FSD 19-01 Electronic Communications Task Force

February 27, 2020

Purdue University Northwest Faculty Senate

Faculty Senate Document 19-01

Resolution on the Creation of a Taskforce on Group Electronic Communication

Submission Date: 7/9/19 (Executive Committee)

For Discussion: 8/23/19

Moved to action: 8/23/19

Approved: 8/23/19

Whereas: The PNW administration has raised concerns about Open Forum email. These concerns include (a) the use of this forum for the publication of threatening and abusive personal attacks, (b) its use for the transmission of information that is alleged to be both factually incorrect and harmful, and (c) inefficiencies created by the volume of emails we all receive.

Whereas: The PNW faculty have raised concerns about no longer having access to the All Faculty Forum, which reduces the open exchange of ideas and information among faculty, and the inappropriateness of Open Forum for faculty-to-faculty, student-to-student, and staff-to-staff communication.

Whereas: There are other models of forums for electronic communication among members of the PNW community that may serve us better, and

Whereas: Open Forum and other electronic group communication is used by students, staff, and administrators, in addition to faculty—constituencies that should be consulted and allowed to have input before any decision to restructure group electronic communication.

Be it resolved: A task force shall be constituted for the purpose of studying this issue and issuing recommendations as to how it should best be handled. The task force shall consist of faculty, staff, students, and administrators, with 1 or 2 members to be selected by each of the following bodies: Faculty Senate, SGA, CCSAC, APSAC, and SLT. The task force, once it has been populated, should begin its work as soon as possible, but no later than the beginning of the fall 2019 semester. It should conclude its work and issue its recommendations as soon as possible, but no later than the end of the fall 2019 semester.

Approved:

Elmendorf

Detmer

Scipes

Sindone

Brusca-Vega

Quinn

Alavizadeh

Mitra

Pelter

Taylor

Fewer

Disapproved:

None

Abstain:

None