Data from the , the , and the document the significant need for additional nurses in Kentucky. The School of Nursing鈥檚 ongoing commitment to increase access to quality nursing education across the commonwealth is helping to address local, state and regional health care workforce shortages.

鈥淥ur objective is to address the shortage of practice-ready registered nurses by increasing access to baccalaureate nursing education across Kentucky,鈥� said Whitney Nash, dean of UofL School of Nursing. 鈥淭his collaborative effort with health care partners will provide greater opportunity to recruit and train more nurses, and meet workforce needs in medically underserved areas of Kentucky.鈥�

The funding provides greater opportunities for students to obtain significant financial support, therefore reducing the amount students need to work while pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree. The award also will help lessen student loan debt and provide students guaranteed employment upon graduation.

These dedicated HWIF scholarships, in addition to the school鈥檚 other academic scholarships, will increase the overall number of financially supported nursing students at UofL.

Research shows that an increased ratio of BSN-prepared nursing staff within a health care facility can lead to improved patient outcomes with regards to mortality, post-surgical complications, rapid response recognition, length of stay and readmissions.

With nine Kentucky counties in the UofL Health service area and 16 counties in the Owensboro Health service area, UofL BSN graduates employed by these health care partners can impact the health of Kentuckians in 21% of the commonwealth鈥檚 counties 鈥� the majority of which are designated rural and medically underserved areas.

鈥淭his grant and health care partnership make a BSN education more accessible and affordable for students, which is a true win-win for the community and the commonwealth,鈥� Nash said.听

Bendapudi provided senators with updates and reminders about the COVID-19 vaccine. State government constraints limit the number of available vaccines, which restricts how quickly vaccines can be offered to the entire university community. Bendapudi further reminded senators that age will be the determining factor for when vaccines will be offered to employees. An email notification from UofL Health will alert those who are next in line to receive the vaccination. All staff, faculty and students were encouraged to take advantage of the vaccine when it is made available to them.

鈥淚f you have a chance to get a vaccine please do it, as all of the scientific evidence right now is that you’re better off taking the vaccine,鈥� Bendapudi said.

Bendapudi presented key findings from the Counsel on Postsecondary 成人直播, which oversees all Kentucky higher education institutions. The counsel assesses all colleges and universities on 29 different metrics of progress. Bendapudi reported that since the 2015/2016 academic year, the university has improved on 26 of the 29 measured metrics. Adult learners over the age of 22, diversity of tenure track staff and student performance in English were among those areas with room for growth. The CPE findings further highlighted fall 2020 enrollment rates for the university.

鈥淚n fall of 2020, we led all Kentucky public colleges and universities by actually growing our freshmen enrollment by about 2.5%, when nationally the trends were down. This is the direct result of staff contribution at every level,鈥� Bendapudi said.

Senators were also joined by M. Rehan Khan, vice president of information technology services and chief information officer, and Katherine Stevenson, executive director of enterprise technology services. As part of the ongoing effort to keep the university secure, access to campus resources will be restricted for devices with unsupported operating systems.

Stevenson informed senators that now obsolete operating systems, including Windows 7 and early variations of macOS, are no longer receiving necessary patches. As a result, these operating systems are increasingly exposed to vulnerabilities and possible cybersecurity threats. 听

鈥淚t’s important that people keep their operating systems up to date to receive these patches. If you don’t, your machine is very vulnerable to ransomware and other forms of malicious software,鈥� Stevenson stated.

At the close of business on Feb. 26, these unsupported operating systems will no longer be able to access the campus VPN. At that time, devices running Windows 7 and the obsolete versions of macOS will not be able to access PeopleSoft HR. Employees were encouraged to take advantage of the free upgrade to Windows 10 through the university鈥檚 Microsoft contract. Updates to macOS are also available free of charge. Up to five personal devices can be updated to compatible operating systems by contacting the

Brian Buford, director of employee development and success, provided senators with information about the launch of the new Employee Success Center. The ESC was formed as part of the 2019-2022 to help make the university a great place to work. Leadership training, mentoring and coaching will be provided through the center to improve workplace culture and promote employee engagement.

To celebrate the launch of the Employee Success Center, President Bendapudi will host a virtual fireside chat with special guest, Simon Sinek, on Feb. 22 at 1 p.m. Sinek is a renowned speaker, author and presenter of the third most watched TED Talk of all time. Employees can register for the free virtual event

Committee reports and a full video recording of the virtual meeting can be found on the . The next Staff Senate meeting will be held on March 9 via Microsoft Teams.

This academic year, for the first time, Kentucky鈥檚 college students will have a say in what that 鈥渃hange and improvement鈥� should look like. CPE President Aaron Thompson recently created a student advisory group after his listening tour last year. He felt the formation of the student group would fit two major CPE priorities: communications and collaboration.

This year鈥檚 inaugural group includes 22 college students from across the state 鈥� including four UofL Cardinals. They include Juniors Rachel Burns and Priyadarshini Chandrashekhar, and sophomores Afi Henriette Tagnedji and Noah Young. The students are tasked with attending meetings to discuss high-level issues 鈥渢hat may need more attention from student government or campus boards,鈥� as well as helping out with events, public engagement and policy development. The group鈥檚 work will continue through June 2021.

