Auburn professors say university dissolving faculty senate is an ‘attack on our voices’

Auburn University’s board of trustees has officially dissolved the faculty senate, marking a significant shift toward centralized control over the university’s curriculum and internal policies. The move, which strips away the traditional faculty senate structure, replaces it with a new presidential academic advisory council.

A Shift in Leadership

Under the new framework, university president Chris Roberts is granted direct authority over key faculty appointments. The advisory council is tasked with overseeing critical areas including curriculum development, educational quality, faculty affairs, student success, accreditation, and institutional effectiveness. The administration has also implemented a new syllabus database and introduced additional civics coursework for undergraduates.

Faculty Resistance

Educators at the university are sounding the alarm, arguing that the administration lacks the academic expertise required to manage curricula. Faculty member Elijah Gaddis characterized the sudden transition—pushed through during the summer—as a deliberate attack on academic voices. According to Gaddis, campus morale is at an all-time low, with many concerned that these restrictions will hinder their ability to serve students effectively.

Lisa Kensler, who served as faculty senate chair in 2023, expressed deep concern regarding the erosion of trust between the administration and the faculty body. "Trust goes both ways," Kensler said. "This decision apparently did not include our faculty leaders or other faculty across campus. I have yet to meet a faculty member who was included in review of this policy. That’s really challenging."

Legislative and Regulatory Pressure

The governance restructuring follows the passage of HB 580, signed by Gov. Kay Ivey earlier this year. The law expands the power of boards of trustees over university curricula while curbing the influence of faculty senates. This comes on the heels of other recent pressures, including mandatory anti-DEI compliance forms, which forced professors to ensure their courses aligned with state laws prohibiting funding for diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.

Concerns for the Future

The Auburn chapter of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) has condemned the structural changes, noting that the new model reduces faculty participation to a top-down, managed process. The AAUP emphasized that faculty are not mere corporate employees but experts whose effectiveness relies on shared governance and academic freedom.

There are also mounting concerns regarding the potential impact on accreditation. "If I were a student or if I were a parent whose student was coming to Auburn or considering coming to Auburn, I would be very, very concerned about what my degree was going to be and whether it was going to be legitimate in a number of years," Gaddis warned. While Kensler acknowledged the need to find a new path forward, the loss of the faculty senate’s independent and autonomous voice remains a major point of contention for those at 205focus.com readers should keep an eye on.