Faculty Senate > Recent Posts > Minutes > 2025-2026 – Minutes > Meeting Minutes: April 16, 2026

Meeting Minutes: April 16, 2026

Minutes

The Faculty Senate met on Thursday, April 16, 2026, in Faculty Senate Conference Room French Admin 344B and via Zoom. Sixty-seven (67) senators were present, two (2) vacancies, with twenty-six (26) absent, and twenty-one (21) non-voting participants. The meeting was called to order by Ken Roberts, Senate Chair, at 4:22 pm.

Guest Presentation: WSU Presidential Update – President Elizabeth Cantwell

  • Context & Direction
    • WSU is operating in a prolonged period of disruption in higher education (potentially up to a decade).
    • Focus: positioning WSU for long-term success as a modern 21st-century land-grant institution.
    • Emphasis on system alignment, financial stability, and institutional health
  • Leadership & Organizational Changes
    • Statewide campuses reorganized under EVP Sandra Haynes (replacing multiple chancellors) to improve coordination and reduce student “friction”.
    • Athletics leadership restructured under John Harlow with new roles to address revenue and evolving college athletics models.
    • Molly Schatzko appointed Faculty Athletics Representative (student-athlete academic success focus).
    • Terry Parvenkoop leads Tribal Relations, strengthening partnerships with regional tribal nations.
  • Systemwide Redesign (10-Year Horizon)
    • Ongoing initiative to proactively design WSU’s future.
    • Currently refining options; next steps include stakeholder feedback and defining clear criteria for change.
    • Select initiatives already underway (e.g., general education redesign).
  • Financial Outlook & Budget
    • Core challenges: limited growth in tuition and declining/flat state funding.
    • Legislative advocacy reduced anticipated cuts (~5.4% → ~1.5%).
    • Continued focus on efficiency, transparency, and balanced budgeting.
  • External Funding & Strategic Initiatives
    • ~$54M federal support, including $50M for aquaculter/aquatic innovation.
    • Leadership roles in:
      • Sustainable aviation fuel (Cascadia Accelerator)
      • Nuclear energy research
    • Growing emphasis on public-private partnerships.
  • Research & Innovation Priorities
    • Strong push to lead in applied artificial intelligence across disciplines (agriculture, health, energy, security).
    • Positioning WSU as a future-ready, innovation-driven land-grant university.
  • Athletics & Pac-12
    • New Pac-12 launches July 1.
    • Priority: diversifying revenue and adapting to rapidly changing athletics landscape.
  • Engagement & Data-Informed Planning
    • Campus listening sessions underway; insights will inform redesign.
    • Use of AI to analyze stakeholder data and campus differences.
  • Academic Priorities
    • Maintain academic excellence and expand undergraduate research participation (~25% currently).
    • Focus on career readiness, mentorship, and student success during a period of societal and technological change.
  • Key Takeaways
    • WSU must act as a proactive change leader.
    • Continued emphasis on system alignment and reducing barriers for students.
    • Faculty remain central to the university’s mission and future.

