The Faculty Senate announced Thursday that Marcia Childress, co-director of Humanities in the Medicine Program at the University Medical School, will serve as the new Faculty Senate chair for the 2004-2005 school year.
"It is definitely an honor that brings with it certain responsibilities," Childress said. "It's a very large faculty to represent. Not every faculty member sees everything the same. It will entail a fair amount of listening."
Childress said she did not solicit her new position, but that faculty members approached her with the opportunity.
"I was approached and re-approached several times by previous chairs who made it sound interesting," Childress said. "They said they learned a lot, had an enjoyable experience and had had the opportunity to see the University in a different way."
Past Faculty Senate Chair Michael J. Smith said the entire Faculty Senate body elects the chair, and the delegates expect to have a productive year under Childress' leadership. He said Childress was selected in part because she has served on the Faculty Senate in many capacities, which demonstrated her familiarity with the body.
"She has a knack for distilling the essence of an issue," Smith said.
Smith cited Childress' prior and current involvement at the University in the English Department and at the Medical School, which will enable her to work with a wide variety of faculty members.
Childress said she does not have any particular issues she seeks to address as chair.
"I think a certain amount of the work will end up being in response to things that come up during the year that we cannot predict," she said.
While the Faculty Senate does not have specific objectives, during her upcoming term, Childress said she and the faculty want to retain and hire more female and minority faculty members.
"We want to keep the quality of faculty high even during budget problems and hiring freezes," Childress said. "We want the faculty to flourish here."
While Faculty Senate chairs serve one-year terms, accepting the post requires a three-year commitment. Faculty members chosen as the next chair spend one year as chair-elect. During this time, the chair-elect serves as a member of the Executive Council. After a faculty member's term as chair, he or she assumes the role of past chair.
"Someone who has been a chair has a particular perspective, and the administration wants to tap into that experience," Childress said.
Smith said the three-year process ensures a great deal of experience.
"We try to make sure there is continuity in the body and continuity in leadership," Smith said.
Childress' duties as chair include presiding over the Faculty Senate and meeting with the University President John T. Casteen, III's cabinet and University deans. In addition, Childress will have the opportunity to speak to the Board of Visitors' Educational Policy Committee.
"I will represent the faculty in a variety of venues," Childress said. "It's intriguing. I hope to do a very good and balanced job"
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