Meeting Minutes
ACADEMIC SENATE MEETING
MINUTES
February 2, 2026
1. CALL TO ORDER AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
The regular meeting of the Academic Senate, held on February 2, 2026, was called to order at 3:01 pm by Senate President Richard Preiss. The meeting was held using the Zoom online meeting platform. The meeting is recorded only for the purposes of meeting minutes accuracy. Although Senate meetings are not required to be public under Utah law, the Senate has elected to conduct its business in a transparent way and all attendees are welcome.
Present: Rohit Aggarwal, Taslim Al-Hilal, Elizabeth Archuleta, Donna Baluchi, Henry Becker , Ana Sanchez Benet, Cynthia Berg , Christian Brockmann, Timothy Brusseau, Sarah Bush, Doug Christensen, Richard Clark, Katharine Coles, Elisabet Curbelo González, Brigham Daniels , Marla De Jong, Therese De Raedt, Teresa DeAtley, Frank Drews, Jeffrey Druck, Katie Durante, Nina Feng, Pamalatera Fenn, Matthew Flatt, Rick Forster, Leslie Francis, Maggie French, Alborz Ghandehari, Ramesh Goel, Ken Golden, Laura Grantier, Jia-Wen Guo, Rachel Hayes-Harb, Brenda Heaton, Teresa Hebron, Eric Herschthal, David Hill, Shaiban Khan, David Kieda, Peggy Kong, Rebeccah Kurzhals , Hailey Lawrence, Mark Loewen, Lisbeth Louderback, Crystal Lumpkins, Douglas Mackay, Maureen Mathison, Christine McMillan, Lacey Murphy, Thi Nguyen, Michael Nigra, Rodrigo Noriega, Chris Pantelides, Xiaoxia Peng, Wayne Potts, Edward Quigley, Firas Rassoul-Agha, Lynn Reinke, Lorie Richards, Ariel Richer, Thomas Richmond, Marcy Rogers , Yvette Romero Coronado, Alex Rose, Breann Schiffer, Naomi Schlesinger, Sherin Shaaban, Sarah Shreeves, Elizabeth Siantz, Paula Smith, Ginger Smoak, Oleg Starykh, Kathleen Strickland-Cohen, Jason Tanner, Matthew Thiese, Rhet Tucker, David Turok, Norman Waitzman, Roseanne Warren, Ingrid Weinbauer, Rachel Wittman, Kari Woodruff, Julie Wright-Costa, Dave Young
Excused with proxy: Eli Asay, Jace Boyd, Kennon Buss , Ravi Chandran, Sydney Cheek-O’Donnell, Brooke Davies, Sofia Perez, Caroline Stephens, Berkley Wiseman
Excused: Henry Fu, Andy Hong, Jay Mace, Suva Roy, Chris Simon
Absent: Ademuyiwa Aromolaran, Bryan Bonner, Thomas Cheatham, Cameryn Coffey, Mark Crowley, Teppo Felin, Brooke Fernandez, Jon Fisk , Davidson Heath, Jill Jeffe, Sarang Joshi, Sejin Kim, Joshua LaReaux, Kateryna Malaia, Huong Meeks, Curtis Newbold, Juniper Nilsson, Jack O’Leary, Mayette Pahulu, , Bryce Perkins, Mike Scarpulla, Karley Swallow, Robert Wuebker
Ex Officio: Bob Carter, Ashley Glenn, Angie Fagerlin, Mitzi Montoya, Sarah Projansky
Senate Officers: Harriet Hopf, Brent Milne, Paul Mogren, Allyson Mower, Richard Preiss, Jane Laird
Senate Office Staff: Maddie Hile, Bailey Lavallee
Announcements
Senate President Preiss reported that the January 28th Senate Social at the Natural History Museum of Utah was a success, thanking Maddie Hile, Senate Program Coordinator, for planning the event and Senator Lisbeth Louderback for conducting private tours inside the Museum’s collections archives. Preiss also explained that he has initiated a series of conversations with and between the campus store and the Marriott Library to address some issues raised by the anonymous feedback form input, accessed on the Senate website, about Day One Access digital textbook adoption program.
The Senate Advisory Committee on Student, Faculty and Staff Success (SACSFSS) is now the Senate committee that will collect ongoing faculty, staff, and student input on the challenges faced while doing their academic work. As a first step, SACSFSS is co-hosting, with the Office for Faculty, a Faculty Life series. A listening session, with the theme of Quality of Life, is planned for Wednesday, February 4th from 9-10 AM on Zoom.
