Dr. Alice Hall, 2020-2021 Senate/Assembly Chair
The Faculty Senate of the University of Missouri-St. Louis (UMSL) represents the faculty in relation to the issues and topics delegated to it in the University's Collected Rules and Regulations. It is made up of about 40 faculty members who are elected by their academic departments or colleges. The University Assembly includes student and staff representatives and administrators, in addition to the members of the Faculty Senate. The two bodies collectively represent the interests of the faculty, students, and staff of the University of Missouri-St. Louis -- a premier urban research university. Both the Senate and Assembly advise the Chancellor and other senior administrators as well as the UMSL faculty as a whole on questions of UMSL policy. They also initiate recommendations concerning changes in UMSL policy for consideration and appropriate action by the Chancellor or the faculty. The Senate meets four times each semester and the Assembly meets at least twice.
UMSL is facing a unique situation in the 2020-2021 academic year. After an extraordinary effort to pivot to remote teaching in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic last spring, faculty and staff have worked diligently over the summer to prepare for a school year that is likely to be very different from anythng we have seen before. We are seeking to provide an engaging, high-quality education in a range of formats that keep our community healthy and safe. We are building contingency plans to be able to continue to teach effectively if the public health situation changes. We are working to continue our history of producing innovative and impactful research and creative works. We are also seeking to contribute productively to our local communities' efforts to address challenges in the areas of public health, equity and social justice, and community violence. These are vital and difficult tasks. The pandemic is not over and budgetary challenges are real and serious. This year will challenge and change us.
However, the faculty, staff, and students that make UMSL what it is have an enormous amount of skill, expertise, dedication, and resilience that will help us meet both the challenges and opportunities that we will face. We continue to have a talented and dedicated faculty, many of whom are leading researchers or creators in their respective fields. They continue to be innovative and knowledgeable teachers, who work hard to provide students the skills and knowledge they need to build meaningful, rewarding lives and careers. We continue to have committed staff members who play central roles in the university's missions of education, research, and outreach, as well as one of the largest and most vibrant alumni networks in the region. UMSL's hard-working current students will continue to be vital to the future of the city and the region.
I am honored to be elected to continue to serve as Chair of the Faculty Senate and University Assembly in 2020-2021. I will work hard to achieve the goals of the faculty, staff, and students of the University of Missouri-St. Louis and support the university in service to St. Louis and the State of Missouri. If you have questions about the University Assembly or Faculty Senate, please contact us via senate@umsl.edu.
Sincerely,
Alice Hall, Professor
Chair, Faculty Senate and University Assembly
