Purdue University Northwest > Faculty Senate > News > Senate Meeting Minutes > Faculty Senate Minutes, May 9, 2025

Faculty Senate Minutes, May 9, 2025

September 15, 2025

Faculty Senate Minutes, May 9, 2025

10:00 AM-12:00 PM: Westville – LSF 002

Minutes

Voting Members Present:
Ali Alavizadeh, Khair Al Shamaileh, Lee Artz, Gokarna Aryal, Geoffrey Barrow Shreya Bhandari, José Castro-Urioste, Frank Colucci, Jim Dolen, John Durocher, Rob Hallock, Wei He, Maria Hughes, Shontrai Irving, Jessica Ivy, Patrick Keegan, Hansung Kim, Tae-Hoon Kim, Kenny Kincaid, Dave Kozel, Roger Kraft, Robert Kramer, Amanda Kratovil-Mailhiot, Yun Liu, Patti Ludwig-Beymer, Hassan Naji, Laurie Parpart, Sheila Rezak, Pam Saylor, Diane Spoljoric, George Stefanik, Pitparnee Stompor, Nicolae Tarfulea, Kathy Tobin, Sarah White, Donna Whitten, Cheng Zhang

Voting Members Absent:  Masoud Fathizadeh

Non-Voting Members Present:
Tony Elmendorf, Alan McCafferty

Others Present:
Chris Holford, Marie Mora, Chloe Belford, Catharine Olsen, Jen Williams

