Faculty Senate (2025 – 2026) Meeting Minutes - Draft

Monday, March 9, 2026, 3:30-5:15 pm Woolsey Hall, 110A

Present: 

Allen, Asmatulu, Beck, Billingham, Bowen, Boynton, Butler, Celestin, Chang, Chesser, Cooper, Cossell, Dai, Demissie, Dowling, Dudley, Flores, Griffith, Hakansson, Jamkartanian, Jorn, Kim, Kirby, Koop, Kuhlman, Loibl, Lynch, Ma, Myose, Nelson, Nicks, O’Bryan, Ott, Pulaski, Rani, Ray, Sarionder, Shan, , Showstack, Small, Stone, Swindle, Terry, Tew, Thompson, Vasquez, Williams, Zhu 

Excused: 

NA

Absent: 

Castro, Delacruz, Foster, Gilstrap, Jones, Kreinath, Ma, Price, Proctor, Sherwood, Twomey

Call to Order

  • President Stone at 3:30

Approval of Minutes

  • February 23, 2026 – no comments, approved by consensus.

Informal Statements

  • Senator Myose: Nominations for 2026-28 Faculty Senators is ongoing and will close at 5pm this Friday 13 March. About half of the Senators in this room have terms end this spring.  You can check your term of office in the Senate website.  We appreciate your service and if you would like to continue to serve in the Senate, please make sure to nominate yourself by responding to the call that went out or by sending an e-mail to Myose@Wichita.edu.

President’s Report

  • Workload update and timeline - KBOR supports a more deliberate implementation over time; will continue with revisions from Faculty Affairs committee. See meeting slide deck for more details.
  • FYS Update – several things have arose over time, including rising costs and compensation inequity. The General Education has reviewed the policy and provided a recommendation. See slide deck for more details. Changes will be effective in fall 2026 and will be communicated through Deans.
  • Early Career Scholar award (NTT) - new track been approved; see slide deck.
  • Athletics visit - Clay Stoldt will attend; President Stone will ask President Muma if he can attend. This will be an opportunity to ask questions about the university budget as related to athletics.
  • General Education Bucket 7 – Zach Gearhart joining us today for an update. Briefly, WSU was flagged out of compliance with last year’s proviso. Stacia Boden from General Counsel is unable to make it today. If have time today, can pull up to review today for first read.
  • Comments shared from several senators regarding discussion on university restructuring that is occurring.

Committee Reports

  • None

Old Business

  • None

New Business

  • Gen Ed Bucket 7 Presentation – Zach Gearhart, Chief of Staff and Executive Director of Government Relations
    • Brief overview of last year’s DEI proviso that universities were required to be compliant with – signature blocks, etc. WSU interpreted the language to mean academics not included based on historical practices.
    • In December all university presidents had to testify on steps taken to comply; WSU found noncompliant for general education DEI requirement.
    • New proviso includes specific language regarding removing DEI from graduation requirements, unless KBOR certifies that the content is needed as a “core requirement” for the program. Almost certain this will pass. If passes, WSU will be expected to certify compliance after July 1. If not, the state will hold 2 million in funding until compliant.
    • HB 2746 (“tenure bill”) – unlikely to move out of Judiciary committee.
    • Q&A with senators.

As May Arise

  • General Education Policy Revisions
    • Recommendations coming out of a meeting with the original group that designed WSU’s “buckets”, with a few changes based on current faculty and executive leadership.
    • Reviewed recommended revisions
    • Reviewed and discussed WSU’s general education website
    • Motion for formal first read; seconded; motion carried.
    • Motion to amend language to “buckets 4-6” in relation to eligible courses for bucket 7; seconded; amendment withdrawn after review of current website – footnote 4 and language in bucket 7.
    • Motion to amend language in the edited proposal for Bucket 7 to clarify that students choose additional courses from buckets 4-7. Motion carried.
    • Additional clarifications
      • A spreadsheet of courses with the diversity tag are being reviewed; more information to come.
      • Proviso is to not require diversity content to graduate, but diversity courses may remain as electives.
      • Consider updating bucket 7 to include requirements that align with university goals, such as technology. Will forward this to General Education Committee for consideration.
      • Unable to require a 300-level requirement for bucket 7 as we can’t establish a requirement that cannot be met by non-native students whose gen ed is considered met if stamped by their community college transcript.
    • Motion to move to second read; seconded; motion carries.
    • Motion to approve general education proposal with amendment; seconded; motion carries. President Stone will notify the General Education chair.
  • Dates for the General Faculty meeting
    • Consensus to move the meeting to March 30.
  • Senator Allen – FYS remains part of gen ed; concerned that with new FYS policy that WSU not putting enough resources into FYS. If moving FYS into “in-load” risk losing faculty who are willing to teach the course(s). Lower talent pool which will lead to lower quality courses.
  • Senator Myose – FYS quota increased to 30; requested Dr. Bret Bruner come speak to senate. President Stone will follow-up.
  • Senator Williams – meeting was not recorded in Teams

Adjourn

  • Next FS meeting is March 23, 2026, at 3:30p in Woolsey Hall 110A
  • President Stone adjourned the meeting at 4:54

Minutes prepared by Rhonda Williams