FSD 18-20 PNW’s Faculty Senate Role in Suspension of Academic Programs

PNW Faculty Senate

FSD 18-20 Resolution Regarding the PNW Faculty Senate’s Role in the Suspension of Academic Programs

For discussion: April 12, 2019

For action: May 3, 2019

Approved: May 3, 2019

Whereas: The Constitution of the Faculty of Purdue University Northwest, which has been formally ratified by the Board of Trustees, establishes the Purdue University Northwest Senate as “the governing body of the Faculty” (Section II), and

Whereas: The Constitution assigns to the Faculty responsibility for, and authority over, curricular matters (Section III. B. 2-4), and

Whereas: The Constitution grants to the Faculty the power, more specifically, “To review, approve, and recommend to the Trustees the establishment of new degrees and degree programs to be introduced at Purdue University Northwest, and the discontinuance of existing degrees and degree programs when they no longer contribute to the fulfillment of the mission of the university (Section III. B. 3, emphasis added), and

Whereas: The distinction between “discontinuance” and “suspension” is merely one of genus to species, as “discontinue” is a transitive verb meaning “to break the continuity of” (Merriam-Webster; https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/discontinue), and

Whereas: It is evident that the intent of Sections III. B. 2-4 of The Constitution of the Faculty of Purdue University Northwest is to place decisions about what will or will not be taught for credit at PNW (including decisions of inclusion or exclusion involving curricula, course content, and the offering of academic programs) under the authority of the Faculty,

Be it resolved: The Purdue Northwest Faculty Senate calls on the Purdue Northwest administration to recognize the Faculty’s authority with regard to any kind of discontinuance (including “suspension”) of any academic program. The Faculty’s decisions regarding program and course offerings are legitimately constrained by budgetary limitations. Therefore, it may not be possible to offer every program or course that the Faculty deem worthy. In addition, the administration does play a vital role both in informing the Faculty of such limitations and in deliberating collaboratively with the Faculty about which programs might best be cut. But the decision to suspend or discontinue an academic program falls under the authority of the Faculty through the Senate.

Approved:

Scipes, Chair, Education Policy

Stefanek

Zhou

Ye

Kramer

Murkovsky

De Leon

Cherry

Davis

Disapproved: None