Nix closed sessions

At its first meeting of the semester Jan. 18, Faculty Senate members met in an hour-long executive session to discuss the termination of a radiography instructor, the district's new chair selection policy and relations with trustees.

The senate is an advisory body and, therefore, not subject to the Texas Open Meetings Act that rules the conduct of elected government bodies.

Such groups use executive session to discuss legal advice, property, gifts and donations, personnel and security.

Senate Bylaw 8 says the chair may call the senate into executive session to discuss sensitive topics, but it does not specify what constitutes a sensitive topic.

The senate risks irrelevance if it fails to discuss important and sensitive topics in public.

What goes into the public record?

What can senators pass on to constituents?

Who gets to decide what faculty should or should not know about the opinions, decisions and activities of their representatives?

At some point, constituents may wonder if their interests are actually being served. Eventually, they may simply lose interest.

In an Oct. 10 article in The Ranger, Faculty Senate Chair Dawn Elmore-McCrary said she did not want executive sessions to be used for venting.

(How would anyone know?)

It's not uncommon for personnel issues to be discussed in private, but when a faculty member who is claiming sexual harassment is fired, there is enormous interest.

In times when academic freedom, tenure and shared governance are under attack, the district move to appoint chairs is of substantial interest.

As trustees seem increasingly impervious to faculty concerns, the topic of relations with the board are of particular interest.

By meeting in closed session, senators send the message that they cannot express themselves publicly on "sensitive" issues without fear of retribution.

What a great example for our student government, clubs and organizations.

In the midst of a budget crisis and the hard decisions that come with it, apprehension is understandable, but Faculty Senate's job is to stand up to a culture of fear, not succumb to it or propagate it.