Should the Senate President be "neutral"?

[Raeanne Napoleon]

Hi,

Looking for some feedback. Recently we completed a governance survey and one of the commenters said "the academic senate president is supposed to be neutral, but...." and then went on to show examples where I opined on different discussion topics (specifically one was about creation of policy of prohibiting instructors from sexual relationships and doing drugs with our students. It's true-I made my opinion on the matter very clear). 

Regardless of the topic, do others feel as though a President should remain neutral? I remember the advice I heard at leadership institutes to "let go of the outcome" or "just drive the car and let others tell you where to go," so maybe I should be nothing but neutral? But is neutrality the same as "letting go of the outcome'? I don't get a vote at my Senate table, but is that the same and ensuring I'm neutral when speaking to topics? Is part of leadership sharing your position or remaining mostly silent or neutral on topics? 

What do you all do? How do you handle topics? Do you just let the body deliberate and "stay out of it completely"? Do you offer background and counterpoints without making a personal commitment either way?

Thanks in advance for your discussion around this. I want to do the best that I can. To me-that feels like offering where I stand on issues, but maybe that doesn't allow the body to deliberate, as I have positional privilege. 

Raeanne

AS President at Santa Barbara City College

[Lewellen, R. Michelle]

Hi Raeanne,

As a former Senate President (Cerritos College), I don't think the President is supposed to be neutral. At my college, the President is elected by the Senators. I assume that the body will elect the candidate with the ideas that best align with the ideas of the Senate. Therefore, I think it was my duty as President to express my opinion. BUT, if the Senate did not agree, I would move forward with the will of the Senate. I view the opinions of the President as essential to guide the faculty down the path that best suites the needs of the students and faculty. The words of the President wield a lot of power and can be interpreted as gospel, instead of a suggestion, and this can be unwise in some circumstances. But, overall, I think you get better results for college, faculty and students when the President provides their opinion.

Also, I think it is so great that you are looking at yourself, as a leader and taking the feedback seriously. We need more of this in leadership 🙂

I do hope you take time to enjoy the journey of being Senate President (it is almost(?) always rewarding!).

M

R. Michelle Lewellen, Ed.D
Professor, Psychology
Cerritos College
11110 Alondra Blvd
Norwalk, CA 90650
(562) 860-2451 X2778

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[E.Simon Hanson]

Hi Raeanne et al.

Your question on the neutrality of the presidential position is one we are continually examining at my college.  I have served two years as senate VP and am currently serving as President.  A lot of our work as officers goes into framing the actions of our senate, and as such the president has much more control over what is discussed through setting the agenda and framing how information is presented, but pays for that privilege in not being able to be as boldy outspoken during the discussion.  Because the presidential position is one of facilitator, and if your colleagues perceive the facilitator as biased they will not participate equally in the discussions or actions. (Something to pay attention to..)

At CCSF we have actively addressed this through our officers structure.  The Vice Presidents (we have two) are involved in the meeting prep and during the meeting can be much more influential in freely expressing their opinions.or guiding the open discussions.  This works well if the officers have time to meet ahead of time.  During an officers meeting I can express my viewpoints freely but I often find myself relying more on the team to carry the relevant issues forward during our regular meetings.  That way I am not required to be both a facilitator and advocate at the same time...

That is not to say, the President does not get to have an opinion, just that I am constantly learning how best to apply it in the different roles..

In Health

E.Simon Hanson

AS President City College San Francisco

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Edward Simon Hanson PhD

Academic Senate President

Instructor of Anatomy, Physiology & Neuroscience
City College San Francisco
50 Frida Kahlo Way
San Francisco, CA 94112

Phone (415) 239-3027
esha...@ccsf.edu

[Thompson, Eric]

Great question Raeanne.

I was on my college’s senate executive committee for 8 years and AS president for 4 years. This issue came up many times. I agree with several points already made. I ran for senate president on the content of my views and I consider it not only allowed but obligatory to express and advocate for those views. But one has to be careful and circumspect. These are the rules I followed.

1. No matter what my opinion is, I advocate for and promote whatever the body adopts my majority vote. If the body adopts a particular position, it becomes my position. 

2. Our senate bylaws, like the ASCCC, allows the president to speak for or against a proposition on the floor during debate but must give the gavel to the Vice President when doing so. The chair is forfeited while expressing an opinion. I have done this and have watched the ASCCC pres do it. The practice clearly and visually distinguishes the president’s role as chair and a person’s role as having a point of view.

3. I try to say as little as possible and remain as neutral as is reasonable unless I have, as is often the case as president, much more information about an issue than most senators. I always hold back and avoid pontificating until I feel it is vital to speak.

4. In my local senate, the number of senators is even, and the president votes only in the event of a tie. I had to do this once in my 4 years. It was very difficult. Several times I was silently praying (and I’m an atheist) that it wouldn’t be a tie. In such a case I vote my conscience and try to not be swayed by biasing influences as far as I can.

Hope that helps.

Eric Thompson

Past Academic Senate President 

Santa Rosa Junior College

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El abr. 22, 2021, a la(s) 11:47 a. m., E.Simon Hanson <simon....@mail.ccsf.edu> escribió:

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