  1. Determination of quorum.
    • Quorum determined at 10:00 AM
  2. Call to order.
    • Meeting called to order at 10:03 AM
  3. Approval of the agenda.
    • Motion for approval by P. Ludwig-Beymer
    • Seconded by S. Rezak
    • Approved by voice
  4. Approval of the minutes from April 11, 2024
    • Kim informed the Secretary to remove Ashok’s name from the attendance roster. The Secretary acknowledged this.
    • Motion for approval by J. Durocher
    • Seconded by R. Hallock
    • Approved by voice vote
  5. Remarks by the Senate Chair
    • The Chair said today is her last meeting as Chair. She said it was a journey to get here, a pleasant one. By chance, we appointed a new Chancellor and Provost during her term.
    • She encouraged faculty to serve on the Senate, emphasizing that it’s more than just a line on a resume – it’s about leadership.
    • She thanked Senators and the administration for their cooperative and smooth working relationship.
    • She is honored that her college elected her to remain in the Senate.
    • She said it was a privilege and an honor to serve. She concluded her remarks, stating that she is leaving the Senate in excellent hands with D. Kozel and J. Ivy.
  6. Remarks by the Chancellor
    • Academic and Athletic Achievements
      1. Chancellor Holford thanked the Chair and the Senate.
      2. He thanked Spoljoric, Kozel, and the Executive Committee for their work during a dynamic and spectacular year.
      3. He thanked the Senate from the previous year, who worked toward making this year more fluid and manageable.
      4. Computer Science hackers competed at Yale, finishing third out of 100 universities.
      5. Multiple athletic teams made it to national and regional tournaments.
        1. Tennis team
        2. E-sports finished in the top 12 nationally
        3. The men’s hockey team finished in the top 16 nationally
      6. Records were set in faculty scholarship, producing manuscripts, books, sponsored research activity, and publications.
    • Fundraising and Community Engagement
      1. He thanked those who contributed during the Day of Giving event, which raised over $2M from over 3,100 participants, nearly a 50% increase from previous years.
      2. HTM hosted a phenomenal Food and Beverage Festival, with such high attendance that additional classrooms had to be opened to accommodate.
      3. This year’s Nurse Pinning Ceremony was a hit.
    • Campus Development
      1. Exciting day on April 17. Groundbreaking for new dorm, Calumet Falls. There is anticipation that the dorm will be populated to capacity immediately upon opening.
      2. Alejandra Castillo will share information related to Robert’s Impact Lab and Quantum Space. Renovations will take place over the summer. Grand opening by the fall.
      3. Next year will be ten years since PNW began.
    • Upcoming Events
      1. Next week, we will host a meeting with the Indiana Commission for Higher Education
      2. PNW will present on key initiatives aimed at connecting and exciting youth beginning in kindergarten with the Cub to Lion Campaign, which continues to support students once they arrive on campus.
      3. Tomorrow morning is commencement. Seven hundred eighty grads walking. 950 grads total. Look forward to seeing everyone there.
    • Financial and Administrative Updates
      1. Sent out a letter earlier detailing our merit pool of a one-time 2% lump. He clarified that this is contingent on approval by the BOT.
      2. Reducing costs to become more efficient.
      3. Reduced admin assistants in other areas. Working toward more efficiency in administrative operations. Two positions are being consolidated into one.
  1. Remarks by the Provost/VCAA
    • Academic Leadership and Achievements
      1. Provost Mora thanked the Senate.
      2. She thanked Chair Spoljoric for her work during the academic year. She said she values the leadership of the Senate and looks forward to working with the incoming Chair.
      3. CES Dean will represent the college tomorrow at commencement.
      4. Retention efforts, including FYE, are showing positive impacts.
        1. The first-time freshman retention rate was 65.95% last year. This year, 72.36%. She emphasized that student retention is everyone’s work.
        2. Lindsay S. in student advising.
  • Student Support Services
    1. Over 60 students visited the tutoring center for walk-ins during finals.
    2. 543 final exams held in the testing center under Jan Gonzalez.
    3. HLC good news – efficiency argument was well received.
  • Upcoming Focus Areas
    1. Working on post-tenure review this Academic Year as required by Senate Enrolled Act 202 and Purdue University Interim Standard S4. This was also mentioned at the faculty convocation. Need to include written feedback. Will be meeting with Senate Leadership next week to begin rolling out this process.
    2. The Center for Faculty Excellence provided great work regarding AI. They are developing guidelines on incorporating AI into the classroom. Distributing a sheet to assess faculty use of AI.
    3. She said she looks forward to seeing everyone at commencement. This will be the Provost’s first spring commencement. She said students love when faculty are in attendance.
  1. SGA Report (Chloe Belford)
    • Chloe Belford, as the outgoing Student Government president, highlighted the following initiatives from the past academic year:
    • Campus Improvements:
      1. Improved campus lighting
      2. Free charging stations
      3. Extended facility hours in the library and fitness center
