Approval of Previous Minutes —

Misty Heggeness presided.

Approval of Minutes from September 4, 2025, and October 9, 2025. Brendan Mattingly motioned to approved both sets of minutes. Dallas Doane seconded. Minutes were approved by acclamation. 

Faculty Senate Report

The Provost is stepping down, as was announced. She will still be on the faculty at KU. There is a procedure to have a selection committee to find an internal Provost. Misty was invited to be on the committee. There was an open call for members of the committee. KBOR is moving forward with the language on policies for workload and tenure review. The subcommittee voted to move it forward to the full KBOR meeting for discussion and review. Misty believes the recommendations from KU Faculty Senate were implemented into the new policy recommendations. There was an announcement about Voluntary Retirement for faculty. This is a warning sign of the University’s financial situation, and we should look for ways to innovate and structure departments to help us get through these challenges. Kristi Neufeld provided some comments on the Union negotiations. The compensation proposal was passed back to the Union, and it was disappointing to the negotiation team. Faculty Senate can support the Union’s efforts by being curious and attending meetings if possible. The UAKU proposal tracker was shared in the chat. 

University Senate Report

Poppy could not join the meeting today. No report. 

New Business —

Provost Search 

Misty opened it for discussion. There have been questions about who is on the search committee. This is not a search that comes from Human Resources, it is run by the Chancellor’s Office. Given that we have at least one governance person on the search committee it would be helpful to hear about the priorities we are looking for. 

Q. Is there going to be a One KU search, or has there been communication?

Comment. It is important that there be representation from the Lawrence campus. The Chancellor is from the KU Med Center.

Q. Is Provost Bichelmeyer coming to speak at this meeting? 

A. She was on the agenda to speak, and a travel conflict came up. We are working with her office to reschedule before or shortly after she leaves. She has a presentation that she gave to KBOR. This is an important and powerful presentation.

Comment. The Provost has committed to protecting academic freedom. I would think we would want someone who will defend this.

Syllabus Mandate

In the School of Education there was a request for all syllabi. It’s our understanding that K State did turn over all syllabi. General Council at KU said that it is intellectual property and we will not turn over our syllabi. We did turn over program plans and catalogs, which are public anyhow. 

Misty opened it for discussion. Social Welfare had a request about a year ago. General Council declined the request. 

Simple Syllabus. A concern was access and control of the content. 

A comment was made that there was article in Higher Ed that a legislature used Simple Syllabus to get syllabi.

Somone reached out to IT to make sure it is secure and not accessible publicly, which it is not.

Comment. This is on the Union’s radar and what that might be in the contract.

Voluntary Retirement for Faculty

How do we feel about this program? Do we have concerns? Strategizing forward, what is potentially to come? 

Comments:

• Legit assumption-trying to get rid of higher tenured faculty.
• These positions will not be replaced. They can’t come back for a year, and they cannot come back at the same level.
• Those in Phase 2 retirement are stuck in the mud and getting the short stick.
• What does this mean for faculty and students?
• Less time for preparation and research.
• I hope we have more space to have a voice in these discussions.
• We are continually having to do more for less. How can we come up with solution ideas to do more with less that would be receptive but would allow us to have some level of control.
• We can allow space on the Faculty Senate agenda for people to give feedback to take to the Union. 

Jason Matejkowski motioned to adjourn. Kristi Neufeld seconded. All in favor. Meeting adjourned at 4.23 p.m.