Faculty Senate > Recent Posts > Minutes > 2025-2026 – Minutes > Meeting Minutes: October 2, 2025

Meeting Minutes: 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):

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

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.

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
  1. Call to Order: 4:03 pm
  2. Approval of minutes from September 18, 2025, Faculty Senate meeting (PDF)
    • Approved by unanimous consent
  3. Additions or changes to the agenda
    • None
  4. 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.
  5. Information Items
    1. (Item #2025.10.02_549_CRP) Minor Change Bulletin No. 2, Courses (Exhibit 549A)
      • No discussion
  6. 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)
        • 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.
        • Motion seconded by D. Grigar
        • Motion to amend bulletin passed; 49 approve, 4 reject
        • Bulletin approved as amended; 56 approve, 1 reject
      2. (Item #2025.09.18_538_CRP) Graduate Major Change Bulletin No. 1, Courses (Exhibit 538A)
        • Motion approved; 58 approve, 0 reject
      3. (Item #2025.09.18_539_CRP) Professional Health Sciences Major Change Bulletin No. 1 (Exhibit 539A)
        • Motion approved; 59 approve, 0 reject
      4. (Item #2025.09.18_543_CRP) Undergraduate and Professional Major Change Bulletin No. 1, Requirements (Exhibit 543A)
        • 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)
        • No discussion; move to action item 10/16/25
      2. (Item #2025.10.02_546_CRP) Graduate Change Bulletin No. 2, Courses (Exhibit 546A)
        • Concern raised that some syllabus links not working, Beth to work with Registrar office to correct. Links corrected 10/3/25
        • 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)
        • 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)
        • No discussion; move to action item 10/16/25
  7. 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.
  8. Adjournment: 4:35 pm
M. Hudelson

Matthew G. Hudelson

Executive Secretary, WSU Faculty Senate

Associate Professor, Mathematics

Email: mhudelson@wsu.edu