Senator Spotlight October 2017

This month's Senator Spotlight is on Becky Ladd

What unit do you represent?  

T. Denny Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics

How many years have you served in the Senate?

I am in my third year as Senator.

How many years have you been employed at ASU?

I have been at ASU for 16 years.

What other institutions have you taught at before coming to ASU?

I was at Illinois State University in the Psychology Department for the first three years of my career.

What is your research and/or creative activities focus?  

I study social factors, such as peer acceptance/rejection, bullying and peer victimization, friendship, social withdrawal, and teacher-student interactions that influence children’s well-being, adjustment and progress in school.

Why did you decide to get involved with the Senate?

I was nominated by my unit to serve and agreed it could be an excellent way to learn about the workings of the University.

Describe what you have learned during your time in the Senate. 

I have learned many ways that faculty can influence ASU policies and climate.  I have met a variety of administrators and colleagues across a diversity of departments and disciplines that I would never have met.  I have learned about various work-related issues faced by colleagues outside my own department and scholarly/teaching activities.  I also learned that university administrator can be quite supportive and responsive to faculty concerns.

What committees have you participated in, or would like to participate in and what were you able to (or hope to) accomplish.  

I have chaired the University Services and Facilities Committee (USAFC) and am currently chairing the Personnel Committee (PC).  As part of the USFC, I worked with colleagues from all campuses to address issues raised by faculty concerning campus safety, parking, and infrastructure and building maintenance.  One of the more rewarding aspects of this experience was working with administrators in the operations side of the university and getting a glimpse of the complexity of running such a large enterprise as ASU.  The USFC continues to work with the Director of Emergency Preparedness to create safety awareness and training videos that are brief and easily shown in the classroom and online to promote campus and personal safety.

The PC continues to address NTE issues (e.g., instructor and lecturer pay/career progression clarity) as well as pursuing transparency in ASU’s merit pay system and addressing faculty salary compression and inversion issues.

What would you say to your peers who might be considering accepting a nomination or nominating himself or herself for a position in the Senate?  

I encourage them to get involved—and sooner rather than later.  It is an experience I wish I would have had earlier in my career as it gives a broader perspective on the workings (e.g., goals, means, politics) of the University, 

Any final comments you might have.

It has been rewarding to be part of faculty governance.  However, I would add that just being a Senator and attending Senate meetings does not really give you a deep understanding of the “behind the scenes” operations of the University; you really need to serve on a standing committee or Task Force to truly feel part of the governing process and have an influence or voice in the Senate.