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2025 – 2026 Scrolling Minutes Page

November 12, 2025

Faculty Senate Meeting – April 2, 2026

MINUTES

The Faculty Senate met on Thursday April 2, 2026, in Faculty Senate Conference Room French Admin 344B and via Zoom. Fifty-six (56) senators were present, two (2) vacancies with thirty-five (35) absent, and twenty-four (24) non-voting participants. The meeting was called to order by Ken Roberts, Senate Chair, at 3:49 pm.

Guest Presentation: WSU Access *& Opportunity Update – Lisa Guerrero, Vice Provost for Access & Opportunity

Lisa Guerrero provided an update on WSU’s shift since January 2025 from DEI terminology to an access and opportunity framework, aligning with federal guidance while remaining grounded in the university’s land grant mission. This approach focuses on removing barriers, creating tangible pathways, and addressing the intersectional needs of students, faculty, and staff across all institutional contexts. Guerrero emphasized shared accountability, noting that every member of the WSU community plays a role in fostering access and opportunity, with initiatives such as faculty workload policy development illustrating this work. She also highlighted ongoing uncertainty due to new, vague federal executive orders related to DEI and noted that her office is actively working with campus partners to interpret and respond appropriately.

Question: Has measuring effectiveness around Access and Opportunity become easier, harder or simply different following the shift from Legacy DEI?

Response: The shift from Legacy DEI to an Access and Opportunity framework represents a different approach rather than one that is inherently easier or harder. Legacy DEI, which evolved from multiculturism in the late 1980s into DEI initiatives in the early 1990s, was initially proactive and yielded meaningful gains. However, over time these efforts often evolved into compliance-oriented “box checking,” prioritizing activities such as mandatory training or representation metrics without producing fundamental institutional change or addressing underlying structures and practices.

In contrast, Access and Opportunity centers on tangible pathways, intersectional experiences, and heightened accountability focused on the outcomes rather than symbolism. It was stressed that it’s a stronger potential to broaden how institutions cultivate belonging and to deliver substantive support, development, and opportunity. This shift would reflect a more meaningful and accountable strategy, with greater capacity to drive sustained institutional impact.

Question: How does the framework of access and opportunity contribute to increasing diversity among faculty and staff, noting that the language seems broad or “bland.”

Response: While the framing may seem broad, it is intended to prompt more critical and concrete thinking about institutional practices, particularly faculty recruitment.

Key points:

Past DEI efforts successfully increased recruitment of faculty of color but often did not address whether institutional environments were supportive.
Institutions have frequently focused on representation without changing underlying cultures, practices, or support structures.
Faculty of color, particularly women often perform significant unrecognized mentoring and service labor, supporting students across departments because of shared identity, and disciplinary expertise.
This mentoring work is critical to student belonging and success but it typically not acknowledged or valued in workload or evaluation processes.
Research shows that women in STEM and faculty of color across disciplines often do not thrive long-term due to unchanged institutional environments.

Access and opportunity must function in parallel—diversifying recruitment while also holding institutions accountable for creating supportive, equitable environments in which faculty and students can succeed.

Question: How is the shift in terminology (from equity/diversity/inclusion to newer frameworks) changing practice, citing examples of women faculty being disproportionately asked to mentor outside their fields.

Response: It is not yet clear how practices have changed but this is an opportunity to rethink and address longstanding inequities. The issue of unacknowledged “invisible labor,” particularly mentoring and service work disproportionately performed by faculty historically underserved communities.

This labor is not truly invisible, but undervalued, and should be formally recognized an weighted in workload models. The change will likely be gradual, occurring across multiple fronts, but there is potential for greater accountability over time. It was observed that workload models could be an effective mechanism to capture and recognize this type of labor, a perspective previously not considered.

Call to Order 3:30 p.m.
Approval of minutes from March 12, 2026, Faculty Senate Meeting (PDF)
- Approved by unanimous Consent
Additions or changes to the agenda
- D. Grigar moved to remove Discussion Item #6 “Proposal to discontinue MS in Natural Resources so it can go through the complete process for degree tracking. P. Jacoby seconded.
- Motion Approved; 48 approve, 0 reject
Updates
1. Remarks by Faculty Senate Executive Committee
  1. Faculty Senate Chair – Provided an update on recent visits to the Vancouver and Everett campuses. The visits included meetings with campus administration and, most importantly, extended conversations with faculty, which allowed for in-depth discussion of faculty concerns and campus changes; several issues from these discussions will be taken back to central administration for further consideration. The campus visits have been highly informative and valuable for staying current with campus conditions. He highlighted a particularly impactful visit to the WSU Extension Center in Clark County, a 79-acre working farm with strong community engagement, significant food bank contributions, and an extensive Master Gardner program.
  2. Immediate Past Chair – Nothing to report
  3. Chair-Elect – Nothing to report
  4. Executive Secretary – Election memos have been sent to colleges and campuses to ask that elections be held for Senate seats that are coming open.
2. Board of Regents – T. Klein reported on her attendance at the Advancing Board Excellence (AGB) conference, a professional association for university board of regents and trustees. A key takeaway was that the faculty regent role is relatively uncommon nationally and generated significant questions about its purpose and authority. In contrast, student regent positions were more widely represented. This prompted consideration of opportunities to better publicize and elevate the faculty regent role at WSU.
3. Legislative Update – The Governor signed the the 2026 supplemental budget on April 1, 2026. The original proposal included a 5.5% reduction to WSU’s budget; however, following legislative action, the reduction was lowered to 0.8%. The finalized budget has been signed into law, resulting in a minimal budget cut for WSU for the upcoming year.
Information Items
1. (Item #2026.04.02_613_CRP) Minor Change Bulletin No. 6 (Exhibit 613A)
  - No discussion
Agenda Items
1. Action Items
  1. (Item #2026.03.12_607_CRP) Undergraduate and Professional Major Change Bulletin No. 7, Courses (Exhibit 607A)
    1. Motion approved; 45 Approve, 0 Reject
  2. (Item #2026.03.12_608_CRP) Graduate Major Change Bulletin No. 7, Courses (Exhibit 608A)
    1. Motion approved; 46 Approve, 0 Reject
  3. (Item #2026.03.12_609_AAC) Undergraduate and Professional Major Change Bulletin No. 9, Requirements (Exhibit 609A, *609B)
    1. *This item has been updated; The certificate will be offered in Pullman, Tri-Cities, Vancouver, and Everett, and will not be offered at Spokane at this time.
    2. Motion approved as amended; 45 Approve, 0 Reject
  4. (Item #2026.03.12_610_GSC) Proposal to create MS in Food Manufacturing Technology for WSU Global (Exhibits 610A, 610B, 610C, 610D, 610E, 610F)
    1. Motion approved; 46 Approve, 1 Reject
2. Discussion Items
  1. (Item #2026.04.02_617_GSC) Proposal to Rename Experimental Psychology Plan to Psychological Sciences (Exhibits 617A, 617B, 617C, 617D, 617E)
    1. Previous concerns raised by graduates of this degree have been addressed and are no longer applicable.
    2. The main reason for the request was because psychological sciences better reflects the diversity of approaches that are currently being used by faculty and students in the program.
    3. Move to action 4/16/26
  2. (Item #2026.04.02_611_Steering) Proposed 2026-2027 Faculty Senate meeting schedule (Exhibits (611A, 611B)
    1. No discussion, move to action 4/16/26
  3. (Item #2026.04.02_612_Steering) Recommendation from the Faculty Senate Steering Committee for the Steering Committee to carry out all necessary Faculty Senate functions during the period of May 16, 2026 through August 15, 2026.
    1. No discussion, move to action 4/16/26
  4. (Item #2026.04.02_614_CoC) Recommendations for Committee Membership 2026 – 2027 (Exhibit 614A)
    1. No discussion, move to action 4/16/26
  5. (Item #2026.04.02_615_AAC) Proposal to Extend Bachelor of Science (BS) in Computer Science to WSU Everett (Exhibits 615A, 615B, 615C, 615D, 615E, 615F, 615G, 615H, 615I)
    1. No discussion, move to action 4/16/26
  6. (Item #2026.04.02_616_GSC) Proposal to Discontinue MS in Natural Resources (Exhibits 616A, 616B)
    - Motion to remove item approved; 48 Approve, 0 Reject
  7. (Item #2026.04.02_618_GSC) Proposal to Establish a Graduate Certificate in Healthcare Statistics (Exhibits 618A, 618B)
    1. No discussion, move to action 4/16/26
  8. (Item #2026.04.02_619_FAC) Proposed updates to Faculty Manual Section III.D.7 Annual Review of Faculty (Exhibits 619A, 619B, 619C)
    1. No discussion, move to action 4/16/26
  9. (Item #2026.04.02_620_GSC) Proposal to Establish MS in Artificial Intelligence (Exhibits 620A, 620B, 620C, 620D, 620E, 620F, 620G, 620H, 620I, 620J, 620K)
    1. No discission, move to action 4/16/26
  10. (Item #2026.04.02_621_AAC) Recommended update to AR105 Administrative Changes to Final Grades (Exhibit 621A)
    1. No discussion, move to action 4/16/26
  11. (Item #2026.04.02_622_AAC) Undergraduate and Professional Major Change Bulletin No. 10, Requirements (Exhibit 622A)
    1. No discussion, move to action 4/16/26
  12. (Item #2026.04.02_623_CRP) UCORE Changes approved by the UCORE Committee – Bulletin No. 2 (Exhibit 623A)
    1. No discussion, move to action 4/16/26
  13. (Item #2026.04.02_624_CRP) Undergraduate and Professional Major Change Bulletin No 8, Courses (Exhibit 624A)
    1. No discussion, move to action 4/16/26
  14. (Item #2026.04.02_625_CRP) Graduate Major Change Bulletin No. 8, Courses (Exhibit 625A)
    1. No discussion, move to action 4/16/26
  15. (Item #2026.04.02_626_FAC) Updates to Faculty Manual Section III.D.8 Process for Tenure and Advancement in Rank (Exhibits 626A, 626B, 626C, 626D)
    1. No discussion, move to action 4/16/26
  16. (Item #2026.04.02_627_FAC) New Faculty Manual Section III.D.8 Faculty Promotion and Tenure Dossier (Exhibits 627A, 627B)
    1. No discussion, move to action 4/16/26
  17. (Item #2026.04.02_628_FAC) Updates to Faculty Manual Section III.D.1 Part-Time Faculty (Exhibits 628A, 628B, 628C)
    1. No discussion, move to action 4/16/26
  18. (Item #2026.04.02_629_FAC) Updates to Faculty Manual Section I.B Tracks and Titles (Exhibits 629A, 629B, 629C)
    1. No discussion, move to action 4/16/26
  19. Approval of Undergraduate Degrees: I move that the university faculty recommend to the president and the Board of Regents that, effective at the closing dates from each graduating class, those undergraduate students who have completed degree requirements and whose names remain on the “Official List of Degree Candidates” be advanced to the degrees set above their names as members of the Spring 2026, Summer 2026, and Fall 2026
    1. No discussion, move to action 4/16/26
  20. Approval of Graduate and Professional Degrees: I move that the university faculty recommend to the president and the Board of Regents that, effective at the closing dates for each graduating class, those graduate and professional students who have completed degree requirements and whose names remain on the “Official List of Degree Candidates” be advanced to the degrees set above their names as members of the classes of Spring 2026, Summer 2026, and Fall 2026
    1. No discussion, move to action 4.16.26
Constituent Concerns:
- Question from constituent regarding whether Senator votes should be made public?
- Responses to item polls can be captured and posted with the meeting minutes. This would need to be presented to Senate and voted on as a change to Senate procedures.
Adjournment 4:30 p.m.

Faculty Senate Meeting – March 12, 2026

MINUTES

The Faculty Senate met on Thursday March 12, 2026, in Faculty Senate Conference Room French Admin 344B and via Zoom. Fifty-eight (58) senators were present, two (2) vacancies with thirty-three (33) absent, and twenty-one (21) non-voting participants. The meeting was called to order by Ken Roberts, Senate Chair, at 3:36 pm.