Questions & Answers

  • Undergraduate Research Funding
    • Faculty noted loss of NSF undergraduate research supplements, limiting support.
    • President Cantwell:
      • Indicated no central institutional funds available for replacement.
      • Proposed pursuing large-scale private foundation grants to fund undergraduate research programs.
      • Offered to collaborate on institutional-level proposals.
  • Elimination of Chancellor Roles (Statewide Campuses)
    • Faculty expressed concern about:
      • Lack of transparency/data behind the decision.
      • Loss of campus leadership and local representation
      • Increased travel burden and costs under centralized leadership.
    • President Cantwell:
      • Cited low enrollment and high cost-per-student at campuses as key factors.
      • Noted prior model (high-cost chancellors to drive growth) did not achieve intended results.
      • Asserted consolidation is more cost-efficient, even accounting for travel.
      • Emphasized commitment to:
        • Maintaining strong community engagement
        • Ensuring faculty voices remain central
      • Indicated the model will be evaluated over the next 1-2 years.
  • ABD Waiver (Doctoral Tuition Waivers)
    • Faculty raised concerns that sunsetting ABD waivers will:
      • Increase research costs (tuition for advanced PhD students not taking courses)
      • Reduce ability to support and retain graduate students
      • Potentially shorten PhD timelines unrealistically (e.g., 3-year completion)
    • President Cantwell:
      • Noted this decision falls under the Provost’s authority
      • Acknowledged concerns and research impacts.
    • T. Chris Riley-Tillman (ABD Waiver Process)
      • Issues with ABD Waiver Process
        • Practice is atypical compared to other universities
        • Caused recurring problems affecting multiple students (not isolated cases)
        • Students reported
          • Pressure to take comprehensive exams early to qualify as ABD
          • Perceived delays in graduation to maintain ABD status for funding
      • Concerns About Student Treatment
        • Situations created inequities and discomfort for students
        • Funding structures tied to ABD status contributed to problematic incentives
      • Alternative Waiver Options
        • Existing waiver streams allow funding to be tied to research projects, not student status
        • Principal Investigators (PIs) can select the best candidate, regardless of ABD status
        • Shift away from ABD waivers led to underuse of these project-based waivers.
      • Impact on Research Metrics
        • Project-based (flex) waivers count toward research expenditures (HERD metrics)
        • ABD waivers do not, leading to underreporting of research activity
        • Decline in use negatively affected research spending metrics
      • Recommendations
        • Faculty should consult with:
          • Deans
          • Vice Deans of Research
        • Use available alternative waiver mechanisms
      • Additional Context
        • ABD students have a low-cost enrollment option (~$50 tuition pool)
        • Reduced credit requirements have eased ABD-related pressures
        • Transition away from ABD waivers has been communicated for over 1.5 years
      • Implementation Timeline
        • ABD waiver phase-out extended to align end dates
        • Final extensions granted for one additional semester (originally ending earlier)
      • Key Takeaway
        • Faculty are encouraged to move toward project-based waivers, improving equity for students, and strengthening institutional research reporting
      • Faculty Concern Re: Research Funding
        • Concerns raised about
          • Reduced institutional support for CORS
          • Increased burden on PIs to fund research and student support
          • Growing difficulty sustaining research with rising costs
        • Questioned whether F&A (Facilities & Administrative) funds could better support labs, students, and core infrastructure
      • T. Christ Riley-Tillman (Research Funding)
        • Use of F&A funds
          • PIs already receive a portion of F&A, which can be used to support graduate students
        • Graduate Funding Model – Key Issue
          • Only 18% of WSU graduate students are funded on grants, compared to ~42% at peer institutions
          • Indicates over-reliance on institutional waivers rather than grant funding
        • Implications of Current Approach
          • Excessive waivers
            • Reduced incentive to secure additional grants
            • Limits alignment with peer research institutions
          • At other institutions, graduate students are typically funded directly through grants, not waivers.
        • Recommended Shift
          • Increase graduate student funding through grants
          • Use project-based (flex) waivers when necessary
