Purdue University Northwest > Faculty Senate > News > Senate Meeting Minutes > Faculty Senate Minutes, February 14, 2025

Faculty Senate Minutes, February 14, 2025

March 27, 2025

Faculty Senate Minutes, February 14, 2025

10:00 AM-12:00 PM: Hammond – Alumni Hall

Minutes

  1. Determination of quorum.
    • Quorum determined at 10:00 am
  2. Call to order.
    • Meeting called to order at 10:04 am
  3. Approval of the agenda.
    • Motion for approval by P. Ludwig-Beymer
    • Seconded by D. Kozel
    • Approved by voice vote
  4. Approval of the minutes from January 17, 2025
    • Motion for approval by D. Kozel
    • Seconded by R. Hallock
    • Approved by voice vote
  5. Remarks by the Senate Chair
    • The Chair thanked the Vice-Chair and all in attendance.
    • She emphasized the importance of the Faculty Senate and the need for faculty to be involved, especially in filling open positions like the Senate Vice Chair.
    • The Chair praised the work of the committees and thanked them for their efforts.
    • She highlighted the need to stay informed about faculty changes and recognize the hard work of committees like the nominations committee.
    • She expressed her goal of having administrators come and present to the Senate to keep everyone informed about what is happening across the university.
    • Spoljoric stressed the importance of transparency and keeping the Senate and faculty informed on various initiatives and issues facing the university.
    • The Chair led a moment of silence to recognize the Provost’s recent loss of her husband.
  6. Remarks by the Chancellor
    • The Chancellor is away on university business, no report.
  7. Remarks by the Provost/VCAA
    • Provost Mora thanked everyone for their thoughts and sentiments regarding the loss of her husband.
    • She said the Chancellor sends his regrets for missing today’s meeting as he is attending a Purdue for Life
    • She discussed the potential of ICE on campus and said she has met with Senate leadership. She said policy A.4 Access to Student Education Records must be enforced. Provost Mora provided an overview of the protocol faculty should follow if approached by law enforcement officers or presented with warrants/subpoenas, including directing them to the Office of Legal Counsel. She said not to attempt to interfere with officers but to contact university police.
    • She thanked those who participated in the CES Dean search and said a selection is being finalized.
    • The CHESS Dean search committee has interviewed semi-finalists and is reviewing the list of finalists.
    • The Provost highlighted the School of Education’s achievement of an “A” grade for their Science of Reading and Education Programs.
    • The Provost shared positive updates on the number of students participating in study-away programs this spring. She said we have 55 students across five trips.
    • Working on P&T reviews for those who have submitted. She said she has enjoyed reading about the accomplishments of the faculty.
  8. SGA Report ( Belford)
    • Belford said SGA is working to organize a CPR certification event on campus, especially for nursing students.
    • SGA VP M. Bell is speaking to J. Lenson about charging stations on campus and outdoor lighting.
    • Positions are open on SGA for Honors College and CON. Belford asked the faculty to distribute this information to their students.
  9. Strategic Planning Committee update (B. Stankowski)
    • Attachments:
      1. Strategy Map Table
      2. PNW Strategy
    • Stankowski explained the need for a new strategic plan to replace the one created during COVID-19. She said the process has taken approximately ten months so far.
    • The process involved engaging a consultant from Strategic Focus Associates, forming a steering committee, and conducting over 60 focus groups with campus and external stakeholders. 500+ people participated in these focus groups. Data from these focus groups was used to create a Discovery Report.
    • Full-day activities were held on both campuses in September 2024, where the campus community was invited to participate.
    • From those activities, the plan now has a vision, mission, values, goals, and objectives.
      1. Vision: To cultivate leaders, inspire excellence, and impact our world.
      2. Mission: Purdue University Northwest is a diverse, student-centered university that transforms lives and serves our region through innovative education, impactful research, and community engagement.
      3. Values: Purdue Northwest is excited to share our values with our current and future students, alums, faculty and staff, and community. These values reflect our commitment to Respect, Innovation, a Student Centric university, and Excellence (RISE) which guide us towards an evolving and bright future.
