John Madsen:

In the last several years, I have had the opportunity to again become involved with the committee activities of the University Faculty Senate. In my early years at UD, I was a member of the Undergraduate Studies Committee (UGS) between 1988 and 1990 and the Ad Hoc Computer Committee during the 1988-89 academic year. I have chaired UGS the past two years, and in that capacity, have also served on the Coordinating, General Education, and Ad Hoc University Breadth Requirement Committees. Serving on these committees has been a pleasure in that it has allowed me to work closely with faculty, administrators and professional staff from across the University, that in the normal course of teaching and research, I would not have had much opportunity to get to know, and it has been a great chance to learn about the myriad of academic programs at the University and to witness first-hand their high quality. Clearly I have issues saying “No” when it comes to service to UD, as I’m also currently a member of the University’s Academic and Student Life Council, the First-Year Experience Advisory Committee, and the co-chair of UD’s Sustainability Task Force.

This is an exciting time as we implement the University’s Strategic Plan. In the face of tough economic times, it is imperative that we as faculty, working in partnership with our students, staff and administration, ensure that we continue to strive for, and in many cases maintain, academic excellence. The Faculty Senate and its committees, in their ability to oversee the changes, additions and in some cases deletions in academic offerings, serve as the focal point for how we accomplish this mission. As President of the Faculty Senate, I would work to ensure that the UD community continues to have, through the activities of its committees and the meetings of its Senators, a vibrant forum that allows for vigorous discussions of UD’s issues. It is these discussions that are critical as we, as a UD community, continue on our Path to Prominence.