By SHANNON O. WELLS
Senate Council President Robin Kear began her report to Faculty Assembly at its Oct. 9 meeting by acknowledging the “robust discussion” on undergraduate advising at the Sept. 20 meeting, which focused on developing a plan to standardize University-wide advising practices.
“The new undergrad advising model will be discussed at each school with the school leadership and the undergrad advisors before implementation,” she explained. “And this will continue to be on the agenda of the Senate Educational Policies committee, as they discussed it at their last meeting. I know that there are other related meetings … since our meeting last month.”
December commencement
Kear said she was asked by the Special Events committee to share that Pitt faculty members are invited to participate in the University-wide commencement ceremony on Dec. 18, as “official witnesses to the conferring of degrees.”
“Faculty play a vital role in the success of the ceremony. And as I’ve told you over the years, those commencements are my favorite, favorite things to attend on campus,” she said. “It’s the culmination of all the students’ work.”
While not many faculty members typically attend, Kear said they are welcome to participate in several ways, including as members of the academic procession, as a general audience member or roving marshals.
“The roving marshals are those that help the students get to where they’re going when they’re on the floor,” Kear explained. “And I will be sending out a document to Faculty Assembly members with more information if you’re interested … I would encourage you to attend one if you have not attended a commencement ceremony.”
David DeJong tribute
Kear acknowledged the contributions of David DeJong, who served four years as senior vice chancellor for Business and Operations until last summer. Dwayne Pinkney was named to the combined job of executive senior vice chancellor for administration and finance and chief financial officer, eliminating the separate business and operations position.
“I want to acknowledge the dedication of our colleague David DeJong to the University and to the Senate,” Kear said.
“I just want to say that Dave was a great friend to the Senate in his time of senior leadership,” Kear said. “He was always willing to work together and partner with us. He was always willing to listen and make improvements where they could be made, and he worked with several Senate committees over the years, including Budget Policies and Campus Utilization, Planning and Safety.”
She wished DeJong “the best in his new roles at the University,” including as a tenured economics professor and as senior advisor to Chancellor Joan Gabel until December, where he will build a steering committee to help Pitt prepare a celebration of the Cathedral of Learning’s groundbreaking centennial.
Kear and Lori Molinaro, director of the Senate office, are the two Senate representatives for planning the centennial.
“And it will be within the bounds of my first past-president stint, as soon as the next person has won,” Kear noted, referring to her term as Senate Council president ending in 2025.
Shannon O. Wells is a writer for the University Times. Reach him at shannonw@pitt.edu.
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