Faculty, students to hold discussion about campus climate

Molly Ware, president-elect of the Faculty Senate and an associate professor of secondary education, announced the following about an upcoming faculty/student discussion:

On Friday, May 29 from 11-1 in Old Main 590, the Solarium, the Faculty Senate will be hosting a dialogue between students and faculty around creating a campus climate where excellence is inclusive. This event is intended to create space for faculty and students to be in dialogue and imagine how we might work together towards this aim. In addition, this dialogue will help the Senate determine and prioritize specific action steps that can be taken next year.

Faculty from across campus have begun this conversation and generated a list of action steps we might take as a campus (see Faculty Caucus Summary Document below). In addition, the Associated Students hosted a listening session a couple of weeks ago among students on campus. We're planning to build on these conversations in the event on May 29 by bringing student and faculty together.

There will be food at this event. And there will be opportunities to dialogue in smaller groups with equal numbers of students and faculty along with a large group forum at the end of the event.

Here are some specific ways you might choose to be involved:

• Attend as a faculty representative
• Share this invitation with your students to recruit student participants
• Generate a specific question or two that you would like faculty and students to be in dialogue about during this event
• Ask your students to generate a specific question or two that they would like faculty and students to be in dialogue about during this event
• Agree to serve as a faculty facilitator for one of the small groups. We need 8 faculty facilitators
• Identify a student who is willing to serve as a student facilitator for one of the small groups. We need 8 student facilitators
• Help with set up or tear down for the event beginning at 10:15 and ending around 12:20

We will be limiting participation to the first 30 faculty and 30 students who respond and expect to have ongoing opportunities in the coming year for students and faculty to engage in a similar process. So, if you or students want to participate, please email Molly.Ware@wwu.edu to confirm your attendance and you will be added to the list of participants.

If you have additional questions about this event, please email Molly.Ware@wwu.edu. We look forward to hearing from you!

With respect,
Molly Ware
President-Elect of the Faculty Senate