Welcome to the 2011-2012 academic year! I am excited to serve as chair of the Faculty Council and welcome your thoughts and suggestions as we continue to refine the Council’s role and effectiveness as the main governance body for issues around academic affairs and faculty concerns. The Council’s Executive Committee has been busy over the summer meeting with various faculty mem- bers and leaders across campus and generat- ing ideas and enthusiasm for this year. We look forward to updates from last year’s rec-

ommendations such as Open Access, faculty grievance policies and procedures, and class and labor at Emory. We also look forward to new discussion topics such as the life cycle of a faculty member, the future of liberal arts and research universities, and topics that will give the Council an opportunity to further engage academic deans across campus. I look forward to serving you this year!

– Erica Brownfield, Chair, Faculty Council, Associate Professor of Medicine