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Faculty Senate President – Kate Ellis To contact Kate, email: Faculty.Senate@nau.edu

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Faculty Senate

Upcoming Senate meetings

November 17, 2025

Time: 3:00 – 5:00 pm
Meeting Agenda
Location: University Union, Oak Creek Room & Zoom
Zoom Meeting
Zoom Password: Senate

All senators and faculty are encouraged to attend.

 

Faculty Senate Resolution on the Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education

 

On 10/20/2025, the Faculty Senate discussed and collaborated on a Senate Resolution surrounding the Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education. This resolution was voted on and approved by the Faculty Senate on 10/21/2025

This link contains the approved Senate Resolution: https://in.nau.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/97/2025/10/NAU-Senate-Resolution-Regarding-Proposed-Compact.pdf 

hands of color

FSEC Statement Condemning Racism Accordion Closed

The Faculty Senate Executive Council condemns the destruction of Black, Brown, and Indigenous lives in our communities, whether by police violence, systemic racism, or economic injustice. The Covid-19 pandemic has once again exposed the disproportionate risks communities of color face due to wide-scale inequities; it has stoked ignorance and hostility toward many groups, including those of Asian ancestry. It is crucial NAU, as an institution of higher learning, fully commit to educating for a fair and more just society by increasing access for students of color and by acknowledging their lived experiences in all our academic affairs. We stand in solidarity with those actively seeking to end racism and intolerance.

The NAU Faculty Senate’s business is focused on a broad spectrum of policy issues, including academic personnel policies; instruction and curriculum policy; research policy; and student affairs policies. In addition, the Senate serves as a forum for communication and dialogue between the faculty and the University administration, and as a consultative body for matters in many other areas of institutional policy and operations, including student services, University facilities, and administration, especially where these elements affect the academic program. 

Faculty Senate Resolution Supporting DEI Education Accordion Closed

A Resolution that was created and approved on 2/20/2023 by the Faculty Senate, that demonstrates a commitment to educate, support and empower all students.

Meeting Minutes

Current Faculty Senate Membership

Senate Activities

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Freedom of Expression Statement

Posted by faculty-senate on

On Monday, May 2, 2022, Faculty Senate President, Kate Ellis, presented a Freedom of Expression for the Senate's continued review. During the discussion there was a question and answer session with NAU Legal Counsel, Michelle Parker. Following this discussion, a motion was made, and seconded, and the Senate approved this Freedom of Expression Statement, adopting the core principles of the Report of the Committee on the Freedom of Expression from the University of Chicago, otherwise known as the Chicago Principles.…

Council on Learning Update

Posted by faculty-senate on

On April 18, 2022, the Council on Learning Chair, Rebecca Rinsema, presented the following best practices documents at the FS meeting. These were created in consultation with the Teaching Academy and Vice Provost Astrid Klocke. Best Practices for Administration and Use of Student Opinion Surveys The first document, Best Practices for Administration and Use of Student Opinion Surveys, addresses when student surveys are available, how faculty can encourage students to fill them out, and how they should be used to promote…

General Faculty Meeting on Faculty Constitution

Posted by faculty-senate on

On April 11, 2022, Faculty Senate hosted the general faculty meeting for Spring 2022. At this meeting, FS President, Kate Ellis, presented the revised Constitution of the Faculty. A motion was made and seconded to approve the revised Constitution of the Faculty through an online vote. A Qualtrics survey was sent out to all faculty. The deadline to vote is 04/27/2022. If you have any questions, please send these to Faculty.Senate@nu.edu. View 2002 Constitution View revised Constitution View Recording of 04/11/22 General…

Faculty Senate Resolutions passed at February Meeting

Posted by faculty-senate on

Diversity Curriculum Committee On February 24, the Chairs, Chris Paige and Gretchen McAllister, of the Diversity Curriculum Committee (DCC) presented the Diversity Initiatives proposal. The initiatives are required to transition to and support General Studies. DCC aspires to make NAU a leader in this area for other institutions and students. DCC created an FAQ document to address Initiative #1, which proposes creating a position for a Director of Diversity Curriculum; the FAQ is available on the Faculty Matters Forum (link…

FSEC Resolution opposing AZ Senate Bill 1123 and House Bill 2447

Posted by faculty-senate on

On February 7, FSEC passed a Resolution opposing AZ Senate Bill 1123 and House Bill 2247 with a vote of 9-0-0.  ASU senate asked NAU FSEC to review the ASU Resolution regarding firearms on campus. FSEC discussed the resolution and previous senate resolutions opposing legislation permitting firearms on campus. View Resolution