Faculty Senate Meeting Recap | August 27, 2025

The full Faculty Senate met on Wednesday, August 27, with President Wente, Interim Provost Newton, and several deans and senior administrators in attendance.

Over the summer, the Senate Executive Committee engaged with several key University matters, including the leadership transition in the Provost’s Office and the sunsetting of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion. At the August meeting, senators discussed these changes. Student-facing programs previously housed in ODI will transition to the Office of Campus Life, and the Senate will continue working with the University to further our commitment to providing services that respect the dignity of all members of our community and that our student-facing entities remain active.

Senators also received an update on the search for the next Provost. While a search firm had not yet been selected, once one is in place, a search committee will be formed and opportunities for faculty input will follow.

President Wente has offered to facilitate faculty discussions on two pressing issues that have been of significant concern to many faculty members: the planned expansion of undergraduate enrollment and the impact of athletics spending on the University’s finances. Planning for those meetings is underway, and details will be shared soon.

The Senate continues to monitor and respond to broader external developments as well, including recent changes to federal student aid. Of particular note is the elimination of the Grad PLUS program for new students beginning in July 2026. Julia Jackson-Newsom, Associate Vice President, has been working on behalf of the Strategy Steering Committee to advocate for the university’s interests in these matters, and the committee will invite up to two Senate members to join this work. More information will be reported at the next Faculty Senate meeting. You can find more details, including committee reports and ongoing initiatives, in the full Senate minutes. The next Faculty Senate meeting will be held on Wednesday, September 17, 2025. As always, meetings are open to all members of the faculty. Please join us to learn more about the Senate’s work and important issues facing our University.