Editor’s Note: Amy Barkley, executive assistant to the CSU Faculty Council, wrote this article for SOURCE on key reports and discussion items at the May Faculty Council meeting. It is published here on behalf of the Faculty Council Executive Leadership. Details of the reports and presentations referenced below are available in the meeting minutes on the Faculty Council website once they are approved at the September meeting.
Faculty Council met in a hybrid format over Teams and in TILT for its final meeting of the 2022-23 academic year on May 2. Members heard a budget update from Vice President for University Operations Brendan Hanlon, progress reports on various Provost Office initiatives, and the final chair report from Chair Sue Doe.
Budget update
Hanlon presented some budget updates to Faculty Council members ahead of the May 4-5 Board of Governors meeting. Hanlon said this is the fifth iteration of the incremental budget for 2023-24. This proposed version of the budget includes changes to the projected deficit amount, the 11.4% increase in state appropriations, and the increases for faculty and staff compensation. Hanlon also directed attention to the proposed tuition increase of 4% for undergraduate students and 3% for graduate students, and he went over the reallocation numbers. Hanlon briefly discussed conversations around adopting a new budget model and indicated that those conversations are ongoing.
Questions and comments from Faculty Council members centered around faculty and staff compensation and the equity around that issue. Members asked about the 5% raise pool, how the decision was made for the merit/equity split and what conversations will be had around that. Other members discussed the possibility of utilizing the equity portion to address teaching loads. Hanlon indicated that conversations are ongoing with the Committee on Strategic and Financial Planning, as well as other leadership, to address various equity issues across campus.
Final chair report
The May Faculty Council meeting marked the final meeting under Doe’s leadership. Doe has moved into her new position as the executive director of The Institute for Learning and Teaching. Melinda Smith, current vice chair, will be moving into the position of chair of Faculty Council beginning on July 1.
Doe expressed appreciation for everyone’s support and work through a difficult time. She said that she was elected just before the pandemic sent everyone home, and Faculty Council has continued to work through the pandemic, social unrest, athletic scandal, and a restructuring of the upper administration. Doe expressed pride in Faculty Council and its insistence that shared governance be a priority at Colorado State University.
Updates on Provost Office initiatives
Interim Provost Janice Nerger presented several updates from the Provost’s Office around a few initiatives and projects. Nerger provided updates on current and recently completed searches, four of which have been completed and the positions filled: Interim Vice Provost for Undergraduate Affairs Tom Siller; Vice Provost for Graduate Affairs and Graduate School Dean Colleen Webb; University Honors Program Director Shawn Bingham; and Doe as TILT executive director. The fifth search, for the dean of the Walter Scott, Jr. College of Engineering, is underway and close to completion.
Nerger discussed the student success initiatives, which, among other parameters, are focusing on the retention of students from one fall to the next. Overall spring retention was at 94%, after losing 6% of first-year students enrolled last fall. She also discussed the importance of looking at graduation rates and admissions to make sure students are receiving the support they need. Nerger also gave an update on the Academic Master Plan, where some of the first-year initiatives are in progress. CSU is also engaging in a partnership with Adams State for a post-doc program, as well as working to get the Associate in General Studies launched. Additionally, Nerger provided updates on progress with AUCC 1C. Next steps for AUCC 1C include securing funding and determining a process for moving courses through the curriculum process. There are also ongoing conversations around employee compensation and retention, pipelines from community colleges, the rural initiative and interdisciplinary degrees.
Other Faculty Council highlights
- Faculty Council leaders announced that the winner of the 2023 Harry Rosenberg Award is Steve Reising. Steve Reising has served Faculty Council in various capacities for over 15 years, most recently as the chair of the Committee on Faculty Governance.
- Andrew Norton has worked with the Board of Governors to have its members attend Faculty Council meetings. Governors Louis Martin, John Fischer and Ray Baker joined the May Faculty Council meeting. The intent is to have board members introduce themselves and provide an opportunity for them to get to know Faculty Council better.
- Faculty Council approved two changes to Manual language in Section C to help strengthen shared governance in the Manual. These revisions are the result of the work of the revitalized Shared Governance Task Force from Fall 2022. The revisions are currently being reviewed by the Office of General Counsel.
- Audra Montoya-Baker, employee housing programs coordinator, visited Faculty Council to provide updates on new programs being offered. Those include a mortgage insurance waiver program, a Housing Partners Program, and expansion of the Employee Hardship Loan to include emergency housing and a larger loan limit. More information can be found on the Housing Programs website.
- Vice Provost for Planning and Effectiveness Laura Jensen provided a brief update on the reaccreditation process. Jensen indicated that the assurance argument and the self-study will be submitted in July. Her team is almost done drafting the criteria and will also be completing the section around federal compliance. The site visit will be in September.
The next Faculty Council meeting will be on Sept. 5. Updates will be provided once a location is determined later this summer. For the schedule of Faculty Council meetings, approved minutes and agendas, lists of members of the Council and its committees and other information, visit the Faculty Council website.
