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Summary of the Faculty Senate Meeting
October 2, 2024
Chair’s Report – Jenny Axe
The Faculty Senate Chair, Jenny Axe, called the meeting to order at 2:30 pm and presented the Chair’s report:
•Updates on the work of existing working groups and task forces:
o The discussion of writing down a process for creating and amending academic regulations, which was on the agenda, will now occur at the November senate meeting.
o Senate Transformation for Enhanced Performance (STEP) Working Group: Senate Chair Jenny Axe explained that it was time to consider possible changes to the faculty senate to make it more representative of the current distribution of the faculty and strengthen the connection between the senate and faculty. The senate has not been evaluated in over 20 years. It is worth considering whether we are achieving the goals that we would like. We will form the working group by asking colleagues to complete a brief set of questions about their interest in serving on the WG. The deadline for these is October 8. The Working Group develop recommendations this academic year, which it will submit to the senate in the next academic year for consideration. Our aim is to submit a set of reforms in time for the AU Board of Trustees to take up during its November meeting.
•Update on the Formation of the Provost Search Committee:
o The faculty senate Chair contacted the individuals responsible for running elections in the various academic units to ask them to hold an election to form a pool of potential members to serve on the provost search committee as specified in the provost search committee document, which the faculty senate approved at the September meeting and the president accepted. Nominations and elections to serve on the pool should be taking place in your unit.
•Update on the Formation of the Vice President for Advancement Search Committee:
oThis committee will have fewer than ten members. Many stakeholders will have committee members, including the offices of academic affairs, finance, alumni, and general counsel. The committee will also have one or two faculty members. There will also be an advisory committee that will have additional faculty members.
•ASAC and Class Recordings:
oThe policy for class recordings was written principally with lectures in mind, but it extends to seminars. We are talking to the vice-provost for undergraduate studies Bridget Trogden and individuals in the ASAC office to work on refining the policy.
•Executive Committee Minutes:
oThe senate bylaws state that we should provide minutes to the senate executive committee meetings. We are working on doing so.
•Question of Reopening the Tavern:
oThe administration is considering whether to reopen the Tavern, which would be a site on campus that would serve alcohol. It would not necessarily be in the same location as the Tavern previously was. The administration would like to know what faculty members feel about bringing back a location that would serve alcohol to faculty, staff and students. Is there enough interest? Do faculty members have concerns? The administration is also looking into issues such as cost and liability.
ACTION ITEM: A vote to ratify the rules-of-order table, which was sent via e-mail to all senators before the meeting, as a consent agenda item was approved.
ACTION ITEM: The minutes from the September 11, 2024, meeting were voted on and approved.
Povost’s Report – Vicky Wilkins
Acting Provost Vicky Wilkins gave the provost’s report:
• First-Year Class Size:
oThe university’s census of the student body occurs on October 4. It will give us a more precise report regarding the size of the student body. Preliminary data show that we have had a minor increase in the number of students, but the shortfall is still of the magnitude that we have reported previously. Visa approvals were an issue in some instances. We are also going to do a deep dive regarding online programs, including pricing and other factors that influence enrollment.
•Retention:
oFirst-to-second year student retention has increased modestly; it is up two percentage points to 88.4 percent. Our goal is ninety percent. That said, this is significant progress. Thank you for all of your work to achieve this result.
•Budget Fora:
oWe have held online budget fora. We tried to get more granular in these events. We discussed academic affairs and personnel data in greater detail.
•Other Policy Fora:
oWe are holding fora on facilities use and social media.
•Sexual Harassment and Title IX Policies:
oWe need to work on our sexual harassment and Title IX policies. Current language in the faculty manual regarding sexual harassment does not cover the range of issues that arise. It is important to improve the language to cover the gaps. Changes in federal government rules necessitate a change to our Title IX policy but we are currently under an injunction with hundreds of other universities, which prohibits action until the courts have resolved matters.
•Undergraduate Advisors and AUX:
oTwo years ago, we made the decision to shift back to a “pod” system so that students would have the same set of advisors throughout their time at AU. All the advisors will be assigned to academic units by next year. We will now have job ladders for advisors that enable promotions to occur. For AUX 2, we are going to place the teaching of race, racialization and related structures in the hands of full-time faculty.
•Benefit Forum:
oWe have already held a virtual benefit forum on October 1. We will hold an in-person benefit forum on October 3.
•Civic Life Fellows Program:
oWe are launching the Civic Life Fellows program. Student applications came out this week. Faculty will teach in this program. The scope extends to all disciplines.
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Unity Meals:
oThe first Unity Meal takes place on October 7.
•The provost took questions from Senators:
oA senator asked whether there would be a working group of faculty to develop the policy changes for sexual harassment and Title IX matters. The provost replied that there would be a multistakeholder university working group.
Dean of Faculty’s Report – Monica Jackson
Dean of Faculty Monica Jackson gave the Dean of Faculty’s report:
•Current Priorities of the Dean of Faculty’s Office:
oThe action items from the Working Group on Faculty Action’s report have been put into the policy accelerator, which is a list of items that the Administration is prioritizing in advance of the process that will formulate a new strategic plan.
oWe’re undertaking a survey on communication.
oWe’re undertaking leadership training for faculty.
• Inclusion/Faculty Climate:
oThe University Club is now open. We’re doing events outside of lunchtime; breakfast, coffee, etc.
oWe welcome ideas for activities to improve faculty climate.
•Service Task Force:
oInformation from the service taskforce informed the ADVANCE grant material.
oWe are working on how faculty can add data to the service dashboard.
•SET Material for Files for Action:
oWe now have clarified what’s to be included from SETs in files for action.
•The Dean of Faculty took Questions from Senators:
oA senator asked if there will be guidance regarding the dashboard for individual departments. The Dean of Faculty replied that there would.
Core Update – Bridget Trogden, Martin Oliver and Brad Knight
The Core leadership team presented their proposal for changing AUX. AUX2 would be renamed AU Encounters. Experts would deliver the material, which would be multimodal and have engagement. The course would have large discussion groups (+75). Academic units would recommend faculty/facilitators, who would receive additional compensation. The core would train the facilitators. They would not have to be subject experts. This academic year’s AUX2 focuses on James Baldwin. This year is viewed as a bridge. We could do Baldwin again or choose a different subject in future years. A senator asked how assessment would occur. Martin Oliver replied that grading would be pass/fail, with grad students doing the grading. Another senator asked how the changes would affect the budget. Martin Oliver responded that the iteration this academic year would be budget neutral.
Student Athlete and Support Program Update – Erin Saunders, Bob Karsh and Bridget Trogden
The athletic department staff can access the Canvas pages for a small number of student athletes. This undertaking is for 15 to 20 students who have a GPA close to 2.0. The staff members serve as academic coaches to help students become independent learners. We can only see the syllabi for specific students who need academic assistance so that we can see what is expected of them and help them to meet the expectations.
Fall Visit: AU President Jonathan Alger
Senators engaged in a broad discussion with President Alger framed by the four questions that he has been asking stakeholders to consider.
For the good of the order – Senate Chair Jenny Axe
There were no items for the good of the order.