      4. Graphing calculator rentals (now available in the library and the testing center.
    • Student Engagement:
      1. Conducted a mental health day survey with over 800 student participants
      2. Operated SGA snack cart during dead week and at student events
      3. Introduced pre-packaged Halal options in the cafeteria
      4. Created a pollinator garden
    • Leadership Transition:
      1. Belford said she is graduating tomorrow and introduced Molly Bowler as the 2025-2026 Student Body President.
  1. Unfinished Business
    • Unoccupied Senate Seats
      1. Durocher reported on Senate seat status for various colleges:
        1. Confirmed Continuing Members:
          1. CHESS: S. White continuing
          2. College of Technology: M. Fathizadeh and A. Alavizadeh will continue.
          3. Biology, Math and Statistics: H. Naji and G. Aryal continuing
          4. SOEC: M. Walski
          5. Mechanical Engineering: T. Kim is continuing for two more years
        2. Pending Confirmation:
          1. College of Business: Vote was recent, awaiting final confirmation
          2. Computer Science: Status unknown
  • Gen Ed Survey Results
    1. Tobin presented the Gen Ed survey results, which showed overwhelmingly positive feedback from faculty. The survey, with 76-77 respondents, focused on understanding general education goals and standards. Key findings included strong support for Gen Ed promoting intellectual growth, providing breadth of knowledge across disciplines, and developing foundational knowledge for major coursework. The committee is now challenged with incorporating these insights into new Gen Ed requirements. They are examining competencies outlined in Indiana College Core guidance, which includes foundational skills like written communication, quantitative reasoning, and ways of knowing across scientific, humanistic, and social domains. Tobin noted that while the survey results were very positive, the committee is carefully considering how to translate this feedback into practical curriculum changes. They are also consulting external resources like NACE (National Association for Colleges and Employers) and AAC&U (American Association of Colleges and Universities) reports on employer expectations, which emphasize skills like problem-solving, teamwork, communication, and initiative. The timeline involves meeting soon to draft proposals, consulting with advisors over the summer, and aiming to have a proposal ready for the Senate by September, with the goal of implementing changes in the following academic year.
    2. Conversation to be continued into the fall. Developing strong written communication skills and initiative is necessary.
    3. The NACE survey was last conducted in 2023, and the AAC&U in 2021.
    4. Transfers should be fairly seamless into our programs.
  1. New Business:
    • Curriculum Documents Approval
      1. Artz stated that there are seven proposals up for approval today. He said the Health Communication minor is going inactive with a revision coming in the fall.
      2. Motion for approval by L. Artz
      3. Seconded by W. He
      4. Approved by voice vote
  1. For Action:
    • FSD 24-05 Changes to Senate First-Year Experience Docs
      1. Motion for approval by K. Tobin
      2. Seconded by D. Kozel
      3. Approved by voice vote
    • FSD 24-07 Resolution on Grade Deadlines
      1. Motion for approval by A. Kratovil-Mailhiot
      2. Seconded by R. Hallock
      3. Approved by voice vote
    • FSD 24-08 Process for Changing Academic Organizational Structures
      1. Durocher requested a friendly amendment to the language to include the word “revised” to replace “new” before “proposal.”
      2. Kozel also said to remove the “draft” watermark.
      3. The Provost said they would make the requested changes.
      4. Provost Mora thanked the Senate for their collaboration on the document, adding that it is an exemplification of shared governance.
      5. The Parliamentarian said this document has been in the works for over a year, noting that, in its early stages, it was largely under the purview of the Educational Policy Committee. His remarks highlighted the lengthy and collaborative nature of the document’s creation, emphasizing the committee’s significant involvement in shaping the procedure.
        1. Motion for approval by T. Liu
        2. Seconded by D. Kozel
        3. Approved by voice vote
      6. Discussion Items:
        • FSD 24-09_Honor Code and Honor Pledge
          1. Dolen presented FSD 24-09 as a resolution for the PNW Honor Code and Honor Pledge, developed by the university-wide academic integrity task force in collaboration with Student Affairs and Student Government. The document aims to establish a culture of academic integrity on campus. Currently in the discussion phase, it is not yet up for approval, but will be voted on in the August meeting. The goal is to create signage and classroom displays, ensuring precise wording before final production. Senators are encouraged to review the document, provide feedback, and help refine the honor code to support students effectively.
  1. Summary for AY 24-25 & Reports from Senate Standing Committee Chairs
    • Curriculum (Lee Artz)
      1. Artz said the committee has eight proposals today.
      2. He addressed a concern about prerequisites that request a D- as passing. He stated that, as a prerequisite, this is not acceptable, and the committee will return them, requesting that a C be the minimum passing grade.
      3. Tobin said the Indiana Core Curriculum guidance requires a C average for the Gen Ed Core. This speaks to the Strategic Plan. This will be an issue for Gen Ed if a D- is acceptable.