    • The plan includes five main goals:
      1. Strengthening community/global partnerships
      2. Fostering academic excellence
      3. Enhancing the quality of place
      4. Advancing student success
      5. Cultivating innovation/research
    • The goals and objectives are designed to be interconnected, with strategies that can fulfill multiple goals.
    • The steering committee is now finalizing the specific strategies to achieve the goals, focusing on prioritizing high-impact initiatives.
    • Today, February 14, 2025, is the deadline for subcommittees to submit their goals.
    • Stankowski asked Senators on the steering committee to provide their perspectives on the process.
      1. The Vice-Chair explained that the steering committee has split into goal teams to develop specific strategies to achieve each of the five primary goals in the plan.
      2. He said the steering committee is focused on prioritizing the most important and impactful strategies, as the university cannot realistically implement everything at once.
      3. The Vice-Chair emphasized the need for buy-in from the university community, as the strategic plan cannot simply be imposed but requires broad support and engagement.
      4. He reiterated the importance of the strategic plan serving as a “roadmap” for the university rather than just a document that gets put on a shelf.
      5. Tobin said she is co-chairing the group for Community and Global Partnerships. The group noticed an overlap in many of their goals. The process has been detailed.
      6. She said she is happy to see faculty represented and emphasis on quality faculty, excellence in teaching and student success—also, a whole category on research.
      7. Tobin said a strategy will be developed, and reasonable metrics will be developed for each strategy.
    • Stankowski said the next steps include developing an implementation team to monitor progress and ensure an orderly implementation. Steering committee members will be involved in this team, and there is currently an active recruitment effort for new participants.
    • Metrics will be assigned to each strategy. Goals teams were not asked to develop these metrics. The process owner will decide on reasonable metrics.
    • Institutional Research, now called Institutional Effectiveness and Data Analytics (IEDA), will monitor these metrics.
    • The Provost will be the champion of the strategic plan, leading the implementation efforts.
    • The Provost said those who served on the steering committee are not obligated to participate further, but many expressed interest.
    • Another commitment is to provide regular updates on the progress of goals and adjust as needed.
    • Ludwig-Beymer said CON has already assembled a task force to develop their strategic plan. She requested confirmation that the mission, values, and goals sections are final and the strategies are still being developed. B. Stankowski said the committee is confident with the mission, vision, values, and goals. They are also reasonably confident in the objectives. This part of the process should be wrapped up in early March. Each college will be expected to develop its plan in alignment with the PNW strategic plan.
    • The Vice-Chair said the colleges will also need their mission and vision for which the university will provide resources. These will be necessary for accreditation.
    • HLC will be visiting shortly.
  10. First-Year Experience (FYE) recommendations ( Cook, M. Ladwig)
    • Attachment: Recommendations to the FYE/NSO Faculty Senate subcommittee: Changes to FYE course
    • Tobin said she is the Chair of the Gen Ed and Assessment Committee, and the committee has worked closely with FYE, who brought to Gen Ed a list of recommendations for improvement. These include changes and revisions to FYE courses. The committee will meet with FYE individually but thought it would be suitable for them to present to the Senate as this involves administrative matters regarding classroom size recommendations and curriculum changes.
    • Tobin introduced Meghan Cook and Matt Ladwig.
    • Ladwig said these recommendations were developed over three years. In 2022, the Center for Faculty Excellence organized a Community of Practice. Attendees were FYE instructors and those interested in FYE initiatives. Five themes came up in these discussions:
      1. Quality of instructors: Ensuring FYE instructors are interested in teaching the course, knowledgeable in student retention strategies, demonstrated success in inclusive and culturally relevant teaching practices, and have a continued desire for professional development and participation in onboarding/orientation.
      2. Common curriculum: Establishing shared learning outcomes across all FYE courses, covering topics like:
        1. Self-awareness and communication of personal values/goals
        2. Time management, organization, and study strategies
        3. Knowledge of campus resources and support services
        4. Academic skills, including understanding expectations and developing communication/collaboration abilities
        5. Increased engagement in the college community and fostering a greater sense of belonging
      3. Engagement with the Center for Faculty Excellence: Expecting FYE instructors to utilize the resources and support provided by the CFE.
      4. Student enrollment limits: Recommending lower class sizes, around 30 students, to foster a stronger sense of belonging.
