The University of Southern Mississippi’s Faculty Senate met over Zoom on Friday to discuss and vote on several matters of business and concern during their monthly meeting.
A resolution authored by the Faculty Senate Executive Committee pushed for continued academic autonomy at USM.
The resolution, which passed 39-2, called on USM President Rodney Bennett and others within the administration to reject any attempts made by external bodies to curtail or orchestrate curriculum at the university.
This is in response to Mississippi Senate Bill 2113 passing in January. The bill, entitled “Critical Race Theory; prohibit,” does not ban CRT, but it would impact how race and social justice would be taught in Mississippi’s schools.
Passing the resolution was important for senators, including Welfare and Environment Committee Chair Robert Press.
“I can speak as a former journalist and know that it is very important to be able to teach history and teach it accurately,” Press said during the meeting. “And I would say that’s the same feeling I have as a faculty member.”
Another important item passed toward the end of the meeting Friday was an official statement of concern.
It is related to USM’s Office of Institutional Effectiveness proposing a change to the definition of an academic program.
According to the statement, the proposal becoming reality would cause emphasis areas within academic programs (for example, journalism with an emphasis in broadcast) to be defined by USM as academic programs.
The statement says no accrediting or governing body over any Mississippi university requires this.
If the OIE proposal passed, many senators foresee that major restructuring –and potential dissolution- of academic programs, negative impacts on future enrollment, etc. would be inevitable.
The statement of concern passed 36-1 with two abstentions.
Despite objections to the OIE proposal raised by those in and outside of the Faculty Senate, the proposal only recently stalled.
The passage of the statement of concern by the senate Friday largely serves to document frustration with the OIE and the USM administration for failing to listen sooner.
Senators like Tom Rishel find a level of responsiveness “disappointing and concerning.”
Rishel, who is on the Elections Committee, believes the proposal only died because the Council of Directors at USM recently voted against it with a vote of 3-16-1.
“And it was only when it came to the first vote, and was apparently soundly defeated that there was any change in the stance of the institution. That is a concern for me,” Rishel said during the meeting.
The statement of concern, along with the resolution, was sent to President Bennett and Provost Steven Moser after the meeting Friday by Faculty Senate President Brian LaPierre.
The next Faculty Senate meeting is set for Friday, March 4.
