Vickie R. Courtney Award Recipients
Congratulations to this year's recipients of the Vickie R. Courtney Award for Outstanding Service to University Senate Governance! This award recognizes faculty, students, academic professional and administrative (P&A) staff, and civil service staff systemwide who have made a significant impact on University Senate governance. This year's honorees are Rosemary Burns Velez, Whitney Taha Frakes, and Shana Watters.
Rosemary Burns Velez, executive assistant to the dean, College of Veterinary Medicine, is the current chair of the Civil Service Consultative Committee (CSCC) and Civil Service Senate. Rosemary transitioned into the chair role under unplanned circumstances when the incoming chair unexpectedly left the University; having been designated chair-elect, she assumed leadership without hesitation. Her nominator wrote, “...Rosemary stepped up and volunteered to chair the Civil Service Senate — despite not having served a year as chair-elect. Her humble, servant-leader approach has been invaluable to both the Civil Service Senate and the University's shared governance model. She has cultivated stronger relationships with the Office of Human Resources and the civil service community as a whole, as evidenced by the successful elections held during the 2025–2026 academic year.”
Whitney Taha Frakes, a leadership and talent development consultant for University Services Human Resources on the Twin Cities campus, has been a cornerstone of University Senate governance, most notably serving as chair (2023–24) and chair-elect (2022–23) of the P&A Consultative Committee and P&A Senate. Whitney’s nominators wrote, “Through working with her on the P&A Senate, conversations with other colleagues having served alongside her in University governance roles, it is clear that Whitney deserves to be considered for this great honor for her tireless efforts in seeking to understand the specific issues faced by each system campus and its constituents, consistently going above and beyond expectations to engage, and her thorough preparations to facilitate and represent. Whitney’s leadership through intentional listening and passionate advocacy is truly the hallmark of her time in University governance - a legacy that leaves a lasting impact.”
Shana Watters, a teaching professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering within the College of Science and Engineering on the Twin Cities campus, currently serves as the chair of the Campus Committee on Student Behavior (CCSB). The CCSB acts as a hearing panel when students contest alleged violations of the Student Conduct Code. Her nominator wrote, “What makes Dr. Watters’ achievements with the CCSB even more remarkable is the broader context of her service. She has accomplished this backlog reduction and dedicated hundreds of extra hours to the CCSB while concurrently serving as a senator in both the Faculty Senate and the University Senate from 2023 to 2026. The sheer volume of time, energy, and intellect she has volunteered to the University’s shared governance system over these years is extraordinary when considered alongside her full-time faculty role.”
The Big Issues
Term Faculty and Instructional P&A
This semester, work continued on several efforts to address concerns around employment conditions and academic freedom of term/contract faculty and instructional and research P&A. Several committees, including the Term Faculty and Academic Professionals Subcommittee (TFAPS), the FCC and the Academic Freedom & Tenure Committee (AF&T) received updates from Beth Lewis, vice provost, Faculty & Academic Affairs, regarding the work of the provost’s Contract Faculty, Lecturer and Teaching Specialist task force. Lewis also visited the University and Faculty Senate to provide updates, answer questions, and gather feedback.
At the same time, debate continued in several committees and senates over the recommendations of the AF&T Task Force on Academic Freedom Protections for Non-Tenure Track Faculty Appointments. After several heated discussions, the Faculty Senate voted 89-11 to endorse the creation of two new task forces, to be set up jointly by AF&T, SCFA, and the provost. The first task force, the Faculty Reclassification Task Force, will operate under the guiding principles that those doing faculty work should be recognized and classified as faculty; and that all personnel conducting faculty work should be brought under the umbrella of the Board of Regents Policy: Faculty Tenure, become eligible for faculty titles under that policy, and be afforded the academic freedom protections it provides. The second task force, the Term Faculty and Librarians Policies Task Force, will be tasked with drafting a supplemental policy to protect the academic freedom of term faculty and a policy that protects the academic freedom of librarians. Both task forces will present their recommendations to the Faculty Senate for discussion and approval. Work is underway to determine charges, membership, and timelines for these new task forces.
Unrelated to all task forces, the FCC also had a discussion about these groups’ voting rights for and representation on the FCC.
Operation Metro Surge
The influx and aggressive operations of over 3,000 DHS agents into the Twin Cities metro area and other parts of the state caused massive disruptions, and the University was no exception. Shared governance groups grappled with how to respond and what they could do to support people affected by the surge at the University. The University Senate passed a statement in support of vulnerable groups, and the Student Senate issued a statement on ICE operations on the Twin Cities campus. The Student Senate also passed a resolution charging its Rules & Oversight Internal Committee to investigate allegations of ICE agents staying at The Graduate hotel.
In addition to the formal statements issued by the senates, the Faculty Consultative Committee provided on-the-ground, practical advice to administrators in several of their regular meetings (December 4, February 2), as well as during a special meeting called after the murder of Alex Pretti. Suggestions included restricting building access to those with U cards, as well as providing concrete action steps to students, staff, and faculty who may encounter agents on or near campus.
Following the memorial service for Alex Pretti, AF&T and SCFA issued a joint statement on academic freedom and artistic expression.
Spotlight On: Jennifer McComas
What sparked your interest in shared governance? I had been reflecting on the fact that I don't like others telling me what to do or how to do it and realized that in the absence of "top-down" management/governance, I had a responsibility to engage in shared governance.
What has been your favorite memory in governance? I have a few favorite memories, most to do with the remarkable willingness of my colleagues from across all campuses of the University to identify issues and work collaboratively toward solutions. I really appreciated working with David Johnson and G.G. Golden on the Disabilities Issues resolution to support a substance abuse recovery program on the Twin Cities campus. I appreciated the wisdom and experience that David and G.G. shared and the consultation process that informed and shaped the final resolution and taught me so much about shared governance.