A state-wide higher education system redesign proposal, authorized by the Utah Board of Higher Education and outlined in House Bill 352, will be discussed by Commissioner Geoff Landward at the March 2 Senate Meeting. Preiss emphasized the importance of attending the meeting and publicizing it among constituents. The Senate President also asked Senators to review President Randall’s response to the September 30 letter submitted by Senate President Preiss and Senate Past-President Harriet Hopf, on behalf of the Senate. He clarified that Utah regulations do not constrain Senate discussions, only formal recommendations. This is aligned with historical university practice–the Senate acting as an advisory body on academic matters. The Senate remains free to debate issues outside of its advisory scope, and it will also follow policy and parliamentary procedures when doing so.
2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Upon a motion from Chrystal Lumpkins, seconded by Mark Loewen, the January 5, 2026, Senate meeting minutes were approved.
3. REQUEST FOR NEW BUSINESS
There were no requests for New Business.
4. CONSENT CALENDAR
Senate President Preiss reviewed and summarized the Consent Calendar items for the meeting:
a. Faculty Reports
b. Policy 6-101 Update
c. Name Change: Department of Family Medicine and Public Health
All Consent Calendar items were approved after a motion from Pamalatera Fenn and a second from Maureen Mathison.
5. REPORTS (ADMINISTRATION; SENATE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE; ASUU; UUSC)
Report from Administration
Substituting for President Randall, Chief of Staff Troy D’Ambrosio reviewed the three main university initiatives sent to for consideration during the current Utah Legislative Session:
• A NVIDIA HPE AI platform for research for the UofU, shared with other universities
• A Utah Population Database upgrade with AI capabilities
• The School of Medicine expansion in Southern Utah
He also summarized ongoing operational preparation and research opportunities for the 2034 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics. Derek Anderson, Vice President of Enterprise Design, briefed the Senate on the Presidential Initiative on Federalism Law and American Governance. He reported that there will be a general call for faculty across campus interested in federalism to participate in shaping the initiative.
EVP for Health Sciences Bob Carter announced recent notable faculty achievements and initiatives, the progress on the search for a Dean of the Medical School, and that the first students at the Southern Utah Medical Campus begin medical studies in Fall 2026. Senators relayed concerns and questions about the UofU medical system ceasing hormonal care for transgender minors, which was announced in a recent Salt Lake Tribune article. Carter explained that required continuity of care procedures are still in place and all other pediatric services remain available. Because of the complex national and state landscape surrounding the issue, he agreed with the Senators that the university’s commitment to research-based decisions should continue to be emphasized when identifying the best path forward.
Provost Mitzi Montoya highlighted campus developments such as naming Pearl Sandick the new College of Science Dean and a renewal of the university’s community-engaged institution designation from the American Council on Education and Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. Phase 1 of the multi-year academic advising restructuring project, implemented in response to a National Institute for Student Success audit of the university which had identified uncoordinated student advising as a primary barrier to timely student degree completion, has been accomplished. Several Senators raised concerns about the perception of a rapid rollout, a process requiring advisor reapplications and compensation changes, elimination of student success coaches serving vulnerable students, potential impacts on graduate advising, and a perceived lack of shared governance and transparency.
Vice Provost Chase Hagood addressed the concerns by giving a full background on the processes employed to support the restructuring of advisor services, which included tiers of consultation with advisor staff. Career readiness and student success advisors are now integrated into the advisor restructure. The majority of current student academic advisors saw a small or moderate increase in compensation, he continued, and conversations with Deans are underway to ensure that graduate students’ academic advisory resources meet their needs after the restructuring. Dean of the Libraries Sarah Shreeves also updated Senators on the forthcoming Marriot Library-led student guided services initiative. The program is aimed at providing personal centralized student navigation for the array of all supportive services; it will be tested Summer 2026 and planned for a Fall 2026 launch.
Report from the Senate Executive Committee
Senate President Preiss and Senate President-elect Milne explained that the Senate Executive Committee met on December 15, 2025, to organize the Senate meeting agenda posted.
Report from ASUU
ASUU President Alex Rose provided an update on ASUU leadership activities and reported on the upcoming ASUU leadership election. He highlighted that a student-led Sustainability Townhall saw over 100 students in attendance.
Report from UUSC
There was not a UUSC report at this meeting
6. INTENT CALENDAR
There were no items on the Intent Calendar.
7. DEBATE CALENDAR
New Program: Financial Technology MS
Department of Finance faculty members Gene Levinzon and Michael Cooper (department chair) presented a proposal for an MS in Financial Technology (FinTech). FinTech is an interdisciplinary field of study that examines how digital technologies transform the operation, design, and societal role of financial systems The MS program builds on the recently approved Graduate Certificate in FinTech and responds to rapidly evolving industry demand for professionals who can bridge the gap between finance and technology. The presenters also offered an overview sheet to further clarify the framework of FinTech education, which includes social, regulatory, and ethical implications. Kate Coles’ motion, after a second from Pamalatera Fenn, to approve the proposal passed. There were 2 abstentions.