Call to Order 3:36 pm
Approval of minutes from February 26, 2026, Faculty Senate meeting (PDF)
- Approved by unanimous consent
Additions or changes to the agenda
- None
Updates
1. Remarks by Faculty Senate Executive Committee
  1. Faculty Senate Chair
    1. Global Summit – Held today; strong attendance (1,000+ registered). Sessions with Google, Adobe, and Microsoft noted. Speakers emphasized the continuing importance of liberal arts, humanities, and communication skills in the context of AI.
    2. University Budget Hearings – Begin the week of March 23rd. Approximately 29-30 half-hour sessions with academic and administrative units. Faculty Senate leadership invited to attend for observation and questions; no decision-making role. Attendance to be split between the Chair and Chair-Elect.
    3. 90-Credit Bachelor’s Degree Survey – Qualtrics survey data received, analysis ongoing. Preliminary review aligns with concerns raised in Senate, particularly regarding equivalency with a traditional bachelor’s degree. Some responses indicate potential limited use cases.
    4. Campus Visits – Faculty Senate leadership will visit Vancouver and Everett campuses the week of 3/30/26.
  2. Immediate Past Chair – Not present
  3. Chair-Elect – CoC reviewed Committee Applications and will have a memo for Senate review next meeting.
  4. Executive Secretary – Developing the Faculty Senate meeting schedule for the upcoming academic year. The next Faculty Senate meeting will be the 6th of our 7 meetings and will contain many of the procedural items required at the end of the academic year.
2. Guest presentation: WSU System Design Update – Provost T. Chris Riley-Tillman, Provost and Executive Vice President
  - System Redesign: Status and Direction – The system redesign is actively underway but has proceeded concurrently with major operational changes due to time constraints. Governance is moving toward a centralized provost-led model in which the provost oversees all deans, including Spokane. The redesign is now focused on implementation details. Data collection included input from approximately 1,900 stakeholders via surveys and extensive in-person interviews. Feedback reinforced long-standing concerns about organizational silos, budget fragmentation, administrative complexity.
  - Budget Context and Financial Pressures – The university is operating with ~6,000 fewer students than pre-COVID levels, equating to roughly $60M in annual lost tuition revenue. This shortfall is compounded by approximately $54M in budget reductions in the same period. Colleges and campuses were asked to model 3%, 5%, and 10% reduction scenarios in response to potential state funding risks. These scenarios were developed before the athletics discussion and are not tied to it. No final decisions on college-level allocations, cuts, or position reductions have been approved.
  - One-Time $20M Athletics Investment – The Board of Regents directed a one-time $20M investment in athletics. Stated goals are to test whether WSU’s donor base is willing to support athletics at a level consistent with peer institutions and strengthen visibility, branding, and enrollment momentum during a period of institutional vulnerability. The funds are not coming from academic programs, research, or direct college cuts and this is not an ongoing funding commitment.
  - Enrollment, Branding, and Athletics – Athletics (particularly football) continues to be a significant driver of public visibility and student interest. Leadership cited clear enrollment and application impacts linked to COVID disruptions and the Pac-12 breakup. Athletics is not viewed as a stand-alone enrollment solution but as one component of a broader recruitment strategy.
  - Faculty Concerns Raised – Faculty expressed low morale, citing position non-renewals and staffing reductions, limits on travel and professional support. There are several perceived disconnects between academic needs and high-profile investments. Concerns focused less on athletics itself and more on transparency, timing, and the cumulative impact of ongoing constraints on academic units.
3. Board of Regents – Not present
4. Legislative Update
  - Newly released House/Senate budget is favorable for WSU and higher education overall. Under the final compromise, WSU will see less than a 1% total reduction, approximately a $1.5 million across the board cut (about 0.3% of the budget) and a larger funding-mechanism driven cut to the Institute for Northwest Energy Futures related to Climate Act funding resulting in an overall cut of about 0.8%.
  - These changes apply to the remainder of the current fiscal year and the next fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026. While the short and medium-term outlook is positive, the next biennial budget cycle is expected to be very challenging due to deferred fiscal decisions by the Legislature.
  - Capital Funding update – The university received $7 million in funding for Team Health in Spokane. This funding frees approximately $2.9 million previously allocated. As a result, the institution will renovate existing space in the medical school building to support unified Team Health events.
  - $1 million was allocated for infrastructure upgrades at the Creamery, specifically related to equipment rework. This funding addresses concerns about potential equipment failure and ensures continued production of Cougar Gold cheese.
  - Additional funding was received for installation of air conditioning and HVAC in the Pavilion. These funds were characterized as legislative “gift items”, not original university priorities. Legislators allowed the university to provide guidance on areas of highest utility.
  - The university received $63,000 for the Heritage Orchard project.
Information Items
- None
Agenda Items
1. Action Items
  1. (Item #2026.02.26_603_Steering) Proposed amendments to the Faculty Senate Constitution and Bylaws (Exhibits 603A, 603B, *603C, *603D)
    1. * These documents have been updated
    2. Motion Approved; 51 Approve, 0 Reject
  2. (Item #2026.02.26_604_GSC) Amendments to the Graduate Studies Policies and Procedures Manual (Exhibits 604A, 604B)
    1. Motion Approved; 48 Approve, 4 Reject
  3. (Item #2026.02.26_605_AAC) Undergraduate and Professional Major Change Bulletin No. 8, Requirements (Exhibit 605A)
    1. Motion Approved; 51 Approve, 1 Reject
  4. (Item #2026.02.26_606_AAC) Proposed updated Catalog Subcommittee function language (Exhibit 606A)
    1. Motion Approved; 50 Approve, 3 Reject
2. Discussion Items
  1. (Item #2026.03.12_607_CRP) Undergraduate and Professional Major Change Bulletin No. 7, Courses (Exhibit 607A)
    1. No discussion, move to action 4/2/26
  2. (Item #2026.03.12_608_CRP) Graduate Major Change Bulletin No. 7, Courses (Exhibit 608A)
    1. No discussion, move to action 4/2/26
  3. (Item #2026.03.12_609_AAC) Undergraduate and Professional Major Change Bulletin No. 9, Requirements (Exhibit 609A)
    1. No discussion, move to action 4/2/26
  4. (Item #2026.03.12_610_GSC) Proposal to create MS in Food Manufacturing Technology for WSU Global (Exhibits 610A, 610B, 610C, 610D, 610E, 610F)
    - Additional context provided by a representative of the program. The program is an engineering program, not a food science program and is housed in Biological Systems Engineering (BSE). BSE currently has four faculty members working in food engineering. Industry currently relies on chemical engineers to perform food engineering roles; this program aims to address gaps in specialized training for this industry.
Constituent Concerns
- GPSA President – University recruitment and planning efforts focus predominantly on undergraduates, while insufficient attention is given to graduate student recruitment and support. Graduate students are essential to undergraduate instruction as teaching assistants (TAs), and several departments are already experiencing TA shortages. Emphasis placed on that increasing undergraduate enrollment without parallel growth in graduate students undermines course delivery and academic quality. Funding structures and enrollment-driven budget models affect graduate education differently across disciplines. In the sciences, graduate support depends largely on external grant funding, whereas in the humanities and some other fields it has historically relied on core university funds that have been significantly reduced. Smaller enrollments lead directly to fewer TA lines, creating a cycle that weakens graduate programs, especially on smaller campuses. Additionally, recent reductions in online storage were raised as a serious concern for graduate researchers, who have substantially greater data needs than undergraduates, prompting calls for stronger advocacy and tailored institutional solutions.
Adjournment 4:46 pm

Faculty Senate Meeting – February 26, 2026

MINUTES

The Faculty Senate met on Thursday February 26, 2026, in the Faculty Senate Conference Room French Admin 344B and via Zoom. Fifty-seven (57) senators were present, two (2) vacancies with thirty-four (34) absent, and twenty-six (26) non-voting participants. The meeting was called to order by Ken Roberts, Senate Chair, at 3:49 pm

Guest Presentations (3:30 – 4:00 pm): WSU Enrollment Update – Saichi Oba, Vice Provost of Enrollment Management and Andrew Berwick, Assistant Vice Provost for Enrollment Management.

Enrollment Management Update 2.26.26

Call to Order 3:49 pm
Approval of minutes from February 12, 2026, Faculty Senate meeting (PDF)
- Approved by unanimous consent
Additions or changes to the agenda
- None
Updates:
1. Remarks by Faculty Senate Executive Committee
  1. Faculty Senate Chair – We want to remind senators and constituents that if you have received an invitation to fill out the COACHE faculty satisfaction survey, please do so before the deadline (early April). This is an important opportunity to share your views on faculty life at WSU. If you have any questions, please contact Doug Call or Lisa Guerrero in the Provost’s Office. Digital Accessibility training is now available in Percipio. All faculty and staff are required to complete this training by year end.
  2. Immediate Past Chair – Nothing to report
  3. Chair Elect – Nothing to report
  4. Executive Secretary
    - Faculty Senate Executive Elections – Successful elections; 55 ballots were returned, 54 were valid. Ryan Thomas was successfully elected as Chair-Elect; his term will begin on August 16, 2026. Matt Hudelson was successfully re-elected to the position of Executive Secretary. The Executive Secretary seat is a 3-year term that will begin on August 16, 2026.
2. Board of Regents – The upcoming Board of Regents meeting, scheduled for March 5-6 in Vancouver, will address several key items, with the university budget process serving as the central focus. Budget hearings will take place from March 23-30, BoR budget vote is planned for May 18, 2026. The finalized and approved budget document is anticipated around September 1, 2026. Two academic degree programs previously approved by the Faculty Senate will be presented to the Board for final approval; the Master’s in Sustainable Aviation Fuels (WSU Global) and the MS in Viticulture and Enology (Tri-Cities). Additionally, the Board agenda includes a report from a career track faculty member who recently completed professional leave. Her sabbatical included mentorship at the University of Kentucky in community-engaged teaching, and collaboration with WSU students that resulted in the submission of five publications over six months. Her experience underscores the positive impact of the professional leave program, which has transitioned from a pilot to a permanent offering.
3. Legislative Update – Not present
Information Items
- None
Agenda Items
1. Action Items
  1. (Item #2026.02.12_596_CRP) Graduate Major Change Bulletin No. 6, Courses (Exhibit 596A)
    1. Motion Approved; 48 Approve, 0 Reject
  2. (Item #2026.02.12_597_CRP) Undergraduate and Professional Major Change Bulletin No. 6, Courses (Exhibit 597A)
    1. Motion Approved; 49 Approve, 0 Reject
  3. (Item #2026.02.12_598_CRP) Professional Health Sciences Major Change Bulletin No. 4, Courses (Exhibit 598A)
    1. Motion Approved; 48 Approve, 0 Reject
  4. (Item #2026.02.12_599_FAC) Proposed updates to the Faculty Manual Section III.D.8 regarding descriptions for Regents Professor and Laureate Professor (Exhibits 599A, 599B)
    1. Motion Approved; 46 Approve, 2 Reject
  5. (Item #2026.02.12_600_Steering) NOI to Rename Doctor of Philosophy – Individual Interdisciplinary Program to Doctor of Philosophy – Interdisciplinary Studies (Exhibits 600A, 600B, 600C, 600D)
    1. Motion Approved; 50 Approve, 1 Reject
  6. (Item #2026.02.12_601_GSC) Proposed Plan Updates from CESHS (Exhibits 601A, 601B)
    1. Motion Approved; 49 Approve, 1 Reject
  7. (Item #2026.02.12_602_GSC) College of Nursing Request to Close Academic Program Plans (Exhibits 602A, 602B)
    1. Motion Approved; 48 Approve, 3 Reject
1. Discussion Items
  1. (Item #2026.02.26_603_Steering) Proposed Amendments to the Faculty Senate Constitution and Bylaws (Exhibits 603A, 603B)
    1. No discussion, move to action 3/12/26
  2. (Item #2026.02.26_604_GSC) Recommendations from the Graduate Studies Committee (Exhibits 604A, 604B)
    1. No discussion, move to action 3/12/26
  3. (Item #2026.02.26_605_AAC) Undergraduate and Professional Major Change Bulletin No. 8, Requirements (Exhibit 605A)
    1. No discussion, move to action 3/12/26
  4. (Item #2026.02.26_606_AAC) Proposed Catalog Subcommittee function language (Exhibit 606A)
    1. No discussion, move to action 3/12/26
Constituent Concerns
- A constituent raised concerns about limited and unreliable transportation options to and from the Pullman/Moscow Airport, an issue particularly affecting faculty who travel frequently for work. Current challenges include inconsistent taxi availability, limited bus service, and parking costs at the Pullman airport that are reportedly higher than at Spokane or Lewiston airports. It was noted that while Wheatland Express provides transportation between Pullman and Spokane, it is not affiliated with WSU. The WSU Women’s Center previously operated a shuttle service, but it was discontinued when its student-service funding ceased. Transportation Services was identified as the most appropriate unit to evaluate feasiblity.
Adjournment 4:15 pm

