Joint Statement

Chancellor Steve Ballard

Faculty Chair Mark Taggart

February 19, 2008

We wanted to share information with our faculty colleagues regarding recent constructive discussions held among faculty officers and senior academic officers.

We are proud of ECU and its strong tradition of shared governance. We are also committed to moving ECU forward to developing current best practices in ways that will make us even stronger.

To that end, we intend to implement the following practices, which we believe are fully consistent with recent changes in policies adopted by the Board of Trustees and the Faculty Manual.

1. Faculty input in searches for senior academic officers:

a. After initial screening of candidates, search committees will be asked to meet with tenured, tenure-track, and fixed term faculty in relevant units and invite each faculty member to complete a confidential “candidate ballot form,” soliciting faculty comments on relevant dimensions of candidates’ qualifications, strengths and weaknesses, and a summative evaluation of whether the faculty member believes the candidates should or should not be hired. The ballot forms will be compiled by the chair of the search committee, analyzed as to the views of each group of faculty, and shared with the appointing officer.

b. After reviewing the information derived from the compiled candidate ballot forms, and before reaching a final judgment regarding the candidates, the appointing officer will meet with the assembled faculty of the relevant unit in order to have a candid exchange of views.

2. Evaluation of senior academic officers.

a. Substantial work has already been done by the Leadership Development Task Force composed of faculty representatives and top administrators. The work of that Task Force will be henceforth be conducted by the Governance Committee. We are committed to bringing that work to closure before the beginning of the 2008-09 academic year.

b. We will develop a policy on evaluation of senior academic officers that will be consistent with Board of Trustees policies, principles of shared governance, and nationally recognized best practices by the end of the current academic year, and will be implemented by the beginning of the 2008-09 academic year.

3. Development of University Policies and Procedures Manual.

a. We share a commitment that faculty leaders, the Governance Committee, and top administrators will work together expeditiously to develop a University Policies and Procedures manual that will provide clear guidance on areas in which policies are needed to ensure that the ECU operates effectively and transparently.

b. The Governance committee will participate in development of campus policies that are pertinent to faculty responsibilities.