MURFREESBORO — If the Blue Raider Nation has
something to say to the Tennessee Board of Regents, Tricia Farwell is the
person to see.
Farwell, an associate professor of
journalism and president of the Faculty Senate, was nominated by President
Sidney A. McPhee and Provost Brad Bartel over the summer and was appointed by
Gov. Bill Haslam in July to a one-year term as faculty regent.
“I think this is a great experience for any faculty member if they have the opportunity,” said Farwell. “You get a really big-picture view of what’s going on in the TBR system, which is eye-opening and really a great learning experience.”
“I think this is a great experience for any faculty member if they have the opportunity,” said Farwell. “You get a really big-picture view of what’s going on in the TBR system, which is eye-opening and really a great learning experience.”
Farwell represents all faculty across
the TBR’s 46 institutions, which include four-year and two-year universities
and colleges of applied technology. She will vote on critical issues that
affect all institutions, including teaching materials.
“We want to make sure that we do the
best for our students and also for the faculty that we have the best choice of
textbooks,” Farwell said.
As the Faculty Senate celebrates its 50th
year at MTSU, Farwell’s priorities remain student-centered, including the
ever-rising cost of textbooks.
“Any way that we can help our students,
I think, is wonderful,” said Farwell. “Personally, I know I love to have a hard
copy of my book. So I make sure that my students have the ability to either
rent the book, get an online book or have the hard copy.”
In order to have the time and energy to
attend to TBR business, the MTSU School of Journalism has given Farwell a
couple of course releases. While maintaining her position as the school’s
internship coordinator, she is teaching only two courses this semester so that
she can perform her TBR and Faculty Senate duties.
At the TBR level, this includes work on
the Academic Policies and Programs, Student Life and Workforce Development
committees. However, as a rookie on the board, Farwell understands the
importance of listening, too.
“I’m trying to keep as open-minded as
possible so that I can interact and present an informed but unbiased opinion as
we go forward,” she said.
Farwell holds a bachelor’s degree in
journalism with an emphasis in public relations and a master’s degree in media
management from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass
Communication, as well as a master’s degree in English and a doctorate in
English, all at Arizona State University.
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