Faculty Senate

The purpose of the Life University Faculty Senate is to provide a formal, collaborative organization to advance the education of LIFE’s students into transformational leaders in an increasingly diverse, global and dynamic world. The Faculty Senate strives to foster and encourage effective communication among faculty and between faculty and administration; to promote unity and coherence among faculty; to provide a forum for raising, discussing and promoting resolution of faculty issues; to foster and encourage a learning environment based on the University’s values of Vitalism, Lasting Purpose and the Eight Core Proficiencies; and to promote instructional and service excellence and success in the classroom, University and community.

The Faculty Senate derives its authority from its constitution, which is endorsed and approved by the faculty as a whole, the President of the University, and the Board of Trustees. It is authorized to speak for the whole faculty concerning matters on which it has deliberated and made recommendations. It recognizes its role as advisory to the President and the Board of Trustees, in accordance with the provisions and spirit of the Statement on Shared Governance (approved by the Board of Trustees on January 23, 2009, and signed into effect in April 2009), and the Delineation of Roles in Shared Governance document.

The Faculty Senate is a representative body of the faculty as a whole, consisting of twelve faculty representatives elected by the sub-divisions of the faculty they represent (see below), and the three-member executive committee, composed of the President, Vice President and the Secretary/Treasurer, elected by the faculty as a whole. The Faculty Senate meets monthly throughout the quarter, usually during Weeks 2, 5 and 9, to conduct business. A full faculty meeting is held during week zero of every other quarter (twice annually) during the Faculty Staff Development Programs. During which the Executive Committee and Committee Chairs address the full faculty to deliver activity reports, and full faculty votes will be conducted as needed. Other committees and task forces meet and discuss business as needed, on varying schedules as outlined in the Faculty Senate Constitution and Bylaws.

More specific details can be found in the most current Constitution and Bylaws posted in the Faculty Handbook on this website, or by contacting an officer or representative of the Faculty Senate. The Faculty Senate also maintains a work site on Blackboard called “FS101.”

Faculty Senate Officers:

Mr. Ronald Ware / President / Liberal Studies / Ronald.Ware@LIFE.edu / (770) 426 – 2750

Dr. Deidre Meiggs /Vice President / Natural Sciences / Deidre.Meiggs@LIFE.edu / (770) 426-2733 x 4431

Dr. Paula Billups / Secretary/Treasurer / Liberal Studies / Paula.Billups@LIFE.edu / (678) 331 – 4430

Faculty Senate Standing Committee Leadership

Faculty Affairs Committee / Dr. Andrea Miller / Andrea.Miller@LIFE.edu / (770) 426-2697

Faculty Development Committee / Dr. John Thornhill / John.Thornhill@LIFE.edu / (770) 426-2741

College of Chiropractic Admissions Committee / Dr. Nicole Poirier / Nicole.Poirier@LIFE.edu / (770) 426-2709

College of Graduate Studies Admissions Committee /Dr. Peggy Samples / Peggy.Samples@LIFE.edu / (770) 426-2697 x 1194

College of Undergraduate Studies Admissions Committee/ Ms. Marie Powell / Marie.Powell@LIFE.edu / (770) 426-2750

College of Chiropractic Curriculum Committee / Dr. Cara Bradford / Cara.Bradford@LIFE.edu / (770) 426-2709 x 1321

College of Graduate Studies Curriculum Committee / Mr. Mickey Parsons / Mickey.Parsons@LIFE.edu / (770) 426-2697

College of Undergraduate Studies Curriculum Committee / Ms. Amanda Timberlake / AmandaT@LIFE.edu / (770) 426-2771 x 1473

Committee on Committees/ Dr. Mitchell Ferguson / Mitchell.Ferguson@LIFE.edu / (770) 426-2697

Rank and Promotion Procedural Review Committee / Dr. Robin Nelson / Robin.Sibert@LIFE.edu / (770) 426-2733

College of Chiropractic Senators

Dr. Paul Donaldson / Clinics at Large / Paul.Donaldson@LIFE.edu / (770) 426-2946

Dr. Ralph Bucci / CC-HOP / RBucci@LIFE.edu / (770) 426-2664 x 1661

Dr. Michael Tomasello / C-HOP / MTomasello@LIFE.edu / (770) 792-6100

Dr. Maria Michelin / Clinical Science / Maria.Michelin@LIFE.edu / (770) 426-2741

Dr. Cara Bradford / Chiropractic Sciences / Cara.Bradford@LIFE.edu / (770) 426-2709 x 1321

Dr. Eric Partin / Basic Sciences / Partin@LIFE.edu / (770) 426-2718 x 1214

College of Graduate and Undergraduate Studies Senators

Dr. Robin Nelson / Natural Science / Robin.Sibert@LIFE.edu / (770) 426-2733 x 1206

Ms. Heather Petty / Sport Health Science / Heather.Petty@LIFE.edu / (770) 426-2736 x 2739

Dr. Jason Shepard / Social Sciences / Jason.Shepard2@LIFE.edu / (770) 426-2697

Dr. Kelley Ceccato / Liberal Studies / Kelley.Ceccato@LIFE.edu / (770) 426-2697 x 1198

College of Online Education Senators

Dr. Richard Shook / College of Online Education / Richard.Shook@LIFE.edu / (770) 426-2965

Library and Research Faculty Senators

Ms. Tamisa Ridley / Libraries / Tamisa.Ridley@LIFE.edu / (770) 426-2688 x 1682