Senator Spotlight October 2023
Category
Senator Spotlight
YOUR NAME: Whitney Hansen
What unit do you represent? Psychology on the Tempe Campus
How many years have you served in the Senate? This is my 3rd year.
How many years have you been employed at ASU? 12 years
What other institutions have you taught at before coming to ASU? None
What is your research and/or creative activities focus? I’m a cognitive psychologist and my interests focus on human memory. I’m particularly interested in eyewitness memory. As a Teaching Professor, teaching undergraduates is my primary responsibility at ASU. The courses I teach focus on memory and cognition, the biological basis of behavior, statistics, and research methods.
Why did you decide to get involved with the Senate? I wanted to learn more about how ASU works so that I can better support my students and fellow faculty. I wanted to be in the room with people who were making decisions that impacted me and have an opportunity to express my opinions and the opinions of my faculty colleagues.
Describe what you have learned (or hope to learn) during your time in the Senate? I’ve learned that ASU is massive! Of course, I knew this before being on the Senate, but you really get an appreciation for the scope when you are consistently hearing from President Crow, Provost Gonzalez, directors of enterprises, units, and even ABOR representatives. I’ve learned about the plans and aspirations that ASU has, which are also huge! I’ve seen how ASU’s charter impacts those plans, and I’m incredibly proud to be at a place that actually walks the walk when it comes to equity, access, and excellence. Finally, I’ve met some great people from across the University.
What committees have you participated in, or would like to participate in and what were you able to (or hope to) accomplish? I was on the Student Faculty Policy committee last year and this year I will be the chair of that committee. We work on a variety of issues that impact the connection between students and faculty at ASU, including issues related to academic integrity, SAILS, graduate student childcare and housing, and course evaluations. It is rewarding to dig into these issues and provide support to faculty and students.
What would you say to your peers who might be considering accepting a nomination or nominating himself or herself for a position in the University Senate? Go for it! If you’d like to learn more about how ASU works, understand the values and priorities that our administrators hold, network with people across the University, and have a voice in governance, it is the place for you!