AU Senate
May 14, 2024
Minutes

Meeting called to order by AU Senate Chair, Dr. Lisa Kensler 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).

AGENDA
Vote1 to identify quorum. A quorum was established with 70 respondents.

Remarks and Announcements
University Senate Chair: Lisa Kensler shared remarks on Senate processes.

Provost Vini Nathan shared remarks on behalf of President Roberts: 5000+ students graduated over 4 days. Active search process for role of Dan King. Auburn Birmingham (former Hood-McPherson Building) opens May 23rd. Upcoming Board of Trustee meeting is scheduled June 7th. We are pleased to report that AU continues to enjoy robust support from state legislature. Jared White has effectively positioned Auburn for securing supplemental and ongoing appropriations from state. Tiger Giving Day 2024 report shared (from Rob Wellbaum, Sr. VP Philanthropy) 45 projects featured with $800K raised with >7000 gifts (423 1st time donors)

Provost Vini Nathan: announced Laura Stevens as Director of the Honors College. Finalizing open search positions for Dean with of College of Architecture, Design, and Construction and College of Nursing. Strategic Planning in progress and outcomes will be shared in an upcoming meeting [5 overarching goals]. Team has conducted numerous reviews and planned discussion for June with anticipated action in Fall 2024. SB129 Working groups are in place and developing plans for October 2024 actions for Auburn University.

Action Items

Motion from Faculty Salaries & Welfare Committee: Motion to Request Full Tuition   Undergraduate Benefits for Dependent Children of Faculty and Staff

Whereas, the faculty and staff of Auburn University are fundamental to the academic success and operational excellence of our institution; and

Whereas, the current benefits package offered to faculty and staff at Auburn University currently includes half tuition for dependent children; and

Whereas, many leading universities and colleges across the country provide full tuition benefits for the dependent children of their faculty and staff as part of their employment package, recognizing it as a valuable tool for attracting and retaining top talent, improving university alumni networks, and creating proper incentive structures that reward long-term investment in the institution; and

Whereas, offering full tuition undergraduate benefits for dependent children of faculty and staff can significantly enhance the well-being and financial security of our university community members, thereby fostering a more supportive and loyal workforce; and

Whereas, such a benefit would underscore Auburn University's long-term commitment to the "Auburn Family," and the principle that access to quality higher education should be within reach of those who directly produce this institution’s programming;

Therefore, Be It Resolved, that the Senate of Auburn University hereby requests that the University President and the Board of Trustees consider and grant full tuition undergraduate benefits for the dependent children of faculty and staff.

Amendment proclamation (by Senator, Valentin Hartarska) with added words in bold to the last sentence of the proclamation. “Therefore, Be It Resolved, that the Senate of Auburn University hereby requests that the University President and the Board of Trustees consider and grant full tuition undergraduate benefits, transferable to other institutions of higher education, for the dependent children of faculty and staff.” Outcome of vote: Yes 9, No 60, and Abstained 1 [CANVAS totals:  did not pass; Y-10, N-67, A-1]

Vote on Original Motion: Do you support the motion made by the Faculty Salaries and Welfare Committee [not amended] regarding tuition benefits for faculty and staff?  Outcome of vote: Yes 43, No 27, and Abstained 3. [CANVAS totals: did pass. Y-44, N-29, A-3]

Motion to amend (by Senator, David Miller) the proposal to add the following sentence to the end of Section G, “Criteria for Appointment and Promotion”: “For faculty appointed without a terminal degree, a terminal degree should not be a requirement for promotion.” Outcome of vote: Yes 46, No 21, and Abstained 3. [CANVAS totals: Y=52, N=22, A=3]

Vote on Original Motion as amended: Do you support the Non-Tenure Track Committee's motion to replace the Lecturer Title Series with the Teaching Professor Title Series as detailed in their report [and amended]? Outcome of vote: Yes 61, No 14, and Abstained 1. [CANVAS totals: Y-62, N-15, A-1]

Committee Reports
Student Academic Grievance Policy Change Proposal Presented by Chih-hsuan Wang, Student Academic Grievance Committee slides (pdf) text of proposed Policy Change (pdf)

Information Item
AUBURN ACHIEVE Presented by Katie Boyd & Anna Claire Stinson, Academic Insight AA presentation (pdf)
Faculty Athletic Representative Report Presented by Duane Brandon, FAR FAR presentation (pdf)

New Business

Motion presented by Senator, Christine Schnittka:

I'd like to make a motion that in the spirit of transparency, we request that Provost Nathan, President Roberts, and Kelli Shomaker make a presentation as soon as possible regarding the upcoming budget and budget priorities. This presentation should include how faculty input and needs are included in the decision-making process of the budget.

Second received from Senator, Chris Martin.

Adjournment
Lisa Kensler, Senate Chair Senate at 5:15 PM

Meeting Attendance –
Senate Mtg – May 14, 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
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
Jack Hilton, SGA President
Esther Akinrinda, GSC President
David Cristostomo sub for Kimberly McCadden, Staff Council Chair
Thomas Sawyer sub for Josh Henderson, A&P Assembly Chair
Robert Cochran, Steering Committee
J Brian Anderson, Steering Committee

Senators by Departments
Xu (Joyce) Cheng, Accountancy
Roy Hartfield, Aerospace Engineering
Mary (Molly) Gregg, ACES
Valentina Hartarska, Ag Economics & Rural Sociology
Ryan Gibson sub for Vinicia Biancardi, Anatomy, Physiology & Pharmacology
Kevin Moore, Architecture
Lauren Woods, Art
James Birdsong, Aviation
Rebecca Riggs, Biological Sciences
David Blersch, Biosystems Engineering
Regina Gramling, Business Analytics and Information Systems
Elizabeth Lipke, Chemical Engineering
Wei Zhan, Chemistry
Kevin Smith, Communication and Journalism
Sanjeev Baskiyar, Computer Science & Software Engineering
David Han, Crop, Soil, and Environmental Sciences
Christine (Chris) Schnittka, Curriculum & Teaching
Murali Dhanasekaran, Drug Discovery and Development
Duha Altindag sub for Liliana Stern, Economics
Michael Baginski, Electrical & Computer Engineering
Sunny Stalter-Pace, English
John Beckmann, Entomology & Plant Pathology
David Cicero, Finance
Nathan Whelan, Fisheries & Allied Aquaculture
Robert Gitzen, Forestry, Wildlife, and the Environment
Haibo Zou sub for David King, Geosciences
Jan Kavookjian, Health Outcomes Research and Policy
Zachary Schulz, History
Elina Coneva, Horticulture
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
Hans Werner van Wyk, Mathematics and Statistics
Sabit Adanur, Mechanical Engineering
Lee Johnson, Music
Chris Martin, Nursing
Kevin Huggins, Nutritional Sciences
David Mixson, Outreach
Peter Christopherson, Pathobiology
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
Diana Forbes sub for LTC, Laura Fryar, ROTC Army
Callie Barton sub for Captain, Michael Witherspoon, ROTC Naval
Danilea Werner, Socio/Anthro/Social Work
Adrienne Wilson, Theatre and Dance
Robert Cole, Veterinary Clinical Sciences
Kerri Munoz, World Lang & Literatures

Absent without substitute:
Evelyn Hunter, Steering Committee
Octavia Tripp, Steering Committee
Jacek Wower, Animal Sciences
Jeff Kim, Building Sciences
Joel Hayworth, Civil Engineering
Ann Presley, Consumer & Design Sciences
Andrew Pendola, Educational Foundations, Leadership & Technology
Clark Danderson, Hospitality Mgmt.
Jeremy Wolter, Marketing