      5. Course format standardization: Advocating for all FYE courses to have the same credit hour allocation.
    • Ladwig also provided data for the potential budgetary implications of even minor improvements in freshman-to-sophomore-year retention rates.
    • The need for a holistic approach to FYE was emphasized, considering the diverse needs of different student populations.
    • Hansung Kim asked about the retention rate at Purdue Northwest compared to other regional universities. Ladwig acknowledged that he did not have specific data on first- and second-year student retention rates compared to other regional universities. He stated they could look into obtaining that comparative data as it would be important information.
      1. Kim requested that the FYE document be shared.
      2. He shared that they invited faculty, student organizations, and campus resources to present to his first-year engineering course students. He found that the student organization presentations were beneficial in allowing students to get to know the various campus groups, which helped foster a sense of belonging.
    • Hallock asked about the percentage of students taking discipline-specific instead of GS191. He asked if retention rates are different between the two groups. Ladwig said data has not yet been determined, but they are looking into it.
    • Kincaid said he’d taught FYE and had an inadequate room, which left a bad impression on students. Is this something they are considering? Ladwig said they have not looked into this, but he was familiar with the difference in quality of place. He agreed first impressions are important.
      1. The Vice-Chair said a classroom survey will be developed as part of the strategic plan.
    • Ivy suggested considering differences in student learning and program structure (e.g., cohort vs. flexible programs) when determining which students would be better suited for a discipline-specific FYE course versus a more general FYE course. She asked if the FYE committee had explored this aspect. Ladwig acknowledged that this was a question and that they were looking into retention data across discipline-specific and general FYE courses to help inform this discussion.
    • Cook said there is research about differences in shared experiences between students who switch from a discipline-specific FYE course to a general FYE course and how that can hinder or help their transition.
    • The Chair acknowledged that the College of Nursing has a particular curriculum that students must follow, which is different from other degree programs that may have more flexibility. She noted that for first-year students, regardless of their specific major, essential “ground floor” elements still need to be covered, like where to park, get lunch, and learn the campus layout.
    • The Chair emphasized that while the nursing curriculum is very structured, there is still a need to help acclimate all first-year students to the college experience, as it is significantly different from high school. She expressed the need to support the transition for students, especially those coming directly from high school or after a “gap year,” as they adapt to the college environment.
    • The Chair thanked M. Cook and M. Ladwig for presenting and their work in FYE.
    • Hallock asked about the guidance or process for transfer students regarding FYE requirements.
      1. Ladwig acknowledged that this is a complicated issue. He said that with transfer students, some may have taken a first-year experience course at their previous institution, which does not necessarily align with what Purdue Northwest requires.
      2. Ladwig noted that sometimes transfer students “somehow slip through the cracks” and do not have any first-year experience on their record when they arrive at PNW. He said this is a problem they see pretty often, as PNW has many transfer students.
      3. Ladwig stated that the transition challenges for first-generation and transfer students are often amplified, as they may have no prior frame of reference for the college experience. He recognized this as an area that needs to be better addressed.
    • Stankowski clarified that since the FYE course is part of the general education requirements, transfer students would need to take an FYE course at PNW unless the department chair explicitly waives that requirement, as it cannot simply be bypassed even if the student has 70 credit hours already.
    • Common learning outcomes are necessary.
    • Ladwig said Dept. Chairs may be signing off on more than is acceptable.
    • Bhandari asked if similar issues happen with TSAP students, who typically come in with 60 credits from institutions like Ivy Tech or St. Vincent and then take 60 credits at Purdue Northwest to complete their bachelor’s degree.
      1. Bhandari wondered if TSAP students also undergo the FYE course requirements or if there are different considerations for that specific transfer pathway.
      2. Stankowski explained that the TSAP program is set up by state law, where students come in with an associate’s degree and have already fulfilled the general education requirements.
      3. For TSAP students, Stankowski stated that “all bets are off” – the university cannot articulate courses or requirements on a one-by-one basis. Instead, the TSAP students are provided the remaining 60 credits to complete their bachelor’s degree at Purdue Northwest.
      4. Stankowski clarified that due to how the state law has structured the TSAP program, the typical FYE course requirements would not apply to those transfer students, as they have already satisfied the general education component through their associate’s degree.
