We need common language to discuss these issues to do justice to them. If we believe that faculty are needed to bring initiatives to life and to tailor them to our disciplines and to our institutions, then these conversations are very important. Faculty are the people that implement many policies. We are the interface. We need to be involved to make these policies work.
Passive compliance is non-compliance.
Much of our teaching is done behind closed doors. The world doesn't know what we do and what is really important to us. This is a chance to articulate what is at the heart of education for us and to discuss how to make visible what we do. People have agency to say interesting, thought-provoking things to each other within and among hierarchical levels. Outside speakers bring a broader perspective and catalyze dialogue among us.