        R. Kramer said it would eliminate confusion. There have been issues with getting students to the right place at the right time. He supported the request to change the minimum grade.
      4. The Vice-Chair said if the required minimum is a C, it would raise the average. In Engineering, they have examined this from both perspectives. He said if the minimum average is a C, it could create a bottleneck with students stuck in the program. It could create unforeseen difficulty.
      5. Kim said he agrees with Kozel, adding that it depends on the department.
      6. Ludwig-Beymer asked for the operational definition of a prerequisite. In CON, they require this to be a C, as it is foundational information.
      7. Artz stated that many of these proposals were submitted without consulting the affected departments, even when the proposal acknowledged that another department would be impacted. They will discuss this today, and it will be on the agenda for September.
      8. The Chair said CON has a minimum of C, 78%, which is a higher standard than other units.
      9. The Parliamentarian said the Math department discussed this and was overwhelmingly opposed to having a D- count for anything.
      10. Durocher asked if there could be a list of Curriculum Committee chairs by department. He said this would help coordinate discussions such as these.
    • Faculty Affairs (Rob Hallock)
      1. Hallock said the annual survey of admins and Senate Leadership closed a moment ago. 125 faculty responded.
      2. He will compile and disseminate the results to the designated parties.
      3. Revision of P&T guidelines for clinical faculty and post-tenure review component.
      4. Nalbone requested that the committee consider doing reviews of clinical faculty as they are considering promotion. We do this for tenure-track faculty, and it seems that clinical faculty might be at a disadvantage getting promoted on the clinical track if they do not have those annual reviews.
      5. Provost Mora said to keep in mind, while considering an update to the guidelines, that we are hiring an increasing number of professors of practice who will also need clear guidelines.
    • Gen Ed & Assessment (Kathy Tobin)
      1. Tobin reported on the Gen Ed committee’s progress, highlighting the recently approved First Year Experience (FYE) document and its implementation in fall courses. She noted ongoing work with Becky Stankowski on course assessment, mentioning a transition from Taskstream to a new program called Planning and Self-Study.
      2. Saylor said the Experiential Learning Committee is developing a process for adding and removing EXL courses in Curriculog.
      3. They are working on an assessment for these courses in the fall and spring, starting with the College of Engineering and Sciences, College of Technology, and College of Nursing in the fall, with COB and CHESS to follow in the spring. They will send more information at the beginning of next year. They are working with A. Minx and J. Williams to develop those courses and will reach out to Gen Ed for consultation as well.
      4. Hoping to have a proposal in early fall for a revised Gen Ed program.
      5. Gen Ed. courses are a continual process. She thanked Amlan for his work on the committee. She said he was in close contact with various departments to obtain information for Taskstream.
    • Nominations, Elections, & Awards (John Durocher)
      1. Durocher said the Faculty Senate representative for Strategic Implementation has been filled by P. Ludwig-Beymer.
      2. Development of criteria for Outstanding Teacher Award, Non-Tenure-Track, has been initiated.
      3. The awards process included a two-page brief. The section listing the courses in the previous six semesters was moved to the appendix. Another section containing a statement from the nominator, including why the nominee warrants the award, was moved from the appendix to the body.
      4. Reduced the number of required syllabi uploads from the previous six semesters to something more manageable.
    • Ed Policy (Yun (Tom) Liu)
      1. Liu thanked his colleagues on and off the committee for their ongoing collaboration.
      2. The committee worked on a resolution to SB 8 and the documents approved today.
      3. He said he is very proud of the committee for its handling of issues and challenges.
      4. The committee will be working today to determine the chair for the next academic year.
    • Student Affairs (Jim Dolen)
      1. Dolen said they will continue to seek feedback on the honor code over the summer
      2. Academic Integrity has two active appeals and three pending, adding that S. Batistatos did a great job.
      3. The Student of the Month Committee’s duties have concluded for the semester. He thanked them for their work throughout the year, selecting four students out of 18 nominations for Student of the Month Awards.
      4. The committee has discussed the National College Health Assessment and the need for student wellness support.
      5. He thanked J. Ivy for her work as Chair over the last year.
  1. West Lafayette Report (Joe Coates)
    • Coates said PUWL held their last meeting of the year.
    • The outgoing chair said, in 2015, 60% trusted colleges and universities; polling data indicated it is now 33%.
    • Positive impact items include hiring and retention.
    • No cuts made under PUWL control.
    • Launching in 2025, the Bridge Funding Program will maintain continuity following any disruptions in federal funding.
