AU Senate
January 23, 2024
Minutes
Meeting called to order by AU Senate Chair, Dr. Lisa Kinsler at 3:30 p.m.
All senators in attendance reminded to participate in Canvas quorum poll (this is equivalent to the sign-in sheet during in-person meetings).
Establish a Quorum
Vote1 to identify quorum. A quorum was established with 58 respondents.
Approval of the Senate Meeting Minutes from November 14, 2023 with friendly amendment to
replace administration item to information item (Stern,M.).
Information Items
Childcare Study was presented (this was previously bumped from November 2023 due to time constraints). Presenters: Tracy Witte and Beth Davis-Sramek, AAUP Presentation (pdf) of the AAUP Childcare Report [pdf of Childcare Report].
Motion by Senator Hans-Werner van Wyk "The AU Senate supports the ongoing efforts between members of the AAUP, the AU administration, and the city, to address the concerns raised in the Childcare Infrastructure report", seconded by Sunny Stalter-Pace. Will vote with Senate February 2024. Point of Order from Duha Altindag (substitute for Liliana Stern, Economics) requesting vote to be held within this meeting. Chair clarified and no motion stated.
Remarks and Announcements
University Senate Chair: Lisa Kensler offered midyear remarks with 2023-2024 term. Poll in Canvas re: Senate Orientation in August 2024 now open for all senators. Committee Chair Event planned for April 2024 and emails sent to all Senate Committee Chairs. New Policy Advisory Committee in place and Rules Committee identifying members. Faculty Salary and Welfare Committee currently working on faculty salary conversation. Senate Rules Committee are now aiming to fill open committees using the AU Senate volunteer website. All encouraged to volunteer for AU Senate and University Committees using volunteer link.
President Chris Roberts. Appreciation for Childcare Study team, as well as Task Force led by Steve Pelham. SACSCOC Outcome: 10-year reaffirmation letter received on January 10, 2024, with no post-affirmation letter required. $50M Contract received- largest single research contract. Enrollment outcome: 52K applications, highest number of applications in history with near 6K class admitted. Delay in national FAFSA 2024/2025 submissions, see AU response on website. Comments on Wall Street Journal article.
Committee Reports
Proposal to raise cap on retirement contributions Presenter: Wes Collins, Matthew Hoch, Faculty Salaries & Welfare Presentation (pdf) of the Analysis of AU Matching of Employee 403(b) Contributions Written Report.
After presentation, motion identified. The Faculty Salaries & Welfare Committee move that the Senate vote to accept this report and support this recommendation. Voting will be held February 2024. Question asked if this study can be used to link the two projects of faculty salary and retirement contributions. Answer stated this will likely link with total compensation discussion.
New Business
Dr. Wei Zan, Senator representing the department of chemistry and biochemistry. The deans and chairs at the College of Sciences and Math have drafted an open letter together in support of establishing a teaching professorship line at Auburn University. “I make a motion that the Senate accept this document, so it can be shared with all senators and later incorporated into our meeting minutes.” Seconded by Rebecca Riggs, Senator from Biological Sciences
No further conversation.
COSAM Letter (pdf)
Adjournment
Lisa Kensler, Senate Chair, adjourned the meeting at 4:49 p.m.
Senate Meeting Attendance – January 2024
Senate Officers
Lisa Kensler Chair
Lori Eckhardt Chair-elect
Linda Gibson-Young Secretary
Jaena Alabi Secretary-elect
Mark Carpenter Immediate Past-Chair
Administration
Kelli Shomaker VP for Bus & Fin & CFO
Paul Patterson Dean, College of Agriculture
Maria Witte sub for
George Flowers Dean, Graduate School
Bobby Woodard SVP for Student Affairs
Jason Hicks Dean, College of Liberal Arts
Mario Eden Dean, College of Engineering
Ed Thomas Dean, COSAM
Joffrey Gaymon VP Enrollment Mgmt.
Calvin Johnson Dean, College of Veterinary Medicine
Ex-Officio Members
Vini Nathan Provost
Shali Zhang Dean of Libraries
John David Jones SGA President
Soolim Jeong GSC President
Kimberly McCadden Staff Council Chair
Josh Henderson A&P Assembly Chair
Evelyn Hunter Steering Committee
Octavia Tripp Steering Committee
Robert Cochran Steering Committee
J Brian Anderson Steering Committee
Senators by Departments
Xu (Joyce) Cheng Accountancy
Roy Hartfield Aerospace Engineering
Valentina Hartarska Ag Economics & Rural Sociology
Vinicia Biancardi Anatomy, Physiology & Pharmacology
Kevin Moore Architecture
Lauren Woods Art
James Birdsong Aviation
Rebecca Riggs Biological Sciences
David Blersch Biosystems Engineering
Jeff Kim Building Sciences
Regina Gramling Business Analytics and Information Systems
Elizabeth Lipke Chemical Engineering
Wei Zhan Chemistry
Joel Hayworth Civil Engineering
Kevin Smith Communication and Journalism
David Han Crop, Soil, and Environmental Sciences
Christine (Chris) Schnittka Curriculum & Teaching
Duha Altindag sub for
Liliana Stern Economics
Andrew Pendola Educational Foundations, Leadership & Technology
Michael Baginski Electrical & Computer Engineering
Sunny Stalter-Pace English
John Beckmann Entomology & Plant Pathology
Nathan Whelan Fisheries & Allied Aquaculture
Robert Gitzen Forestry, Wildlife, and the Environment
David King Geosciences
Jan Kavookjian Health Outcomes Research and Policy
Zachary Schulz History
Elina Coneva Horticulture
Clark Danderson Hospitality Mgmt.
Diana Samek Human Development & Family Studies
David Smith Industrial Design
Rich Sesek Industrial and Systems Engineering
Christopher (Brooks) Mobley Kinesiology
Kasia Leousis Libraries
Liesl Wesson Management and Entrepreneurship
Jeremy Wolter Marketing
Hans Werner van Wyk Mathematics and Statistics
Sabit Adanur Mechanical Engineering
Chris Martin Nursing
Kevin Huggins Nutritional Sciences
David Mixson Outreach
Lena McDowell Pharmacy Practice
David Miller Philosophy
Luca Guazzotto Physics
Jonathan (Jon) Fisk Political Science
Amit Morey Poultry Science
Alejandro A. Lazarte Psychology
Latifat Cabirou Special Ed. Rehab. Counseling/School Psych
Gregory Spray Speech Language and Hearing Sciences
David Strickland Supply Chain Management (new)
LTC, Michael Quinn ROTC Air Force
John Verwiel sub for
LTC, Laura Fryar ROTC Army
Danilea Werner Socio/Anthro/Social Work
Adrienne Wilson Theatre and Dance
Robert Cole Veterinary Clinical Sciences
Kerri Munoz World Lang & Literatures
Absent without substitute:
Mary (Molly) Gregg ACES
Jacek Wower Animal Sciences
Sanjeev Baskiyar Computer Science & Software Engineering
Ann Presley Consumer & Design Sciences
Murali Dhanasekaran Drug Discovery and Development
David Cicero Finance
Lee Johnson Music
Peter Christopherson Pathobiology
Captain, Michael Witherspoon ROTC Naval