faculty Senate do we remember there being more regulations coming from the University of Nebraska system, with so little faculty involvement in the process,” faculty leadership said.
NU President Hank Bounds said he supports shared governance. However, Bounds disputed the notion that decisions are made without input, but offered to meet with senate leadership to discuss the issue.
Faculty input has been requested for the developing travel policy, said Melissa Lee, Bounds’ spokeswoman. Lee also said the senate did have the opportunity to look at the freedom of expression policy.
“President Bounds and his team have been responsive to our concerns,” said UNL Faculty Senate President Sarah Purcell.
Bounds oversees the Omaha, Lincoln and Kearney campuses. The NU system has been forced to make budget cuts for more than a year because of lackluster state revenues, he said.
The University of Nebraska at Omaha’s Faculty Senate passed a resolution in the fall requesting shared governance. It requested NU leadership consult the senate on certain issues including budget, planning and certain hires.
The Faculty Senate presidents at the NU Medical Center and the University of Nebraska at Kearney said they haven’t made such complaints to Bounds.
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Information from: Omaha World-Herald, http://www.omaha.com
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