By Shannon M. Davis
Arizona Daily Wildcat
The Faculty Senate voted to approve the proposed Strategic Plan with the caveat that the five-year plan "is a living document and is not unalterable."
The vote was nearly unanimous, but not without lengthy discussion.
Questions were raised about various parts of the plan, including the lack of mention about the relationship between the individual teacher and student.
"The single, largest variable affecting education is not included in this report," said Senator James Clarke, political science professor. "That variable is the student-teacher ratio."
Others expressed concerns regarding diversity.
"We are living in a society with enduring inequalities," said Senator Karen Anderson, director of women's studies. "We live in a diverse and unequal world and the UA has a role to play in changing that."
Senator Miklos Szilagyi, professor of electrical and computer engineering, objected to measuring successful research by the amount of research dollars brought in.
"Money serves important purposes but our research should not be measured by money ... This reference is immoral and wrong and should be deleted," Szilagyi said.
Additional comments will be incorporated into the plan before it goes to the Governor's office in October.
In other business, Andrew Silverman, Faculty Senate secretary and clinical instructor at the College of Law, urged the members of the Faculty Senate to be more pro-active.
"It's time for the Faculty Senate to come forward with our own initiatives. We can't just react to the Legislature, the regents and the administration," Silverman said. The issues of tenure and affirmative action were given to the Executive Committee as the first items for the Senate to address pro-actively.
Also, Associated Students President Ben Driggs presented ASUA's Peer Tutoring Program.
"This program will help hundreds of students and use the talents of the student body and it won't cost any money either," Driggs said. Juniors and Seniors will receive one or two credits to tutor freshman who are in some of the larger classes.
The program is scheduled to begin in the spring. The tutoring will take place in the Student Union.
Faculty Senate President John Schwarz, political science professor, reported that a committee is continuing to address co-governance. "This is essential to achieving the goals and objectives of this university. Both sides agree to this," he said.
The co-governance committee is charged with developing and recommending structures to promote the basic principles of co-governance between the faculty and administration.
The Faculty Senate also approved recommendations regarding the UA's Science and Technology Park and the Tenure Buy-out Policy.