Faculty Senate Meeting – February 12, 2026

MINUTES

The Faculty Senate met on Thursday February 12, 2026, in Faculty Senate Conference Room French Admin 344B and via Zoom. Sixty-two (62) senators were present, two (2) vacancies with twenty-nine (29) absent, and nineteen (19) non-voting participants. The meeting was called to order by Ken Roberts, Senate Chair, at 4:04 pm

Guest Presentations (3:30 pm – 4:00 pm):

Access Center Update – Matthew Jeffries, Assistant Dean of Students and Director of Student Accommodations and Disability Resources and Dr. Heather Case, Associate Dean of Students and Director of Care Case Management

Partnering with Student Affairs

Access Center Presentation Overview

Call to Order 4:04 pm
Approval of minutes from January 29, 2026, Faculty Senate meeting (PDF)
- Approved by unanimous consent
Additions or changes to the agenda
- Added Legislative Update to agenda (erroneously omitted)
Updates
1. Remarks by Faculty Senate Executive Committee
  1. Faculty Senate Chair – Reported that recent forum posts and departmental emails ha e provided useful feedback on the proposed 90-credit bachelor’s degree, though some responses reflect misunderstandings about the proposal. To address this, the leadership will work to provide a FAQ document with a clearer, more comprehensive description of the concept and share a Qualtrics survey to gather additional feedback. After this process the Senate will reopen the discussion and share a summary of the collected feedback before revisiting the proposed revisions to the Academic Regulations (ARs).
  2. Immediate Past Chair – Nothing to report
  3. Chair-Elect – Not present
  4. Executive Secretary – Executive Election ballots will be distributed immediately after this meeting via a Qualtrics survey. Please ensure you select a candidate for each office. A minimum of 40% of eligible voting Senators must submit ballots for the election to be validated. Election results will be presented at the February 26 Faculty Senate meeting.
2. Board of Regents – The BoR will meet in Vancouver on March 5th & 6th. A faculty session of the President’s Listening Session is scheduled for the day before the Regents meeting. Also, the Faculty Senate Executive Team will visit the Vancouver campus at the end of March.
3. Legislative Update – The legislative session has reached its midpoint, with all bills now past the initial cutoff and moving through their respective chambers. Budget development is the major focus in the coming weeks. The state revenue forecast will guide the House and Senate as they prepare and release their budget proposals the week of February 23. Debate and negotiation will continue through March, with the final state budget anticipated later in the month. Early indications suggest that higher education, including WSU, will likely face budget reductions. The Governor’s December proposal included cuts of approximately 5%, though the Legislature may propose smaller reductions; the final impact remains uncertain. Faculty are permitted to contact legislators only as private citizens and not on behalf of WSU. Concerns or positions may also be communicated through supervisors, through the Office of State Relations, or via Faculty Senate channels. The Faculty Senate legislative representative communicates faculty interests but does not speak for the university.
Information Items
- None
Agenda Items
1. Action Items
  1. (Item #2026.01.29_589_Steering) Proposal to create MS in Sustainable Aviation Fuels (Exhibits 589A, 589B, 589C, 589D, 589E, 589F, 589G)
    1. Motion approved; 50 Approve, 5 Reject
  2. (Item #2026.01.29_590_Steering) Proposal to Create MS in Viticulture and Enology Program on Tri-Cities campus (Exhibits 590A, 590B, 590C, 590D, 590E, 590F, 590G, 590H, 590I)
    1. Motion approved; 55 Approve, 2 Reject
  3. (Item #2026.01.29_591_AAC) Undergraduate and Professional Major Change Bulletin No. 6, Requirements (Exhibit 591A)
    1. Motion approved; 59 Approve, 0 Reject
  4. (Item #2026.01.29_592_AAC) Undergraduate and Professional Major Change Bulletin No. 7, Requirements (Exhibit 592A, *592B)
    1. * This exhibit has been corrected
    2. Motion approved; 58 Approve, 0 Reject
  5. (Item #2026.01.29_593_PHSC) Professional Health Sciences Major Change Bulletin No. 2, Requirements (Exhibit 593A)
    1. Motion approved; 57 Approve, 0 Reject
  6. (Item #2026.01.29_594_AAC) Proposed EPPM32 regarding the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) Code Assignment (Exhibits 594A, 594B)
    - Motion approved; 54 Approve, 2 Reject
2. Discussion Items
  1. (Item #2026.02.12_596_CRP) Graduate Major Change Bulletin No. 6, Courses (Exhibit 596A)
    - No discussion, move to action 2/26/26
  2. (Item #2026.02.12_597_CRP) Undergraduate and Professional Major Change Bulletin No. 6, Courses (Exhibit 597A)
    - No discussion, move to action 2/26/26
  3. (Item #2026.02.12_598_CRP) Professional Health Sciences Major Change Bulletin No. 4, Courses (Exhibit 598A)
    - No discussion, move to action 2/26/26
  4. (Item #2026.02.12_599_FAC) Proposed Update to Faculty Manual Section III.D.8 regarding descriptions for Regents Professor and Laureate Professor (Exhibits 599A, 599B)
    - No discussion, move to action 2/26/26
  5. (Item #2026.02.12_600_Steering) NOI to Rename Doctor of Philosophy – Individual Interdisciplinary Program to Doctor of Philosophy – Interdisciplinary Studies (Exhibits 600A, 600B, 600C, 600D)
    - No discussion, move to action 2/26/26
  6. (Item #2026.02.12_601_GSC) Proposed Plan updates to CESHS (Exhibit 601A, 601B)
    - No discussion, move to action 2/26/26
  7. (Item #2026.02.12_602_GSC) College of Nursing Request to Close Academic Program Plans (Exhibits 602A, 602B)
    - No discussion, move to action 2/26/26
Constituent Concerns –
- J. Foley brought concerns surrounding the recent removal of Turnitin’s AI detection feature. Key issues were outlined related to process transparency, proper use of AI-detection reports, student impact, and increased faculty workload associated with adapting assignments for AI-resilient instruction. He noted that many faculty found the tool useful or preliminary review and expressed concern about insufficient consultation and clarity about broader software-subscription decision making.
- B. Davis, Vice Provost of Academic Engagement and Student Achievement explained that Turnitin had previously bundled AI detection with plagiarism detection, leaving WSU unable to disable the feature until this year. With the contract renewal window opening and Turnitin now unbundling the services, leadership opted to remove the AI-detection tool to align with peer institutions and mitigate high false-positive risks. Davis confirmed that many academic integrity cases were being submitted with AI-detection reports as the sole evidence, prompting concerns from the Center for Community Standards. Students complaints about limited transparency and inability to view their own reports also influenced the decision.
Adjournment 4:52 pm

Matthew G. Hudelson

Executive Secretary, WSU Faculty Senate

Associate Professor, Mathematics

Email: mhudelson@wsu.edu

Faculty Senate Meeting – January 29, 2026

MINUTES

The Faculty Senate met on Thursday January 29, 2026, in Faculty Senate Conference Room French Admin 344B and via Zoom. Sixty-one (61) senators were present, two (2) vacancies with thirty (30) absent, and twenty-six (26) non-voting participants. The meeting was called to order by Ken Roberts, Senate Chair, at 4:04 pm

Guest Presentations: (3:30 pm – 4:00 pm):

Records Retention – Kenya Thomas, Office of Policy and Governance

WSU’s Policies, Records, and Forms office provided an overview of the university’s public records retention requirements, emphasizing that all records created in connection with WSU business qualify as public records and must be preserved for their required retention period before being destroyed. Retention schedules—both all‑university and department‑specific—serve as the legal authorization for destruction unless records are involved in litigation or public records requests. Many everyday communications are considered transitory and may be discarded once business is complete, while official copies of substantive records must follow prescribed retention rules. Examples include course history files retained until course discontinuation, class assignments held for one year, and certain specialized departmental records kept permanently. The university is initiating a revision of all schedules and will be contacting departments as part of this process. FERPA‑protected student educational records are primarily managed by the Registrar, reducing departmental responsibility. Department Records Coordinators act as liaisons to PRF and support compliance, and PRF encourages departments to reach out for assistance at policies@wsu.edu.

WSU Library AI Tools – Emily Cukier, Science Librarian; Jon Schenfelder, Reference Coordinator; Alex Merrill, Associate Dean for Technology and Operations

The WSU Libraries introduced three generative AI research tools (Site, Consensus, and Undermined) to help students, instructors, and researchers more effectively locate, understand, and engage with scholarly literature, emphasizing that these tools differ from general AI platforms by relying solely on academic sources and reducing risks like fabricated citations. The current trials aim to determine the value and instructional relevance of these tools, assess their usefulness for tasks such as refining research questions and generating evidence summaries, and gather feedback to guide future investment decisions. Trial access is available to all WSU affiliates for Site and Consensus, while Undermined access is limited, and budget concerns were raised regarding long‑term affordability should these tools be adopted more widely.

More Information on Library trials

Feedback Survey

Contact emails:

Emily Cukier, (emily.Cukier@wsu.edu), Science Librarian

Suzanne Fricke, (suzanne.Fricke@wsu.edu), Medical Librarian

Alex Merrill, (merrilla@wsu.edu), Associate Dean for Technology and Operations

Jon Schoenfelder, (j.schoenfelder@wsu.edu), Reference Coordinator

Legislative Update: Stephen Bollens, WSU Faculty Senate Representative to the State Legislature

Stephen Bollens, Faculty Representative to the Washington State Legislature, provided an update on the current legislative session, outlining his role on the Council of Faculty and partnerships with faculty senates, higher education organizations, and legislative committees. He explained the distinction between odd-year-long sessions and even‑year short sessions and reviewed the governor’s proposed budget, which includes an estimated 5% cut to WSU through a 3.2% across‑the‑board reduction and a significant increase in self‑insurance costs; House and Senate budgets are expected later in February, with final decisions in March. Bollens highlighted three policy bills: SB 5909 on reviewing low‑enrollment undergraduate programs, reflecting increased legislative involvement in academic affairs; SB 6321 proposing a Washington Institute for Scientific Advancement, signaling legislative support for research despite low odds of passage this year; and SB 6325 eliminating the fund split, which has received supportive testimony. He emphasized that while fiscal constraints are severe, there are legislative allies advocating for higher education, encouraged faculty engagement in the legislative process, and noted that presentation slides will be shared.

