After three years in the Faculty Senate — including one year chairing the Educational Affairs Committee — McCormick Prof. Jill Wilson took office as the Senate’s new president on Aug. 1.
The Daily sat down with Wilson to discuss her plans to foster additional dialogue within the Senate during meetings, reform CTECs and address other issues that may come up with empathy.
This interview has been lightly edited for brevity and clarity.
The Daily: What inspired you to become president?
Wilson: I have found it really interesting just to understand how things worked behind the scenes. I really enjoyed getting to know other people on the Senate. I think it’s easy in our schools to talk to the people we know and that are around us.
The Daily: What have you been able to learn about campus from the different people you’ve interacted with?
Wilson: Many of us really have the same goals, and that’s to support our students and to have a really great university. We may think differently about what that means or how to get there, but I think at heart, all faculty really want to support their students and each other.
The Daily: How would you describe your style of leadership?
Wilson: I really care about getting to know people, not just talking past each other. This year so far, I’ve prioritized really trying to interact face-to-face with people. Our Executive Committee, for the first time this year, had a face-to-face meeting at the end of August so we could be in the same room together, establish some relationships and talk about the things that we needed to do.
The Daily: What are some of the main goals and initiatives of the Senate this year?
Wilson: There was a push to reform CTECs. We’re really pushing for a more holistic review of teaching that’s not just about CTECs but is about self reflection and observation, lots of different data points to evaluate teaching.
I think the committee on Faculty Rights and Responsibilities is going to be taking a close look at free speech and academic freedom. Lots of faculty have had questions about understanding exactly what academic freedom means in our context.
The Daily: There were a lot of unexpected topics that came up in Faculty Senate last year. Do you have any insight into how you would deal with topics like that?
Wilson: For me, it’s about seeing the people behind the sentiments. There were lots of hard conversations last year, and I expect there will be more hard conversations this year. But again, it’s about seeing who’s behind the statements that are being made.
We may differ on different issues, but I think everybody really cares about doing their best for their students and for this campus. It’s about trying to see that person behind it, and think about what is caring for them in that particular moment and through that conversation, so that we can all move through it together.
Correction: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated that Faculty Senate President Jill Wilson had been in the Senate for four years and that she took office June 5. She has been in the Senate for three years and took office Aug. 1. The Daily regrets this error.
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Twitter: @lmschroeder_
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