  1. Unfinished Business
    • None
  2. New Business:
    • Curriculum Documents Approval
      1. He presented for L. Artz. He reported 35 curriculum documents for the Senate to approve, including 13 program proposals and 22 course proposals.
      2. He noted that for proposal #35, the ECE faculty still needed to change the program title in Curriculog to include the word “engineering,” as previously discussed.
      3. The Vice-Chair mentioned that for the electrical engineering BS concentration in mechatronics, they wanted to change the title to “Control Systems in Mechatronics,” but that change would need to go through the proper curriculum approval process.
      4. There was a discussion about the title change for the cyber security engineering program, with the Vice-Chair clarifying that the change had already been agreed upon, and the Senate was voting on the updated title.
      5. Jen Williams stated she could go ahead and get the curriculum proposal title changed to match the printed document, so that would not be a concern.
      6. The Senate then voted and approved the 35 curriculum documents as presented, with the understanding that the title change for #35 would be handled administratively.
      7. Motioned for approval by W. He
      8. Seconded by H. Kim
      9. Approved by voice vote
    • ICE actions on campus
      1. This was added to the agenda out of concern from the Executive Committee. The Provost has already addressed this. The Provost reiterated that she would distribute information in writing so everyone has the same information.
      2. The Vice-Chair said the information shared by the Provost should be shared widely.
      3. Kincaid said he teaches Latin American History and expressed concern about potential challenges.
      4. https://www.iss.purdue.edu/immigrationchanges/
  1. For Action:
    • None
  2. Discussion Items:
    • None
  3. Reports from Senate Standing Committee Chairs
    • Curriculum (Lee Artz)
      1. He reported that the committee will discuss 10 proposals today, hoping to have them up for approval and the March meeting.
      2. Course changes for the Fall schedule should be approved by the March meeting as we open up registration on the fourth Monday in March.
      3. Williams said the Registrar’s Office is partnering with the Provost’s Office to offer Curriculog training sessions on the following dates:
        1. Friday, February 24th, from 9-10 am on the Hammond campus
        2. Monday, February 24th, from 12:30-1:30 pm (Power Hour) on the Westville campus
        3. Tuesday, March 7th, from 10-11 am on the Hammond campus (which is also Founders Day)
        4. She mentioned they are doing the training sessions in computer labs, so she asked that faculty RSVP for the sessions, as they want to ensure they have enough stations available for hands-on training.
        5. Williams also noted that if faculty cannot attend the in-person sessions, they can contact her or Adele Minix in the Registrar’s Office to schedule one-on-one Curriculog training.
  • Ed Policy (Yun (Tom) Liu)
    1. Liu said the committee will meet with the Provost today to discuss the resolution on organizational restructuring.
  • Faculty Affairs (Rob Hallock)
    1. The committee expects movement on the faculty handbook in the second half of the semester and hopes to report a timeline at the next Senate meeting.
    2. They also anticipate receiving Dr. Elmendorf’s comments regarding revisions to the Promotion & Tenure document.
    3. Administrative Surveys
      1. Regarding the administrator evaluation survey, Hallock highlighted the need for the Faculty Affairs committee to put forth a resolution on the process for disseminating the survey results.
      2. Hallock explained that the committee’s opinion is the results should be shared with the administrator surveyed, their supervisors, and the Executive Committee of the
      3. Hallock noted that this issue may be contentious, as there may not be complete agreement on the process, so they are open to competing resolutions being brought forward.
      4. The Vice-Chair provided additional context, emphasizing the purpose of identifying and addressing any problems internally rather than publicly shaming administrators, similar to how student evaluations are handled.
      5. The discussion focused on the need for an approved process before conducting the administrator evaluation survey to ensure appropriate handling and use of the results.
      6. Kramer said this is a great approach and asked if this was passed through legal counsel. R. Hallock said it was not and thanked Kramer for the suggestion.
      7. Ivy said the implications of public disclosure are important to consider.
  • Gen Ed & Assessment (Kathy Tobin)
    1. The Chair said K. Tobin has taken over as Chair of the Gen Ed Committee and thanked her.
    2. Tobin introduced herself as the new Chair of the Gen Ed and Assessment Committee and said the committee is working with J. Williams to navigate Curriculog.