Call to Order 4:11 pm
Approval of minutes from January 15, Faculty Senate meeting (PDF)
- Approved by unanimous consent
Additions or changes to the agenda
- None
Updates
1. Remarks by Faculty Senate Executive Committee
  1. Faculty Senate Chair – Provided informational updates on several issues, including the university’s carry‑forward tax policy, which is a progressive tax assessed at the college or campus level on carry‑forward balances of core funds (excluding F&A for this year), ranging from 0% for carry‑forward up to 5% of a core budget to a maximum of 20% at 50%, with colleges determining how the tax is applied to individual units or faculty accounts; the formula has been posted in the February Chair Blog. He also reported that, following discussions with Sandra Haynes, Chancellor WSU Tri-Cities and WSU Vancouver, taxation on faculty accruals at the Tri‑Cities and Vancouver campuses has been walked back for this year. In addition, clarification from the Provost’s Office confirmed that Global Campus will not sign entire annual evaluation packets but will only review and sign the teaching‑related portion for courses taught through Global. Finally, Ken noted that he recently provided the Regents with an overview of Faculty Senate activities, which is available via the Regents meeting recording.
  2. Immediate Past Chair – Nothing to report
  3. Chair-Elect – Highlighted email communication pushed out, reminding faculty of Faculty Senate committee openings. Deadline is Friday, February 13, 2026.
  4. Executive Secretary – Reminded individuals interested in running for a Faculty Senate Executive position that the deadline for submission is Tuesday, February 3rd at 5:00 pm. Candidates for the positions will be posted on the website immediately after the Steering Committee meeting on February 5^th. Ballots will be sent out after the Faculty Senate meeting on February 12^th.
  5. Board of Regents – Tracy Klein reported on recent activity of the Board of Regents and the two committees participating in (Academic and Student Affairs and Finance and Administration Committees), highlighting discussions on health sciences leadership, enrollment, accreditation, academic review, and financial planning. The Academic and Student Affairs Committee was introduced to Jeff Haney, Senior Vice Provost for Health Sciences, and discussed systemwide outreach, centralized leadership processes, and continued direct communication between deans and the provost. Regents reviewed enrollment and retention strategies, including the development of a real‑time enrollment dashboard, approved the NWCCU six‑year accreditation report with confidence in institutional readiness for the Year 7 site visit, and received updates on academic review processes across campuses, including discontinuation of two Tri‑Cities degree programs with no enrolled students and ongoing or planned reviews in Pullman, Spokane, and Everett. The Finance and Administration Committee reported a clean audit, flat tuition and enrollment revenues, strong grant and federal research funding, and anticipated future actions related to professional program tuition, Pullman auxiliary rates, and a Regents budget vote expected in May, as well as approval of WSU’s investment policy, with the next Regents meeting scheduled for March 5–6 in Vancouver.
Information Items
1. (Item #2026.01.22_579_Steering) Proposal to Rename Educational Psychology Program to Educational Psychology and Methodology (Exhibits 579A, 579B)
Agenda Items
1. Action Items
  1. (Item #2026.01.15_576_CRP) Graduate Major Change Bulletin No. 3, Courses (Exhibit 576A)
    1. Motion approved; 53 Approve, 0 Reject
  2. (Item #2026.01.15_577_CRP)Professional Health Sciences Major Change Bulletin No. 3, Courses (Exhibit 577A)
    1. Motion approved; 54 Approve, 0 Reject
  3. (Item #2026.01.15_578_CRP) Undergraduate and Professional Major Change Bulletin No. 4, Courses (Exhibit 578A)
    1. Motion approved; 55 Approve, 0 Reject
  4. (Item #2026.01.15_580_FCC) Proposed Faculty Compensation Committee Function Language (Exhibit 580A)
    1. Motion approved; 56 Approve, 0 Reject
  5. (Item #2026.01.15_581_IAC) Proposed International Affairs Committee Function Language (Exhibit 581A)
    1. Motion approved; 56 Approve, 0 Reject
  6. (Item #2026.01.15_582_ Proposed updated Committee on Committees Function Language (Exhibit 582A, *582B)
    1. Motion Approved; 56 Approve, 0 Reject
  7. (Item #2026.01.15_583_CRP) Graduate Major Change Bulletin No. 5, Courses (Exhibit 583A)
    1. Motion Approved; 57 Approve, 0 Reject
  8. (Item #2026.01.15_584_CRP) Undergraduate Major Change Bulletin No. 5, Courses (Exhibit 584A)
    1. Motion Approved; 57 Approve, 0 Reject
2. Discussion Items
  1. (Item #2026.01.29_586_AAC) Proposed 90 Credit Bachelor’s Degree update to AR50 (Exhibit 586A)
    1. See comments under discussion item #3
  2. (Item #2026.01.29_587_AAC) Proposed 90 Credit Bachelor’s Degree update to AR53 (Exhibit 587A)
    1. See comments under discussion item #3
  3. (Item #2026.01.29_588_AAC) Proposed 90 Credit Bachelor’s Degree update to AR114E (Exhibit 588A)
    1. A. MacLean reported on feedback from Sociology faculty regarding the proposed 90‑credit BA. Faculty expressed significant concerns, indicated they were largely unaware of the proposal, and noted numerous unanswered questions. Given the scope of the proposed change and the need for broader campus input, MacLean moved that the three agenda items related to the 90‑credit BA be returned to the committee for further consideration.
    2. J. Peters seconded the motion.
    3. Discussion
      1. Concern was expressed that discussion of pass/fail grading was premature, noting that the 90‑credit degree itself has not yet been approved.
      2. The need for broader faculty and student input was emphasized, noting limited student feedback to date and that many programs may not yet have discussed the proposal.
      3. The term “90‑credit degree” may be misleading, as proposed programs could range from 90 to 119 credits. It was stated that updates to AR114 (E) will introduce a new catalog section defining distinctions between 120‑credit bachelor’s degrees and a 90‑credit bachelor’s degree, including specific attributes.
      4. The 90‑credit bachelor’s is intended for applied programs and is not meant to compete with traditional four‑year degrees, but rather to provide additional flexibility. The 90‑credit bachelor’s degree is an optional pathway, not a mandate; feasibility will vary by program due to accreditation and curricular constraints. The department will have to make the decision to offer a three-year degree and discuss the broader impacts on other departments if such degrees are implemented.
      5. It was clarified that the submitted proposals relate to changes to academic regulations to allow 90‑credit degrees and does not approve any specific programs; a new degree will still require separate Faculty Senate approval.
      6. The proposals stem from NWCCU approval of a third type of bachelor’s degree, with no changes required to federal or state reporting beyond standard bachelor’s requirements.
      7. Proposals will return to the committee to allow senators time to consult constituents, gather concerns, and request documentation before reengagement at Senate.
      8. Executive leadership offered support in facilitating faculty communication and feedback during this period.
      9. Motion on the floor: The motion is to return discussion items 1, 2, and 3 to the committee for further review, discussion, and additional input from the university community.
        
        Motion approved; 45 Approve, 8 Reject
  4. (Item #2026.01.29_589_Steering) Proposal to Create MS in Sustainable Aviation Fuels (Exhibits 589A, 589B, 589C, 589D, 589E, 589F, 589G)
    1. Move to action 2/12/26
  5. (Item #2026.01.29_590_Steering) Proposal to Create MS in Viticulture and Enology Program on Tri-Cities campus (Exhibits 590A, 590B, 590C, 590D, 590E, 590F, 590G, 590H, 590I)
    1. Move to action 2/12/26
  6. (Item #2026.01.29_591_AAC) Undergraduate and Professional Major Change Bulletin No. 6, Requirements (Exhibit 591A)
    1. Move to action 2/12/26
  7. (Item #2026.01.29_592_AAC) Undergraduate and Professional Major Change Bulletin No. 7, Requirements (Exhibit 592A)
    1. Exhibit 592A does not have the full document; a corrected document will be provided for the 2/12/26 meeting.
  8. (Item #2029.01.29_593_PHSC) Professional Health Sciences, Major Change Bulletin No. 2, Requirements (Exhibit 593A)
    1. Move to action 2/12/26
  9. (Item #2026.01.29_594_AAC) Proposed EPPM32 regarding the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) Code Assignment (Exhibits 594A, 594B)
    1. This is a new policy; there has not been a policy on CIP codes prior to now. Move to action 2/12/26.
Constituent Concerns
- A concern was raised regarding a potential upcoming strike by Academic Student Employees (ASEs). Some faculty have reportedly been asked to consider how much of their lab instruction they could cover in the event of a strike, while other faculty have received no guidance. This has raised questions about faculty workload expectations and institutional support for ASEs.
  - Discussion:
  - Clarification was requested on whether faculty are expected to take on additional instructional responsibilities if ASCs strike.
  - Concerns were raised about inconsistent messaging to faculty across units.
  - Questions were also raised about the university’s and Faculty Senate’s position regarding support for ASCs during a potential strike.
  - It was noted that guidance on teaching coverage during a strike is currently unclear.
  - It was suggested that responsibility for coverage may fall to individual units, though this has not been formally determined.
  - The broader question of whether faculty should assume additional duties during a strike was identified as unresolved and requiring administrative input.
  - The issue will be raised with the Provost to see guidance on expectations and responsibilities.
Adjournment 5:08 pm

Matthew G. Hudelson

Executive Secretary, WSU Faculty Senate

Associate Professor, Mathematics

Email: mhudelson@wsu.edu

Faculty Senate Meeting – January 15, 2026

MINUTES

The Faculty Senate met on Thursday, January 15, 2026, in the Faculty Senate Conference Room French Admin 344B, and via Zoom. Fifty-four (55) senators were present, two (2) vacancies, with thirty-seven (37) absent, and twenty (20) non-voting participants. The meeting was called to order by Ken Roberts, Senate Chair, at 4:09 pm

Guest Presentation (30 minutes): Introduction to 3-year Bachelor’s Degree

William B. Davis, Vice Provost for Academic Engagement and Student Achievement & University Accreditation Liaison – 90-Credit Bachelor’s Degree at WSU Presentation

Dr. Bill Davis presented an overview of emerging 90‑credit bachelor’s degrees, a new option now permitted under NWCCU accreditation standards. He explained the historical origins of the traditional 120‑credit bachelor’s degree and emphasized that the 90‑credit model represents not a reduction in rigor but an alternative pathway aligned with evolving educational and workforce needs.

The 90‑credit bachelor’s degree functions as a fully accredited bachelor’s credential eligible for federal financial aid and subject to the same approval process as 120‑credit degrees. Key requirements—such as general education, writing in the major, and upper‑division coursework—remain equivalent across both degree types. NWCCU imposes heightened scrutiny on these programs, requiring clear evidence of disciplinary depth, demonstrated employer or graduate‑school acceptance, robust learning outcomes, and no conflicts with specialized accreditation.

Dr. Davis outlined several institutional motivations for offering 90‑credit degrees. These include supporting WSU’s land‑grant mission, responding to industry requests for shorter pathways into the workforce, creating opportunities for curricular innovation, reducing unnecessary elective credits, and re‑engaging adults with some college but no degree. He highlighted that programs may range from 90 to 119 credits, offering flexibility without compromising academic expectations.

He also reviewed national developments: NWCCU’s pilot at Ensign College and BYU‑Idaho and growing nationwide adoption across diverse fields such as IT, cybersecurity, communication, and criminal justice. Within WSU, the Academic Affairs Committee and Senate leadership have begun identifying necessary policy revisions related to transfer credit, pass–fail limits, admission to the major, minors, graduation requirements, and writing assessments.

Finally, Dr. Davis previewed proposed changes to AR 114E that would formally define 90‑credit bachelor’s degrees and apply consistent requirements for residency credits, UCORE, writing proficiency, and upper‑division coursework. He concluded by emphasizing that academic rigor and student outcomes remain the guiding priorities as WSU considers adoption of this new degree structure.

Senators raised questions regarding potential impacts on curriculum design, lower‑division enrollments, the role of electives, and the influence of financial pressures on students’ major choices. Dr. Davis acknowledged significant unknowns in these areas, underscoring that the effects will depend on how many programs pursue the 90‑credit option and how students navigate degree requirements. He emphasized that programs should evaluate their learning outcomes to determine whether electives or broader curricular breadth remain essential.

No evidence yet suggests whether offering 90‑credit degrees will increase enrollment, as few institutions have implemented them and data remain scarce. However, WSU is proactively building the necessary policy frameworks to avoid challenges encountered by early adopters elsewhere. The university aims to position itself to respond strategically as programs explore whether a 90‑credit structure aligns with their educational goals and external partnerships.