            • Must be built into grant proposals upfront
            • Especially relevant for agencies with funding caps (e.g., NSF, NIH, USDA)
        • ABD Waiver Concerns Reinforced
          • Tying waivers to ABD status creates:
            • Misaligned incentives (e.g., delaying graduation, early comps)
            • Risk placing students in disadvantageous situations
          • ABD students already have a low-cost ($50) tuition option
        • Benchmarking
          • Peer institutions typically fund 30-60% of graduate students on grants, much higher than current levels
        • Conclusion/Guidance
          • Move away from student-based waivers (e.g., ABD) toward grant/project-based funding models
          • Multiple alternative pathways for funding already exist and should be utilized
          • Cannot guarantee waivers for every grant
          • Institutional resources are limited
        • Funding Priority
          • Emphasis on funding graduate students directly on grants rather than relying on waivers
          • Departments should first assess whether student support can be built into grant budgets
        • Guiding Principle
          • If allowable, graduate student funding should come from the grant itself
          • Waivers are not the default or guaranteed solution
        • Key Takeaway
          • Long-term sustainability and competitiveness require shifting graduate support onto grants rather than relying on institutional waivers, while avoiding incentive structures that may negatively impact student progress
          • Shift expectation away from automatic waivers toward grant-funded student support as the primary model
  1. Call to Order 4:22 PM
  2. Approval of minutes from April 2, 2026, Faculty Senate meeting (PDF)
    1. Approved by unanimous consent.
  3. Additions or changes to the agenda
    • J. McDonald moved to move Discussion item #1 to action; P. Buckley seconded
    • Motion approved; 54 Approve, 3 Reject
  4. Updates
    1. Remarks by Faculty Senate Executive Committee
      1. Faculty Senate Chair – Summary of the feedback on the 90-credit bachelor discussion idea is nearly finished. I will provide a summary of those discussion items in the survey in the next day or two. Also, as President Cantwell mentioned, the co-design process does continue, and the last meeting was a couple of weeks ago in terms of in-person discussions. There’s nothing specific to report at this time, but I know that some of this will be coming together, and I expect that some of it will be communicated out after the end of the semester, so I would ask everybody to just be watching out for any updates from that Co-Design Council work over the summer.
      2. Immediate Past Chair – Nothing to report
      3. Chair Elect – Big thank you to Ken for leading Senate this past year.
      4. Executive Secretary – Nothing to report.
    2. Board of Regents – Next BoR meeting is May 7th.
    3. Legislative Update – Nothing to report
  5. Information Items
    • None
    • Agenda Items
      1. Action Items
        1. (Item #2026.04.02_617_GSC) Proposal to Rename Experimental Psychology Plan to Psychological Sciences (Exhibits 617A, 617B, 617C, 617D, 617E)
          1. Motion Approved; 55 Approve, 1 Reject
        2. (Item #2026.04.02_611_Steering) Proposed 2026-2027 Faculty Senate meeting schedule (Exhibit 611A, 611B)
          1. Motion Approved; 58 Approve, 0 Reject
        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. Motion Approved; 60 Approve, 0 Reject
        4. (Item #2026.04.02_614_CoC) Recommendations for Committee Membership 2026 – 2027 (Exhibit 614A)
          1. Motion Approved; 57 Approve, 0 Reject
        5. (Item #2026.04.02_615_AAC) Proposal to extend Bachelor of Science (BS) in Computer Engineering to WSU Everett (Exhibits 615A, 615B, 615C, 615D, 615E, 615F, 615G, 615H, 615I)
          • Motion Approved; 54 Approve, 2 Reject
        6. (Item #2026.04.02_618_GSC) Proposal to Establish a Graduate Certificate in Healthcare Statistics (Exhibits 618A, 618B)
          • Motion Approved; 55 Approve, 2 Reject
        7. (Item #2026.04.02_619_FAC) Proposed Updates to Faculty Manual Section III.D.7 Annual Review of Faculty (Exhibits 619A, 619B, 619C)
          • Motion Approved; 53 Approve, 1 Reject
        8. (Item #2026.04.02_620_GSC) Proposal to Establish an MS in Artificial Intellegence (Exhibits 620A, 620B, 620C, 620D, 620E, 620F, 620G, 620H, 620I, 620J, 620K, *620L)
          • *This item has been added
          • Motion Approved; 49 Approve, 4 Reject
        9. (Item #2026.04.02_621_AAC) Recommended update to AR105 Administrative Changes to Final Grades (Exhibit 621A)
          • Motion Approved; 53 Approve, 1 Reject
        10. (Item #2026.04.02_622_AAC) Undergraduate and Professional Major Change Bulletin No. 10, Requirements (Exhibit 622A)
          • Motion Approved; 53 Approve, 0 Reject
        11. (Item #2026.04.02_623_CRP) UCORE Changes approved by the UCORE Committee – Bulletin No. 2. (Exhibit 623A)
