Ombudspersons
A page within Faculty Senate
Four faculty ombudspersons shall be appointed annually, one each from the College of Business Administration, the College of Arts, Social Sciences, & Humanities, the College of Science and Health, and the School of Education. Faculty who are appointed as ombudspersons should have a long record of service to the university and/or a thorough understanding of university policies.
The role of the ombudsperson is neutral and thus ombudspersons are not "support" persons; they help faculty members seeking information about or assistance with informal resolution of personnel problems, including non-renewals, dismissals, complaints, grievances, and appeals. The ombudspersons shall serve as individual consultants and advisors, not as members of a committee or a group acting by consensus or voting, and are not limited to assisting faculty from one’s college or school only. The ombudsperson(s) may serve as mediator(s) between a faculty member and a department or administrator, if the parties agree to mediation to resolve disputed facts and/or explore alternatives for resolution.
Two alternates shall also be appointed to serve in case of resignation or disqualification. Consecutive appointments may be allowed for up to five years. Ombudspersons shall not be members of the Hearing Committee or CGAAF, and they shall be replaced by alternates if they themselves are subject to nonrenewal, dismissal, or complaint; if they themselves complain, grieve, or appeal; or if they disqualify themselves owing to bias or conflict of interest.
Faculty Senate Articles and Bylaws (Updated August 30, 2023.)
Faculty Senate Policies (Updated October 4, 2021.)
2023-2024 Ombudspersons
Joseph Anderson
Theatre and Dance
Joe Anderson (Professor, Department of Theatre & Dance) represents the College of Arts, Social Sciences, and Humanities. A specialist in costume and makeup design, Professor Anderson has been a faculty member in the Department of Theatre and Dance since 1991, a department which he chaired for twelve years. He has also served multiple terms on the Faculty Senate, and he spent a decade as ArtsFest Director for the School of Visual and Performing Arts. Other highlights of Professor Anderson’s service and administrative record include his role as a CASSH Fellow for six years, chair of the search & screen committee for two CASSH dean searches, and service as a member of the Faculty Senate’s Hearing Committee.
William Mass
Accountancy
William Maas (Associate Professor, Department of Accountancy) represents the College of Business Administration. Dr. Maas joined the Department of Accountancy faculty in 2009. His work focuses on tax strategies related to financial and retirement planning. Dr. Maas has actively participated in the shared governance at UWL, serving six years on Faculty Senate, including one year on the Senate Executive Committee. He also served as the Department Chair for Accountancy for five years.
Kenneth Shonk
History
Kenneth Shonk (Professor, Department of History) represents the School of Education as a member of the Secondary Teacher Education Preparation (STEP) Program faculty. He has been a faculty member in the History Department since 2013 and specializes in Modern Ireland/Britain, the History of Rock 'n' Roll, and Social Studies Education. Dr. Shonk currently serves as the Department Chair for History, a role he has held since 2021, and he served as Director of the STEP Program from 2017 to 2021. Additionally, Dr. Shonk actively contributes to UWL's governance through roles in JPB, JPC, and Faculty Senate, where he served from 2017 to 2022. He also serves his discipline as the Treasurer for the American Conference for Irish Studies.
CSH Rep
College of Science & Health representative—This position is currently unfilled.
Alternates:
- RONDA LEAHY
- BRADLEY SEEBACH
Faculty Senate Meeting Dates
Click on each date below to see the agenda, meeting minutes, and distributed documents.
Fall 2023
| May 4 | Oct. 12 | Nov. 16 |
| Sept. 14 |
Oct.26 meeting cancelled* *replaced with information session in Graff Hall |
Nov. 30 |
| Sept. 28 | Nov. 9 | Dec. 7 |
Spring 2024
| Feb 1 | Mar 7 cancelled | April 18 |
| Feb 15 | Mar 21 | May 2 + 59th Organizational |
| Feb 29 | April 4 |
All Faculty Senate meetings are scheduled in Union 2310 and typically start at 3:30 p.m.