Winner - College of Liberal Arts

Dr. Peter B. Dedek is a professor in the Department of History at Texas State and teaches courses in historic preservation, public history, American history, and the history of architecture and interior design. Having come to Texas State in 2004, Dedek has extensive university leadership experience. He is a coordinator and advisor of the Public History program, acting graduate advisor for the Department of History, and has served on numerous department, college, and university committees. In fall, 2020, he was elected to the Texas State Faculty Senate as an interim senator.

 

Since fall 2021 Dedek has served as a faculty senator representing Liberal Arts. He believes the Faculty Senate should act as a strong voice for the entire Texas State faculty and has worked to have the voices of TXST faculty heard. Among other things, senator Dedek worked on a committee that conducted a comprehensive faculty salary study to analyze salary inequity, salary compression and the effects of inflation that helped inform the administration in its salary decisions. He also campaigned to save the University Camp, advocated for the protection of tenure while supporting the new progressive career path for teaching faculty, and worked to maintain and enhance shared governance to include a robust faculty role.

 

Based on provisions of SB 37, the TXST administration was forced to create a new senate for academic year 2025-26 of 14 faculty senators, seven elected (one from each college) and seven appointed by the administration, (one from each college). The primary responsibility of this senate will be to create a new set of bylaws that will govern the composition and operations of TXST faculty senates in the future in accordance with SB 37.

 

I believe it is very important that those bylaws, which will govern the composition and operations of TXST faculty senates, maximize the ability of these future senates to properly represent the faculty despite the new legal restrictions. My commitment to the value and principles of shared governance is the reason I have decided to stand for election for the new 2025-26 senate.