Meeting Minutes: September 21, 2023

 

Guest Presentation: New Academic Year Welcome with President Kirk Schulz & Provost Elizabeth Chilton (PDF).

Minutes

The Faculty Senate met on Thursday, September 21, 2023, in French 130D and via Zoom. Seventy (70) senators were present with nineteen (19) absent and twenty-two (22) non-voting members present. The meeting was called to order by the Senate Chair, Eric Shelden at 4:09 pm.

1. Call to Order at 4:09pm
2. Approval of minutes from the April 6, 2023, faculty senate meeting
3. Announcements
   1. Information Items
      1. The faculty senate executive officers met with President Schulz and Provost Chilton on Tuesday, September 12, 2023.
      2. The faculty senate chair presented to the Board of Regents on Friday, September 15, 2023.
      3. The faculty senate executive officers will meet with the provost leadership team on Wednesday, October 11, 2023.
      4. (Item #2023.03.23_314_Exec) 2023-24 Senate meeting schedule (Exhibit 314A).
      5. (Item #2023.09.21_332_Steering) Recommended approval of new courses CE 516, CE520, and CE 545 (Exhibit 332A 332B 332C 332D 332E).
      6. (Item #2023.09.21_337_Catalog) Graduate Major Change Bulletin No. 9 Addendum 1 (Exhibit 337A).
      7. (Item #2023.09.21_79_GSC) Recommended correction of the Master of Engineering, Civil Engineering clerical error (Exhibit 79E 79D 79A 79B 79C).
      8. (Item #2023.09.21_335_Steering) Department Creation Proposal – College of Nursing (Exhibit 335A 335B).
      9. (Item #2023.09.21_336_Catalog) Professional Health Sciences Major Change Bulletin No. 1 (Exhibit 336A).
      10. (Item #2023.09.21_338_Steering) Request for the Masters of Nursing to be placed in moratorium effective January 1, 2024, through August 1, 2025 (Exhibit 338A).
      11. (Item #2023.09.21_339_Steering) Proposed Amendment to EPPM Section 9.1; WSU Academic Advisory Responsibilities (Exhibit 339A 339B).
      12. (Item #2023.09.21_340_Catalog) Minor Change Bulletin No. 1 (Exhibit 341A).
      13. (Item #2023.09.21_344_Steering) Faculty Senate Voting Process (Exhibit 344A).
4. Additions or changes to the agenda
   1. Motion from J. McDonald to move discussion items 2,4, and 5 to action items in support of committee action, A. Goodman seconded this motion.
      1. 60 approved and 0 rejected.
5. Agenda Items
   1. Action Items
      1. (Item #2023.09.21_334_Steering) Recommended approval of the Faculty Senate Bylaws Section VIII as it relates to the assembly of ad hoc committees (Exhibit 334A 334B).
         1. Discussion: Recommendation to update the ad hoc committee language to specify faculty senate ad hoc committees. -H. Jansen
         2. 61 Approved; 0 rejected
      2. (Item #2023.09.21_341_CoC) Recommended approval of the faculty senate committee appointments for vacancies on the Professional Health Science Committee and the Graduate Studies Committee (Exhibit 341A).
         1. No discussion;
         2. 61 approved; 0 rejected
      3. (Item #2023.09.21_342_CoC) Recommended approval of the Ad Hoc Faculty Salary Step Committee composition (Exhibit 342A).
         1. Discussion: Request to refer to the ad hoc salary step committee charge (Exhibit 301A)
         2. 63 Approved; 1 rejected
   2. Discussion Items
      1. (Item #2023.09.21_333_Steering) Recommended approval of updates to the Faculty Senate Bylaws adding a new section II.6 regarding participation in meetings (Exhibit 333A 333B).
      2. (Item #2023.09.21_343_GSC_Steering) Recommendation to establish a faculty senate policy concerning graduate program student handbooks (Exhibit 343A 343B).
         1. Comment: Confirming that the Grad School will still need to receive the departmental handbook updates for archiving and NWCCU requests. -J. McDonald
         2. Response: This discussion item is addressed within Exhibit 343B. -T. Barry
      3. (Item #2023.09.21_340_AAC) Proposal to revise Rule 75, Final Examination Schedule (Exhibit 340A).
6. Constituent Concerns
   1. Concern: West Virginia University serves as an example of a university that has significantly impacted its foreign language program through the reorganization / layoff of 21 faculty. Proactive concerns for WSU and considerations for budget management that do not include program removal are requested. -J. Bonzo.
   2. Concern: Course Challenge Process clarity and considerations for the pilot program to be changed in name to the Course Review Process. -J. Miller
      1. Response: Clarification of the course review process explained and considerations for the name change received. -C. Horne
   3. Concern: Considerations for the specific timeline of constituent’s course posting and review deadlines. -N. O’Donnell
      1. Response: Reference to the faculty senate webpage for the posting and review deadlines. -C. Horne
   4. Concern: Institutional Review Board and delays. Recommendation for senate support with the IRB turnaround and delays. – L. Fournier
      1. Response: Faculty Senate leadership is happy to connect with the Chair of IRB / Chris Keane to address this concern. -E. Shelden
   5. Concern: Budget Cuts and research allocation to the library subscriptions. -N. Grow
      1. Response: Recommendation for this concern to be forwarded to the Office of the Provost for next step review. -L. Hill

7. Meeting Adjourned: 4:37pm

 Respectfully submitted,

Matt Hudelson, Executive Secretary