The 2026-27 academic year begins with two important faculty events: the first Faculty Senate meeting of the year on Thursday, Aug. 27, and the Fall Faculty Assembly on Thursday, Sept. 3.
Faculty Senate Meeting - Aug. 27
New Faculty Senate Chair Jason Harris, principal senior lecturer of classical and Mediterranean studies, will lead the first Senate meeting of the year, with Chancellor Daniel Diermeier and Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs C. Cybele Raver in attendance. The Faculty Senate is the representative and deliberative body of the faculties and is centrally involved in university governance.
All faculty members are invited to the meeting, which will be from 4:10 to 5:30 p.m. in the large meeting room on the second floor of the Faculty Commons, 1101 19th Ave. S. The agenda includes the chancellor, provost and Paul Liebman from the Office of the General Counsel. Learn more about the Faculty Senate and find the 2026-27 meeting schedule.
Fall Faculty Assembly - Sept. 3
All university faculty are invited and encouraged to attend the Fall Faculty Assembly at 4:10 p.m. in the Student Life Center Ballroom. Diermeier, Raver and Harris will celebrate faculty achievements, share key university priorities and present several of Vanderbilt's highest faculty honors, including the Chancellor's Award for Research, Earl Sutherland Prize for Achievement in Research and Thomas Jefferson Award.
The assembly will conclude with a reception outside the ballroom. The event will not be livestreamed but will be recorded and posted on YouTube and the Faculty Senate portal. Parking is available in the 25th Avenue Garage; please use the Highland Avenue entrance.
Faculty are encouraged to
