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Kentucky State University

Faculty Senate Meeting

February 4, 2022

Minutes submitted by Danny Collum, Senate Secretary

With quorum, 9:03 a.m.

Approved unanimously as submitted.

Two amendments were required for minutes from December 3, 2021. In the University College report, it should say that “900 students remained eligible” for pre-registration, and Joy Cole needed to be added to the “Guest” attendance. Minutes were approved unanimously with these amendments.

President Clay stated that it is imperative that positive news about Kentucky State University get out to the community in this time of financial crisis.

He reminded senators of the phone number (855-598-2246) and email address ( covid19@kysu.edu) for COVID 19 information.

President Clay reported that in his weekly meeting with Provost Hamilton, the provost urged faculty to attend upcoming assemblies and reminded us that modality of course delivery needs to stay consistent.

The Faculty Senate Executive Committee discussed the impact of COVID, returned action items, getting all Senate business on Teams, and areas that will need addressing in the near future.

President Clay will meet with Acting President Stamps and SGA President Jason Robinson soon.

Applications for degree are due February 4, 2022.

April 12-14 regents will be attending a national conference on trusteeship. All Board of Regents position are filled. Edward Fields is representing staff, and Governor Beshear has appointed Dr. Gerald Patton, a KSU alumnus now retired after a distinguished career in academia. January 13 the board met with the House Budget Review Committee of the legislature. They reviewed HB 250, the bill for KSU's $23 million in emergency funding. The legislators seemed very supportive. HB 250 would make the $23 million a loan, which will require significant oversight.

and eventual repayment, but with possible forgiveness if all conditions are met. We should hear something about fate of HB 250 soon.

Yesterday the board held a special called meeting. They heard an update on budget issues to look at between now and June 30. Also at that meeting, Roger Reynolds was chosen as board secretary and Paul Harnice became vice-chair. New Chief Financial Officer Gerald Shields will serve as board treasurer. The board heard an update on the presidential search from Travis Powell. The job description is out there. There are about 30 applications so far. The next step begins March 29.

Regarding the Management Improvement Plan from CPE, many of the things CPE wants from us on finances are now being done. We are now working to find $7 million that will need to be cut for the Fiscal Year 2023 budget. This amount represents the structural deficit that KSU has been running.

Greg Rush of the CPE gave a presentation on this in which he put forward one possible scenario for cutting this $7 million: This included salary reductions, elimination of faculty and staff positions and enlarged class sizes. Rush and Board Chair Farris stressed that these are only proposals. Nothing has been decided and there will be opportunity for input from throughout the university before decisions are made.

The floor was opened for questions for Regent Walston, and a senator stated that all six current candidates for tenure and promotion had just received a letter from the acting president stating that this year's tenure and promotion process was suspended until further notice. This suspension came on the last day for the president to act on this year's applications. The senator asked if the Board of Regents knew about this action or had approved it.

Regent Walston answered that this did not come up in the Board of Regents.

All faculty teaching general education courses should have an assessment plan for the course and carry it out. Contact him if you have questions about this.

His office is working on a grant for faculty training through ACUE. NC SARA is an organization that allows us to offer online courses nationally. KSU has been approved for that status. We are looking to expand graduate education online. This will involve moving from the 16-week semester to 8-week terms.

Tuesday-Thursday trainings and walk-in Wednesdays will resume soon.

Thorobred Learning Center is now moved to University College in ASB 406. It is offering interventions at weeks two - 10 for entry-level math, Spanish and other courses. Academic coaching is also available. Send students in need of this to her. TLC is working on offering test prep for graduate school entry exams (i.e. LSAT, MCAT, GMAT, etc.).

The best mask is the one you will wear. It needs a bridge piece to push down over the nose. N95 and KN95 masks are best. There are some free masks being given out at Kroger, Meier and other chain pharmacies. Returning students were tested at move-in. Positivity was 2.2 percent. Known student vaccination is 66 percent. So far this semester there have been 28 student cases and 18 staff cases. Everything is virtual except classes. No spectators at sporting events. Only 40 percent of staff have uploaded vaccination status through ADP. The federal mandate is now lifted for this by a Supreme Court decision, but it should be done for data purposes. Go to the ADP website, or contact humanresources@kysu.edu

Regarding class excuses, Student Engagement has lost its assistant, so excuses will come from Destini Baker. Nurse Todd will notify us when our student has a positive test.