What advice do you have for future governance leaders? Connect with others, ask questions, listen, and follow-up. Like so many endeavors, shared governance takes a village!
What something fun you would like people to know about you? At age 58, after shoulder replacement surgery, I started training as a powerlifter. I won my first medal in a competition one year later, and I am preparing for my 3rd competition.
Jennifer McComas is a professor in the Department of Educational Psychology in the College of Education and Human Development, and is current chair of the University Senate Disabilities Issues Committee.
Senate Office Mailbag
Q: What exactly does a senate associate do?
A: The most important thing senate associates do is provide strategic guidance to shared governance bodies, chairs, and University leaders. They advise on University policies, navigate politically sensitive environments and competing demands, and shepherd legislative actions like resolutions and statements through shared governance. Senate associates also manage meeting logistics, lead annual committee orientations, and translate robust committee discussions into highly detailed minutes that serve as an official historical record. Because this role demands navigating competing constituent demands and sensitive matters, it requires a high degree of maturity and advanced project management and writing skills. For more information, you can check out this chart that breaks down University and Faculty Senate duties and our most recent senate associate position description.
Director's Message
Laurie Cooper Stoll, PhD, director, University Senate Office
As the academic year comes to a close, I am reflecting on another busy year for shared governance at the U. Senate associates organized and facilitated over 250 senate and committee meetings this year, including 11 student behavior hearings, 20 student administrative hearings, and 3 Senate Judicial Committee hearings. This past year, legislative actions taken by governing bodies included 3 resolutions, 5 statements, and 3 letters. Senates and committees also consulted on 28 policies.
Over the past year, the Senate Office successfully led a number of key initiatives to enhance the overall effectiveness and efficiency of shared governance. We successfully consulted with committees and senates to implement several updates to governing documents that will provide more clarity and streamline administrative procedures. We reinstated a robust policy review process, updated processes for committee appointments, and brought our website into compliance with the federal law on digital accessibility.
The Senate Office also implemented several changes to enhance both the efficiency and climate of university and faculty senate meetings such as utilizing a Zoom timer, rotating constituency turns during discussions, and providing clearer process explanations. We also boosted engagement by hosting a shared governance webinar last fall with several hundred attendees across the university and launched a feedback survey this spring to guide future meeting improvements. I also attended the Big Ten Academic Alliance in November to learn more about governance processes and procedures used at our peer institutions.
Finally, I want to express my gratitude to the faculty, staff, administrators, and students who served in or contributed to shared governance this year. I also want to thank my team in the Senate Office for their commitment and dedication to collaboration and continuous improvement. I cannot say enough wonderful things about our team in the Senate Office. I am truly fortunate to work with them every day. In closing, I wish everyone a fun and rejuvenating summer and look forward to working with you to support shared governance in the fall!
Adjourned
Professor Perry Leo, chair, Senate/Faculty Consultative Committees
As my term as FCC/SCC chair wraps up, I want to thank you all for your engagement with shared governance this year. I am especially grateful to chair-elect Tim Johnson, whose wisdom and leadership have been invaluable this semester, and to Laurie Cooper Stoll and Amber Bathke in the Senate Office for their continued support and guidance. I am also happy to announce that Julie Olson was elected to be the incoming chair-elect of the FCC and SCC. The FCC and SCC will be in good hands when I relinquish the reins on June 30.
Spring semester has been a busy time in shared governance. The Faculty Consultative Committee (FCC) and Senate Consultative Committee (SCC) addressed several urgent developments affecting the University of Minnesota community during the spring semester. Both committees spent significant time discussing the impact of Operation Metro Surge on the University and our communities. On January 8, the SCC held a special meeting to approve a Statement of Support regarding these events. This statement was subsequently approved by the University Senate. Following the killing of Alex Pretti, the FCC convened a special meeting on January 25. Provost Ritter joined us for a robust discussion regarding the University’s response to the ongoing situation.
As the semester progressed, the University budget and recommendations regarding term faculty and instructional and research P&A emerged as dominant themes. The FCC and SCC sought greater involvement in budget discussions to understand how proposed cuts would affect academic departments. Interim Vice President and Budget Director Koryn Zewers provided the FCC with an overview of the University’s budget structure. FCC/SCC chair-elect Tim Johnson and I also met with Executive Vice President for Finance and Operations Gregg Goldman, and we continue to work on how to better coordinate with the administration and the Senate Committee on Finance and Planning (SCFP) to determine how to provide a shared governance perspective during budget development.
Regarding term faculty and instructional/research P&A, the senate and the FCC heard updates from Vice Provost for Faculty and Academic Affairs Beth Lewis, who is chairing a task force related to implementation of recommendations on contract faculty and instructional P&A from the Term Faculty and Academic Professionals Subcommittee (TFAPS), which were approved by the the Faculty Senate a year ago. In March and April, the University and Faculty Senates discussed and voted on recommendations of the Task Force on Academic Freedom Protections for Non Tenure-Track Faculty Appointments, charged by the Academic Freedom & Tenure Committee (AF&T). As recommended by this task force, the Faculty Senate approved a motion to create two new task forces on these issues. The FCC will support AF&T and the Senate Committee on Faculty Affairs (SCFA) in working with the provost to set up these task forces.
Finally, we continue to discuss the issue of trust within the senate and between the senate and the administration. Trust takes time to build, and we anticipate these conversations continuing into next year.
Wishing you all a great summer.