Academic Affairs is working on scheduling for the fall. We must make assumptions about more face-to-face instruction. The university is working on five classrooms that will be models for face-to-face instruction in the pandemic. They will be equipped with plexiglass and with cameras and sound to allow in-class participation by remote students. The interim provost is also assuming that enrollment will remain steady. So academic units should schedule and staff accordingly. We are getting scheduling software that will make this process easier for all concerned.

Senator Leigh Whittinghill is stepping down as Senate Parliamentarian. President Clay called for nominations to replace her, but none were forthcoming. The Executive Committee will make nominations, and a new Parliamentarian will be elected at the next Senate meeting.

APC is dealing with a number of policy documents from Academic Affairs. One concerning faculty credentials said that every faculty member had to have 18 graduate hours in the subject being taught. APC sent this back to Academic Affairs with questions and suggestions about adjacent disciplines, such as agriculture or nutrition and biology and about qualifications other than graduate transcripts, such as professional experience that SACS recognizes as qualifying faculty to teach. Another policy document deals with memoranda of understanding (MOUs) for cooperation with other institutions. The document spells out protocols and procedures for MOUs. APC had some questions about this, too. The committee asked to see the templates referred to in the document and asked whether we have followed these procedures with the dual credit high schools. Another Academic Affairs document dealt with Student Learning Assessment. APC asked for revision to hold deans and chairs accountable for assessment and to see the “manual” referenced in the document.

At the next meeting, APC will review the five-year academic calendar. Senator Gyawali also noted that the action item stating the end of emergency Pass/Fail measures, which was supposed to be announced by March 6, had not been implemented as of March 5.

Senator Wang brought a number of action items approved by the Curriculum Committee. The Whitney Young Honors Collegium has proposed a sequence of four leadership classes (CC action items 19-22) that can become a minor or certificate program. Dr. Erin Gilliam reports that students are lined up to take these. The classes will be open to all students, not just honors students. The classes will be taught by Whitney Young faculty and Dr. Malone of University College. The proposals for all four of these courses were approved without opposition.

Action item 23 would delete a biology class from the catalog. This class had been cross-listed as AQU and BIO. This started before KSU had an aquaculture program. The class is not required for the biology program. Students who want the class can still take the AQU class and have it count as a biology elective.

Action item 24 involves Curriculum Committee forms for course and program proposals. The new forms require a dean signature on proposals and the signature of a program