          • Motion Approved; 55 Approve, 0 Reject
        12. (Item #2026.04.02_624_CRP) Undergraduate and Professional Major Change Bulletin No. 8, Courses (Exhibit 624A)
          • Motion Approved; 55 Approve, 0 Reject
        13. (Item #2026.04.02_625_CRP) Graduate Major Change Bulletin No. 8, Courses (Exhibit 625A)
          • Motion Approved; 56 Approve, 0 Reject
        14. (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)
          • Motion Approved; 53 Approve, 0 Reject
        15. (Item #2026.04.02_627_FAC) New Faculty Manual Section III.D.8 Faculty Promotion and Tenure Dossier (Exhibits 627A, 627B)
          • Motion Approved; 54 Approve, 0 Reject
        16. (Item #2026.04.02_628_FAC) New Faculty Manual Section III.D.1 Part-Time Faculty (Exhibits 628A, 628B, 628C)
          • Motion Approved; 53 Approve, 0 Reject
        17. (Item #2026.04.02_629_FAC) Updates to Faculty Manual Section I.B Tracks and Titles (Exhibit 629A, 629B, 629C, *629D, *629E)
          • *These items have been updated
          • J. Miller moved to add additional language to Library Faculty;” Positions are pre-tenured or tenured with the rank of librarian 2, librarian 3, librarian 4, or regents’ librarian.” J. Roll seconded
          • Motion to amend Approved; 50 Approve, 2 Reject
          • Motion to approve item 629 as amended; 52 Approve, 0 Reject
        18. 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 for 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 classes of Spring 2026, Summer 2026, and Fall 2026.
          • Motion Approved; 52 Approve, 0 Reject
        19. 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.
          • Motion Approved; 54 Approve, 0 Reject
        20. (Item #2026.04.16_631_AAC) Undergraduate and Professional Major Change Bulletin No. 10 Addendum 1, Requirements (Exhibit 631A, *631B)
          • *This item has been updated
          • Motion Approved as amended; 51 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. 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.
          2. Move to action 4/16/26
        2. (Item #2026.04.02_611_ Steering) Proposed 2026-2027 Faculty Senate meeting schedule (Exhibit 611A, 611B)
          • No discussion, Move to action 4/16/26
        3. (Item #2026.04.2_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.
          • No discussion, Move to action 4/16/26
        4. (Item #2026.04.02_614_CoC) Recommendations for Committee Membership 2026 – 2027 (Exhibit 614A)
          • 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)
          • Motion Approved; 54 Approve, 2 Reject
        6. (Item #2026.04.02_616_GSC) Proposal to Discontinue MS in Natural Resources (Exhibits 616A, 616B)
          • D. Grigar motioned 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 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)
          • 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 (619A, 619B, 619C)
          • No discussion, move to action 4/16/26
        9. (Item #2026.04.02_620_GSC) Proposal to Establish a MS in Artificial Intelligence (Exhibits 620A, 620B, 620C, 620D, 620E, 620F, 620G, 620H, 620I, 620J, 620K)
          • No discussion, move to action 4/16/26
        10. (Item #2026.04.02_621_AAC) Recommended update to AR105 Administrative Changes to Final Grades (Exhibit 621A)
          •  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)
          • 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)
          • 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)
          • No discussion, move to action 4/16/26
        14. (Item #2026.04.02_625_CRP) Graduate Major Change Bulletin No. 8, Courses (Exhibit 625A)
          • No discussion, move to action 4/16/26
        15. (Item #2026.04.025_626_FAC) Updates to Faculty Manual Section III.D.8 Process for Tenure and Advancement in Rank (Exhibits 626A, 626B, 626C, 626D)
          • 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)
          • No discussion, move to action 4/16/26
        17. (Item #2026.04.02_628_FAC) Update to Faculty Manual Section III.D.1 Part-Time Faculty (Exhibits 628A, 628B, 628C)
          • 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 (Exhibit 629A, 629B, 629C)
          • No discussion, move to action 4/16/26
        19. Approval of Undergraduate Degrees:
        20. 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 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 classes of Spring 2026, Summer 2026, and Fall 2026.
          • No discussion, move to action 4/16/26
        21. Approval of Graduate and Professional Degrees:
        22. 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.
          • 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.
    Dr. M. Hudelson signature

    Matthew G. Hudelson

    Executive Secretary, WSU Faculty Senate

    Associate Professor, Mathematics Email: mhudelson@wsu.edu