A senator asked about visitors on campus, high school groups, etc.

This will probably become possible later in the semester, Nurse Todd said. As of now admissions is touring family groups.

A senator asked about cleaning supplies.

Requests should go to Issac.Yett@kysu.edu

Nurse Todd noted that students who refuse to mask should be removed from class and reported to Charles Holloway in University College.

Career Fair February 23 will be a virtual event. KSU currently has 11 students enrolled in a program with the Medpro company that ends with a visit to corporate headquarters. Students get a certificate and $500 upon completion. Career Services is working on getting students involved in the Grow with Google certification program and is looking for ways for students to get credit for intern experiences. Our students leave a positive impression with employers every time they get the chance.

A report was submitted by Dr. Margery Coulson-Clark and read, in her absence, by President Clay. Faculty are urged to take attendance. Please have a minimum of TBA or Staff classes in student schedules when Fall 2022 pre-registration begins. We should expect 600 freshmen in Fall 2022.

Spring semester opening session had 217 participants. Thanks to all faculty members who helped make that happen, especially Professors Grimes, Griffiths, Freeman-Taylor and Wicker.

For the Management Improvement Plan, academic affairs has met with CPE on course offerings and faculty productivity. He’s developing at team to redesign teacher preparation in the education division. We are working to become more efficient in closing low or no enrollment

sections. 99 were closed for spring semester. SB 270 in the legislature now will provide support for KSU's partnership with Simmons College in the West Louisville Project. Upcoming assemblies—Atwood Day and Honors Convocation—will be virtual. All faculty should attend. The provost is encouraging our faculty to use dual credit classes as an opportunity for recruitment for KSU. Our presence in the high schools is important. Work is underway for Fall 2022 pre-registration. We need to get everyone registered before leaving for the summer. All of us should help get positive news about KSU out into the community. Nursing and business are in accreditation processes. Please note KSU Day at the Capitol February 10 and the fish fry for legislators February 24. Finally, Provost Hamilton addressed the suspension of the tenure and promotion process that was previously mentioned by a senator. He said that this suspension was in keeping with the executive order from the governor to get the university's finances in order. All applications will be held on file and the process will be resumed when the financial outlook is better. Faculty Senate Committee Reports Academic Policy Committee – Kristopher Grimes At its last meeting, APC reviewed the results of the four-day class schedule survey. The committee's top priority this semester will be an attendance policy that will apply to in-person and online (synchronous and asynchronous) classes. There are federal requirements regarding attendance policies and we need to have a clear policy and follow it. Curriculum Committee – Changzheng Wang The committee had no proposals and so did not meet. Professional Concerns Committee – Gary Stratton An action item will be coming soon regarding conduct of faculty elections. The committee is also looking at policy on contact hours vs. credit hours and the failure to implement an earlier action item on that subject that was officially approved all the way up, including by the past president. The committee is collecting information on mission-critical faculty positions that are vacant and need to be filled regardless of hiring freeze. The next meeting will take up the issue of the suspension of tenure and promotion and consider a faculty response. Regarding the contact hours-credit hours Handbook amendment, Dr. Clay said that he will take that up in his next meeting with Provost Hamilton. Budget and Academic Support Committee – Jennifer Ballard-Kang

Next Friday, the committee will meet with the university’s new CFO, Gerald Shields. At this point in the meeting, Senator Ballard-Kang shared the slide from Greg Rush’s presentation to the Board of Regents that put forward potential ways to save $7 million from the 2023 budget:

All faculty were encouraged to submit ideas about these proposals, or alternative ideas for cutting the budget, to her or any BASC member so these can be taken up with Vice-President Shields.

Regent Walston noted that all faculty input on these issues should get in right away since the Board of Regents meets again in March.

BASC is continuing work on getting course fees back into academic units and conducting a grants training workshop this semester.

Several senators and guests expressed strong concern about the proposals for budget cuts.

Concerned comments were also heard on the tenure and promotion suspension. A senator who was a candidate for tenure and promotion reported that the process had run on schedule from unit committees to chairs and deans to the university committee to the provost. When the process reached the acting president on schedule, she notified candidates that she would be taking the full time allowed to consider the applications. Then on February 1, 2022, the last day for her to act, she sent a letter to all candidates announcing that the process was suspended.

Meeting ended 11:55 a.m.

Senators

Absent: Keith McCutchen