Senator Spotlight April 2019

This Month's Senator Spotlight is on Katherine O'Flaherty

What unit do you represent?

I am the senator for Barrett Honors College. I teach on the Downtown Phoenix campus.

How many years have you served in the Senate?

I’m finishing my third year as senator.

How many years have you been employed at ASU?

I’ve been at ASU for six years.

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

Before coming to ASU I taught in the Honors College and History Departments at the University of Maine..

What is your research and/or creative activities focus?

I’m a historian and my primary area of historical research is immigration but my most recent book length projects have been about honors colleges and honors education.

Why did you decide to get involved with the Senate?

I wanted to learn more about the university and can’t always make it to Tempe to participate in university level service. Being a faculty senator works well for me because I can attend meetings Downtown.

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

I now have a much great appreciation for the complexity of shared governance and see why serving as senator is such a rewarding experience.

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

I’ve been appointed to the Personnel and Library Liaison committees.

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?

It’s important service. I think serving is a great way for someone relatively new to ASU to meet colleagues in other colleges and to get a better understanding of how the University functions.