New Program: Artificial Intelligence BS
A proposed BS in Artificial Intelligence (AI) from the College of Engineering will train students to develop the underlying technology that powers AI and its ethical and effective use, explained Vivek Srikumar, Co-Chair of BS AI Proposal Committee, and Mary Hall, Director of the Kahlert School of Computing. The presenters summarized its key curriculum elements and support from colleges across the campus. Student and market demand for this expertise continues to grow, and it would be the first AI undergraduate degree program in Utah. An MOU with the Philosophy Department to co-teach a new required course in Ethics in AI is in place. There is also a new course on sustainable computing. Hall added that the School will also create interdisciplinary emphases within the degree over the next two years. The motion from Kate Coles to approve the new program passed after a second from Pamalatera Fenn.
8. INFORMATION AND RECOMMENDATIONS CALENDAR
SPEC Nominations and Elections
Chair of the Senate Personnel and Elections Committee (SPEC) Ken Monson briefed the Senate on the opening of the annual Faculty Committee Interest Survey, along with the upcoming nominations and elections schedules for AY2027 Senate and university committee vacancies. Monson noted the Senate leadership self-nomination deadlines and encouraged senators to recruit engaged, informed colleagues.
BetterU Survey Presentation
A summary of the campus-wide BetterU wellness survey, for faculty and staff, final results and plans to implement institutional actions was presented by Amy Locke, Chief Wellness Officer. This survey looked at the health of the organization rather than focusing on the health of individual faculty and staff. Locke explained that survey results help leaders understand actionable drivers of engagement, belonging, well-being, stress and burnout. Groups are asked to consider what changes could be made at the local department, college, and university levels to improve their experience of working at the University. The Office for Faculty and the Wellness Office are supporting campus action plan implementation, plus website tools are available for data exploration. Discussion included offering possible reasons for lower participation rates from the non-health sciences part of the campus.
Policy 6-100: Sections F-M and Two Rules
Vice Provost for Student Success Chase Hagood, Assistant to the Vice Provost Lindsay Coco, and University Registrar Erin Mason presented proposed revisions to Sections F-M of the Policy 6-100: Instruction and Evaluation, as well as two associated Rule updates. Hagood emphasized that this central policy revision, governing instruction and evaluation, is a result of an iterative, multi-phase consultation process, and the university’s commitment to continue to collect feedback and implement changes that improve the policy until finalized. Policy 6-100 version 4 will be released this month after incorporating feedback.
The presenters summarized the sections of the policy on the agenda and answered Senate members’ questions on course administration, attendance, final assessments, grading and instruction, credit/no credit course deadlines, and incomplete grades. The updated rules addressed were Rule R6-100C (Appeals of Academic Actions) and Rule R6-100E (Content Accommodations for Sincerely Held Religious Beliefs). Discussion focused on instructor discretion on emergency absences and the added faculty load for working under five-day final grading deadlines. Associated with the latter were concerns of ongoing faculty overload and morale, and possible reductions in the quality of academic delivery and assessment. The presenters clarified that faculty pressures are real, and the intent of the Policy 6-100 revisions reviewed are to establish stronger structural footing. Advised by Senate Past President Harriet Hopf, the meeting participants were reminded that the five-day grading deadline, as opposed to a five-business day deadline, was a topic of conscious Senate deliberation in the prior academic year to ensure an appropriate and considered balance between crucial student needs, in financial aid and academic progress advising, and faculty workloads, including the ability to support high quality educational delivery. Hagood affirmed that the next version of the policy revision will incorporate ongoing discussion and feedback for further review.
Information and Reports
Senate President Preiss noted the reports and information items included in the meeting materials:
i. Undergraduate Council Review: Multidisciplinary Design
ii. 7-year Graduate Council Reviews
• Educational Leadership and Policy Review
• Philosophy Review
9. NEW BUSINESS
There were no requests for New Business for this meeting.
10. OPEN DISCUSSION
Senator Kenneth Golden reported that final NSF cuts were reduced from an initial forecast of 60% to 3.5% after successful pushback from the scientific community. Faculty and scientific societies’ advocacy to local and federal legislators made a difference in the outcome, and he wanted to acknowledge that these efforts resulted in successfully changing what appeared to be debilitating cutbacks.
11. ADJOURNMENT
Meeting adjourned at 6:03 pm.