I just wanted to make sure you all were aware of David’s remarks to the board and the HCC FS SB11 resolution draft (tidy)[1].

Below are his remarks :

The Senate first wishes to acknowledge the fine efforts on the part of the Administration’s Emergency Management Team.  This week was full of entertainment for everyone, but the Team did a remarkable job of keeping everyone well-informed EARLY, and we really appreciate that, we do. Thanks again!

The Senate wants to thank Trustees Tamez and Loredo for their visits to the Senate meetings in March and April, respectively.  We are always happy when our Trustees come to listen to the faculty.

Y’all remember the last time I was here?  I was talking about processes, and how broken ones are dragging faculty morale down?  One example I gave involved travel.  Well, I must report to the Board that I put my foot in it, and now I am helping the Administration examine options for moving to an all-electronic process that will lower blood pressures across the spectrum.   In the grand scheme, that’s a conceptually simple fix –although the execution side promises much …shall we say, “joy of discovery?”

But not all processes have simple fixes.  There are several issues before the Senate that will require much thought, consideration, and yes, even a bit of creativity.  As we learned out at Berkeley, the more varied the voices at the table, the greater the chance of successful innovation.  And faculty have some of the most diverse and imaginative voices you can imagine.  You MUST keep faculty involved in fixing these problems.  Don’t just have us “in the room” to hear the solutions: ASK US to create those solutions.

Finally, speaking of solutions to complex issues, the Senate has been debating the issue of campus carry, as I informed the Board in January.  At our last meeting, the Senate approved a resolution on the issue, and I must now present this resolution to Chancellor Maldonado and the Board.  I have just given printed copies to Board Services, and electronic copies will be sent to Board Services as well.  In addition, the full text may be found posted on the Senate’s Facebook page, as well as archived on the Senate’s website.   I will not read the entire resolution at this time; suffice to say that the Senate urges the Board and Administration to continue to press the Legislature to alter its stance on guns, even as we obey the law as currently parsed, and that the Senate supports the First Amendment and academic freedom rights of faculty to voice their opinions on the issue in public, on campus, and in instruction.

Thank you.