Nominees for Chair-Elect 2021-2022
Professor Christine Horne
Professor, Department of Sociology
Candidate Statement on Prior Service
Since arriving at WSU in 2004, I have engaged in department (Sociology), college (CAS), and university service, including serving as interim chair of the Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology. These experiences, as well as collaborations across colleges and campuses, have given me immense appreciation for our faculty and the quality and diversity of work that they do, as well as some understanding of the challenges faced by faculty in different kinds of positions and locations, and the constraints and opportunities experienced by our individual campuses and the university as a whole.
Department of Sociology
- Awards Committee (Member 2009; Chair 2020-2021)
- Chair/Director Undergraduate Studies committee (2004-2009; 2016-2018)
- Faculty Evaluation Committee (2014-2015)
- Executive Advisory Committee (2002-2004 [BYU]; 2004-2006; 2011-2012; 2013-2014)
- Advance Representative (2012-2013)
- Graduate Studies Committee (2001 [BYU]; 2010-2013)
- Faculty Search Committee (Chair: 2012; Member: 1998-1999 [LSU]; 2004; 2005)
- Theory Committee (2002-2004 [BYU])
College of Liberal Arts/Arts and Sciences
- Dean’s Advisory Committee on Tenure and Promotion (2005-2007; 2014-2015; 2016-2017)
- Leadership Structure Subcommittee, College of Liberal Arts and College of Science Integration Implementation Planning Team (2011)
University
- Co-Chair Faculty Senate Committee on Committees (2021)
- College of Arts and Sciences representative on the WSU System Strategic Planners council (2020-present)
- University Working Group to increase WSU federal and total R&D expenditures (2017)
Candidate Statement on Commitment to Service
I care deeply about the success of WSU and our faculty and take seriously the responsibility of serving in faculty senate leadership. I am committed to devoting my time and energy to serve well. I am able to reduce my academic responsibilities in order to accommodate this work.
Candidate Statement on Multi-Campus Shared Governance
Because of the centrality of faculty to WSU’s ability to achieve its core mission, faculty perspective and voice in decision-making are crucial. Shared governance is particularly important as the university moves forward with strengthening our multi-campus system. Structuring the WSU system to reduce inefficiencies and maximize our ability to perform our core mission, while also tailoring our efforts to the communities we serve, will be important. Current Faculty Senate leadership has been working to strengthen the voice of Faculty Senate as a trusted partner in shared governance with the administration and has exercised leadership in multiple arenas. I am committed to continuing these efforts. A strong faculty voice is more important than ever as the university moves forward in its efforts to address the structure of our multi-campus system and achieve our core mission under conditions of tensions and uncertainties associated with the Covid-19 pandemic, racial inequities, economic disruptions, and political conflicts.
I believe that part of strengthening the role of faculty in shared governance is increasing faculty engagement with Faculty Senate. My sense is that while some faculty are engaged, many are not. Units without faculty serving on the Senate often are unaware of what is happening until it is too late. The Constituent Concerns page on the Faculty Senate website and other communication efforts are positive steps forward. I seek to further improve communication with units and faculty, and to increase faculty investment and engagement in Faculty Senate as their legislative body.
I believe that as the university redesigns itself, it is essential to keep our core mission front and center. Faculty have experienced many years of budget cuts and doing more with less. Covid-19 is further exacerbating pressures on the budget and faculty workload. At the same time, WSU (like universities generally) is a highly bureaucratic institution, and like other bureaucracies, has a built-in inertia to change and a tendency to expand rules, requirements, and administrative complexities over time. Some of these constraints come from the outside (state law, accreditation requirements, etc.) and others we impose upon ourselves. As the university moves forward in system planning, I believe that it is important to be mindful about reducing unnecessary bureaucratic constraints and creating institutional mechanisms that facilitate rather than discourage creativity, change, and innovation for both individual faculty and the institution.
I recognize that WSU is a complex organization and that we are facing a complex set of challenges. I will do my best to listen and learn and to be a strong advocate for Faculty Senate positions.