Faculty Senate celebrates 50 years, presents Meritorious Awards

On Jan. 30, 1974, 32 faculty members representing Northwest Missouri State University’s first Faculty Senate gathered for the first time in Room 244 of the Olive DeLuce Fine Arts Building and elected officers. On Wednesday, dozens of current and former faculty representing decades of service and dedication to the University gathered to celebrate the 50th anniversary of that first meeting.

“It is truly an honor to participate in Faculty Senate,” said Dr. Rhonda Beemer, the Faculty Senate’s 2023-24 president and an associate professor of health and physical education, during remarks at the anniversary event in the J.W. Jones Student Union’s Tower View Dining Room. “It’s a wonderful way to serve your units and this university, while also making connections with colleagues.”

Although the institution’s faculty had advocated for their interests and concerns since forming a Faculty Council in 1929, the Board of Regents’ approval of a new Faculty Constitution in December 1973, abolished the Faculty Council in favor of the new Faculty Senate to give faculty a greater voice in University decision-making. Faculty Senate members were elected from each academic department, and Robert Sunkel, an assistant professor art, was elected the first chair.

Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, the Faculty Senate advocated for higher wages, increased representation on administrative committees, and improvements to campus infrastructure and services. In the spring of 1976, the organization successfully moved the Board of Regents to reverse a decision to eliminate philosophy from Northwest’s major-minor sequence, arguing administrators and regents had bypassed the Faculty Senate in its decision-making process.

Conversely, in 1994, Faculty Senate voted to approve a University plan to consolidate Northwest’s academic structure from four academic colleges to three. That reorganization allowed the University to place more emphasis on general education studies and gave faculty more input on the curriculum.

Past Faculty Senate presidents attending the organization's 50th anniversary celebration included, left to right in the front, Dr. John Gallaher, Dr. Kristi Alexander, Dr. Chi Lo Lim and Dr. Jenny Rytting. Pictured left to right in the back row are Dr. Joel Benson, Dr. Brian Haile, current president Dr. Rhonda Beemer, Dr. Terry Long, Dr. Michael Hobbs, Dr. Michael Wilson, Dr. Greg Haddock, Dr. Sue Myllykangas, Dr. Theo Ross and Dr. Peter Adam. (Photos by Lauren Adams/Northwest Missouri State University)

Today, the Faculty Senate maintains its mission to develop, formulate and recommend policies to the University’s provost, president and Board of Regents. It also provides a forum for discussion of matters of concern to the faculty.

“We strive to ensure fair, equal representation of all faculty and their units,” Beemer said. “It is our current hope on Faculty Senate to recruit more individuals to be active and serve on these various committees. We as faculty collaborate with many people on and off campus, and through everyone’s hard work, we create a culture of well-being and lifelong learning for everyone.”

The Faculty Senate on Wednesday also presented Meritorious Awards to three Northwest staff members who have exceptionally advanced efforts to foster an inclusive, caring, innovative, passionate, student-centered focus at the University. Nominees for the awards may be submitted by any faculty member to the Faculty Senate and recipients are then selected by the organization’s Executive Council.

Faculty Senate presented the Meritorious Awards to Mike Grudzinski, video and web conference specialist in the Learning and Teaching Center; Dr. Clarence Green, vice president of culture; and Dr. Greg Haddock, associate provost of graduate and professional schools.

Faculty Senate presented Meritorious Awards to, left to right, Mike Grudzinski, Dr. Greg Haddock and Dr. Clarence Green.

Grudzinski was recognized for his dedication to improving innovative delivery methods and implementing new approaches and technologies that enhance the online learning experience for course instructors and students.

“He consistently seeks out and implements new approaches and technologies to enhance the online learning experience for both instructors and students,” Beemer said. “His dedication to excellence and unwavering commitment to our university’s mission make him an invaluable asset to our institution. His contributions not only align with our strategic goals but also embody the spirit of service excellence that we strive to uphold at Northwest Missouri State University.”

Green, who is retiring from the University this spring, was honored for his exemplary leadership, including as police chief and in directing strategic planning and crisis management initiatives.

“His time at Northwest has been valuable to both students and employees,” Beemer said. “Specifically, the nominator wrote, ‘You are truly a genuine Bearcat, and the Northwest and Maryville community will miss your contributions. You are an emotional and inspirational figure to many people on campus, and I am confident that you will continue to serve in some form wherever you ever go.’”

Haddock was recognized for his persistent commitment to supporting and maintaining rigorous academic graduate programs that benefit Northwest and its students. In addition to his support for academic programs, Haddock advocates for diversity and inclusivity at the University.

“He’s played a crucial role in ensuring academic excellence and integrity of our programs,” Beemer said. “He empowers faculty to excel in their teaching and research endeavors while ensuring that our programs meet the highest standards of academic rigor. He supports and encourages the development and implementation of innovative delivery methods such as online and hybrid courses that provide flexible learning opportunities for graduate students, enhancing accessibility of our program, but also ensuring that our university remains at the forefront of academic innovation.”