    • Student visa status changes according to gov’t databases. PUWL will take a proactive approach to these changes.
    • AI literacy will be required for future students. PUWL LibGuide provides an overview of AI knowledge.
    • Ed Policy discussed operations in Indianapolis, the nature of AI use and need for regulations, and updated academic withdrawal language.
    • Possible name changes for EDI committee.
    • FAC assessing changes in P&T
    • Nominations committee evaluating equitable representation and task assignment.
    • Parking regulations and appeals.
    • How Purdue Indianapolis fits in the Purdue system.
      1. Discussed how programs will work, who will commute.
      2. Writing center, disability services, library, etc., paying IU to cover those expenses.
    • The Chair said changing from Zoom to Teams should be looked into. Coates said using Teams for classes is difficult. Positive response to using Teams for their phone system.
  2. IFC Report (Geoffrey Barrow)
    • No report
  3. DEIJB Committee (Pam Saylor)
    • Saylor said she resigned on April 30, as did two committee members. One member remains on the committee.
    • Morrow said K. Kincaid is still on the committee as co-chair.
    • The Chair said we should continue to work on this while waiting to hear PUWL’s response. She said Exec will need to discuss this in the future.
  4. Budget Subcommittee (Gokarna Aryal)
    • Aryal said there is no official report. They met the other day to discuss merit increases and concerns about whether there will be an equity evaluation.
    • Agenda item to develop a uniform rate for summer teaching.
      1. Kozel said faculty were paid 11% salary for summer teaching, and they expect to revisit that.
      2. The equity study was to be conducted by the university. This is no longer the case. If interested, faculty can request their Dean to obtain the information from the Provost.
    • The previous meeting was to bring everyone up to speed, as some members are on S. Turner’s committee.
  5. Open discussion (as time permits)
    • The Chair provided closing remarks.
      1. She said everything we do as a team has resulted in good ideas. She would like to see the Senate continue to invite guests to meetings to familiarize Senators with various departments.
      2. Budget information should be ongoing.
      3. The Senate should continue to split meetings between Hammond and Westville.
      4. Open communication has been positive and should continue.
    • Ludwig-Beymer said, for the last five years, she has served on a grad committee. They are making changes to the structure of graduate education at WL. Responsibilities are returning to the branch campuses. J. Colwell is creating a structure to address graduate education. Grad courses typically don’t come through the Senate.
    • Morrow said she would like to speak on two topics.
      1. She addressed the issue of student rights regarding detention and deportation, noting recent legal confusion and increased anxiety among students due to conflicting executive orders and court rulings. She urged the Faculty Senate to encourage university administration to use diverse media to regularly remind students about Purdue’s policies concerning ICE agents on campus and to refer students to up-to-date resources on their rights and available legal services.
      2. Colette discussed the growing threat of federal investigations into universities, which she argued could undermine academic freedom and institutional autonomy. She referenced resolutions passed by faculty at other Big Ten universities to form a mutual academic defense compact and urged the Senate to consider adopting a similar resolution or joining advocacy efforts coordinated by national higher education associations. She emphasized the importance of proactive support for academic freedom and institutional independence in the face of increasing external pressures.
    • Coates said the PUWL Senate voted not to join the Rutgers compact due to legal issues.
    • Artz said it seems that it would be appropriate for this body to adopt a resolution supporting academic freedom and free speech. The Chair agreed and said we all have a voice. This will likely be assigned to FAC.
    • IU created a compact document but did not include information on finances.
    • The Chair said things are changing rapidly, and faculty should stay keen.
    • Coates solicited donations of retiring faculty materials.
    • Kramer asked whether anything had been done to help expand access to various journal documents, noting that sometimes faculty can find a document but are unable to download it unless they are on the West Lafayette campus. J. Coates explained that the library has acquired around 200 additional databases over the past ten years and has partnered with West Lafayette for some resources. He acknowledged ongoing access issues, such as problems with off-campus logins and IP addresses that sometimes route through Illinois, which can block access. Coates said the library is working on these technical issues, planning new training sessions in partnership with the Center for Faculty Excellence, and cleaning up the catalog to remove outdated or inaccessible items. He encouraged faculty to reach out to the library for help and mentioned that a video or guide on journal access would be created.
    • Kim asked if the library accepts book donations. It was confirmed that they do.
    • Saylor asked if the Westville Library would be open for the summer. It was confirmed that it would be open for the summer.
    • The Chair wished everyone a great summer.
  6. Adjournment
    • Meeting adjourned at 11:55 AM