The Faculty Senate Tuesday unanimously approved a policy that will provide structure toward the process international faculty undergo to seek permanent residency, the second of three requirements to gain U.S. citizenship.

Earlier this semester, the senate had passed a resolution asking Academic Affairs to create an Internal Governing Policy spelling out the university’s role in securing further residency for the 15 to 20 international faculty members, who are currently on one to three-year teaching visas.

The policy clarifies the stipulations to sponsor international faculty, requiring the applicant be a full-time employee for three years, have the written support of the department chair and dean, among others. Blair Lord, provost and vice president for academic affairs, proposed the policy to the senate looking for feedback and approval, and he will next bring the bill to the Board of Trustees.

Previously, the university had no guidelines when determining whether to endorse an international faculty member.

U.S. citizenship is granted five years after permanent residency is established. Lord previously said he strongly advocates a richly diverse campus. At any time, the international faculty members can apply for the permanent residency, but the policy states it will only support those with at least three years of experience.

“We want the finest faculty to teach our students, and it might just be they are foreign-born,” Lord previously said.

Also, three senate members were named to the subcommittee created to determine the final details of the Luis Clay-Mendez Distinguished Service Award for faculty. The late Dr. Clay-Mendez, a former Spanish professor and senate recorder, died in October because of heart ailments.

Only days after his passing, the senate voted to create an award commemorating his life and achievements. According to the passed resolution, the faculty member must “best exemplify the dedication of Dr. Luis Clay-Mendez by their service to the University, their profession and the community at large (Local, National and International).”

Senate members Steve Scher and John Henry Pommier drafted the resolution. The senate will choose one faculty member to receive the award on an annual basis, and will be given out at commencement.

Scher, Pommier and senate member Ann Brownson were named to the three-person committee in charge of determining the final stipulations.

“I wanted to keep it fairly general,” Scher said of the wording. “We wanted to make it open to anyone outstanding to be a viable candidate.”

The senate also named English professor John Allison to the search committee for Carol Strode, the former director of facilities planning and management. The proposed deadlines for the search were sent by Jeff Cooley, vice president for business affairs, and include:

– Jan. 12, 2004 review of received applications.

– March 15, recommendations received by Cooley.

– April 19 to 29, on-campus visits.

– May 28, offer the position to top candidate.

– July 1, the selected person begins.

Gary Reed assumed Strode’s position on an interim basis upon her retirement Dec. 1. The director of facilities planning and management position is critical to the university as it oversees the departments that take care of the campus’ construction and maintenance.

In other action, the senate:

u Received an update from Lord on the selection of the interim director of Minority Affairs. He said he has consulted students, workers in the Minority Affairs office and a number of other campus entities. The position became vacant when the late Ms. Johnetta Jones died in November.

u Decided to request executive members from the Council of Academic Affairs attend a future senate meeting to discuss discrepancies over their reforms for the Honor’s College Council.

u Passed a resolution by a unanimous vote to add student retention as a topic for the Annual Faculty Forum, the senate’s open forum to the faculty to discuss subjects they feel are important. How to create a community on and off campus, international programs and productivity are other topics already on the forum’s slate.