The Faculty Senate will ask the Board of Trustees for more faculty representation on the next presidential search committee.

Senate members passed a resolution proposing at least three faculty members chosen by the Faculty Senate be on the committee and, following a previous standard, the BOT name a faculty member as a chair or a co-chair to the presidential search committee.

The last three successful presidential search committees have been chaired by a faculty member, specifically the chair of the Faculty Senate, stated an amendment to the resolution by Reed Benedict, senate member and professor of sociology and anthropology.

Senate Chair Anne Zahlan will send the resolution to BOT Chair Nate Anderson and other trustees in response to a discussion the senate had with Anderson and trustee Julie Nimmons on Oct. 21 about last spring’s failed presidential search.

In last years’ presidential search, trustees, faculty members, students, staff and a hired consulting firm made up the presidential search committee, which reported to the BOT.

After hundreds of hours of looking for a prospective candidate, the committee was unsuccessful, and interim President Lou Hencken’s term was extended another two years or until a president can be found.

The existing presidential search committee should remain on for the next search this spring, Benedict said, but adding more faculty to the committee could strengthen and accelerate the process.

The senate also passed a resolution calling upon Hencken and Blair Lord, vice president for academic affairs, to help the enrollment management committee study how the nature of the student body should be shaped and to make recommendations for enrollment policies.

Steve Scher, enrollment management committee member and professor of psychology, said nothing is happening on the issue of enrollment right now, and changes need to be made, especially in the area of recruitment.

“Right now, the way we admit students is those who meet the minimum requirements and get their applications in earliest get in,” Scher said. “At some point, we close applications, and those who delay can’t get in.”

Scher said he would like to see a university-wide effort to think more seriously and more purposefully about recruitment of students and the appropriate number of students to enroll.

Lord said he and Hencken approve of the resolution and will meet with the enrollment management committee next week.

On Faculty Senate’s agenda next week, a discussion on allocation and distribution of university resources will be held.