• Faculty Governance Guide

Faculty participate in governance at Portland State through the Faculty Senate and its constitutional committees, standing committees established by administrative action, and ad hoc committees established by the administration. Eligibility to membership in the Faculty Senate is determined by and includes all individuals who hold faculty rank, plus all unclassified personnel certified for membership by the Provost’s Office. Membership reflects the broad contributions of individuals to the teaching, research, and service functions of the University.

Based upon the principle of shared governance, the Constitution of the Portland State University Faculty, which is contained in the Faculty Governance Guide delineates faculty powers and authority, particularly regarding primacy in educational policy associated with curriculum, subject matter, and methods of instruction; research faculty status; and those aspects of student life that relate to the educational process. The constitution also stresses the authority of the faculty to participate in the selection of the administrative leadership of the institution. Faculty governance is supported by the University through a designated budget and support for the secretary of the Faculty Senate.

Faculty participate in governance at the OUS level through representation on the Interinstitutional Faculty Senate (IFS), which serves as a venue and voice for faculty on matters of system wide concern. The IFS meets with OSBHE regularly. The Portland State faculty elect three members to IFS.

As part of the self-study process, the Standard Six Subcommittee facilitated a discussion in the Faculty Senate that centered on the role and participation of faculty in shared governance at Portland State. Senators who participated in the discussion indicated that although Portland State has the mechanisms in place, like most colleges and universities, the University is faced with challenges in getting the full participation of faculty in governance.

During its May 2004 meeting, the Faculty Senate Steering Committee announced that it would appoint an ad hoc committee to study faculty governance at the University and make recommendations for changes, conducting most of the work through 2004-2005. The steering committee issued the following statement relative to the charge of the ad hoc committee.

The committee will review and clarify the faculty’s role in hiring, promotion, and tenure of faculty, and in the selection of deans, directors, and other administrators, and will elucidate the resulting principles that should be followed in department and college governance document. It will also consider the faculty’s role in larger university decisions. These deliberations, and the resulting recommendations and procedures, are not intended to overlap or replace the responsibilities of unions or administrators, but rather to give thoughtful consideration to the role of the faculty in protecting the intellectual interests of the campus in the decision-making process.