Guest Speaker Presentation —

Provost Barb Bichelmeyer provides an overview of:

• Kansas Board of Regents (KBOR) happenings this spring: 
• KBOR is updating their policies on faculty workload and tenure and promotion, and post tenure review. There are some substantial changes that will affect how we do things at KU. 
• The union (UAKU) has put forth some ideas surrounding these changes which are still in conversation. 
• House Bill 2848 – Freedom from Indoctrination Act
• Kansas State Budget
• Research Mission of KU
• Improved efficiency in academic units and better allocation of GTAs
• Reduced withdrawal rates and record enrollment rates 
• Progress on faculty and staff wages
• Challenges with federal research funding stability 
• Projected enrollments decline in the upcoming years.
  • Therefore, we need to diversify recruitment strategies.
  • Increase focus on adult learners and returning students, transfer students, and military-affiliated students.
  • Competency Based Education will become more prominent. 
• Student Financial Aid challenges
• Infrastructure Challenges. 
• KU needs to develop new revenue strategies and work collaboratively across campus units. 

Student Senate Report

• As Barb mentioned, students are doing some work at the state level to try and advocate for more Kansas state need-based financial aid. 
• Student leadership and several students in Student Senate are going to Topeka next week to meet with state legislators to advocate for this. 
• Later in the month of February, we will be going to DC to advocate for post-secondary education with the other Big 12 schools. 
• If you sponsor any student clubs or groups, block and line-item funding is now open for students to apply. 

Faculty Senate Report

Brandon would like to share that Faculty Senate is going to send a request for nominations soon for members of Faculty Senate. If anyone is interested in getting involved in Faculty Senate, please let Governance know. 

University Senate Report

Poppy echoes Brandon’s thoughts. There has been a reach for participation in governance. If you have peers or anyone that wants to get involved, please refer them to Governance. 

New Business —

• Provost Search: Two out of the four candidates have interviewed and given presentations. The third candidate was just announced today with a presentation for Monday afternoon.
• We have been asking candidates about shared governance and how we can coordinate and collaborate better with administration. 
• Please let Poppy know if you have any suggestions or concerns that governance leadership should be bringing up to the candidates. 
• There is a website for the provost search and there’s feedback forms as well. The search committee is enthusiastic to receive feedback. The presentations are online. 
• UAKU contract negotiations are still underway.

Meeting adjourned.