The Faculty Senate Tuesday debated the creation of an office for faculty development on campus, an idea that was sparked from the Faculty Spring Forum on faculty development.

A proposed recommendation submitted by senate member James Tidwell, journalism professor, suggested creating a Faculty Development Office under the vice president for academic affairs and supported by a director and clerical staff.

Under Tidwell’s recommendation, the office would organize and advertise faculty development events and operate as a clearinghouse for related activities sponsored by other areas. Another duty would involve researching and disseminating information on sources of external funding and programs.

The recommendation also encouraged creating a “reasonable budget” and advisory committee for the office.

Some members of the senate feared that the creation of an office would create more bureaucracy and divert funds intended for programs to paying salaries for a director and clerical staff.

“I’m reluctant to support the creation of another bureaucracy,” senate member Matthew Monippallil, accountancy and finance professor, said during the meeting.

Others disagreed on the proposed functions of the office.

“Faculty need support in getting grants,” senate member Bailey Young, history professor, said, explaining that grant writing requires a specialized set of skills that many do not have.

The senate batted around the idea of using the Council for Faculty Research as the advisory committee to the office, but senate member Steve Scher, associate psychology professor, who has served on the council, assured senate members it already had plenty to do.

Currently, the budget for faculty development is $20,000, senate members said.

“That’s not a lot of money compared to the total university budget,” senate Vice Chair Reed Benedict, associate sociology and anthropology professor, said.

A common concern voiced by senate members was the need for an actual space, a central location serving the needs of a faculty development office.

“Having a real space, not cyberspace, where faculty can meet also becomes a big part of this thing,” Young said.

Scher suggested creating a faculty house to create a social space and a “mechanism getting people to come there and interact with each other.”

Senate Chair Bud Fischer, biological sciences professor, suggested some of the vacated areas on campus, like the former dining center in Pemberton Hall. Fischer emphasized the importance of creating a structure for faculty development in order to secure money for it.

“I, too, don’t like structure. But I’ve learned that at Eastern, no structure means no money connected to it,” Fischer said.

The senate decided to continue discussion of the forum and recommendations at their next meeting.

In other business, the senate decided to host this semester’s last International Tea on April 25.

Also, the date for faculty elections to university committees was moved from March 27 and 28 to March 26 and 27 to accommodate those who celebrate Passover, which begins at sundown on March 27.