The Faculty Senate Executive Board met Tuesday, Dec. 4, in the Lab of Mechanics building  to discuss the agenda for the actual Faculty Senate meeting for the following Tuesday, Dec. 11.

The meeting began at 3:10 with the opening topic being strategic thinking regarding faculty careers and the university in general. In addition to looking at the university’s goals on a yearly basis, the Executive Board is concerned at deciding what Iowa State will look like ten years from now.

“All the faculty wants to see his or her accomplishments as university accomplishments,” said Jonathan Wickert, senior vice president and provost, who attends all the Faculty Senate and executive meetings.

Wickert’s report to the Executive Board informed the faculty members of a search for the interim research president to start in January. The permanent search will begin toward the end of spring.

Wickert said the third candidate for the dean of the College of Engineering, Sarah Rajala, experienced campus today. Rajala gave an open forum Monday, Dec. 3, in Howe Hall.

Wickert continued to inform the faculty of the Board of Regents meeting taking place tomorrow. A major point of discussion of the meeting will include tuition for next year.

After Wickert’s report, the board briefly brought up Dead Week and make-up finals policies. Further discussion on this will take place in the spring.

The majority of the executive meeting was the topic of tenure. Achieving tenure is constantly occupying the minds of the faculty members and pushing them to expand on and improve all aspects of their careers here at Iowa State.

This particular conversation centered on whether or not a department representative would be allowed to attend the candidate’s evaluation.

Former President Steven Freeman feels there should be no conflict of interest whatsoever.

“Judgment should be based on portfolio. The candidate is responsible for his or her portfolio,” Freeman said. “If you want advocacy, send the department chair.”

Ann Smiley-Oyen, the senate’s Faculty Development and Administrative Relations chair, on the other hand, said, “I think that faculty would want a faculty member representing them rather than a department chair.”

Regarding this being a conflict of interest, Smiley-Oyen said, “This is where we have to trust people to be ethical.”

Following the diligent deliberation on tenure policies, the Executive Board discussed the rest of the agenda for the Faculty Senate meeting.

Faculty Senate meetings take place one Tuesday per month, with the next being from 3:30 to 5 p.m. Dec. 11, in the Great Hall of the Memorial Union.