Call to Order 4:09 pm
Approval of minutes from December 4, 2025, Faculty Senate Meeting (PDF)
- Approved by unanimous consent
Additions or changes to the agenda
- None
Updates
1. Faculty Senate Chair
  - Updates from Director’s Forum
    - The President highlighted continued growth in research activity.
    - Emphasis placed on team science and collaborative projects, which are increasingly important for securing major research funding.
    - The Provost reported:
      - General Education Reform is progressing; Bill Davis continues in a key leadership role.
      - Faculty are actively participating in development programs, especially the ACUE Effective Teaching Certificate, where WSU has the highest enrollment among participating institutions.
    - Pam Scott provided a preview of a new university‑wide marketing campaign. The initiative aims to strengthen visibility and drive enrollment growth, a key avenue for increasing university revenue.
  - Budget Outlook
    - The Governor’s proposed budget includes:
      - A ~3% cut to WSU and UW, resulting in approximately $11M less for WSU as well as a revised state self‑insurance contribution structure, adding an additional $7M obligation.
    - Combined fiscal impact: ~$18M reduction for WSU this cycle.
  - Carry Forward Spending Policy
    - Ongoing concern from faculty and units about guidance on carry-forward account expenditures.
    - The Provost is developing a formal policy:
      - A draft shared with deans revealed varying impacts across colleges. Further revisions are underway.
      - A finalized policy is expected in the near future.
2. Immediate Past Chair – Nothing to report
3. Chair-Elect – Nothing to report
4. Executive Secretary – Shared information on the Faculty Senate Executive elections (open positions – Chair-Elect and Executive Secretary). The Faculty Manual is now available online in a digitally accessible format.
5. Legislative Affairs – Legislative sessions started this Monday. Governor’s proposed budget reflects an additional 3% across the board for 4-year institutions and 2/% increase in insurance premiums. A 1.5% reduction is proposed for regional and community institutions.
6. Board of Regents – BoR meeting in Spokane, January 22nd & 23rd.
Information Items
1. (Item #2025.11.13_571_Steering) Updated Election Timetable (Exhibit 571A)
2. (Item#2026.01.15_585_CRP) Minor Change Bulletin No. 5 (Exhibit 585A)
Agenda Items
1. Action Items
  1. (Item #2025.12.04_574_GSC) Recommended Graduate Certificate – Transition from K-12 to Adulthood (Exhibits 574A, 574B)
    1. Motion approved; 49 Approve, 1 Reject
  2. (Item #2025.12.04_575_AAC) Undergraduate and Professional Major Change Bulletin No. 5, Requirements (Exhibit 575A)
    1. Motion approved; 46 Approve, 0 Reject
2. Discussion Items
  1. (Item #2026.01.15_576_CRP) Graduate Major Change Bulletin No. 3, Courses (Exhibit 576A)
    1. No discussion, move to action 1/29 meeting
  2. (Item #2026.01.15_577_CRP) Professional Health Science Major Change Bulletin No. 3, Courses (Exhibit 577A)
    1. No discussion, move to action 1/29 meeting
  3. (Item #2026.01.15_578_CRP) Undergraduate and Professional Major Change Bulletin No. 4, Courses (Exhibit 578A)
    1. No discussion, move to action 1/29 meeting
  4. (Item #2026.01.15_580_FCC) Proposed Faculty Compensation Committee Function Language (Exhibit 580A)
    1. No discussion, move to action 1/29 meeting
  5. (Item #2026.01.15_581_IAC) Proposed International Affairs Committee Function Language (Exhibit 581A)
    1. No discussion, move to action 1/29 meeting
  6. (Item #2026.01.15_582_CoC) Proposed updated Committee on Committees Function Language (Exhibit 582A)
    1. Discussion regarding clarity of the last bullet pertaining to the evaluation of the Senate committee system, updated document to be provided. Move to action 1/29 meeting
  7. (Item #2026.01.15_583_CRP) Graduate Major Change Bulletin No. 5, Courses (Exhibit 583A)
    1. No discussion, move to action 1/29 meeting
  8. (Item #2026.01.15_584_CRP) Undergraduate Major Change Bulletin No. 5, Courses (Exhibit 584A)
    1. No discussion, move to action 1/29 meeting
Constituent Concerns
- Request for membership of the General Education Reform Committee to be shared during RFO meeting on 1/16/26. Official announcement coming to the WSU Insider in the next couple of days.
Adjournment 4:34 pm

Matthew G. Hudelson

Executive Secretary, WSU Faculty Senate

Associate Professor, Mathematics

Email: mhudelson@wsu.edu

Faculty Senate Meeting – December 4, 2025

MINUTES

The Faculty Senate met on Thursday December 4, 2025, in Faculty Senate Conference Room French Admin 344B and via Zoom. Fifty-five (55) senators were present, two (2) vacancies with thirty-six (36) absent, and twenty-eight (28) non-voting participants. The meeting was called to order by Ken Roberts, Senate Chair, at 4:04 pm.

Guest Presentation (30 minutes): Legislative Update

Glynda Becker-Fenter, Vice President External Affairs and Government Relations; Jake Dowd, Director Federal Relations; Michael Bauduy, Assistant Director of Federal Regulations; Chris Mulick, Sr. Director State Relations; Connor Haggerty, Assistant Director State Relations Office; Patti Stauffer, Director, Health Sciences Public Policy and Advocacy

Federal Legislation update

WSU’s federal and state teams are addressing emerging issues and also actively seeking opportunities to advance WSU priorities. Every member of Washington’s congressional delegation visited a WSU location, strengthening relationships and advocacy efforts. These visits help showcase WSU’s research and recognize WSU’s value.

Members, notably Congressman Newhouse, assisted in reinstating USDA and ARS scientists and securing grant funding. WSU collaborates with major associations (APLU, Science Coalition, AAMC, AAVMC) to amplify its voice in federal policy and funding discussions. These partnerships help influence agencies and Congress more effectively than individual outreach.

Federal Funding has faced delays due to a government shutdown and continuing resolutions (CR). This caused backlogs in RFPs, RFIs, and slow grant cycles. Agencies expect activity to pick up in January. Appropriations leaders agreed on top-line numbers for nine outstanding bills, aiming for passage by January 30. This could restore earmarks and new project funding.

Offensive Priorities

Advocate for full funding of basic scientific research through annual appropriations for agencies like NSF, NIH, USDA, and defense-related agriculture research.
Prepare for the 2026 reauthorization by promoting investments in agriculture, research, extension, rural development, trade, and conservation – areas where WSU plays a key role.
Engage with the Senate Health Committee on initiatives related to college affordability and transparency, showcasing WSU’s efforts to help students understand financial aid and loans.

Defensive Priorities

Oppose drastic cuts to science, research, and development programs critical to WSU’s research enterprise.
Respond to federal rulemaking, such as proposed changes to professional degree loan caps.
Collaborate with coalitions like APLU, AAU, and ACE to strengthen advocacy, using data and impact stories provided by WSU faculty and researchers.

State Legislation update

The state faces a $1.5 billion annual operating budget gap (about 4.2% of the budget), worsened by fixed costs like debt service (7%) and K-12 education (50%). This will lead to an austerity period of at least two years.
Revenue Trends, tax collections are growing slower than projected, while spending continues to rise, especially in human services and special education. This imbalance drives the shortfall.
Governor’s budget is expected soon, likely an all-cuts proposal with no new sales or property taxes. Legislature will draft its own budget after an updated revenue forecast in February. Election-year politics may influence decisions.
Possible one-time fixes include funds from the Climate Commitment Act may be redirected to cover shortfalls.
Impact on WSU: WSU is in its fourth year of budget reductions:
- Years 1-3: Cuts due to enrollment declines and limited tuition increases.
- Year 4: Legislative cuts and unfunded inflationary costs (e.g., cybersecurity insurance, utilities).
- Significant programmatic reductions, such as closing the Yakima pharmacy program, underscore the severity.

Health policy-related activities

Patti Stauffer (WSU) leads health policy-related activities for Eager, covering both federal and state levels.

Scope of Work

Legislative work and monitoring agency actions and regulatory efforts.
Joint advocacy with health professional associations.
Liaison to policy sections of the State Department of Health and local health jurisdictions.

Current Issue

The U.S. Department of Education is drafting a rule that redefines professional degrees.
This proposal has raised concern across multiple disciplines.
Nursing programs are the primary focus.
Future implications for public health and social work post-baccalaureate degree programs.

WSU’s Role

Actively monitoring developments.
Ensuring delegation understands potential impacts on students, especially regarding financial aid.

Call to Order 4:04 pm
Approval of minutes from November 13, 2025, Faculty Senate meeting (PDF)
- Approved by unanimous consent
Additions or changes to the agenda
- Motion to move discussion item 1 to action item 10. J. McDonald moved; P. Buckley seconded
- Motion approved; 42 Approve, 2 Reject
Updates
1. Remarks by Faculty Senate Executives
  1. Faculty Senate Chair –
    - The College of Medicine clarified its process for approving Continuing Medical Education (CME) courses following concerns about a recently approved program. Any legally recognized professional organization with actively practicing medical professionals may submit courses for CME accreditation. These courses are evaluated solely on their content and merit by the Office of Continuing Medical Education.
    - The course submitted by the Society for Evidence-Based Gender Medicine initially met required criteria but has since been suspended pending review by the national accrediting body (ACCME). No timeline has been provide for the completion of this review.
    - CME course approval does not fall under the purview of the Faculty Senate. Faculty involvement occurs only when subject matter experts review course materials, but faculty do not participate in final decision-making. CME courses are professional continuing-education offerings, distinct from university curricular courses.
    - Faculty were reminded that the system redesign survey remains open until end of day 12/5/25 and were encouraged to provide narrative feedback.
  2. Immediate Past Chair –
    - Faculty Senate Executives and colleagues met with legislators Keaton and Levitt in Pullman as part of campus-focused legislative outreach. The conversation was constructive and bipartisan, with one Democrat and one Republican, representing both experienced and newly elected leadership. Legislator Levitt demonstrated strong familiarity with institutional issues and showed interest in supporting efforts to address the fund split, though state funding was acknowledged as an unreliable primary solution.
    - Dr. Klein represented the Faculty Senate at the President’s Governance and Policy Council, which overseas internal policy, risk management, and shared governance. WSU is currently consolidating executive and business policies into a unified University Policies and Procedures Manual (UPPM) to resolve longstanding issues of overlap and accessibility. As part of this process, Dr. Klein reviewed existing policy on MOUs and international agreements and successfully advocated for the inclusion of Senate-supported language. This ensures appropriate Senate involvement in agreements related specifically to degrees and courses, while recognizing that many international MOUs fall outside of Senate purview.
  3. Chair Elect –
    - New General Education Reform Committee has been established, thank you to all of the CoC members for their work in reviewing the many applications received.
  4. Executive Secretary –
    - Elections will be held during the spring semester for both the Faculty Senate Chair Elect and the Executive Secretary. Details will be posted to the Faculty Senate website early January.
2. Legislative affairs –
  1. No additional update
3. Board of Regents –
  1. Regent T. Klein attended her first WSU Board of Regents meeting in November, following an October orientation.
  2. The Board approved a 3.3% tuition increase for undergraduate and graduate students.
    - Estimated impact:
      - Resident undergraduate: ~$385 more per year
      - Non-resident graduate students: just under $1,000 more per year.
    - Professional program tuition adjustments will be reviewed in January.
    - WSU remains relatively affordable compared to peer institutions.
    - However, WSU fees are higher than those at a comparable universities, including the University of Washington.
  3. Capital projects approved:
    - Pullman dining hall renovation – last updated in 2007; now recognized as a needed improvement to students quality of life.
    - Gesa Field upgrades (video board, sound system, LED lights) for WSU football:
      - Entirely privately funded
      - Project only proceeds if full donation targets are met.
  4. Committee Assignments:
    - Regent Klein has been appointed to:
      - The Finance and Administration Committee
      - The Academic and Student Affairs Committee
Information Items
- None
Agenda Items
1. Action Items
  1. (Item #2025.11.13_562_FAC) Proposed Housekeeping Updates to Faculty Manual (Exhibits 562A, 562B, 562C, **562D) ** This exhibit has been added
    - J. McDonald moved to add exhibit 562D regarding references to the renaming of the Office of Commercialization to the Faculty Manual Housekeeping updates. P. Buckley seconded the motion
      - No discussion
      - Motion to add exhibit 562D approved; 40 accept, 0 reject
      - No additional discussion
    - Motion to accept item 562 as amended approved; 45 approve, 0 reject.
  2. (Item #2025.11.13_563_CRP) Undergraduate and Professional Major Change Bulletin No. 3, Courses (Exhibit 563A)
    - Motion approved; 45 approve, 0 reject
  3. (Item #2025.11.13_564_CRP) Professional Health Sciences Major Change Bulletin No. 2, Courses (Exhibit 564A)
    - Motion approved; 44 approve, 0 reject
  4. (Item #2025.11.13_565_CRP) Graduate Major Change Bulletin No. 3, Courses (Exhibit 565A)
    - Motion approved; 44 approve, 0 reject
  5. (Item #2025.11.13_566_CRP) UCORE Renewals and Changes approved by the UCORE Committee Bulletin No. 1 (Exhibit 566A)
    - Motion approved; 46 approve, 0 reject
  6. (Item #2025.11.13_568_PHSC) Professional Health Sciences Major Change Bulletin No. 1, Requirements (Exhibit 568A)
    - Motion approved; 44 approve, 1 reject
  7. (Item #2025.11.13_569_AAC) Undergraduate and Professional Major Change Bulletin No. 4, Requirements (Exhibit 569A)
    - Motion approved; 44 approve, 0 reject
  8. (Item #2025.11.13_570_Steering) Proposal to Discontinue BA in Hospitality Business Management, WSU Tri-Cities (Exhibits 570A, 570B, 570C, 570D, 570E, 570F)
    - Motion approved; 43 approve, 2 reject
  9. (Item #2025.11.13_572_FAC) Proposed Updates to the Faculty Manual II.F regarding Faculty Discipline (Exhibits *572A, 572B, 572C, *572D, *572E)
    - Motion approved; 44 approve, 1 reject
  10. (Item #2025.12.04_573_FAC) Recommended Faculty Manual Updates to references: BPPM and EP to UPPM (Exhibits 573A, 573B)
    - Motion approved; 45 approve, 0 reject
2. Discussion Items
  1. (Item #2025.12.04_574_GSC) Recommended Graduate Certificate – Transition from K-12 to Adulthood (Exhibits 574A, 574B)
    - GSC approved unanimously, no discussion; move to action 1/15/26
  2. (Item #2025.12.04_575_AAC) Undergraduate and Professional Major Change Bulletin No. 5, Requirements (Exhibit 575A)
    - No discussion; move to action 1/15/26
Constituent Concerns
- Concern raised regarding having only three (3) days to add questions to course evaluations before they went live. This may be initiated at the college level each semester. Same experience by another CAS faculty. M. Hudelson to inquire and provide information.
Adjournment 4:42 pm

