Meeting Minutes: October 17, 2024

Faculty Senate
October 17, 2024

MINUTES

The Faculty Senate met on Thursday October 17, 2024, in French Admin Graduate Studies Conference room 324F and via zoom. Fifty-two (52) senators were present, five (5) vacancies with thirty-five (35) absent, and Sixteen (16) non-voting members. The meeting was called to order by Tracy Klein, Faculty Senate Chair, at 4:06 pm.

Guest Presentation: Graduate Student Bargaining Agreement – Tammy Barry, Vice Provost for Graduate & Professional Education and Kendra Hsieh, Human Resources Director, Labor Relations.

1. Call to Order – called to order at 4:06 pm.
2. Approval of minutes from October 3, 2024, faculty senate meeting (PDF).
   1. Approved, no discussion
3. Additions or changes to the agenda
   1. A. Dimitrov motioned to move Item #204.10.17_445_CoC from discussion item to action item; J. Miller seconded.
      1. Approved; 44 approve, 2 rejected
4. Announcements
   1. Legislative affairs – provided update from Council of Faculty retreat. Faculty Compensation, continued support for student success and financial aid, and WA college grants will be focus for upcoming legislative sessions.
   2. Reports
      1. Remarks by Faculty Senate Chair – T. Klein
         • Faculty Senate Executive leadership will visit Everett campus on November 14th & 15th
         • Faculty Senate leadership is meeting with the President and Provost regularly.
         • Leslie Brunelli indicated she would provide training for the Budget committee to aid in support of the University budget.
           
      2. Remarks by Faculty Senate Executive Team
         • E. Shelden, Immediate Past Chair
           • Presidential search will begin interviews in November.
         • K. Roberts, Chair Elect
           1. Committee openings (COC)
              1. Working to fill all vacancies, two nominations to be discussed. Additional vacancies in Research and Arts committee and Graduate Studies committee. In addition, filling many student representative and ex-officio positions as well.
         • M. Hudelson, Executive Secretary – We almost a full senate roster.
5. Information Items
   1. A. (Item #2024.10.3_447_AAC) Minor Change Bulletin No. 2 (Exhibit
      447A)
      1. No discussion
6. Agenda Items
   1. Action Items
      1. (Item #2024.10.3_437_AAC) Proposal to Revise Academic Rule 54 (Exhibit 437A)
         • Approved; 47 approve, 0 rejected
      2. (Item#2024.10.3_438_FAC) Faculty Manual updates to language and style, formatting, and Section III.C (Exhibits 438A, 438B, 438C)
         • Approved; 47 approve, 0 rejected
      3. (Item #2024.10.03_430_AAC) Undergraduate Major Change Bulletin No. 1, Courses (Exhibit 430A)
         • Approved; 46 approve, 0 rejected
           
      4. (Item #2024.10.03_431_AAC) UCORE Renewals and Changes Bulletin No. 1, Courses (Exhibit 431A)
         • Approved; 46 approve, 0 rejected
      5. (Item #2024.10.03_432_AAC) Graduate Major Change Bulletin No. 1, Courses (Exhibit 432A)
         • Approved; 46 approve, 0 rejected
      6. (Item #2024.10.3_435_AAC) Graduate Major Change Bulletin No. 2 Courses (Exhibit 435A)
         • Approved; 46 approve, 0 rejected
      7. (Item #2024.10.3_436_AAC) Undergraduate Major Change Bulletin No. 2 Courses (Exhibit 436A)
         • Approved; 44 approve, 0 rejected
      8. (Item #2024.10.3_440_AAC) Undergraduate Bulletin No.1, Requirements (Exhibit 440A)
         • Approved; 44 approve, 0 rejected
      9. (Item #2024.10.3_442_AAC) Revision to Academic Regulation 27 (Exhibit 442A)
         • Approved; 43 approve, 0 rejected
      10. (Item #2024.10.3_443_GSC) Revision to the Graduate School Policies and Procedures Chapter 7.C.1 (Exhibit 443A)
          • Approved; 41 approve, 0 rejected
      11. (Item #204.10.17_445_CoC) Recommended approval of the faculty senate committee appointments for vacancies on the Budget Committee and the Catalog Subcommittee (Exhibit 445A)
          • Approved; 44 approve, 0 rejected
   2. Discussion Items
      1. (Item #2024.10.17_428_Steering) Formal process for petitions and motions (Exhibit 428A, 428B, 428C, 428D)
         • J. Cook – welcome change discussion re. Formal vs. Individual petition.
         • J. Schnieder – Can bullet #5 be edited to remove “such as the last Senate meeting of a year”? T. Klein agreed and provided an updated document.
         • Move to action item 10/31/24
      2. (Item #2024.10.17_429_Steering) Faculty Compensation Committee (Exhibit 429A)
         • Committee will develop charge, representation of tenure track and career track. Move to action item 10/31/24
      3. (Item #2024.10.17_446_AAC) Undergraduate and Professional Major Change Bulletin No. Requirements (Exhibit 446A)
         • No discussion, move to action item 10/31/24
      4. (Item #204.10.17_445_CoC) Recommended approval of the faculty senate committee appointments for vacancies on the Budget Committee and the Catalog Subcommittee (Exhibit 445A)
      5. Alex Dimitrov motioned to move discussion item #4 to action; Jennifer Miller seconded.
7. Constituent Concerns
   1. C. Leeb – is there discussion on unionizing the faculty and staff?
      1. K. Roberts – Spokane is creating a faculty organization, but not unionized.
      2. P. Buckley – if unionized, we may lose autonomy.
      3. D. Grigar – Some discussion in Pullman and Vancouver, low salaries, especially career track.
      4. S. Bollens – Four (4) of the six (6) (except UW and WSU) other institutions across state are unionized. Feedback received – generally pleased with union and magnitude of raises received. Less likely to push legislature
      5. R. Whitson – Have worked for unionized institutions and felt his autonomy was heightened.
         
   2. R. Toolson – constituent concern regarding timing of mid-term reporting. Requests to move the deadline to week nine (9). T. Klein to follow-up on concern.
      1. G. Taub – timing of mid-term reporting is designed to provide at risk students ample time to adjust behavior before final exam.
      2. A. Dimitrov – students should be able to see progress in canvas to identify areas of concern. Midterm grades go to a broader audience (advisors & leadership).
      3. J. Schneider – discussion regarding requirement to submit mid-term grades, many faculty do not submit. Reporting is mandatory, not a choice. Asked for update on compliance by faculty.
   3. D. Grigar – asked for update on timing of semester start issue. Many professors are not allotted time to prepare for syllabus. If faculty is to have a retreat, it must be scheduled after classes start or attend prior to semester start without pay.
8. Adjournment: 4:58 pm