Alan Rosenbaum, Faculty Senate president and University Council executive secretary, hopes to get someone interested in the executive secretary position, which he will step down from next year.

Rosenbaum was elected for his fifth year as University Council executive secretary at its Wednesday meeting. He was nominated by the Faculty Senate and was elected by the University Council. He said by joining the University Council and becoming executive secretary, he’s become much more familiar with faculty members, colleges, deans, the vice presidents and the administrators.

“I’ve been able to get a much more in-depth view of how the university functions and the different people that are involved in making the decisions and running the university,” Rosenbaum said.

Rosenbaum said prior to his appointment, most of his daily interaction was restricted to fellow professors.

“You see the world and the university from the prospective of being in one department, but you’re not really familiar with the workings of the university,” Rosenbaum said.

During his four years as executive secretary, Rosenbaum tried to make the Faculty Senate more vital and involved in the governance of the university.

“What I have tried to do in my role is to get the faculty to be more active in fulfilling its role in the shared governance process,” Rosenbaum said.

During the time as executive secretary, Rosenbaum said he has increased the voice of the faculty.

“The Resources, Space and Budgets Committee now meets regularly with the president, and this is not something that has been done in the past,” Rosenbaum said.

Rosenbaum said the University Advisory Committee to the Board of Trustees now meets regularly with the president, as well.

“We are advancing the role of the faculty in the shared governance process and increasing communications with the faculty by developing Faculty Matters, which is our newsletter that is now published several times a semester,” Rosenbaum said.

Rosenbaum will remain executive secretary until July 2014. He said the executive secretary of University Council and the president of the Faculty Senate are the same thing.

“As president of the Faculty Senate I chair the senate and serve as the liaison between the Faculty Senate and the administration,” Rosenbaum said.

Rosenbaum said the Faculty Senate president is the representative of the faculty to the administration and the Board of Trustees.

The executives secretary’s job is to set the agenda for the University Council in consultation with the Steering Committee.

“The executive secretary and the Steering Committee meet once a month and uses the Steering Committee and a consult in developing the agenda for the University Council,” Rosenbaum said.

James Zanayed, Student Association Senate speaker, said working with Rosenbaum has been great. Zanayed said he is focused on helping the students and faculty.

“He really cares about the shared governance process, which is a big part of this organization,” Zanayed said.

Mike Theodore, Student Association chief of staff, said Rosenbaum gives honest feedback.

“If you want to communicate with him he’ll be completely honest and open,” Theodore said.

Zanayed said Rosenbaum has worked on many things to improve the university, like helping support a new and improved Recreation Center.

Rosenbaum was also the co-chair of the Presidential Search Advisory Committee, which selected Doug Baker to be the new university president.

Rosenbaum has been a faculty member for 11 years.