Matthew G. Hudelson

Executive Secretary, WSU Faculty Senate

Associate Professor, Mathematics

Email: mhudelson@wsu.edu

Faculty Senate Meeting – November 13, 2025

MINUTES

The Faculty Senate met on Thursday November 13, 2025 in Faculty Senate Conference Room French Admin 344B and via Zoom. Sixty-one (61) senators were present, two (2) vacancies with thirty (30) absent, and fifteen (15) non-voting participants. The meeting was called to order by Ken Roberts, Senate Chair, at 4:03 pm.

Guest Presentations (30 minutes): Faculty Affairs Update – Doug Call, Senior Vice Provost

This summary provides an overview of the proposed changes to the WSU Faculty Workload Policy Faculty Senate Presentation

Faculty satisfaction surveys (2022 & 2024) revealed a low satisfaction with workload recognition and assignments
Current policy is only one sentence long, lacking clarity on effort, allocations, and FTE.
Goal: Increase transparency, equity, and clarity in workload expectations across all faculty tracks.
Development process included a task force, town halls, and draft guidance documents; policies require approval by deans, VCAAs, and provost.
Proposed Faculty Manual language introduces eight workload categories: teaching, scholarship, service, clinical practice, extension, librarianship, administration, and other.
Faculty rights include: clear expectations, no exceeding FTE without negotiated adjustment, minimum scholarship allocation for tenure-track faculty, and ability to buy out courses by using grants.
Accountability measures: workload adjustments after two years of unsatisfactory performance, with explicit guidance required; FTE cannot drop below 50% without formal process.
Implementation steps: colleges finalize policies, departments define criteria, revised annual review forms, workload tracking in Workday, and upcoming faculty satisfaction survey in spring.

Call to Order: 4:03 pm
Approval of minutes from October 30, 2025 Faculty Senate meeting (PDF)
- Approved by unanimous consent
Additions or changes to the agenda
- Correction to discussion item #8 to read (Item #2025.11.13_570_Steering) Proposal to discontinue BA in Hospitality Business Management, WSU Tri-Cities (removed reference to BFA in Art).
Updates:
1. Remarks by Faculty Senate Executive Committee
  1. Faculty Senate Chair –
    1. Participates in the Academic Strategies and Future Thinkings informal meetings where different units report on their activities. The provost regularly participates and provides updates.
    2. Spokane Campus restructuring of administration is underway. A new position, Senior Vice Provost for Health Sciences, will oversee health sciences organization in Spokane and Pullman.
    3. Engagement with National Institute for Student Success at Georgia State University. Partnership aims to improve retention rates, especially between freshman and sophomore years. Goal: Increase4 retention by about 10 percentage points, targeting ~90%. Initial activity includes a stakeholder survey.
    4. Global Campus growth goal is to grow to 15,000 students within 5 years (stretch goal). Current enrollment: ~3,500 students.
    5. The Holland and Terrell Libraries will pilot three (3) AI tools to assist in searching research literature is planned. Links to these tools are not yet available, but expected soon.
  2. Immediate Past Chair – Not present, at Board of Regents meeting
  3. Chair Elect – No update
  4. Executive Secretary – No update
2. Legislative Affairs – The next major event in legislative affairs is the release of the governor’s proposed budget in mid-December for the upcoming legislative session
  - Legislative session timeline:
    - Starts Monday, January 13, 2026
    - It’s a short session (even-numbered year), lasting 60 days until mid-March
  - Budget process overview:
    - State agencies, including higher education institutions, submit requests to the governor’s office in late summer.
    - Governor releases proposed budget in December.
    - Legislature reviews and modifies the proposal during the session.
    - Final budget is approved by the governor (or returned in rare cases) in April for the upcoming fiscal year.
3. Board of Regents – Not present, at Board of Regents meeting
Information Items
- (Item #2025.11.13_567_CRP) Minor Change Bulletin No. 3 (Exhibit 567A)
  - No discussion

Note: Senators are encouraged to bring questions about discussion items to the Senate meeting. You are also welcome to contact committee chairs if they have specific questions that they would like addressed before the Senate meeting. Additionally, senators are encouraged to ask questions about exhibits before items are advanced to action items.

Agenda Items
1. Action Items
  1. (Item #2025.10.09_557_FAC) Proposed updates to Faculty Manual on Workload (Exhibits *557A, 557B, 557C, *557D, *557E)
    - *These exhibits are updated documents
    - Motion approved; 52 approve, 1 reject
  2. (Item #2025.10.30_558_GSC) Recommended Approval of the Graduate Certificate in Prevention Science (Exhibits 558A, 558B)
    - Motion approved; 58 approve, 0 reject
  3. (Item #2025.10.30_559_Steering) Recommendation to Return the University Requirements Petitions Subcommittee under the Provost Office (Exhibit 559A)
    - Motion approved; 52 approve, 3 reject
  4. (Item #2025.10.30_561_AAC) Undergraduate and Professional Major Change Bulletin No. 3, Requirements (Exhibit 561A)
    - Motion approved; 54 approve, 0 reject
2. Discussion Items
  1. (Item #2025.11.13_562_FAC) Proposed Housekeeping Updates to Faculty Manual (Exhibits 562A, 562B, 562C)
    - Minor editorial corrections, move to action 12/4/25 Senate agenda
  2. (Item #2025.11.13_563_CRP) Undergraduate and Professional Major Change Bulletin No. 3, Courses (Exhibit 563A)
    - No discussion, move to action on 12/4/25 Senate agenda
  3. (Item #2025.11.13_564_CRP) Professional Health Sciences Major Change Bulletin No. 2, Courses (Exhibit 564A)
    - No discussion, move to action item on 12/4/25 Senate agenda
  4. (Item #2025.11.13_565_CRP) Graduate Major Change Bulletin No. 3, Courses (Exhibit 565A)
    - No discussion, move to action item on 12/4/25 Senate agenda
  5. (Item #2025.11.13_566_CRP) UCORE Renewals and Changes approved by the UCORE Committee, Bulletin No. 1 (Exhibit 566A)
    - No discussion, move to action item on 12/4/25 Senate agenda
  6. (Item #2025.11.13_568_PHSC) Professional Health Sciences Major Change Bulletin No. 1, Requirements (Exhibit 568A)
    - No discussion, move to action item on 12/4/25 Senate agenda
  7. (Item #2025.11.13_569_AAC) Undergraduate and Professional Major Change Bulletin No. 4, Requirements (Exhibit 569A)
    - No discussion, move to action item on 12/4/25 Senate agenda
  8. (Item #2025.11.13_570_Steering) Proposal to Discontinue BA in Hospitality Management, WSU Tri-Cities (Exhibit 570A, 570B, 570C, 570D, 570E, 570F)
    - No further discussion, move to action on 12/4/25 Senate agenda as corrected
  9. (Item #2025.11.13_572_FAC) Proposed Updates to Faculty Manual II.F regarding Faculty Discipline (Exhibits 572A, 572B, 572C)
    - Added verbiage to ensure that the person affected by a discipline hearing is consulted on the reassignment of duties. And clarified that the provost is responsible for this decision.
Constituent Concerns:
- None
Adjournment: 4:27 pm

Matthew G. Hudelson

Executive Secretary, WSU Faculty Senate

Associate Professor, Mathematics

Email: mhudelson@wsu.edu

Faculty Senate Meeting – October 30, 2025

MINUTES

The Faculty Senate met on Thursday October 30, 2025, in Faculty Senate Conference Room French Admin 344B and via Zoom. Sixty-four (64) senators were present, two (2) vacancies with twenty-seven (27) absent, and fourteen (14) non-voting participants. The meeting was called to order by Ken Roberts, Senate Chair, at 4:14 pm

Guest Presentations (30 minutes):

University Budget and Finance Review – Leslie Brunelli, Executive Vice President for Finance and Administration

University Finance and Operations Presentation

Chronical of Higher Education Article – Higher Ed May be in trouble if the Government is shut down for much longer – October 30, 2025

Call to Order: 4:14 pm
Approval of minutes from October 16, 2025, Faculty Senate meeting (PDF)
- Approved by unanimous consent
Additions or changes to the agenda
- None
Updates
1. Remarks by Faculty Senate Executive Committee
  1. Faculty Senate Chair – The university-wide co-design survey is now live. It was shared via WSU Insider and other channels. Faculty are encouraged to participate, as it’s a key tool for gathering input. Though listed as a 5–10-minute survey, it features open-ended questions allowing detailed feedback on the current system and suggestions for improvement.
  2. Immediate Past Chair – Nothing to report
  3. Chair Elect – Nothing to report
  4. Executive Secretary – Nothing to report
2. Legislative affairs – Stephen Bollens shared that the Council of Faculty retreat included discussions with higher ed leaders about the state’s fiscal challenges. The group agreed that faculty/staff compensation and the fund split should be top priorities in the upcoming legislative session. Overall, the retreat was positive, with more updates to come.
3. Board of Regents – Faculty Regent orientation next week in Pullman. Will have more to share after the November 13-14 Board of Regents meeting.
Information Items
1. (Item #2025.10.15_556_Steering) Notice of Intent to move the established Department of Social Work from the College of Nursing to the College of Education, Sport, and Human Sciences (CESHS) (Exhibit 556A, 556B, 556C, 556D)

Note for agenda items: Senators are encouraged to bring questions about discussion items to the Senate meeting. You are also welcome to contact committee chairs if they have specific questions that they would like addressed before the Senate meeting. Additionally, senators are encouraged to ask questions about exhibits before items are advanced to action items.

