Faculty governance - the involvement of professors in shaping college policy - is a deep-rooted tradition on college campuses. Faculty traditionally have a strong voice in academic matters such as curriculum, research operations, and student academic life. They also participate in decisions beyond the classroom. This is as it should be: while administrations tend to come and go, and students graduate every four years, faculty tend to be the backbone of the institution.
At Barnard, the role of faculty in shaping the character of the college has steadily diminished over time. A chorus of diverse voices from various academic backgrounds and with different domains of expertise has been replaced by centralized administrative structures that speak on behalf of the college. Particularly problematic is the way that faculty have been shut out of the normal processes of consultation and decision-making that are outlined in our long-standing policies and bylaws at the college.
Barnard’s FGP is an elected committee of faculty that is part of the formal governance structure of the college. FGP conducts monthly meetings of the faculty with the administration. Currently, all communications from FGP to the faculty body are gate-kept by the administration. FGP does not have the ability to contact the faculty body independently.
In February 2024, Barnard faculty members began organizing to form their own chapter of the American Association of University Professors, which has recently been formally recognized. As per the AAUP website, chapters work to support “academic freedom, shared governance, and higher education as a common good.” In addition to its executive committee, our AAUP chapter currently has five committees working on issues which are not being addressed sufficiently through the regular college channels. AAUP has also filled a vacuum in campus communications: when faculty received little guidance from the administration in regards to campus lockdowns and moves to online teaching, they turned to AAUP to share resources and ways to support students.