Information items: Report on the faculty salary review. A consultant report was given to the board that showed KSU faculty salaries significantly below peer institutions, including HBCUs of similar size, other public liberal arts colleges and other Kentucky institutions. President Brown was noncommittal on what action might be taken on this report. Enrollment this semester is up over spring 2020. Provost search has 39 candidates. We will get a chance to meet finalists in April. The current balance sheet shows the university with income of $41 million and expenses of $34 million. 718 students are in residence—either on campus or in the hotels. The performance funding legislation currently moving through the legislature is more favorable to KSU than was the previous version. The University is undertaking a fundraising campaign for scholarships with suggested donation amounts being asked, according to category—students, faculty, regents, staff, etc.

A senator asked if updates to the Faculty Handbook incorporating Senate actions from last year were taken up. Regent Moffett reported that it did not come up. The senator noted that he was especially concerned about a revision on teaching loads for science faculty that has not been implemented yet.

A senator asked if there is anything else we can do about the faculty salaries issue. Regent Moffett reported that President Brown was nervous about making an investment in faculty salaries. To fully implement the consultant’s report would cost $6 million, but the university’s financial situation is currently good on every front. Regent Moffett said we need to keep advocating for the increases at every opportunity. Another senator asked if we can implement Faculty Handbook revisions that have been signed by the president if the Board has not approved them yet. Regent Moffett said he would ask the Board of Regents chair about that.