In its ongoing effort to promote shared governance, the Academic Senate is adding a student representative to its ranks as well as representatives from the Classified Senate and Faculty Association.
The Academic Senate has had its share of complaints directed at the school’s administration for what they feel to be blatant violations of shared governance, so members of the group decided it should represent interests beyond those of the faculty.
“The executive committee is aware that decisions made by the senate most of the time tends to affect students,” said Academic Senate President Eduardo Cairo. “Since we’ve been complaining about the lack of shared governance on this campus, if we are going to proceed, the best thing we can do is to provide a seat at the table for representatives of the Classified Senate, the Faculty Association and a representative of the student body with a member of the Associated Students.”
The student representative will not have an official vote, but will act in an advisory role.
“They will not have a vote at the table but I believe that this is one way of showing them that we hold their opinion in high regard,” said Cairo.
The Board of Trustees has a student representative that also acts in an advisory capacity.
“Students are the reason faculty are here in the first place,” said Associated Students President Jordyn Orozco. “A representative on the senate would help faculty gain perspective when it comes to student needs inside and outside the classroom.”
Orozco said that if asked, he will step in and take on the role of the student representative and he stresses the importance of having a student voice in the senate.
“I think it would give more focus to those who may not be directly involved with student life as well as encourage faculty to actively engage the student population they teach,” he said.
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