Senator Collum offered a friendly amendment to remove reference to Dr. Thompson from the text and replace that with a statement that the last search committee “refused to put the faculty’s favored candidate on the list of finalists, in defiance of a full-faculty resolution.” The Senate voted with 14 supporting the amendment, no votes against it and no abstentions. The Senate then moved to a vote on the amended resolution. The resolution passed with 16 votes for it, none against and no abstentions.
Budget and Academic Support Committee report [5 minute time limit]
Committee Chair Jennifer Ballard-Kang reported that a recording of BASC's meeting with VP Greg Rush is in the committee's folder on Microsoft Teams. Mr. Rush said he would be willing to come before the entire Senate when the investigation of the school's finances is complete. He wants to work with BASC on the 2022 budget. He also said that the indirect cost recovery on grants would be suspended for this year.
BASC is going to prepare a report on the percentage of spending devoted to instruction by KSU compared to its peer institutions.
The poll of faculty on adding a plus or minus grading option was 42 for the change and 41 against it.
Senator Ballard-Kang also reported that she is working on getting course fees directed to the relevant academic unit instead of being swallowed by the general fund.
Senator Collum, a BASC member, pointed that Mr. Rush told us that KSU had already taken its fourth quarter payment from the state in advance in order to meet payroll and pay bills, and that is the reason for the media reports that we will run out of money by April. Mr. Rush also told the committee that, as of that time, no personal corruption had been found in the investigation of KSU finances.
Dr. Mara Merlino noted that the suspension of indirect cost recovery will be a disincentive for grantwriting. She understands the crisis, but this really pulls the rug out from under faculty who have worked to bring money into KSU.
Senator Ballard-Kang acknowledged that it had to be one of our priorities to get that reinstated as soon as possible.
Senator Hannemann commented that BASC should talk to VP Rush about going to zero-based budgeting, at least for the next couple of years.
Senator Lucas asked if this news about grants meant that the travel and professional development portions of grants were also frozen?
Senator Ballard-Kang replied that Indirect Cost Recovery was all that was discussed in the committee meeting.
Senator Obielodan noted that in the two years he served as chair of his unit, he never received a budget.
Dr. Schneller clarified that grant-funded travel and Title III professional development travel are not affected by the freeze on travel expenses.
Other Business [10 minute time limit]
There was no other business.
Adjournment
The Senate adjourned at 10:45.