Prior to 1970, the Faculty met regularly as a whole in large auditoriums on campus. The meetings were chaired by the university president. The formation of a Faculty Senate to assume most functions previously carried out by the general faculty was widely favored, and, in 1970, the faculty adopted, almost unanimously, the plan for a Faculty Senate proposed by the Faculty Advisory Committee, chaired by John Herr.

The general faculty would thereafter meet as a whole only at the opening and closing of the academic year, i.e., September and May. The opening meeting of the senate took place in Currell College with the late Glenn Abernathy (Political Science) (1970-71) as its first chair. The initial item of business was to appoint a committee to propose by-laws. Originally, the president had a one-year term. Chairs in the years following Abernathy were the late Olin Pugh (Business) (1971-72), the late Bill Wesson (Business) (1972-73), the late Elmer Schwartz (Engineering) (1973-74), and John Herr (Biology) (1974-75).

For better transition, continuity and status, John Herr persuaded the faculty to adopt a two-year term for the chairs. This term was to be preceded by a year as chair-elect and followed by a year as past-chair. The first two-year term was filled by Steve Ackerman (Foreign Languages) (1975-77). Robert Felix (Law) (1977-79) was chair-elect during Ackerman’s second year, to succeed him in the next year, with Ackerman to serve as past-chair. There followed in this scheme a number of long-time colleagues with experience in faculty governance: the late Charles Coolidge (History) (1979-81), Robert Patterson (History) (1981-83), the late Charles Weasmer (Political Science) (1983-85), David Rembert (Biology) (1985-87), the late Rufus Fellers (Engineering) (1987-89), Gunther Holst (Foreign Languages) (1989-91), and Peter Becker (History) (1991-93). All had been present at the creation of the Faculty Senate and understood its antecedents in faculty governance.

Subsequent chairs of the Faculty Senate form a later generation of faculty, informed by their older colleagues, and assuming leading roles within the current system of faculty governance: Marcia Welsh (Medicine) (1993-95), Henry Price (Journalism) (1995-97), Eldon Wedlock (Law) (1997-99), Caroline Strobel (Business) (1999-2001), Rob Wilcox (Law) (2001- 03), Jim Augustine (Medicine) (2003-05), Gene Reeder (Pharmacy) (2005-07), Robert Best (Medicine) (2007-09), and Patrick Nolan (Sociology) (2009-11). 

Robert Felix December 5, 2011

Per the Faculty Manual as of June 26, 2009:

"The Secretary shall serve a four-year term on the Steering Committee, the first year as Secretary-elect and the second, third, and fourth years as Secretary."

2021-Present
Marianne Bickle
College of HRSM

2020 - 2021
Spencer Platt
Educational Leadership and Policies

2014 - 2020
Elizabeth West
South Caroliniana Library

2007-2014
Rebekah Maxwell
School of Law

2004-2008
Laura Kane
School of Medicine Library

1996-2004
Sarah Wise
Retailing

1990-1996
John Safko
Physics & Astronomy

1984-1990
Richard G. Silvernail
Geography

1987 (Sept.)
Charles W. Tucker
Sociology (Temporary Secretary for Silvernail)

1983-1984
David D. Husband
Biology

1981-1983
John N. Gardner
Library & Information Science

1979-1981
Peter W. Becker
History

1978-1979
Gunther J. Holst
Foreign Languages & Literatures

1975-1978
David D. Husband
Biology

1975 (Jan.-May)
Judith R. Joyner, Acting Secretary
Education

1972-1974
C. McFerron Gittinger
Business Administration

1970-1973
John R. Welsh
English

The University Committee on Tenure and Promotion (UCTP) was prepared in 1995 by Professor Wedlock with the assistance of other members of the Faculty Liaison Committee and colleagues who had served upon the UCTP. Professor Wedlock served on that committee from 1987 to 1990 and was a primary drafter of for the revisions in 1990 guide to tenure and promotion. While it states a point of view that not all agree with it does provide an important historical perspective.

University Committee on Tenure and Promotion - Historical Document [pdf]