Approval of Previous Minutes —

Minutes from March 4, 2025, SenEx Meeting: Jessica Chilcoat motions to approve. Marissa Marshall seconds. Minutes approved by acclamation. 

Student Senate Report

• Josh and Evanna have worked on surveys regarding the “Jayhawk Hub” Canvas tile initiative to get feedback from students, staff, and faculty regarding a Canvas tile that would house helpful resources.
  • If you have questions about the project, please reach out to Evanna. 
  • The surveys will be going out soon to each constituent group. 
• On April 22, Evanna will present at the Undergraduate RA meeting with Cheleia Marshall from KU HERO regarding how to use Narcan and fentanyl test strips. This presentation will be educational.
• Evanna has been working with KU Parking to prepare Student Senate’s proposal for free two-hour parking in the front row of the Recreation Center. 
  • Over spring break, Evanna met with parking representatives to finalize the proposal and prepare the fiscal note for the committee. 
  • The proposal will be presented at the parking meeting on 3/26.
• The Student Senate “hammock project” has been going very well. 
  • Evanna has been working extensively with KU Grounds and Operations to provide funding and resources as needed. 
  • KU Grounds and Facilities are working to have the first hammock on campus. 

Staff Senate Report

• The IT Technology Committee has been working on some updates to the IT technology committee code. Hopefully, those can be voted on and passed by April 9th (the transition meeting for Staff Senate).
• Staff Senate elections are going on now and will close on Thursday, March 27th. 
• Teri and Marissa plan to meet with Provost on April 9th (followed by the Staff Senate transition meeting, also on April 9th). Then Marissa Marshall will be Staff Senate President. 
• Marissa met with the D&I Committee. They most likely will be changing their name (of the committee), and they’re reviewing their charges to be in-line with everything. Still KU values, but there will be some changes to the wording. 
• Josh mentions that there are many programs in the School of Business that are currently under review as there isn’t exact clarity where the parameters may fall with the new guidelines. An example is “first generation” students. 

Faculty Senate Report

• Sam went to Kansas Board of Regents (KBOR) meeting on March 12. 
• The Council of Faculty Senate Presidents met as well (at the KBOR meeting). 
• Sam heard Dr. Rusty Monhollon present to KBOR the KU Faculty Senate feedback on Core 34: 
  • Dr. Monhollon is the Vice President for Academic Affairs (at KBOR) and previously presented at a KU Faculty Senate meeting on March 6th. At this Faculty Senate meeting, Rusty heard concerns from KU faculty regarding Core 34 requirements. 
  • Dr Monhollon then presented the feedback to KBOR.
  • There was diplomatic discussion indicating there are more discussions to be had, which seems to be promising. 
• The Council of Faculty Senate Presidents is revising the criteria for the Faculty of the Year Award to include non-tenure track faculty. 
  • They would also like to expand it to include staff. 
  • Faculty Senate will likely be voting on this proposal (to change the criteria for the Faculty of the Year Award). 
• Sam met with Provost to go over the Faculty Rights Board. 
  • There have been recent updates to the staffing. This will be voted on at the next FacEx meeting. 
  • If passed, the FRB will be able to review appeals soon. 

University Senate Report

• There will be a special University Senate presentation on April 17th by Travis Goff, KU Athletics Director.
• Please remember the end of the year SenEx team gathering and celebration is at Lawrence Beer Company on Friday, May 2nd starting at 5:30pm.
• The Pharmacy Dean candidate lunches have just wrapped up. The School of Business Dean candidate search will be starting soon.
  • SenEx will be joining the lunches for the Business Dean candidates and visiting with them (similar to the Pharmacy Dean candidates).
  • The first one is this Thursday, March 27th. It’s an internal candidate for the first lunch. There will be four total candidates.
  • Josh is not completely clear how SenEx should be providing feedback on the candidates. He will follow up on those specifics if he doesn’t hear over the next few days. 
• The Excused Absence Policy is still in the works and testing centers are being reviewed. What will be the future of this?
• Josh’s goal during his last month as president is figure out where we’re at in regard to the policy, what things are in motion at the administration level, and how could the policy be revised in the future given the new parameters.
  •  For example, if we have a testing center for excused absences, this will modify how the policy is updated. 
  • Changes to the policy will likely occur next year. 
  • Josh would like to assess where we’re at currently. 

Unfinished Business —

Proposed Changes to University’s Grade Replacement Policy:

• This has been previously discussed/reviewed at SenEx --but University Senate suggested a few changes (for SenEx review today). 
• The language of “A- and below” was kept but this section was added:

Before enrolling in a course for grade replacement, students are strongly encouraged to consult with an academic advisor to ensure that their decision aligns with the requirements of future undergraduate or graduate programs and does not result in unintended GPA consequences. 

Rationale for the added language: Some graduate programs don’t allow grade replacement and all grades are looked at, even if not all grades are included in the GPA. 

If this is approved today, it will go out for 7-day notice on Thursday and then discussed at the University Senate meeting  on Thursday, April 3rd . 

Brendan Falen motions to vote on the grade replacement policy as shown. Sasha Sharman seconds the motion. 

Poll goes out for vote. 10/10 approval. 

Competency Based Education (CBE) Programs: 

There is a request to add language to the University Senate Rules & Regulations (USRR) for Competency Based Education programs. The request is to include a grading system:

The College or any school may use the letters M(Mastered), NM (Not Mastered), IP (In Progress) only for Jayhawk Flex program competency hours. 

Motion to “include a grading system for Competency Based Education programs to a section of the USRR”. If approved, it would be sent out for 7 days’ notice before the next University Senate meeting. 

• Sasha Sharman motions to approve. 
• Brendan Mattingly seconds. Poll goes out for vote. Approved. 

Jayhawk Hub Canvas Tile Survey: Be on the lookout soon for a survey regarding a “Jayhawk Hub” Canvas Tile. Evanna has been working on a Canvas tile to provide helpful resources for students – in addition to faculty and staff. There will be surveys going out soon for campus to provide feedback on what would be most helpful. 

New Business —

The e-mail from Chancellor raised a few questions. If further questions develop over the next couple of weeks, please let Josh and Sam know and they can discuss them with Provost. Things are quite fluid right now so some talking points may be helpful. 

The Governance Office has received several parking concerns/complaints.

• This is likely not something that can be resolved quickly. Parking may continue to be on the contentious side.

• Are there any possible recommendations that could be helpful?  Park and Ride? 

  These are more discussion topics: 

  • Grace Pearson Scholarship Hall changes – a letter of support or discussion with housing? 
  • Student Senate finance changes + cuts to UDK and Safe Ride. Would there be value to writing a letter? These are valuable services to students and the University. Would conversations with KBOR help since KU needs funding for these services? 
• Class Times, Class Availability, and Fill Rate – changes will likely be seen soon on faculty and student side. 

Meeting adjourned.