The University Senate of Michigan Technological University
Proposal 1-21
(Voting Units: Full Senate)
“Proposal to create a new Senate Standing Committee, the Committee for Promoting and Facilitating Equity and Understanding”
Introduced by Sam Sweitz, University Senate President
I. Introduction
In keeping with Michigan Tech’s commitment “to a diverse and inclusive community of
and for scholars that is conducive to excellent teaching, innovative research, and
the personal and intellectual growth of its students, faculty, staff, and alumni”
(Michigan Technological University Diversity Statement), the University Senate proposes the establishment of a standing committee to hereby
be known as the Committee for Promoting and Facilitating Equity and Understanding.
The committee will serve as the voice of the Senate in both promoting policies, procedures,
and actionable initiatives that facilitate equity on our campus, and in facilitating
understanding through the promotion of diversity and inclusivity in our community.
II. Resolution
We as a University community necessarily must be proactive in promoting and facilitating
equity and understanding in accordance with issues related to diversity and inclusion.
As members of the University Senate, we recognize our leadership responsibility in
working with other campus entities to mutually ensure a safe, respectful, and accepting
campus environment for all. The University Senate, is not only the “principal forum
for discussion of any matters of interest to the university community” (Constitution and Bylaws of the University Senate of Michigan Technological University,
Article III: 1.), it also “has the responsibility to review, make recommendations, initiate, and
participate in the formulation of policy and procedures,” including those pertaining
to “all areas of student affairs,” “administrative procedures and organization,” and
“institutional priorities” (Constitution and Bylaws of the University Senate of Michigan Technological University,
Article III: 6., iv., b.). Tasked with this important policy making and oversight role, it is imperative that
the University Senate take a more proactive role in creating, enacting, and reviewing
policies, procedures, and initiatives that address equity and promote diversity, inclusion,
and understanding on this campus. In this work, the committee will represent the University
Senate in dialogue with the Board of Trustees, the University Administration, Undergraduate
and Graduate Student Government, as well as other committees and groups committed
to similar actions on campus and in our community.
III. Proposal
Therefore, in recognition of our commitment to working toward a better campus community,
the University Senate establishes and charges the Committee for Promoting and Facilitating Equity and Understanding with the following mission:
The University Senate recognizes the need to address issues of equity, diversity, and inclusion as they impact individuals and groups in our community. We at Michigan Tech are a community, and detrimental behavior toward any individual or group on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, and/or disability is harmful to us all, and ultimately diminishes us all. As the representative voice for faculty and staff on this campus, the University Senate is resolved to address these issues directly by taking a leading role in initiating focused and deliberate action to create a safe, inclusive, and equitable campus community for all. Toward these ends, the Committee for Promoting and Facilitating Equity and Understanding is charged with identifying, researching, proposing, and evaluating actionable initiatives related to the promotion and furtherance of equity, diversity, inclusion, and understanding at Michigan Technological University.
In accordance with this mission statement, the Committee for Promoting and Facilitating Equity and Understanding is further charged with the following: 1.) at the beginning of each Senate term the committee will articulate an action plan for furthering the promotion and facilitation of equity, diversity, and inclusion on campus. This plan, presented to the full Senate, will highlight specific actionable items to be initiated during that Senate term; and 2.) the committee will, at the end of the Senate term, report to the full Senate on all actions, accomplishments, work in progress, and planned future initiatives as part of a larger presentation on the state of equity, diversity, and inclusivity at Michigan Tech.
September 16, 2020