Agenda Items
1. Action Items
  1. (Item #2025.10.09_551_Steering) Proposal to Discontinue Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art at WSU Tri-Cities (Exhibit 551A, 551B, 551C, 551D, 551E, 551F)
    1. Motion approved; 54 approve, 2 reject
  2. (Item #2025.10.16_552_Steering) Amendment to the Constitution and Bylaws (Exhibit 552A)
    1. Motion approved; 54 approve, 2 reject
  3. (Item #2025.10.16_553_CoC) Proposal to revise the Faculty Compensation Committee Composition. (Exhibit 553A)
    1. Motion approved; 54 approve, 0 reject
  4. (Item #2025.10.02_554_COC) Recommendation of New Members to Faculty Compensation Committee (Exhibit 554A)
    1. Motion approved; 53 approve, 0 reject
2. Discussion Items
  1. (Item #2025.10.09_557_FAC) Proposed Updates to Faculty Manual on Workload (Exhibits 557A, 557B, 557C)
    - L. Herbert raised question and concern: What is the purpose of the Faculty Manual? Concerned if it can be changed frequently, it may not serve as a reliable resource for faculty.
    - J. McDonald – Emphasized that the Faculty Manual is a living document, meant to be regularly amended based on practical experience and evolving needs. Faculty work differs from what is often reflected in the BPPM and executive policies, reinforcing the need for a distinct Faculty Manual.
      - Current edits provide a balanced approach:
        
        Provides protection for faculty who may be underperforming, allowing time for improvement.
        
        Enables the university to address cases where faculty may have disengaged from their roles.
      - Faculty Manual updates are published twice a year; January and July timeframes.
    - T. Klein – raised concerns about the structure and flow of the document. Specifically, as it pertains to definitions and flow of understanding. Also, course buyout is mentioned but course release is not; how will the distinction be addressed?
    - D. Call – Acknowledges that while some structural elements (like definitions and course release) can be adjusted for better flow, the main goal of the document is to codify faculty rights regarding workload. Emphasizes that while colleges are working on their own policies, departments will ultimately define standards for performance, and the faculty manual aims to ensure clarity and protection of those rights.
    - A. Goodman: Could you provide the overall goal of the workload policy?
    - D. Call – To establish a level of transparency and equity in assigning workloads at WSU. To ensure that faculty are not asked to do more than what aligns with their FTE status. To clearly define categories of work and the expected effort in each.
    - Motion to move item to 11/13 Faculty Senate agenda as action item with minor edits to review
  2. Item #2025.10.30_558_GSC) Recommended Approval of the Graduate Certificate in Prevention Science (Exhibits 558A, 558B)
    - No discussion; move to 11/13 Faculty Senate agenda as action item.
  3. (Item #2025.10.30_559_Steering) Recommendation to Return the University Requirements Petition Subcommittee under the Provost Office (Exhibit 559A)
    - No discussion; move to 11/13 Faculty Senate agenda as action item.
  4. (Item #2025.10.30_561_AAC) Undergraduate and Professional Major Change Bulletin No. 3, Requirements (Exhibit 561A)
    - No discussion; move to 11/13 Faculty Senate agenda as action item.
Constituent Concerns:
- Concern raised about WSU College of Medicine’s involvement with a course linked to the Society for Evidence-Based Gender Medicine (SEGM).
Adjournment: 4:51 pm

Matthew G. Hudelson

Executive Secretary, WSU Faculty Senate

Associate Professor, Mathematics

Email: mhudelson@wsu.edu

Faculty Senate Meeting – October 16, 2025

MINUTES

The Faculty Senate met on Thursday October 16, 2025, in Faculty Senate Conference room French Admin 344B and via Zoom. Sixty-two (62) senators were present, two (2) vacancies with twenty-nine (29) absent, and eighteen (18) non-voting participants. The meeting was called to order by Ken Roberts, Senate Chair, at 4:03 pm.

Guest Presentations (30 minutes):

Compliance & Risk – Sharyl Kammerzell, Associate Vice President, Chief Compliance Officer

Sharyl Kammerzell briefed the Faculty Senate on evolving federal civil rights enforcement. The DOJ now leads investigations, shifting focus to Title VI and Title IX, with heightened scrutiny on reverse and proxy discrimination. Institutions face increased risk under the False Claims Act, which could impose severe financial penalties for non-compliance. The July 29 DOJ memo is a critical resource outlining permissible and impermissible practices under civil rights laws.

WSU has responded by:

Conducting self-assessments and requiring leadership certifications.
Revising DEI-related language and programs to ensure legal compliance.
Emphasizing geographic-based recruitment over race-based targeting.
Maintaining programs for recognized tribal communities under political—not racial—classification.

There is no formal definition of DEI in law, but DOJ guidance documents offer examples of permissible and impermissible practices. Institutions must align with these interpretations to safeguard federal funding and reduce legal exposure.

Call to Order:
Approval of minutes from October 2, 2025, Faculty Senate meeting (PDF)
Additions or changes to the agenda
Updates
1. Remarks by Faculty Senate Executive Committee
  1. Faculty Senate Chair –
    1. Currently doing a Spokane campus visit. Several meetings have been scheduled with faculty and Spokane leadership.
    2. System Co-design committee – Made progress on strategy for stakeholder interviews.
      - D Grigar – Will there be an opportunity to increase these committees to include “trench-faculty”? K. Roberts – Will inquire and respond at a later date.
  2. Immediate Past Chair – Nothing to report
  3. Chair-Elect – Nothing to report
  4. Executive Secretary – Nothing to report
2. Legislative Affairs – Council of Faculty (peers from other 6 institutions of higher education in the state of Washington) will meet 10/17/25. Overall purpose of the retreat is to develop the process of defining the legislative agenda for the upcoming session beginning in January 2026.
3. Board of Regents – Nothing to report, will attend first meeting in November
Information Item
1. (Item #2025.04.17_523_Steering) Final NWCCU Approval of proposal to create a BA degree in Economic Sciences (Exhibits 523A, 523B, 523C, 523D, 523E, 523F, 523G)
Agenda Items
1. Action Items
  1. (Item # 2025.10.02_545_AAC) Undergraduate and Professional Major Change Bulletin No. 2, Requirements (Exhibit 545A)
    1. Motion passed; 53 Approve, 0 Reject
  2. (Item #2025.10.02_546_CRP) Graduate Major Change Bulletin No. 2, Courses (Exhibit 546A)
    1. Motion passed; 53 Approve, 0 Reject
  3. (Item #2025.10.02_547_CRP) Undergraduate and Professional Major Change Bulletin No. 2, Courses (Exhibit 547A)
    1. Motion passed; 54 Approve, 0 Reject
  4. (Item #2025.10.02_548_Steering) Extend Bachelor of Science (BS) in Computer Engineering to Everett (Exhibits 548A, 548B, 548C, 548D, 548E, 548F, 548G, 548H)
    1. Motion passed; 51 Approve, 2 Reject
  5. (Item #2025.10.02_550_COC) Recommendation of New Members to Faculty Senate Committees (Exhibit 550A, *550B updated list)
    1. Motion passed; 53 Approve, 0 Reject
2. Discussion Items
  1. (Item #2025.10.9_551_Steering) Proposal to Discontinue Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art at WSU Tri-Cities (Exhibit 551A, 551B, 551C, 551D, 551E, 551F)
    1. No discussion; move to action for 10/30/25 Senate agenda
  2. (Item #2025.10.16_552_Steering) Amendment to the Constitution and Bylaws (Exhibit 552A)
    1. Concerns raised by Vancouver as to why “Access and Opportunity” were not being used as President Cantwell suggested?
    2. It was clarified that the language used in the Constitution and Bylaws reflects the directive established by the Board of Regents, which defines the formal charge of the Faculty Senate.
    3. Question asked; when was Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) inserted into the constitution and bylaws?
    4. Move to action for 10/30/25 Senate agenda
  3. (Item #2025.10.16_553_CoC) Proposal to revise the Faculty Compensation Committee Composition. (Exhibit 553A)
    1. No discussion; move to action for 10/30/25 Senate agenda
  4. (Item #2025.10.02_554_COC) Recommendation of New Members to Faculty Compensation Committee (Exhibit 554A)
    1. Language on composition updated to allow for staffing of this committee. There is a hope that this committee will be in place and staffed prior to the next salary adjustment.
    2. Move to action for 10/30/25 Senate agenda
Constituent Concerns:
- Question raised regarding comment “Other half of Sharyl’s talk”? Information Sharyl provided was on the Civil Compliance and she is available to provide additional information at a later Faculty Senate meeting.
- Concern raised regarding the Digital Accessibility requirements that faculty will not be able to utilize .pdf files for homework, that all homework will need to be in Canva. This creates an issue for programs that do not use “standard” programs or software to create coursework.
- Information regarding the Digital Accessibility workshops that are being held was provided. Content Inventory, Audit & Accessibility Deadline Trainings | Web Communication | Washington State University
Adjournment: 4:36 pm

Matthew G. Hudelson

Executive Secretary, WSU Faculty Senate

Associate Professor, Mathematics

Email: mhudelson@wsu.edu

Faculty Senate Meeting – October 2, 2025

MINUTES

The Faculty Senate met on Thursday October 2, 2025, in French Admin Faculty Senate Conference room 344B and via Zoom. Sixty-six (66) senators were present, two (2) vacancies with twenty-four (24) absent, and twenty-two (22) non-voting participants. The meeting was called to order by Ken Roberts, Senate Chair, at 4:03 pm.

Guest Presentations (30 minutes):

Leadership & Structure

T. Chris Riley-Tillman is leading the system redesign, supported by:
- An external design firm (Design Plus)
- A Co-Design Council (~30 members)
- An Executive Committee (includes President Cantwell)
The process will span 7–8 months, with community outreach and stakeholder interviews informing multiple redesign options.
Council members were chosen for system-level thinking
Faculty, staff, and students will have multiple opportunities to contribute
The process is designed to reflect distinct campus identities, not a one-size-fits-all model
Graduate students are recognized as central to research and critical stakeholders
The redesign will incorporate feedback from current and recent students, students who left (to understand retention challenges), staff, and faculty.

WSU System Design Update – President Elizabeth Cantwell & Provost T. Chris Riley-Tillman

Goals of the Redesign

Improve:
- Efficiency
- Workplace satisfaction
- Student success, research productivity, and extension services
Tailor each campus to its unique regional role and needs
Break down siloed structures and encourage open-minded collaboration

Transparency & Engagement

A dedicated website (newchapter.wsu.edu) will host:
- Plans, data, and updates
- Input from listening sessions and community engagements
President Cantwell is conducting listening sessions at each campus.
The Co-Design Council will also engage directly with communities.

