Co-chairs: Cindy White, CMCI, Jon Leslie, Strategic Relations and Communications
The Provost’s Faculty Communication Committee was formed in late 2014 to examine communication between administration and faculty. In July 2015, the committee issued a report that identified areas in which communication between faculty and administration could be improved. The committee’s work in its first year focused on the importance of addressing faculty as key stakeholders and recognition that modes of communication are important in signaling to faculty their role in the organization. In response to that report, the Provost requested that the committee continue its work, focusing on better explicating the communication processes and climate desired on campus.
In AY 2015–16, the committee engaged in case study analyses of communication around prior key events on campus to identify how changes in communication sequence and structure could improve communication. Additionally, a chairs and directors meeting was devoted to discussion of the communication challenges chairs and directors experience as well as discussion of their view of the quality of communication between faculty and administration. The work of the committee was summarized and shared with the Provost. This second year of work highlighted the importance of helping faculty and other administrators, such as chairs, understand their role as communicators, the need for prioritization of initiatives and goals in communication from administration and the importance of explaining organizations decision-making processes in communication with faculty.
The committee’s work in AY 2016–17 included consideration of communication processes essential to participatory engagement, the importance of access to information in participation and the importance of feedback to campus communication processes.