During the past academic year, the University Committee on Faculty Affairs worked to strengthen language and expectations around faculty professionalism. The approved resolution and Faculty Rights and Responsibilities Policy updates were years in the making, with dedicated committee members interacting to create a collective voice for university faculty.

“The work done by the University Committee on Faculty Affairs is an exemplary model of faculty service that supports the mission and values of the university” said Thomas Jeitschko, MSU’s interim provost. “Their commitment to defining and strengthening the language around respect and integrity helps to foster a university culture that is equitable and inclusive while maintaining the core values of academic freedom. I am grateful for their time and dedication to get this important resolution established and for their ongoing service to the university.”

After receiving Faculty Senate endorsement, the resolution statement and updates to the Faculty Rights and Responsibilities Policy were approved by the Board of Trustees at their June 28, 2024, meeting.

Getting involved

Aside from focusing on faculty rights and responsibilities, the UCFA addresses and advises on matters related to the university budget as well as faculty employment, promotion, tenure, and professional development, ensuring that policies and practices support a fair and productive academic environment.

When faculty join MSU, whether they conduct research or teach, they also get involved through service opportunities. One way they can give back is through governance committees like UCFA. Beyond providing feedback at a central level, they gain unique experience, build relationships and hear important community perspectives on issues impacting faculty.

“I joined UCFA in 2019 after being encouraged by my chair to serve on a committee as an opportunity learn about the university, more broadly, but also as a way to be empowered to share my perspective,” said Nazita Lajevardi, committee member and associate professor in the Department of Political Science.

Having been a member for several years, she was able to see the full scope of how the professionalism statement evolved, from early work on an initial draft to the final product that was framed around faculty’s core values.

Early work on professionalism

The nation’s climate shifted drastically in the summer of 2020 following the murder of George Floyd, which further motivated the committee to imagine a work environment that took note of inequities and imbalances that exist in academia and academic institutions.

“In particular, we wanted a statement that would balance academic freedom with the twin goals of maintaining a respectful learning and working environment and recognizing the impact of differences in rank, authority, privilege and power,” Nazita expressed. “For example, those imbalances that exist between tenured faculty and their untenured colleagues or imbalances between tenure-system faculty and their colleagues outside of the tenure system.”

Committee members are faced with challenges when addressing issues, including institutional rules and, in some cases, constitutional law. While the new language development and improvements began in 2020-21, early work was paused due to ruling in the Meriwether v. Hartop case. The committee refocused on the topic in 2023-24 with an emphasis on embodying core values within the confines of the ruling.

“Developing two versions of this code with different groups of faculty was an incredible experience,” expressed Nazita. “I learned that university faculty are eager to work in a place where we treat one another with respect, and not in one where discriminatory, threatening and coercive behaviors are tolerated. I learned a lot about the values of our faculty, and the solidarity that exists between us across our different colleges and units. And, that experience has been incredibly uplifting.”

Seeing the full spectrum

Whether a member has been on the UCFA for several years or they recently joined the committee, crafting a statement on professionalism and defining key policy updates was enlightening.

Ken Prouty, a professor of musicology and jazz studies for the College of Music, started working with the UCFA in 2023. After serving on the College of Music Advisory Committee and MSU’s Faculty Senate, he was drawn to this new opportunity largely to ensure faculty have a voice in university community governance, and to interact with colleagues across campus.

“In an interesting twist, I was on the Faculty Senate when the original version of the statement came to that group a couple of years ago,” he shared. “I was able to express to the committee some of the discussions which the Faculty Senate had, and this helped to shape our work.”

Having experienced an array of faculty governance roles, Ken has seen the importance of each group and how their work differs. “My sense, having served with both groups [the Faculty Senate and the UCFA], is that the UCFA is where the ‘nuts and bolts’ of the issues which confront faculty are addressed,” he shared.

Faculty in these service roles understand the impact of their work and how it shapes the future of our university and the campus community.

“This statement is fundamentally an expression by the UCFA, as representatives of the MSU faculty, about the kind of community we aspire to be,” Ken said. “It recognizes the integral nature of academic freedom and free expression, while reminding ourselves of our responsibilities to our colleagues and to the University community at large.”