The Tyler Junior College Faculty Senate celebrates its 40th anniversary this year.
The senate was founded in 1980, to provide a voice for TJC faculty in College affairs and to improve the quality of education and services for students through meaningful faculty participation in planning and decision-making.
Tyler Mayor Don Warren attended a portion of last Tuesday’s senate meeting on the TJC main campus, along with TJC President Dr. Juan E. Mejia, administrators and the six-member senate cabinet. Senate members attended remotely via the Zoom videoconferencing platform.
Warren presented a proclamation recognizing the group by declaring Tuesday as TJC Faculty Senate Day in Tyler.
The proclamation read, in part, “The TJC Faculty Senate promotes diversity of ideas, a sense of shared governance, responsibility, collaboration and institutional excellence and works with college administrators to improve programs, policies and physical accommodations to best serve the interests of the students and society.”
The TJC Faculty Senate Cabinet includes: Stephanie Lassanske, president and sociology/social work professor; Dr. Tammy Burnette, president-elect and professor/department chair of healthcare technology and medical systems; Regan Minkel, secretary and English professor; James Ledet, student relations committee chair and professor/coordinator of public administration/criminal justice; Lucas Shepherd, instructional support committee chair and English professor; and Ginger Christiansen, faculty development committee chair and associate degree nursing professor.
Mejia said, “It is an honor to work with some of the most distinguished scholars and workforce subject matter experts to serve our students and communities, and to fulfill the institutional priorities of educational excellence, stellar service, innovative programming and authentic partnerships.”
He continued, “I have the utmost respect for all of our faculty, and I truly celebrate President Lassanske and her cabinet, our past senate presidents, and the numerous senators and committee chairs, who promote teaching excellence and student success.”