The institution publishes policies on the responsibility and authority of faculty in academic and governance matters. (Faculty role in governance)
Compliance Status
Louisiana State University and A&M College is in compliance with this principle.
Narrative
Louisiana State University and A&M College (LSU) publishes a full complement of policies that detail the role of faculty in governance. These documents are easily accessible through an assortment of Web sites, including those managed by the Faculty Senate, by the Office of Academic Affairs, and by the LSU System. Established in 1974, the Faculty Senate replaced the more diffuse Faculty Council [1] and has henceforth represented the faculty in almost every area of university life, from development of the campus along with Facility Services to strategic planning at all levels of higher education management. The duties, prerogatives, and responsibilities of the Faculty Senate appear in its constitution [2], as do the charges assigned to the many committees that it manages. These committees cover all aspects of academic life: courses and curriculum; admissions and standards; general education; grievances; international education; benefits; budgets; student life and scholarships; and the university press. Additionally, the Faculty Senate supervises a long roster of ad hoc committees [3] that deal with campus efforts ranging from museum and performance programs to grading policy to student conduct.
A few councils operate outside the canopy of faculty governance. These include the Graduate Council [4] [5], the Athletic Council [6], and the University Planning Council [7]. In all these cases, the Faculty Senate plays a material role, whether through its regular interactions with the administration of the Graduate School, its responsibility for appointments to the Athletic Council, or its consultations with the University Planning Council. Information regarding the faculty role, as well as the identities and affiliations of the faculty members of these councils, is available on their respective Web sites or in policy statements.
Faculty contributions to governance occur at the system, as well as the campus, level. LSU takes a leadership role in the Council of Faculty Advisors for the LSU System, a council of all Faculty Senate presidents from all campuses of the LSU System. The duties and responsibilities of the Council of Faculty Advisors are elucidated in PM-24 and in LSU System documentation [8].
The LSU Faculty Senate has also taken over management of The Faculty Handbook [9], which provides a Web-friendly guide to all LSU policies pertaining to faculty life and which acquaints faculty members with their role in university governance. It also maintains a continuously updated index of all faculty governance legislation [10], publishes the minutes of its meetings online, and places videos of its meetings online [11]. The Faculty Senate Monthly Newsletter provides the entire state with information regarding faculty governance activities [12].
Information related to governance distinction of the governance board, administration, and faculty is considered in Comprehensive Standard 3.2.6. Faculty authority in development of the curriculum is also detailed in Comprehensive Standard 3.4.10.