Recent Posts

Re-unify Pullman chancellor and Provost roles.

Forum Post In the wake of Chancellor Elizabeth Chilton’s departure, we should apply the same principle that we do to academic losses – that is, don’t fill her position but let it lapse. WSU functioned for years without a Pullman chancellor. In these days of stark financial exigency we should return to that model. Response […]

Meeting Minutes: April 4, 2024

Guest Presentation: End of Year Address with President Kirk Schulz and Provost Elizabeth Chilton, Executive Vice President & Chancellor, WSU Pullman. Faculty Senate Tenure & Promotion Recognition.
Review of the Ad Hoc Salary Step Committee Report.
Remarks by Faculty Senate Secretary, Matthew Hudelson – 2nd round ballots for the Faculty Senate Chair-Elect Executive Election were released by email to faculty senators By Monday, March 25th, and 2nd round ballot counts […]

May Faculty Senate Chair Blog

Dear All, I hope the ends of the semester is going smoothly and you will be able to take part in the upcoming celebration of student graduations on our campuses. A couple of quick updates and reminders from the Senate chair: 1: In response to constituent concerns, WSU Human Resources has revised their website that […]

April Faculty Senate Chair Blog

Dear All: The faculty senate greatly appreciates the efforts of the Board of Regents in conducting the recent and extensive listening sessions with all campuses. A summary of these sessions (PDF) and a letter from the Board of Regents Chair, Lisa Keohokalole Schauer (PDF), has been posted to the “Highlights” section of the Faculty Senate […]

Meeting Minutes: March 21, 2024

Guest Presentation: Institutional Research Review with Executive Director of Institutional Research, Stephanie Kane (PDF). Board of Regents listening sessions are underway
Faculty Senate Chair, Eric Shelden will be moderating the state of the university address is happening next week on March 26th, 2024, on the WSU Everett campus. Mention of the March 2024 Senate Chair Blog prepared for your review and reference.

Why is Pomp and Circumstance no longer played for our graduating seniors?

Forum Post Why is “Pomp and Circumstance” no longer played at Commencement for our graduating seniors, who are expected to seat themselves in silence, whereas it is played for the commencement platform–mostly administrators? It sends the wrong message, because the administrators are not the ones being honored at Commencement. Please honor our graduating seniors. I’ve […]

Tone Deaf Provost Search

Forum Post It seems really tone-deaf to me to have a Provost search on top of the Chancellor of Pullman position. This will grow our already byzantine upper administration while we are repeatedly asked to give back college level funds. ~Anonymous Faculty  Response The Faculty Senate Executive Officers have been notified of this forum post […]

Faculty Senate Agenda: April 4, 2024

Institutional Research Review with Executive Director of Institutional Research, Stephanie Kane. The Faculty Senate Chair, Eric Shelden presented to the Board of Regents on Friday, March 8th. The faculty senate executive officers met with the President and Provost on Tuesday, March 19th.

Meeting Minutes: April 8, 2021

Faculty Senate Minutes Regular Meeting April 8, 2021 The Faculty Senate met Thursday, April 8, 2021 via Zoom at 3:30 p.m. Approval of Undergraduate and Professional Degrees (Becky Bitter): (Item# 2021.04.08_94_Registrar) I move that the University Faculty recommend to the President and the Board of Regents that, effective at the closing dates for each graduating […]

Meeting Minutes: September 22, 2022

Guest Presentation: New Academic Year Welcome President Kirk Schulz, WSU System Provost Elizabeth Chilton, Executive Vice President & Chancellor, WSU Pullman https://s3.wp.wsu.edu/uploads/sites/3253/2022/09/2022.09.22-Faculty-Senate-Update-vPublic.pdf https://s3.wp.wsu.edu/uploads/sites/3253/2022/09/Revised-Memorandum-Salary-Equity-Process-August-2022.pdf Minutes Call to Order. 4:05pm. The faculty Senate met on Thursday, September 22, 2022 in Lighty 403 and via Zoom. Seventy-two (72) senators were present with nine (9) absent and twenty-two (22) […]

March Faculty Senate Chair Blog

I hope you all had a great spring break last week. A few updates and reminders from Faculty Senate: 1.      A few weeks ago, Exec asked Vice Provost of Enrollment Management Saichi Oba and Director of Admissions Andrew Brewick to update the Senate on efforts and progress toward addressing enrollment issues. Their response can be found […]

Meeting Minutes: February 29, 2024

MINUTES  Guest Presentation: University Budget & Finance Review with Leslie Brunelli, Executive Vice President for Finance and Administration (PDF) Call to Order at 4:11pm Approval of minutes from the February 15, 2024 faculty senate meeting (PDF). Announcements Information Items The faculty senate executive officers met with the Office of the Provost on Tuesday, February 20th. […]

Meeting Minutes: February 15, 2024

MINUTES    The Faculty Senate met on Thursday, February 15, 2024, in French 130D and via Zoom. Fifty-five (55) senators were present with twenty-eight (28) absent, five (5) vacancies and twenty-two (22) non-voting members present. The meeting was called to order by the Senate Chair, Eric Shelden at 4:00 pm. Guest Presentation: WSU International Programs […]

Meeting Minutes: February 1, 2024

MINUTES The Faculty Senate met on Thursday, February 1, 2024, in French 130D and via Zoom. Sixty-one (61) senators were present with twenty-nine (29) absent and twelve (12) non-voting members present. The meeting was called to order by the Senate Chair, Eric Shelden at 3:58 pm. Guest Presentation: COACHE Satisfaction Survey Update with Senior Vice […]

Countering Misinformation: Part II – Research

Forum Post In Part II of the ‘misinformation’ series, we specifically address WSU’s research enterprise. President Schulz lauded our recent 3% increase in R&D and movement up one position in the HERD rankings. We argue that these accomplishments fall far short of expectations and do little to reinvigorate our stagnant research enterprise. Once again, the […]

Faculty Senate Agenda: March 21, 2024

Institutional Research Review with Executive Director of Institutional Research, Stephanie Kane. The Faculty Senate Chair, Eric Shelden presented to the Board of Regents on Friday, March 8th. The faculty senate executive officers met with the President and Provost on Tuesday, March 19th.

Flaws and Limitations of Recent Posts

Forum Post Dear Colleagues, Recent posts on the Faculty Senate Forum have raised concerns about WSU and its leadership but are themselves flawed. Overall, the concerns are understandable, and more is needed from our leadership. However, as representatives of higher education, it is essential that we apply objectivity and critical thinking to these issues before […]

A Proposal for Shared Financial Governance

Forum Post Perhaps the most accurate reflection of an institution’s values is how it chooses to allocate resources. The Administration aims for budget transparency and provides individual Senators the opportunity to have their voices heard on important advisory committees such as the University’s Athletic Budget Oversight Committee and the Athletic Program Advisory Committee (among others). […]

Tuition Waivers and Access to Campus Childcare

Forum Post As we strive to recruit and retain high-quality faculty and staff at WSU, I urge the consideration of two impactful policies – tuition waivers for dependents of employees and facilitated access to campus childcare. Many peer institutions offer tuition remission benefits for dependents of faculty and staff. This is a powerful recruitment tool, […]

Countering Misinformation: Part I – Enrollment

Forum Post Dear Colleagues, By now, you no doubt have heard much about a group of senior faculty who are highlighting the pervasive, systemic, and long standing concerns that plague the WSU System. In a series of forthcoming posts, we will systematically explain these concerns and address the responses provided by President Schulz and the […]