Faculty Senate Meeting
Thursday, October 16, 2014
4:00-6:00 pm
The Great Room, Garrett Hall
Meeting commenced at 4:00pm.
1) Introduction
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Joe Garofalo, Chair, opened the meeting.
2) Remarks by President Teresa Sullivan
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The President provided the Senate with a number of updates:
o Second year student, Hannah Graham, is still missing. A suspect in the case has
recently been arrested, and the University is doing everything possible to
collaborate with police and FBI. The University has convened a Community
Safety Advisory Group to identify ways to improve safety on grounds through
lighting, transportation, and other means. In response to student demand, the
University has added another van to the Safe Ride service. The alcohol education
program is being revised to more effectively promote students’ responsible
consumption of alcohol.
o With the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision not to review the Fourth Circuit Court of
Appeals decision to legalize gay marriage in Virginia, same sex marriages are
now legally recognized in Virginia and by the University. Same sex couples are
now eligible under the U.Va. Health Plan. Children of same sex couples are also
granted coverage.
o The President made trips to New York City and Greenwich in October to meet
with alumni and donors and to discuss current fundraising priorities.
3) Academic Affairs Committee – Senator George Cohen
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The McIntire School of Commerce presented a proposal to change the name of the
“Financial Services” Track to the “Finance” Track within the B.S. in Commerce. The
current “Financial Services” name is a narrow term that does not fully connote the skills
of the students graduating under this track.
o VOTE: The Full Senate unanimously approved this proposal.
The Department of English proposed an Area Program in Literary Prose. The goal of this
program is to allow students to study prose writing in a similar way that the Area
Program in Poetry Writing has allowed for students to study the writing of poetry.
o VOTE: The Full Senate unanimously approved this proposal.
The Department of English proposed a Global English Literature and Culture Track. The
purpose of this track is to allow students to study Anglophone literature that lies outside
the purview of the traditional European and American works.
o VOTE: The Full Senate unanimously approved this proposal.
4) Faculty Salary Equity Study – Vice Provost Kerry Abrams
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The study analyzed the salaries of Tenure and Tenure Track Faculty in all Schools,
excluding the School of Medicine, for the years of 2013, 2012, 2007, and 2003. The
study was controlled for school, field, rank, years since highest degree, and years at
U.Va.
The study found that the average salary for females was 2.7% less than that of males and
that it takes woman an average of 1.5 years longer to be promoted from associate to full
professor. The study also found no statistically significant difference in salaries based on
race.
Four recommendations were made:
o The Provost should ensure that a study on the individual faculty salaries, which
includes measures on productivity, takes place.
o The University should examine its current method for allocation of resources to
faculty members, their committee service time, an assessment of their service
activity in general, and potential gender disparities when undergoing hiring and
salary setting.
o The University should improve the recording of data and should conduct similar
studies for both general faculty and Medical School faculty.
o The Provost should periodically review group differences in faculty salaries.
The ways in which this study are to be implemented are not yet established but the
information yielded is key to taking future steps in order to resolve problems raised by
the results of the study.
5) Sexual Misconduct Reporting Responsibilities – Associate Vice President of Student
Affairs and Liaison to the General Counsel, Susan Davis, and Associate Dean of Students,
Nicole Eramo
 Earlier this year, President Obama appointed a task force on sexual misconduct. This task
force drafted the Not Alone Report, which stated three steps universities should take.
o Identifying the extent of the problem through campus climate surveys.
o Preventing sexual assault by engaging men in prevention.
o Effectively responding when an incident involving a student occurs.
 U.Va.’s current policy was reviewed.
o In compliance with Title IX, once a sexual misconduct case becomes known it
must be handled immediately.
o Sexual misconduct is either reported to a confidential employee (licensed
professional), or a responsible employee (any other employee), and the student
receives the corresponding assistance.
o Sexual misconduct is broadly defined and includes non-consensual sexual contact,
sexual harassment, sexual exploitation, dating or domestic violence, and stalking.
o Any known case can and should immediately be reported via the secure online
reporting form (or in person), and the victim should be referred to a confidential
employee if s/he desires.
o If the victim wishes not to speak to a confidential employee, the responsible
employee should specify that student’s request in the secure online reporting form
and an evaluation panel will consider the request.
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As an effort to prevent future sexual misconduct incidents, U.Va. will participate in the
Green Dot program—a four-day training program to teach faculty and students how to
prevent sexual violence. The current goal is to train 200 people (students, faculty, and
staff) through this program, so that those persons can train others in their departments.
The four-day program is scheduled for January 2015. Interested faculty members are
asked to contact Susan Davis (smd5r@virginia.edu) for more information on how to
participate.
Meeting adjourned at 6:08pm