Summary of the Faculty Senate Meeting

September 3, 2025

1. Chair’s Report – Steve Silvia

The chair of the Faculty Senate, Steve Silvia, opened the meeting and highlighted several upcoming agenda items for the Faculty Senate in AY 25-26:

• Propose Faculty Senate reforms to address communication and committee operations.
• Create Faculty Advisory Committee for Center for Faculty Excellence (CFE).
• Create ombudsperson position.
• Provide input into Strategic Plan.
• Meet with with Dean’s Council to discuss shared governance.
• Incorporate undergraduate and graduate policy issues in Undergraduate Curriculum Committee (UCC) and Graduate Curriculum Committee (GCC).
• Revisit “fraternization policy.”
• Consider setting up working group on freedom of expression.

The minutes from the May 5, 2025, meeting were voted on.

Consent agenda items:

• Bylaw changes (removal of OGIS, CATFAC name change updated, Ex-Com minutes removal, CTRL name change).

2. Provost’s Report – Vicky Wilkins

• Enrollment and retention:
  • Now have undergraduate registration #s – 1683 which includes first years and transfers; we were hoping for 1920.
  • 87.4% first-to-second-year retention, but it might go up.
  • Graduate enrollment: close to budget for in-person graduates; online is down a little right now; having conversation regarding pricing structure.
  • Graduate students in dorms: big celebration – 66 graduate students living in dorms; not in separate dorms.
• Budget:
  • Still counting heads – will have census in October; around $22m shortfall but not what expecting to come to community.
  • Complicated this year because have two trains moving: train on budget and train on strategic plan with investments.
  • Budget timeline: community forums are scheduled and will likely be budget discussion near the winter break again.
• Strategic plan:
  • 8 working groups with 137 members produced 3-4 big bets; completed templates which are rich with information.
  • 5 Cs: career, community, curriculum, civic pluralism, curiosity (research); UCC and GCC will be involved in curriculum discussions.
  • Issues will be coming back to this community – it’s going to be an intense time hearing from people and hope you choose to be involved; will include topics like metrics.
• Ombudsperson:
  • There was a great proposal sitting around and adopted a model where a faculty member serves in the roll (which is the best approach given the budget constraints).
  • Ombudsperson role is for faculty members and could facilitate conversations when conflicts.
• Faculty advisors for student groups: thinking about how to change the model of advising.
• President has called for AU to mark the 250th anniversary of country +.
• Dean evaluations:
  • Schedule of evaluations is posted on website – the next one will be of librarian.
  • Anonymous surveys go out to all full-time and part-time faculty, staff, and advisory boards.
• Federal policy:
  • We have a federal policy working group and a faculty advisory working group (working on scenarios, tabletop, etc.).
  • Talking about different types of law enforcement actions that might happen on campus.
• Vice Provost for Research and Innovation departure: will have an interim serve in the position and will be talking more about having students participate in research.
• Student book policy:
  • Roll-out was “bumpy,” including some timing and communication issues with opt-out process.
  • Will review savings, if any, and evaluate policy.

3. DOF’s Report – Monica Jackson

• Associate Dean of Faculty: Noemi Enchautegui-de-Jesus will serve as new Associate Dean of Faculty.
• Center for Faculty Excellence:
  • Introduced new leaders in CFE and thanked for successful new-faculty orientation.
  • All faculty have ID access to center so please check it out.
• Upcoming projects for AY 25-26:
  • Salary analysis: undertaking salary analysis to be completed in Nov/Dec.
  • Document retention policy: current policy is extremely old.
  • Data: reappointment and faculty distribution data in next couple of months.
  • Faculty training: partnering with CFE/HR/PDs on how to supervise faculty and staff.

4. Update on Federal Policies regarding higher education and National Guard in DC--Diana Burley, Matt Bennett, Chief Jay Gruber & Doug Pierce

• Research Federal Updates (Diana Burley)
  • Were able to certify that university can accept federal awards from NIH, etc.
  • Very significant reduction in award and proposal volume: $5.6m in awards but Q1 for last several years has $18m, $25m, $20m.
  • NSF and research security requirements: Will be sending memo out regarding new research security requirements that go in effect on October 10. Will be required to do research security training. PIs are responsible for ensuring that senior personnel have taken the training. Certificates need not be submitted but should be retained in case of NSF audit. Required to take every year.
  • Additional requirements include (1) responsible conduct of research training – university will have plan in place by October 10 and (2) cannot be PI or co-PI if involved in malign foreign talent recruitment programs.
  • The university will circulate the memo with details and links.
• Federal Policy and Higher Education Updates (Matt Bennett)
  • Overview of recent federal developments: reconciliation bill provisions, immigration/visa changes, DEI program impacts, reduced federal grant volume, and new requirements for political appointee as final decision-makers in grant approvals.
  • Ongoing investigations, court cases, and settlements with peer universities (e.g., Harvard, Columbia, Brown, GW, George Mason, etc.) pose precedential risks.
  • Where are we are today:
    • New Department of Education rules on admissions data collection raise concerns regarding compliance, privacy, and potential misuse of data.
    • New gainful employment regulations.
    • Anticipated government shutdown and budget uncertainties will further affect higher education funding and financial aid structures.
    • New data collection on admissions will be a new challenge and could pose danger in how used.
  • Law enforcement and DC oversight:
    • Federal control of DC law enforcement under Section 740 of the DC Home Rule Act, including National Guard deployments. There is a 30-day law with grey area for public emergencies.
    • Uncertainty remains regarding jurisdiction, lawsuits, and implications for universities.
  • Emphasized AU’s proactive compliance strategy to remain outside political crosshairs. Research overhead for AU is approximately $5m, so not where the money is.
  • Emphasized continued commitment to compliance and maintaining “regular order” in OCR investigations, especially regarding antisemitism complaints.
  • AU students do not graduate with high level of federal loans relative to others.
• Campus Safety and Federal Agents (AUPD Chief Jay Gruber)
  • Affirmed AUPD’s role in protecting First Amendment rights during campus protests. No reason to call outside law enforcement. Don’t anticipate federal agents have any interest in AU campus.
  • Primary concern is safety of the community – making it a good place to live, to learn, to work.
  • University is private property; federal goernment can’t set up troops on federal property.
  • Protocols are being refined for handling potential federal law enforcement actions on campus. AUPD will require valid warrants, coordinate with General Counsel, and, where necessary, manage custody transfers to prevent disruption in classrooms or residence halls (rather than having federal agents searching on campus).
  • Faculty raised concerns about clarity regarding administrative vs. judicial warrants; AUPD committed to consulting General Counsel in each case.
  • Proposals included improved signage designating private property and posting AUPD contact information prominently around classrooms.
  • Student walkouts and demonstrations:
    • A student walkout organized by Free DC is scheduled for September 9 (AU at 2 p.m.). Have no concerns about a walk-out whatsoever if just general First Amendment activity (chanting, signs, etc.)
    • Advise students to avoid situation where they could be generalized in population of protests. A protest is a First Amendment activity but don’t know what federal law enforcement is going to do.
    • Faculty were encouraged to treat the event as a teachable moment and allow students flexibility.
    • Undergraduate Student Government representatives urged faculty and staff support, emphasizing peaceful participation and compliance with AUPD policies.

5. For the Good of the Order

• Commended Student Affairs’ successful student welcome events.
• Event reminders:
  • Author Amanda Montell (Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism).
  • Senator Sarah McBride’s campus appearance.
• Transition of undergraduate liaison from Quinn to Sebastian.
• Senate votes were announced:
  • May 7 minutes
  • FacCIE bylaw edits