The University Senate is divided. Attention was brought to the division at the meeting when Conrad Raabe, University Senate chairman, stood to give his remarks.
The Senate meeting is divided by a wall in Monroe Library’s Multimedia Room 2. It blocks the right side of the room from the left. The wall impedes the faculty’s full view and hearing, which becomes a problem when Senate members bring forth proposals and take votes.
“Presentation is a matter of voice and style,” Raabe said. “With this wall, you lose the social dynamic. It segregates the meeting.”
Raabe has also proposed that the University Senate’s meeting location be moved to one of two places: Multimedia Room 1, the Senate’s former meeting place, or a lecture room in the chemistry department.
Senators considered both rooms. The chemistry lecture room is an option, but some Senate members still asked about Multimedia Room 1.
“Multimedia Room 1 is being used by the business school, and classrooms have first priority,” Raabe said.
Despite this reason, Multimedia Room 1 stood empty throughout the Senate meeting.
“I like to see my colleagues. If we can’t get Multimedia Room 1, it looks good,” said Janna Saslaw, Senate secretary and associate professor of Music Theory.
University senators will vote on if and where the meeting place will moved.
Teri Conrad can be reached at
