Changing of the Guard
remarks of previous Academic Senate Chair John
Edmond
Good afternoon Ladies and Gentlemen:
Welcome to our party. This is a time when our dedicated Senate colleagues gather here for a brief interlude, to meet, chat and be social. This get-together is to honor and to thank all of you. One good excuse is to have a ceremony where I pass the gavel to Duncan Lindsey, something that in reality, actually happened September 1st. Today is occasion for me to thank every one of you for your commitment to the Senate’s function, to engage in the process of shared governance at UCLA and at UC systemwide. The Senate has a key role to play whether there be good times or bad. The guiding principle is that Senate faculty, particularly our representatives in the Faculty Executive Committees within units, become more deeply engaged in the planning and budget processes. The quality of our campus is the central concern for the faculty and the Senate and this requires well conceived plans that encompass consultation with the faculty whatever the circumstances.
It seems only a couple of months ago that I agreed to stand for election to become the vice chair. I remember writing in the Personal Statement that “I know it is not possible to serve within the senate alone; it takes dedicated senate colleagues who are the substance of the committee structure and devote themselves with a passion to the issues at hand, and the chair encourages them in this effort.” The Senate has a solid base of effective chairs of Committees and Councils, and each group sets about, annually, to capture the spirit of its charge and to move mountains. I thank all of you, and the Senate Staff, who support your efforts. We have super staff. With John Tucker and colleagues, it is clear the functions of the Senate are in excellent hands.
As the Senate Chair this last academic year I have been most fortunate. I would say, Lucky John. The leadership trio of immediate past chair, current chair and chair elect worked effectively together. To explain my good fortune I draw the analogy of the Cheese Sandwich. In the Senate leadership there is the “big cheese” in the middle, as chair. The rest of the sandwich looks spectacular because the top part of the sandwich, with lettuce, tomato, chutney and fine French bread, and the bottom part, the base, with more French bread with mayo and mustard, make the sandwich.
On one side there is Steve
Yeazell, immediate past Chair who was kind, generous with his time and wise
Counsel, and always ready and willing to participate with passion. On the other
side, Duncan Lindsey, eager to be involved, like Steve, bristling with ideas,
energetic, a person who gets things done in no time at all.
I repeat a special thanks to
Steve and to
Before I do the official gavel punt I thought I might do a brief “David Letterman” number. I might say also it’s inspired by Russell Thornton’s ode on being Cap chair.
Here are 7 things you need to know if you aspire to be a Senate Chair.
Prepare in advance suitable
answers to the following questions.
After you are 6 months into your
term someone will ask if you have met the Chancellor. My typical answer has
been- “yes” the Senate leadership meets with the Chancellor once a month, we
have an agenda of issues to discuss and the meeting can last up to 90
minutes”. This answer is usually followed by—“What’s he like?”
Number 6:
another question and I believe the most common
“Will there be a VERIP sooooon?”
“Next year?” To these issues I
do not have an answer, but, what will the State’s budgetary circumstances
bring forth in 2003? and how will the situation affect the
Number 5
I’m a bench scientist type. Do
not tell your laboratory personnel you are up on the Hill as a euphemism
for spending time at Murphy Hall, or visiting with the Senate, or, you
are in the air on days you spend at the Office of the President, and at
Academic Council in
Number 4
Be reminded, as Senate chair you
were never ordained to walk on water. Some colleagues believe you have infinite
powers, perform miracles, and can even make people vanish. No! No such powers.
The Senate chair is not as powerful as a Chancellor. Only a Chancellor can
make people vanish.
Number 3
Be wary of individuals and so
called friends who counsel you that it only takes about 7 hours a month of your
time to be an effective Senate Chair. Last year I spend that time at airports in
one day just trying to get to and from one Academic Council meeting at Berkeley.
Number 2
Be aware, you need special
training to attend Academic Council Meetings. One session per month lasts this
magical period of seven hours. Five hours actually, after the men in black
evaporate. Three suggestions; determine quickly who among the council members
will make good allies and scheme with them, or be a lone star Ninja commander
with the full backing of your Executive Board, and I mean full to be effective,
or, just retreat to our local Neuropsychiatric Institute on a regular basis to
redeploy your mind.
Number 1 on what you
need to know if you aspire to be a Senate Chair
This is the real
challenge: To Duncan and all future Senate Chairs, when you introduce the
Chancellor before he introduces the faculty Research Lecturer and at like
events; invent something truly novel to say about him. Suggestion: establish a
CIA - like Senate Council, with the function to dig up good stuff on the
Chancellor and raise the interest level at such functions. That’s enough
advice for today:
It is my pleasure to recognize
several past chairs of the Senate,
Professor Carol Goldberg.
Professor Donna Vredevoe, and Professor Charles Lewis are here today. We welcome
you.
If I had available a very large
supply of photo frames to fill with citations I would recognize an equal number
of Senate colleagues. I decided to recognize only three colleagues out of the
very many who are truly worthy of great praise for their effort, their time and
dedication, invested in the Senate.
It is my pleasure to recognize
these three people for various reasons, who have been exceptionally productive
and dedicated to their duties to keep the senate healthy and wise. One
certificate of appreciation has been presented already to Professor Neal
Garrett, a gallant Committee on Committee (C on C) Chair. Through Neal’s special
efforts, and in collaboration with Professor Roger Bourland, current Chair of
Committee on Committees, C on C has
been on top performance for several years now. We appreciate the work of this
committee; without them all other committees of the senate would soon run out of
members. Neal Garrett has a magical touch. This year Neal is chair of the
Senate’s System-wide Committee on Committees.
Another person I’d like to
recognize and give special thanks is Professor Phil Curtis. Last time I talked
with Phil, he told me he was stepping down from BOARS, the systemwide Senate
committee known as the Board on Admissions and Relations with Schools. He
indicated he was off to spend time with his brother in
The UCLA local equivalent of the
systemwide BOARS is CUARS, our Committee on Undergraduate Admissions and
Relations with Schools (CUARS). I recognize Professor Charles Buchanan, another
specialist on freshman undergraduate student admissions. Chuck and Phil have
been a very productive team. Chuck has been a member of CUARS for some time, and
of course, the chair of CUARS at the busiest time ever for this committee of the
Senate. He deserves our special thanks and enduring gratitude. Professor
Buchanan was the principal architect (along with his associates on CUARS) of the
current blueprint for our new Comprehensive Review approach to admit freshman
undergraduates to UCLA. The admissions system we have at UCLA is the envy of
other campuses and is largely responsible for the great success UCLA has of
putting together entering classes of outstanding students with a broad and
diverse background. Chuck, on behalf of UCLA we extend our sincere appreciation
for all you have done to make this such an world class campus. We know this has
not been easy and it has required an enormous commitment of time, energy and
intellect. After all, UCLA receives more applications for admission than any
other university in the world. Chuck, we especially appreciate your recent tremendous effort and
dedication to the development of our new process for Comprehensive Review. We
thank you. We want you to know how truly grateful we are for all you have done.
Lastly; Duncan, if you would step this way I have a gavel for you. It is a special privilege
to pass on the instrument of this esteemed office, the Senate Chair, to you. May
all the tradition to promote the viable esprit of shared governance prevail, the
challenges be met, and wisdom transcend. May the very best be with you.
My thanks again, to everyone.