Board passes faculty workload policy, approves interim dean
By Tobin J. Klinger : June 29th, 2009
President Lloyd Jacobs presented resolutions to outgoing Board Chair Richard Stansley, center, and David Huey, who both completed their terms as trustees.
The University of Toledo Board of Trustees said goodbye to four members during its final meeting of the year, while also taking action on a faculty workload policy and appointing an interim dean for the Judith Herb College of Education.
During committee meetings and a full board meeting June 22, trustees discussed the need for a policy that ensures that instructional workloads “align with The University of Toledo mission.”
The new policy, which reaffirms UT’s adherence to a 1994 state law under which boards were required to take formal action to adopt a faculty workload policy, states: “Be it further resolved that while the Board of Trustees and The University of Toledo recognize the three components of faculty workload — teaching, professional activity and service — The University of Toledo faculty shall continue to be assigned a 12-credit-hour per semester or equivalent teaching load as part of their normal faculty workload.”
During the meeting, President Lloyd Jacobs described the policy as placing emphasis on the role of chairs, deans and provosts in the process, and how the administration evaluated workload for fall semester in a more “intentional” way.
“This is not a reflection on a belief that people are not making appropriate contributions,” Jacobs said. “In fact, I believe that nearly all our faculty are working really hard for the benefit of the University. It is our hope that this policy will help to legitimize many of the nonteaching activities being undertaken by our faculty.”
Trustees also unanimously approved the appointment of Dr. Thomas Brady, CEO and founder of Plastic Technologies Inc., as interim dean of the Judith Herb College of Education. He earned his PhD from the University of Michigan and his master’s and bachelor’s degrees from Dartmouth College. His appointment will begin Aug. 1 and run until July 31, 2010, or until a national search process has been completed and a permanent dean selected.
Brady also served as a member of the UT Board of Trustees, from which he resigned in April.
In the same meeting, the board paid tribute to departing board members Richard Stansley, David Huey, Marvin Himmelein and Joseph Russell. Officers for 2010 also were selected, with Olivia Summons as board chair, C. William Fall as vice chair, and Carol Ashley as secretary.
In reflecting on his time on the board and as three-time chair, Stansley said, “We’ve come a long way.
“There hasn’t ever been as much progress as we’ve seen in the last three years,” Stansley said, adding, “I’ve appreciated every moment of it.”
In other action, trustees approved the creation of the Institute for Vehicular Business and Supply Chain Management, and the naming of the College of Business Administration Faculty and Staff Classroom, the James A. Poure Conference Room, the 3M Sales Conference Room and DWD Technology Seminar Room, all part of the Savage & Associates Complex for Business Learning and Engagement.