Texas A&M University supports faculty teaching and research through advocacy measures including academic freedom, shared governance, transparency and equitable working environments, among others. In collaboration with the Faculty Ombudsperson, the Associate Provost for Faculty Advocacy seeks to amplify faculty voices and advocate for meaningful faculty representation on committees, governing bodies, and in departments and colleges. Dr. Katz's inaugural message outlines her initial plans for the Office of Faculty Advocacy.
Dr. Claire Katz
Associate Provost for Faculty Advocacy
Office: Rudder 607 | Assistant: Christie Lacy (dclacy@tamu.edu)
ONGOING INITIATIVES IN FACULTY AFFAIRS
- Working with the Academic Freedom Council- Working with Heather Wilkinson on Faculty and Academic Leader Development
- Working with Colleges and Departments to update/review/approve their faculty evaluation guidelines
General Focus for University-Wide Concerns
- Shared Governance, Process, and Transparency: Shared governance remains an ongoing challenge in higher education. I continue to work with the administration to enhance and ensure shared governance, especially related to, but not limited to, curricular/academic matters.
- Faculty Workload: I continue to work with departments and colleges, providing guidance and recommendations to address workload concerns.
- TAMU A-Z: Understanding the University: I am working with Dr. Sharon Matthews (Clinical Professor, Department of Teaching, Learning & Culture) on TAMU A-Z, a pilot program designed to share information with faculty about the different parts of the university and how they work.
Roles of the Faculty Ombudsperson and Associate Provost for Faculty Advocacy
Both the Texas A&M Faculty Ombuds Officer and and the Associate Provost for Faculty Advocacy are here to support the Texas A&M faculty. Although the roles for both positions are related, and may at times overlap, there are distinctions that are important to highlight.
- As defined by the position at Texas A&M University, the Texas A&M Faculty Ombuds Officer “serves as an independent, confidential, and impartial resource for faculty.” In this capacity, the Ombudsperson is working with individual faculty members (or possibly a small group) to resolve problems or complaints related to workplace conflicts. If a resolution cannot be achieved, the ombudsperson may refer that person to another office or otherwise provide the faculty member with information regarding their options for additional actions they can take.
- The newly established Associate Provost for Faculty Advocacy has a broader mission. Although this position will work with individual faculty members if they have concerns or complaints related to being a faculty member, one focus will be to work with faculty and administrators to identity possible patterns of behavior within a unit (e.g., climate), structural issues (processes or procedures), or campus-wide issues (workload, academic freedom, shared governance).
We do not expect faculty to know which of us to come to see to address an issue that you are having. If you have a concern but are unsure who to see, reach out to us both. Contact either or both of us, and we will figure the issue out with you. It is very likely that some issues require the services of both offices.