Taine Duncan wears many hats — from Faculty Senate president to professor to co-mentor — which has only fueled her ability to impact the University of Central Arkansas through her many accomplishments.
As Faculty Senate president, her focus on shared governance is just one example of her work to create equal representation and diversity when dealing with university issues.
“One of the things I’ve been really proud of with the senate this semester is trying really hard to share governance with both Staff Senate and [Student Government Association],” Duncan said. “So all of the senate’s subcommittees have been including students and reaching out to do research about things that impact all of us.”
Through this shared governance, the groups have co-hosted events, such as Civility Training for the senate leaders. Duncan and Staff Senate President Erica Ruble have also held office hours so that anyone on campus can discuss campus issues and goals with the two directly.
“We’re also going to try to be more intentional about reaching out to faculty that are not on tenure track — those who are lecturers or visiting professors. We’re really trying to find ways to include them more,” Duncan said.
Aside from her many responsibilities with Faculty Senate, Duncan also serves as the Gender Studies program director and associate professor for the Department of Philosophy. Duncan’s studies encourage critical theory, a school of thought that combines multiple societal and cultural factors into contemporary issues and topics.
Duncan’s class lectures even inspired a segment in a play, which was written and produced by students.
“What was so amazing and exciting about [the play], I mean, I just thought it was fantastic, and it just made me really proud. But I also loved that a student who had taken my class did such a good job explaining the theory,” Duncan said. “He had really internalized it so much that a student who had not necessarily studied it was able to put it in a play, and it was accurate, and it was right.”
Outside of the classroom, Duncan is a part the Division of Outreach and Community Engagement’s Women’s Leadership Network, through which she is able to co-mentor other women. She has also worked with Outreach to create interdisciplinary coursework.
Her work has not gone unnoticed, as Duncan won a number of awards including the Public Service Award and the Diversity and Inclusive Excellence Award.