Strategic Planning Approach

WSU is moving away from traditional strategic plans toward six strategic pillars:
1. Access and Student Success
2. Academic Excellence and Modernization
3. Innovation and Use-Inspired Research
4. System-Wide Integration and Institutional Agility
5. Health and Well-Being of Washington Communities
6. Elevating the Cougar Identity and Brand (includes Athletics)
Planning will be annual, with 3-year rolling goals for longer-term initiatives
Emphasis on agility, responsiveness, and decision-making with imperfect information

Call to Order: 4:03 pm
Approval of minutes from September 18, 2025, Faculty Senate meeting (PDF)
- Approved by unanimous consent
Additions or changes to the agenda
- None
Updates
1. Remarks by Faculty Senate Executive Committee
  1. Faculty Senate Chair – Conducted a Tri-Cities campus visit 9/25 & 9/26. Met with student government as well, who seemed very happy with their experience on campus. Concern was raised regarding the availability of Mental Health Services on campus. While services are offered, it is noted that the limited number of sessions covered by insurance significantly reduces the effectiveness and accessibility of the support provided.
  2. Immediate Past Chair – Continuing to participate on the Faculty Senate Executive Committee as Immediate Past Chair through August 2025. I was appointed to the Faculty Regent position on October 1, 2025 and will attend the first BoR meeting in November.
  3. Chair Elect – Nothing to report
  4. Executive Secretary – Nothing to report
2. Legislative Affairs – Legislature released the budget update which included a 10-year revenue forecast; down by $903 million, a decrease of 0.6%.
3. Board of Regents – BoR released the full budget, and President Cantwell presented the strategic pillars. The budget information and Draft FY26 Key Performance Indicators Update presentation are linked on the Faculty Senate website under “Highlights” at the bottom of the page.
Information Items
1. (Item #2025.10.02_549_CRP) Minor Change Bulletin No. 2, Courses (Exhibit 549A)
  - No discussion
Agenda Items
1. Action Items
  1. (Item #2025.09.18_537_CRP) Undergraduate and Professional Major Change Bulletin No. 1, Courses (Exhibit 537A, *537B as amended)
    1. J. Menard motioned to remove course ECON/SOC 326/375 from this bulletin until concerns about the course title being very close to SOE 335 be resolved. Course will be added to subsequent bulletin once concern is resolved.
    2. Motion seconded by D. Grigar
    3. Motion to amend bulletin passed; 49 approve, 4 reject
    4. Bulletin approved as amended; 56 approve, 1 reject
  2. (Item #2025.09.18_538_CRP) Graduate Major Change Bulletin No. 1, Courses (Exhibit 538A)
    1. Motion approved; 58 approve, 0 reject
  3. (Item #2025.09.18_539_CRP) Professional Health Sciences Major Change Bulletin No. 1 (Exhibit 539A)
    1. Motion approved; 59 approve, 0 reject
  4. (Item #2025.09.18_543_CRP) Undergraduate and Professional Major Change Bulletin No. 1, Requirements (Exhibit 543A)
    1. Motion approved; 56 approve, 0 reject
2. Discussion Items
  1. (Item # 2025.10.02_545_CRP) Undergraduate and Professional Major Change Bulletin No. 2, Requirements (Exhibit 545A)
    1. No discussion; move to action item 10/16/25
  2. (Item #2025.10.02_546_CRP) Graduate Change Bulletin No. 2, Courses (Exhibit 546A)
    1. Concern raised that some syllabus links not working, Beth to work with Registrar office to correct. Links corrected 10/3/25
    2. No additional discussion; move to action item 10/16/25
  3. (Item #2025.10.02_547_CRP) Undergraduate Change Bulletin No. 2, Courses (Exhibit 547A)
    - D. Grigar – History 293: History Through Video Games looks a lot like a Game Studies course DTC 392: Video Game Theories and Histories.
    - D. Grigar to discuss with departments to resolve before next Senate meeting on 10/16/25
    - No discussion; move to action item 10/16/25
  4. (Item #2025.10.02_Steering) Extend Bachelor of Science (BS) in Computer Engineering to Everett (Exhibits 548A, 548B, 548C, 548D, 548E, 548F, 548G, 548H)
    1. No discussion; move to action item 10/16/25
  5. (Item #2025.10.02_550_COC) Recommendation of New Members to Faculty Senate Committees (Exhibit 550A)
    1. No discussion; move to action item 10/16/25
Constituent Concerns:

D. Grigar – Raised concern that 6-month contracts have been given to faculty in Spokane, which goes against Faculty Manual section I.B.3 and section III.C.1 (shared by D. Call).

J. Roll – echoed that he had heard some 6-month contracts were awarded in Spokane.

Constituent concern received on this topic on 10/3/2025 through Faculty Senate website.

D. Grigar – raised concern that it appears that all people involved in the co-design Council for the system redesign appear to be all administrators, no “trench faculty”.

K. Roberts to discuss the list of participants with Provost Riley-Tillman and/or President Cantwell.

Adjournment: 4:35 pm

Matthew G. Hudelson

Executive Secretary, WSU Faculty Senate

Associate Professor, Mathematics

Email: mhudelson@wsu.edu

Faculty Senate Meeting – September 18, 2025

MINUTES

The Faculty Senate met on Thursday September 18, 2025, in French Admin Faculty Senate Conference room 344B and via Zoom. Sixty (63) senators were present, three (3) vacancies with twenty-eight (28) absent, and sixteen (16) non-voting members. The meeting was called to order by Ken Roberts, Senate Chair, at 3:52 pm.

Guest Presentations (30 minutes):

Digital Accessibility – Holly Ashkannejhad, Director, Title IX Coordinator, Compliance & Civil Rights

Digital Accessibility Resources

Call to Order: 3:52 PM
Approval of Minutes from April 17, 2025, Faculty Senate meeting (PDF)
1. Approved by consent
Additions or changes to the agenda
1. P. Buckley motion to move Discussion Item #4 (Item #2025.09.18_540_CoC) to Action Item #1
2. D. Grigar seconded the motion
  - Motion approved; 52 approve, 0 reject
Announcements
- None
Updates
1. WSU Leadership – Not available to attend, Board of Regents meeting
2. Legislative Affairs – COF retreat planned for 10/18/25. Olympia mood apprehensive of more budget cuts.
3. Board of Regents – Not available to attend, Board of Regents meeting
4. Remarks by the Faculty Executive Committee
  1. Faculty Senate Chair – Announced T. Klein selected as Faculty Regent. Will assume role in October. Shout-out to Library Dean and Library committee for work to retain Wiley subscription. Confirmed with HRS the unionization of Postdoctoral Associate/Fellows. They are now in the beginning of contract discussion.
  2. Immediate Past Chair – Communicated that she will continue to fulfill the role of Immediate Past Chair while fulfilling the duties of Faculty Regent. Listed committees that she will be representing Faculty Senate on, to include the Presidents Strategic Quarterly Governance & Policy Action Council. This council will look at mainly internal policies.
  3. Chair Elect – Highlighted current committee openings to include newly formed committees. Visit Faculty Senate website for more information (link included in email distributed on 9/15 to all faculty.
  4. Executive Secretary – Announced the upcoming Faculty Senate executive positions that will be coming open for election (Chair Elect and Executive Secretary). Application portal opens in January.

Information Items
1. Items approved by Steering Committee during summer session
  1. (Item 2025.05.22_429_C0C) Proposed Faculty Compensation Committee membership composition (Exhibit 429A, 429B, 429C)
    1. No discussion
  2. (Item 2025.05.22_527_Steering) Proposal to move Faculty Regent nominations forward – Update to Faculty Regent Position Nominations (Exhibit 527A, *527B updated document)
    1. No discussion
  3. (Item 2025.05.22_528_FAC) Proposed updates to Faculty Manual IV.A.1 Payroll Procedures (Exhibit 528A)
    1. No discussion
  4. (Item 2025.05.22_529_CoC) Recommendation for approval of the Faculty Senate committee appointment for vacancy on the Committee on Committees (Exhibit 529A)
    1. No discussion
  5. (Item 2025.06.26_534_Steering) Memo from Provost – Faculty Merit-Based Salary Increases (Exhibit 534A)
    1. No discussion
  6. (Item 2025.06.26_535_Steering) Memorandum RE: October 2025 Faculty Merit-Based Increases (Exhibits 535A)
    1. No discussion
  7. (Approved by NWCCU: (Item #2024.12.12_466_Steering) Proposal to create a Master of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies degree (Exhibits 466A, 466B, 466C, 466D, 466E, 466F)
    1. No discussion
  8. (Item # 2025.09.18_544_CRP) Minor Change Bulletin No. 1 (Exhibit 544A)
    1. No discussion
2. Editorial revisions to Course Change Bulletins:
  1. REVISED: (Item #2024.10.31_449_CRP) Undergraduate and Professional Major Change Bulletin No. 3 Courses (Exhibit 449A, 449B)
    1. Explained Exhibit B has slight changes (mainly editorial)
  2. REVISED: (Item #2024.12.5_463_CRP) Graduate Major Change Bulletin No. 4, Courses (Exhibit 463A, 463B)
    1. Explained Exhibit B has slight changes (mainly editorial)
  3. REVISED: (Item #2025.01.30_486_CRP) Graduate Major Change Bulletin No. 6, Courses (Exhibit 486A, 486B)
    1. Explained Exhibit B has slight changes (mainly editorial)
  4. REVISED: (Item #2025.02.27_491_CRP) Minor Change Bulletin No. 5 (Exhibit 491A, 491B)
    1. Explained Exhibit B has slight changes (mainly editorial)
  5. REVISED: (Item #2025.03.20_503_CRP) Graduate Major Change Bulletin No. 8, Courses (Exhibit 503A, 503B)
    1. Explained Exhibit B has slight changes (mainly editorial)
3. Additional Information Items:
  1. Ken Roberts appointed Matt Hudelson as Faculty Senate Parliamentarian
    1. No discussion
Agenda Items:
1. Action Items:
  1. (Item #2025.09.18_540_COC) Recommendation for approval of the Faculty Senate committee appointment for vacancy on the Budget Committee (Exhibit 540A)
    1. Motion approved; 53 approve, 0 reject
2. Discussion Items:
  1. (Item #2025.09.18_537_CRP) Undergraduate and Professional Major Change Bulletin No. 1, Courses (Exhibit 537A)
    1. No discussion, move to action item 10/2/25 meeting
  2. (Item #2025.09.18_538_CRP) Graduate Major Change Bulletin No. 1, Courses (Exhibit 538A)
    1. No discussion, move to action item 10/2/25 meeting
  3. (Item #2025.09.18_539_CRP) Professional Health Sciences Major Change Bulletin No. 1 (Exhibit 539A)
    1. No discussion, move to action item 10/2/25 meeting
  4. (Item #2025.09.18_543_CRP) Undergraduate and Professional Major Change Bulletin No. 1, Requirements (Exhibit 543A)
    1. No discussion, move to action item 10/2/25 meeting
Constituent Concerns:
- A. Goodman, VetMed – Concern over recent changes to ABD waiver policy that reduced student tuition waivers from five (5) semesters to two (2) without input from Faculty Senate. Research dollars are being spent on tuition for research students.
  - T. Barry, Graduate School Dean – Understand confusion and concern. In communication with VetMed and other college leadership. Will provide additional communication providing options for these students. ABD waivers are only one kind of tuition waiver.
Adjournment: 4:34 pm

Matthew G. Hudelson

Executive Secretary, WSU Faculty Senate

Associate Professor, Mathematics

Email: mhudelson@wsu.edu

Faculty Senate Meeting – April 2, 2026

MINUTES

Faculty Senate Meeting – March 12, 2026

MINUTES

Faculty Senate Meeting – February 26, 2026

MINUTES

Faculty Senate Meeting – February 12, 2026

MINUTES

Faculty Senate Meeting – January 29, 2026

MINUTES

Faculty Senate Meeting – January 15, 2026

MINUTES

Guest Presentation (30 minutes): Introduction to 3-year Bachelor’s Degree

Faculty Senate Meeting – December 4, 2025

MINUTES

Guest Presentation (30 minutes): Legislative Update

Federal Legislation update

State Legislation update

Health policy-related activities

Faculty Senate Meeting – November 13, 2025

MINUTES

Guest Presentations (30 minutes): Faculty Affairs Update – Doug Call, Senior Vice Provost

Faculty Senate Meeting – October 30, 2025

MINUTES

Guest Presentations (30 minutes):

University Budget and Finance Review – Leslie Brunelli, Executive Vice President for Finance and Administration

Faculty Senate Meeting – October 16, 2025

MINUTES

Guest Presentations (30 minutes):

Compliance & Risk – Sharyl Kammerzell, Associate Vice President, Chief Compliance Officer

Faculty Senate Meeting – October 2, 2025

MINUTES

Guest Presentations (30 minutes):

Leadership & Structure

Goals of the Redesign

Transparency & Engagement

Strategic Planning Approach

Faculty Senate Meeting – September 18, 2025

MINUTES

Guest Presentations (30 minutes):

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