Programs, Curricula, & Courses Committee Chair Greg Miller opens the University Senate meeting in the Stamp Atrium on Wednesday, April 8.
The University Senate approved revisions to the interim sexual misconduct policy yesterday, which will revert misconduct categories back to “Sexual Assault I” and “Sexual Assault II” and eliminate the phrase “sexual contact.”
The Senate voted 70-10, with six abstentions. The proposal now moves to university President Wallace Loh for final approval.
The senate’s Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Committee was charged with reviewing the interim policy in the fall to see if it aligned with federal guidelines and University System of Maryland policy and unanimously passed a proposal to revise it.
The interim policy renamed “Sexual Assault I” and “Sexual Assault II” as “sexual assault” and “sexual contact,” respectively, with broader definitions. Forcible sexual penetration constituted “sexual assault,” while groping a person’s intimate parts or attempted sexual penetration without consent constituted “sexual contact.”
Several community members and groups on the campus expressed qualms with the changes, specifically regarding the phrase “sexual contact.”
Ryan Belcher, the undergraduate representative on the Senate Executive Committee, agreed with the revisions the committee made.
“The recommendations will result in a stronger policy overall to protect students, faculty and staff from sexual misconduct,” Belcher said.
The senate will now revise the sexual misconduct procedures for students, faculty and staff. The expectation is that they will submit their recommendations before the senate next fall, said Terry Owen, the chairman of the review committee.
New postdoctoral title
The senate also passed the creation of a new title for entry-level postdoctorates at this university 73-3, with three abstentions.
“The purpose is to allow for disciplines that have funding-related constraints that make employing people in the postdoctoral associate title either prohibitive or impossible,” Devin Ellis, the Faculty Affairs Committee chairman, said before the Senate Executive Committee on April 9.
The only title currently available for postdoctorates is the Post-Doctoral Associate, which classifies all postdoctorates as non-tenure-track faculty. Fringe benefits, specifically tuition remission, granted along with the title have caused the life science departments to believe they are disadvantaged compared with fellow Big Ten schools when it comes to research funding.
In February, 131 life sciences professors signed a letter that stated the fringe benefits would lead to a “research funding erosion,” which would result in less money going toward research.
The approved policy will allow the Office of Faculty Affairs to work with University Human Resources to design this entry-level position and determine an appropriate benefits package.
Jonathan Dinman, chairman of the cell biology and molecular genetics department, lauded the proposal before the senate. He assured this new position would not put health or retirement benefits in any jeopardy for any postdoctorates.
The proposal also puts a six-year limit that a person can be employed under a combination of the two postdoctoral titles. a move Dinman called a “true breakthrough.”
“UMD is emerging as the progressive and fiscally responsible leader in this national debate,” Dinman said. “I have spoken extensively with the faculty, postdocs and professional track faculty in the life sciences, and we strongly urge that this be approved.”
Charles Delwiche, a life sciences professor and Senate Academic Procedures & Standards Committee chairman, expressed broad concerns on the national issue and hopes for postdoctoral titles and roles to be further addressed in the future.
“I think postdocs are not given enough attention on campus,” Delwiche said. “It’s not just on campus, but it’s nationwide where postdocs are basically lost.”
One way the postdoctorate issue at this university could be analyzed further is with the creation of a task force, professors said. The senate could create task forces to work on specifically designed tasks, including one for analyzing the role of postdoctorates at this university.
Ellis said he thinks a task force could be an “excellent idea” and believes that it would allow postdoctorates to get the attention they deserve. He added that this proposal helps to begin solving the problem of where postdoctorate belong within the university system.
After the faculty affairs office creates a plan of implementation for the title, the senate’s Faculty Affairs Committee will review the finalized proposal.
