Approval of Previous Minutes —

Meeting minutes from September 19, 2024. The minutes were sent before the meeting. Sam Brody asked for any changes. No changes were offered. Hearing no modifications, the minutes were approved. 

Guest Speaker Presentation —

Dr. Alex Red Corn, Director and Associator Professor of Indigenous Studies Program and Associate Vice Chancellor of the Office of Sovereign Partnerships and Indigenous Initiatives, was the guest speaker. Dr. Red Corn shared a presentation “Liberating Sovereign Potential Through Indigenous Studies Program and the Office of Sovereign Partnerships and Indigenous Initiatives.”  The presentation was followed by a question-and-answer session.

Faculty Senate Report

Sam Brody reported the following.
•    Attended Jayhawks Rising with the Provost Office. Sam is on the Retention committee and provides the faculty voice on this. 
•    Met with the Provost two times since the last meetings. The issue of academic freedom was discussed in response to the recent event with faculty members. Sam reported he was told the person left on their own volition.
•    Core 34. Sam worked with Stacey reviewing the letters they received in the spring. They are working on a statement for KBOR.
 

University Senate Report

Josh Arpin reported the following.

•    The creation of the Environmental and Sustainability Committee go approved at the last meeting. It is out for a 21-day review after modifications from earlier reviews.
•    Students pass a “Green Deal” which is expectations of environmental changes they expect from the provost and chancellor.
•    The program discontinuances will be reviewed at the next University Senate Meeting.
•    The graduate students body requests to have the graduate students’ representation on committees more explicitly written in the University Senate Code.
•    Excused Absences Policy.  Josh will meet with the Provost Office on this. This will be an ongoing discussion through the spring semester.
•    Changes to the academic calendar. We are expecting a proposal from the calendar committee on changes to the academic calendar which will be sent to the University Senate.
•    The Calendar Committee will likely propose changes to the USRR around “exams”.
 

Unfinished Business —

KU Core 34 update. 
•    Faculty feedback received on Core 34 was overwhelmingly critical. Core 34 was developed without input from faculty or experts and has had a negative impact on students. 
•    The statement for KBOR will focus on how the quality of education is affected by the changes. 
•    Also, they would like to provide KBOR with how this has had an impact on majors/non majors. 
 

New Business —

None.
Josh Arpin motioned to move to a closed session to discuss matters related to employer-employee relations. Brendan Mattingly seconded. No objections. Moved to closed session.
Returned to open session. Meeting adjourned.