On behalf of the faculty, I want to again thank this Administration and this Board for its continued support for bringing faculty pay into line with comparable market averages. We are making progress, yet more progress remains to be had. We in the Senate look forward to continued conversation about how best to bring about equity while being responsible to the taxpayers and other financial stakeholders.
The Senate is proud of this past year. We revamped our membership and become more inclusive of adjuncts and librarians, as well as established a proportional representation model based on area of instruction. We conducted district-wide surveys on faculty evaluation and on academic rigor that moved the institutional needle, fulfilling a promise I made before this Board nearly a year ago. We went out to the campuses and actually listened to our faculty, and brought those messages forward to where they could do the most good. And we did our best to make sure that things that needed “second thoughts” actually got them.
This is what shared governance is all about: administration and faculty actually listening to one another, doing what’s best for the students and for the district. Now it does pain me to say that there are still people in our system who simply will not listen or learn. But as my grandfather used to say, “Those who do not learn, must feel.” And I have confidence that, much like in The Shawshank Redemption, “their time cometh, and that right soon.”
Speaking of time coming, the time is coming for me to pass the gavel to my worthy successor, Dr. Melissa Miller-Waters. I thank the esteemed Trustees for their patience and indulgence, especially when I popped up out of the blue with something (as is my wont). They were always ready to listen, and that speaks well of them. Keep it up.
I want to thank Dr. Maldonado for his patience and support as well. The Vice Chancellors and I all did good work together, and I do thank them. But I know that some of it had to have been, “Hey, you guys, David’s an Aggie like me.” Sir, good bull.
Lastly, I again want to thank the members of faculty, without whom I would have been a voice crying in the wilderness. It is for them that I spoke, and I hope I did so to their satisfaction. And as you can see by my travelling hat, I’m going back to my classroom now, but y’all know where to find me.
Thank you and Godspeed.