October Updates from University Governance

University Governance

Dear all,

Much of what we do in governance is founded on your experiences and your perspectives as they become visible to us. For this reason, we want to begin by recognizing how difficult these last few weeks have been for our indigenous communities following the announcement about ancestral remains on campus. This news alters the campus experience for our indigenous students, staff, and faculty, in addition to evoking violent legacies of colonialism. We are privileged to be in community with these colleagues and want to offer our support and make visible the anger and mourning they may be feeling in these moments.

We want to update you on some of our governance advocacy and activities which have been informed by your perspectives, as well as upcoming opportunities for participation.

Shared Governance

Following a resolution on shared governance by the University Senate on 3/2/22, governance leaders have had multiple, productive conversations with the administration on how to move forward with concretely defining shared governance on campus. We have come to an agreement on the creation of an advisory group that will provide recommendations around four charges: a vision for what it means to be an exceptional learning community; decision-making processes and community input; roles and responsibilities; and the community input in strategic and financial planning. We expect this process to include broad campus visioning throughout AY 2022-23. As we see it, shared governance can help provide a blueprint for what we can expect from each other, and how far individual voices can and should resonate in shaping the future of the university.

Tuition Assistance Program

We want to celebrate the significant expansion of the Employee Tuition Assistance and the Employee Dependent Tuition Assistance. Many governance leaders, staff and faculty senate presidents, have advocated with KU leaders for this expansion, and we are grateful to the Provost, Chancellor, CFO and their respective teams for taking action this year. We are pleased that in this revision, tenure-stream faculty are now also included in the Employee Tuition Assistance policy. The policy change was a collaborative effort between administration and governance across many years, and as we all consider what it means to be an exceptional learning community, the ability to always grow in one’s education is an important component, as well as the recognition that many of us have broader lives and are also responsible for dependents who might also choose to join that learning community.

Vote in Favor of Changes in the Transfer Credit Policy

The Faculty Senate voted to endorse a proposed policy that KU is taking to KBOR to revise the definition of the Bachelor’s Degree. The current definition of the Bachelor’s Degree limits the number of credits that can be transferred from community colleges because it requires that 60 credits of a 120-credit degree be taken from a four-year college that awards bachelor level degrees (community colleges confer associate degrees). The senators voted in support of this change in policy in order to address systemic inequities facing traditionally underrepresented groups and first-generation students, many of whom attend community colleges by lowering financial burdens towards degree completion. Upper division course requirements would remain the same. The policy will move through the Kansas Board of Regents for their approval. We feel this expansion of the transfer credit policy can help us bring a whole new group of students to KU, and want to recognize colleagues at the Edwards Campus for their work and advocacy on this issue for several years.

Staff Climate Survey

In coordination with other KBOR institutions and the Docking Institute KU Staff Senate completed a climate survey in April 2022. The results have been shared with the Staff Senate Executive Committee for review and will be published for campus and public consumption later this fall. While the responses shine a light on many systemic issues faced by KU staff, including compensation and low employee morale, many also shared their commitment to KU and the work that they do in spite of these challenges. The results from this survey will inform the actions of Staff Senate and administration over the next several years as we work to address concerns and improve the experience of all employees.

Addressing Non-Tenure Track Faculty Representation at the Department Level

The Faculty Senate has begun work to address departmental voting privileges by non-tenure track faculty in their units. The Faculty Rights, Privileges, and Responsibilities (FRPR) committee in conjunction with the Vice Provost of Faculty Development will undertake a survey of units and non-tenure track faculty on the role of this community in departmental decision-making processes to gage the extent to which they are allowed and encouraged to participate at the unit level. The Faculty Senate will subsequently consider how to best support these faculty members through guiding principles and policy.

Program Discontinuance

We held a public hearing on the Program Discontinuance request for the Undergraduate Certificate in Holocaust and Genocide Studies (Jewish Studies) through the Academic Policies and Procedures committee in accordance with USRR Article VIII on Program Discontinuance. We thank community members who attended the hearing for the robust discussion about the importance of the study of the Holocaust and Genocide. The committee will submit its recommendation to the University Senate in the coming weeks.

Opportunities to participate

Governance is at its best when you bring your energies into our spaces and contribute your ideas. We want to make you aware of these opportunities to dialogue with leaders at KU and in the state.

  • CFO DeWitt will speak at the University Senate this Thursday 10/6 at 3:15PM.
  • Vice Chancellor for Research, Simon Atkinson, will speak at the Faculty Senate on Thursday 10/20 at 3:15PM
  • Regent Wint Winters, LLM will speak at the Faculty Senate on Thursday 10/20 at 4PM

Thank you for all you do,

Ani Kokobobo (University Senate President)

Nate Brunsell (Faculty Senate President)

Jessica Chilcoat (Staff Senate President)