Faculty Council honors contributions of university community members

The Faculty Council last week honored its current vice chair and a staff member from system administration during an annual awards presentation.

During the April 27 Faculty Senate-Faculty Council meeting at 1800 Grant St., the council presented Joanne Addison, Ph.D., with its Distinguished Service Award. The Administrator of the Year Award was given to Jill Taylor.

Addison, vice chair of Faculty Council, is an associate professor of English in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at CU Denver. A faculty member for over 20 years, she also has served as chair of the Denver Faculty Assembly. In a resolution read by Faculty Council Chair Ravinder Singh, Addison was commended for her ability to build consensus with faculty and administration and for serving as a steward of academic freedom, creating a more inclusive campus for students, faculty and staff.

Taylor, director of academic program and policy analysis in the Office of Academic Affairs, was praised for serving administration and faculty with great professionalism, dedication and distinction. Among her contributions are generating detailed, perceptive analyses of actions proposed by state leaders. Her knowledge of policy matters helps inform the council’s Educational Policy and University Standards committee.

The awards were presented by President Bruce Benson, who also provided an update on topics and took questions during the Faculty Senate meeting. He mentioned uncertainty over the fate of the state budget during the last scheduled days of the General Assembly session, expected to adjourn on Monday. Despite a lack of resolution over classification of the hospital provider fee – an issue that potentially affects funding for higher education and other discretionary spending – he said he was encouraged that the proposed $20.5 million increase for higher education remained intact.

In other business at the April 27 meeting:

• The council re-elected Chair Ravinder Singh and Secretary Monique French. Melinda Piket-May was elected vice chair.
• The council passed a resolution supporting optional demographic questions on gender identity and sexual orientation on CU admissions applications. Students would not be required to answer; data collected would be used in aggregate only to gauge potential equity gaps pertaining to LGBTQ students, including retention and graduation rates, campus climate issues, programming and services.
• In response to the 2014 social climate survey, and following discussion with the Board of Regents, the council passed a resolution endorsing and affirming diversity and inclusion at CU. The resolution also calls for the council's development of a task force to address inclusive excellence in collaboration with campus governance groups and other leaders. The task force will propose action that fosters campus inclusiveness, improves faculty diversity and inclusion, and promotes inclusive classroom environments.
• The council approved proposed revisions to Administrative Policy Statement 1021, regarding faculty development and mentoring.

The council’s final meeting of the academic year is set for noon May 11 at 1800 Grant St.