    3. Tobin stated the committee has been reviewing Experiential Learning courses that are coming through for ExL designation, and they have a signature process to ensure these get appropriately integrated into the curriculum.
    4. Will provide an end-of-year report for approved courses.
    5. Will be discussing today:
      1. CS 480 – Practicum and Computer Science
      2. AD 403 – Portfolio Process And Presentation
      3. ENTR 303 – Startup Funding for Entrepreneurs
    6. They are also revising Gen Ed and developing a faculty survey. They are working with PFW, which also surveys faculty. The committee is finalizing the survey questions today and may need assistance with Qualtrics. The plan is to survey all faculty in March. Tobin wants to ensure broad input from all departments.
    7. Creating a map of IN College Core requirements, our current Gen Ed requirements, and what PFW Gen Ed requirements look like.
    8. The committee will carefully examine the final Strategic Plan so that Gen Ed does not conflict.
    9. The Vice-Chair asked if the present Gen Ed and requirements will also be distributed with the survey. She confirmed they would.
    10. Total of 30 requirements.
  • Nominations, Elections, & Awards (John Durocher)
    1. Durocher thanked those who stepped up and joined committees.
    2. The Chair introduced Joe Coates as the new PUWL rep.
  • Student Affairs (Jessica Ivy)
    1. Ivy said Student of the Month nominations have been distributed and are due today.
    2. Academic Integrity & Grade Appeals
      1. Batistatos has been lining up screening committees for students applying for appeals.
    3. Met with Britt Hudson to discuss Student Affairs and the Dean of Students. She said a Student of Concern form can be accessed on the university website.
    4. The Student Affairs Committee is also developing a more comprehensive student absence policy, aiming to align it more closely with the policy used on the West Lafayette campus.
      1. Ivy noted they hope to bring the proposed absence policy to the Senate as early as the next meeting.
      2. Ludwig-Beymer asked if Student of the Month nominees were notified. She said they are invited to submit additional information as nominees.
      3. Ivy mentioned that the committee is working on expanding the celebration and visibility of the student of the month, such as having the colleges recognize their own students of the month and finding more ways to highlight them on campus.
      4. Hudson, the new Interim Dean of Students, introduced herself and noted that her staff has gotten smaller. Still, they remain committed to serving and supporting the campus community and encouraged faculty to contact her office if they need assistance.
    5. West Lafayette Report (Joe Coates)
      • The Chair said she attended the West Lafayette Senate meeting via Zoom, stating it was an easy process where she could listen but not actively participate or vote.
      • The West Lafayette Senate had presentations from representatives of their student psychological services, which Diane found meaningful regarding how they address student mental health and support.
      • Diane felt the presentations reinforced that Purdue Northwest is also taking the proper steps to provide resources and help for students needing mental health assistance.
      • Coates from the Purdue Northwest Library will be reporting on the West Lafayette Senate activities in the future.
    6. IFC Report (Geoffrey Barrow)
      • Barrow said The IFC meeting was held on January 24th, with Barrow presiding over the meeting as a substitute for the regular chair.
      • The meeting included campus updates from the various IFC representatives, including mentions of a new Board of Trustees chair and discussions around an AI detection tool.
      • Brian Young, the previous West Lafayette Senate chair, spoke about upcoming new buildings in Indianapolis and a potential Life Sciences Building for the West Lafayette campus.
      • There was also discussion about a Senate document related to communications and the use of listservs, as the West Lafayette Senate is contemplating a vote on broader communication abilities.
      • The IFC also discussed the declining number of strong students admitted directly to the West Lafayette campus, with more being referred to regional campuses like Purdue Fort Wayne.
      • The Westville IFC representative, Janet Davis, mentioned the Chancellor’s close working relationship.
      • The IFC also discussed pursuing more student housing, a women’s ice hockey team, and expanding adult education offerings on the Westville campus.
      • Barrow provided the dates for the next two IFC meetings – February 21st and March 28th, at 3:30 pm Eastern Time.
    7. Open discussion (as time permits).
      • None
    8. Adjournment
      • Meeting adjourned at 12:10 PM