SUBJECT:

Academic Senate Committee Service

Dear Colleagues,

I write to alert you to the opportunity to serve on Academic Senate campus committees in 2005-06. As you know the University of California is run under the principle of faculty self-governance, and this requires that faculty take an active and informed role in Senate and administrative committees. The Committee on Committees has the task of ensuring that these committees are populated by qualified members, and that the workload is equitably distributed among those eligible to carry it out.

At any given time slightly over 200 faculty serve on the standing Senate committees listed at http://www-senate.ucsd.edu/committees.htm, and a roughly equivalent number populate the more transient administrative committees (last year there were 53 of these). The bulk of committee service is carried out by associate and full professors (who number about 1100 of the 1600 odd total faculty). Service on these committees can be a rewarding activity and is an important professional contribution to University life. I should also remind you that University and professional service is one of the criteria considered during the academic review process that leads to merit awards and promotions.

You will shortly receive a request to indicate your committee preferences. This is your opportunity to inform the Committee on Committees of your particular interests, and provide input for the committee selection process. Please think about where your interests lie and take the time to return this questionnaire when it arrives. Without this information, we will simply rely on our own knowledge of your interests and capabilities.

The process will inevitably be less efficient if you do not respond.

I thank you in anticipation of your help.

Catherine Constable Committee on Committees, Chair