Shared Governance

Policy Committees:
Each College or School on the MU Campus has a Faculty Committee responsible for representing faculty on matters of governance and policymaking.  This body also elects the school’s representatives to the MU Faculty Council on University Policy.

College of Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources
Policy Committee
Chair: Steven Van Doren, vandorens@missouri.edu

College of Arts & Science
Executive Committee
Chair: Gavin King, kinggm@missouri.edu

Trulaske College of Business
Faculty Policy Committee
Chair: Adam Yore, yorea@missouri.edu

College of Education & Human Development
Faculty Advisory Council
Co-Chairs: Chad Rose, rosech@missouri.edu & Ashlie Lester, lestera@missouri.edu

Extension
Extension Promotion Advisory Committee
Chair: Gene Schmitz, schmitze@missouri.edu

College of Engineering
Engineering Policy Committee
Chair: Hessam Yazdani, hyazdani@missouri.edu

College of Health Sciences
Policy Committee
Chair: Alese Thompson, alesethompson@health.missouri.edu

School of Journalism
Policy Committee
Chair: Keith Greenwood, greenwoodk@missouri.edu

School of Law
Policy Committee
Chair: Erika Lietzan, lietzane@missouri.edu

School of Medicine
Faculty Affairs Council
Chair: Jane Emerson, emersonj@health.missouri.edu

MU Libraries
MULAC (MU Libraries Librarians and Archivists Council)
Chair: Seth Huber, huberse@missouri.edu

Sinclair School of Nursing
Policy Committee
Chair: Nancy Birtley, birtleyn@missouri.edu

College of Veterinary Medicine
Faculty Policy Committee
Chair: Tamara Hancock, hancockts@missouri.edu
Co-Chair: Brenda Beerntsen, beerntsenb@missouri.edu

Next Faculty Council Meeting
Thursday, May 1, 2025
3:30 – 5:00 p.m.
Zoom Link

The MU Faculty Council on University Policy is the elected representative organization of the MU faculty. Members represent faculty in every college, division, and school that is led by a dean. It develops policies that affect academic life; protects primary, shared and advisory faculty authority; and serves as a reflection of faculty thought. [more]

Contact:

Faculty Council ChairPhoto Tom Warhover
Tom Warhover, School of Journalism
warhovert@missouri.edu

 

Photo Carolyn OrbannFaculty Council Vice-Chair
Carolyn Orbann, College of Health Sciences
orbannc@missouri.edu

 

 

For administrative concerns:
Ellen Guthrie
Sr. Program/Project Support Coordinator
Email: guthriee@missouri.edu
Phone: 573-882-7655

Shared Governance
The Faculty’s Authority:
Primary and direct:
For students, we make decisions for:

  • academic performance standards,
  • courses and curricula,
  • minimum admission requirements,
  • academic scholarships,
  • and educational support programs.

For faculty, we make decisions for:

  • professional standing criteria (tenure, promotion, etc.),
  • and faculty committee structures.

Shared authority:
We cooperate with others in matters such as:

  • students’ rights and responsibilities,
  • academic calendar,
  • awardees for honorary degrees,
  • and applying criteria affecting professional standing of faculty.

Advisory authority:
We advise administrators on matters such as:

  • budget and resource allocation,
  • planning for capital expenditures and physical facilities,
  • selecting administrators,
  • determining the campus standing committee structure,
  • general business procedures that impact academic excellence,
  • use of facilities,
  • and application of criteria affecting promotion, tenure and termination.

You can see the complete description in the Faculty Bylaws of the University of Missouri-Columbia, 300.010.