AU Senate
October 17, 2023
Via Zoom
Minutes

Meeting called to order at 3:30 pm.
All senators in attendance reminded that they must participate in the canvas quorum poll (this is equivalent to the sign-in sheet during in-person meetings).
A quorum was established with 68 respondents.

Approval of minutes from September 19, 2023.
Minutes approved with no corrections and unanimous consent.

AU Senate Chair: Lisa Kensler
Opening remarks regarding expectations of meeting. No additional remarks.

AU President Christopher Roberts offered updates and remarks regarding:

  1. Enrollment- We are currently recruiting next year’s class and have already received 20K+ applications, a 15% increase since last year. Average ACT for 1st round 2024-2025 accepted is 29.1 residents/30.8 non-residents (28 residents/ 29.1 2023-2024 admit). Also review student academic interests and participation in college-specific recruiting activities. We do ensure capacity for majors.
  2. Facilities- In midst of construction across campus with College of Education and STEM-Ag Complex. Dan King’s presentation will share images.
  3. Advancement- Rob Wellbaum named as Senior VP for Advancement with 25 years’ experience. This year, we have $176 M in new commitments (7% over goal of $165M). AU Foundation Board has approved $175M goal next year has been approved. The Alumni Board has ended annual membership program. Instead, we will ask alumni to give towards units. In concert with new strategic plan, we are preparing the comprehensive campaign to align fundraising strategy with priorities within strategic plan.
  4. Legislative Affairs- Funding portfolio as new fiscal year- State legislatures approved $100M for Auburn University. On a federal level, we have aimed to secure funding in proposed spending bills.

AU Provost Vini Nathan offered announcements with:

  1.  Faculty Events- Today, we will recognize 31 faculty who have been recognized with new endowments at GPAC. Provost Faculty Awards will be held on November 9, 2023. Awardees announced last week.  
  2. Open positions- Four National Searches: Dean positions for 3 units and Director for Honors College position. Two internal searches for Associate Provost and Associate VP for Research.
  3. Strategic Planning- 13 listening sessions and two workgroups. Also, held internal vote using Zoom with Senate today.

Q&A: See Recording and transcript.

Action Items

  1. Linda Gibson-Young addressed the replacement nominations for three open Senate Committees:
    1. Grad Council – Bryan Beckingham (2026)
    2. University Writing – Russel Mailen (2026)
    3. Faculty Handbook Review – Carey Andrzejewski (2026)

The vote for combined Senate Nominees passed _65_ yes, _0_ no, _0_ abstain

  1. Calendar and Schedules for years 2025-26 and 2026-27
    Calendars for 2025-2026, 2026-2027, and 2024-2025 presented by Karen Battye.

Calendar 2025-2026 (pdf) Vote required
The vote for Calendar 2025-2026 passed _63_ yes, _1_ no, _0_ abstain

Calendar 2026-2027 (pdf) –Vote required
The vote for Calendar 2026-2027 passed _68_ yes, _0_ no, _0_ abstain

Calendar 2024-2025 (pdf) updated Thanksgiving week. No vote required since previously approved.

3. Voting on motion to form a Senate Policy Advisory Committee presentation (pdf)
Presenter: Lori Eckhardt, chair-elect, Reread Motion to form new Senate Policy Advisory Committee. Opened for Senate questions. Clarified plans to form committee with diversity of units. 2/3 Vote of Senate body required (60 votes) since change to University Senate Constitution.

Vote for Motion on Senate Policy Advisory Committee passed _61_ yes, _3_ no, _4_ abstain

Information Items

  1. Facilities Update- Presenter: Dan King, Associate Vice President Facilities Management. Shared Fall 2023 video with facility updates around campus. Addressed all projects in progress over last 8 months. See transcript for Q&A. Faculty and presenter recommended new clinical space for patients currently visiting Haley Center.
  2. Artificial Intelligence (AI)- Presenter: Asim Ali, Executive Director Biggio Center. Shared AI Opportunities on AU Campus under Biggio Center direction. Modules available for faculty focusing on Teaching with AI. Recognized support from Administration. AI Day on Thursday, January 25, 2024 in partnership with Microsoft and SalesForce.

New Business
Liliana Stern, Senator Economics Department
Addressed concerns related to disparities between faculty and non-faculty raises and compensations. Senator stated faculty raises were capped at 3%, not enough to compensate for inflation, meaning real wages of the faculty decreasing. Stated some administrators and some staff received disproportionately larger raises and increases in their compensation, well above the inflation rate. For example, Provost Nathan has 44% raise, General Counsel 16.7%, VP for Student Affairs 19.7%., Stated HR employees also had higher raises than the faculty. For example, Associate VP for Human Resources, Carla McCormick, 21.1% and Executive Director for Common Class, Roderick Kelly, 15.3%. Encouraged upper administration, President Roberts or Provost Nathan, or representative from the faculty welfare and salary committee, to discuss this disparity between faculty and non-faculty raises and compensations. Would like non-faculty raises and compensations addressed with next Senate meeting. Chair stated this would be followed up during next meeting.
Motion: I move to have a discussion on disparity between faculty and non-faculty raises.

Lisa Kensler, Senate Chair, adjourned the meeting at 5:00 p.m.

Senate Meeting Attendance – October 17, 2023
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
Arthur Appel               sub for 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
Joffrey Gaymon          VP Enrollment Mgmt.
Calvin Johnson           Dean, College of Veterinary Medicine

Ex-Officio Members
Vini Nathan                Provost
George Stachokas,      sub for Shali Zhang, Dean of Libraries
John David Jones        SGA President
Evelyn Hunter             Steering Committee
Danilea Warner          sub for 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
Jacek Wower                          Animal Sciences
Vinicia Biancardi                    Anatomy, Physiology & Pharmacology
Kevin Moore                           Architecture
Lauren Woods                         Art
Kurt Reesman,                        sub for James Birdsong, Aviation
Rebecca Riggs                         Biological Sciences
Tanzeel Rehman                     sub for 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
Sanjeev Baskyar                     Computer Science & Software Engineering
David Han                               Crop, Soil, and Environmental Sciences
Melody Russell                       sub for Christine (Chris) Schnittka, Curriculum & Teaching
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
Zhaofei (Joseph) Fan              Forestry, Wildlife, and the Environment
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                          Library
Liesl Wesson                          Management and Entrepreneurship
Jeremy Wolter                        Marketing
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
Gregory Spray                         Speech Language and Hearing Sciences    
David Strickland                     Supply Chain Management
LTC, Michael Quinn              ROTC Air Force
John Verwiel                           sub for LTC, Laura Fryar, ROTC Army
Captain, Michael Witherspoon           ROTC Naval
Julie Wells                              sub for Danilea Werner, Socio/Anthro/Social Work
Adrienne Wilson                     Theatre and Dance
Robert Cole                             Veterinary Clinical Sciences
Kerri Munoz                           World Lang & Literatures

Absent without substitute:
Ed Thomas                              Dean, COSAM
Soolim Jeong                          GSC President
Kimberly McCadden              Staff Council Chair
Josh Henderson                       A&P Assembly Chair
Mary (Molly) Gregg               ACES
Ann Presley                            Consumer & Design Sciences
Murali Dhanasekaran             Drug Discovery and Development
David Cicero                          Finance
David King                             Geosciences
Latifat Cabirou                       Special Ed. Rehab. Counseling/School Psych