At its June 5 meeting, the Auburn University Board of Trustees (BOT) unanimously voted to dissolve any current university senate, university faculty or faculty governance body, including faculty officers. Its replacement will be the Presidential Academic Advisory Council (PAAC) at Auburn University, which aims to "strengthen Auburn University’s model for meaningful academic consultation by creating a direct, structured and professionally responsible channel for faculty perspective to the president, provost and senior academic leadership."
The policy, which also applies to the university's regional campus, Auburn University at Montgomery, dismantles any previous faculty governing bodies. This means that any rules, bylaws, constitutions, committee structures or governing documents are rescinded and will be replaced with policies or principles found in the PAAC or any other Board policies.
According to the Board, the PAAC or "the Council," establishes a "refreshed" advisory model, preserving authority, accountability and responsibility. The Council will not operate as an institutional decision-making power, serving only an advisory role unless specifically approved by the Board. The Council possesses no independent authority from the president or Board.
Council members are there to provide suggestions relating to faculty affairs, including tenure, promotion and related personnel matters; student success and academic standards; graduate and professional education; academic and facilities resources; or any other matter that the president or provost requests.
The Council will be made up of one faculty member from each academic college, elected by the member's college through a voting process approved by the president; one member from each academic college appointed by the president; and any additional members appointed by the president, which can include non-faculty or faculty members.
The president is allowed to approve these additional members up to an amount equal to the number of colleges on the Council.
Members will serve a two-year term, with the possibility for renewal or reelection for a total of up to six years. If a member cannot serve the full length of their term, their respective college will vote for a successor.
Council members are subject to removal for reasons including failure to conduct responsibilities, failure to attend meetings and misuse of the Council's title and role. The president may remove a member himself, or through recommendation by the provost and authorization by the president.
Procedures for the removal, suspension or replacement of a Council member may be added on to at the discretion of the president "as necessary to protect the effective operation and integrity of the Council."
President Christopher Roberts has been granted the authority to "take all actions necessary" to complete the transition from the previous faculty body and senate structure to the Council. Roberts may also assign some of these responsibilities to Vini Nathan, Ph.D., provost and senior vice president for academic affairs, and any other suitable university official.
Previous faculty governances were made up of all eligible faculty at the university. An eligible faculty member was someone who possessed a primary academic function in relation to Auburn University.
According to the University Faculty's website, a primary academic function is defined as "having a primary responsibility for supervising or administering an academic program or for academic participation in an academic program. The academic program of the university is understood to include instruction, research and extension."
The Board acknowledged faculty members in its resolution, saying that it recognizes their critical knowledge in teaching, research, professional practice, curriculum, academic standards, student success and accreditation, and that "structured faculty engagement can strengthen institutional decision-making."
In a statement from the university, Nathan said that the Council will be guided by qualities that ensure the result reflects the purpose and values of Auburn's academic community.
"Auburn is strengthened by faculty whose expertise, dedication and scholarship sustain the excellence of our teaching, research and service to students," Nathan said. "As this work moves forward, it will be guided by academic quality, intellectual rigor, educational excellence and clear communication so that the resulting processes reflect both institutional purpose and the values that have long shaped auburn's academic community."
Some faculty members expressed concern with the Board's handling of the policy, saying that faculty were not sufficiently included in the conversation, nor were they aware that the change was happening.
One Facebook post reads: "And if this is the first you're hearing of this, same. All (most?) faculty have been kept in the dark, and it's not coincidental they are doing this over the summer while people are gone."
Those against the policy also pointed out that Auburn University is not required by HB50 to approve the policy because the university was created within the Alabama Constitution.
When the floor was opened for discussion, Dr. Virginia Davis, chair of the University Senate, thanked the Board for hearing her comments in a previous part of the meeting.
"I just want to thank the Board for hearing my comments earlier, and we hope to be able to find the structure where we can iterate and refine and work hard together," Davis said.
Following the vote, some questions still remain, including what steps President Roberts will take to transition the university from the previous faculty governance model to the PAAC.
This is an ongoing story. The Auburn Plainsman will update as more information becomes available.
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Amanda Machamer, senior in journalism, has been with The Auburn Plainsman since Spring 2025. Machamer previously served as a News Writer, Assistant News Editor and Assistant Content Editor. She is currently serving as the Editor-in-Chief.