As , students are faced with the most challenging academic year in memory, and this group will provide an 鈥渋nvaluable opportunity鈥� to understand their unique needs and circumstances.

Tagnedji, for one, is ready to offer such insights.

鈥淪tudents are at the forefront of education systems and we have a lot to say. I have a lot to say. That alone is enough [reason to get involved],鈥� she said.

“As a member of this board, my goal is to bring about bold dialogue, progressive reforms, and uplift the marginalized to bring about an ever-changing, equitable future for postsecondary education,鈥� Young added. 鈥淢aking the state of postsecondary education an optimistic, equitable, and prosperous enterprise, not only benefits our great state, but the country as a whole.”

All four of the UofL students are involved in a number of other initiatives. Burns and Tagnedji, for example, are both MLK Scholars. Young is a resident assistant, and Chandrashekhar has been involved in the undergraduate arts and research showcase.

Still, they are dedicating their time to this advisory panel to focus on priority areas they’ve each identified, including:

• Burns, who is studying history, is focused on student services and resources, as well as sexual assault and dating violence.
• Chandrashekhar, a biology major and math minor, is focused on academic quality, online instruction during COVID-19, student support and access to resources for success.
• Young, a political science major, is focused on college affordability, mental health, diversity, equity and inclusion.
• Tagnedji, a sophomore biochemistry major, is focused on student health and safety, education quality and access to financial aid.

鈥淐ost is and has always been a barrier to education. 成人直播 is a right and higher education should be no less. Students need support financially, not just with tuition but with other funds that come from an understanding of the real cost of post-secondary education,鈥� Tagnedji said.

Such financial support is critical, she adds, as it also ties into retention and belonging.

鈥淲ith culturally relevant curriculum catered to 鈥榯he times,鈥� I believe universities can bring added value to the many changemakers emerging, especially in this socio-political climate. The onus really is on institutions to equip students to be the change they want to see,鈥� she said. 鈥淎ll these issues are near and dear to my heart because I have seen firsthand what the power of an equity-focused education system does for individuals and the communities to which they belong.鈥�

Indeed, Tagnedji, who is originally from Todome in Togo, west Africa, is the first in her family to attend school in the U.S. And though just a sophomore, her involvement on the CPE student advisory panel fits her extensive community involvement resume.

In fact, that involvement is a big part of the reason she ended up at UofL. In late 2018, she met Provost Beth Boehm while both were serving on the Evolve 502 board (Tagnedji was serving as the student board member at the time).

Boehm recommended she apply for the Martin Luther King Scholars program. She did just that and was accepted, which led to a number of conversations with people across campus, including President Neeli Bendapudi and Jenny Sawyer, executive director of admissions.

鈥淚 was smothered with information, opportunities, and a very loud message of belonging. This really is the place for me, and I am so glad I had everyone鈥檚 support through the entire process,鈥� she said. 鈥淐hoosing the University of Louisville is honestly one of the best decisions I have ever made.”

Tagnedji is looking forward to being part of this new group that will be able to enact change well beyond UofL’s campus. 听

鈥淚 am optimistic. I must be. I never commit to initiatives I do not believe in and having worked with Dr. Thompson on past projects, I am excited to see the change that comes from this council,鈥� she said.

Among the attributes UofL needs in its next provost, as agreed upon by the Faculty Senate, are:

• Understanding of, and dedication to, the context, vision, and strategic goals of UofL
• Ability to cultivate a cohesive university community by making fair and just decisions
• Creates a unity of purpose through coherent and consistent messaging, and through transparent internal communication
• Effectively communicates the goals of the University and the President鈥檚 Office to the University community

Essential qualifications include a PhD or equivalent, earned tenure, demonstrated excellence in academic leadership (departmental/decanal/provostial) and demonstrated commitment to academic freedom/shared governance and 鈥� added during the meeting 鈥� Constitutional rights.

Core competencies include demonstration of the highest ethical integrity, prepared to advance the metropolitan mission of both a Carnegie Highest Research Activity university and a Carnegie Community Engaged university, ability to develop a clear and coherent vision for the academic mission and more.

The . It was passed unanimously by the Faculty Senate.

President Neeli Bendapudi provided a number of updates about the Council on Postsecondary 成人直播, noting that more money is being allocated for performance-based funding, as well as deferred maintenance. The finance committee asked for a 10 percent increase for performance-based funding.

Bendapudi said the business community in Kentucky is starting to push harder for education initiatives to support economic development.

鈥淭his is needed. It鈥檚 encouraging,鈥� she said.

She also reflected on the past year in the office, expressing pride in UofL’s graduation rate increases within just one year, as well as the fact that UofL students graduate with the lowest amount of debt of all public universities in the state, among other accomplishments.

Bendapudi also talked about the Strategic Plan, which is officially underway.

鈥淭his has truly been a campus-wide process and I am optimistic about achieving our biggest goals,鈥� she said.

Finally, Bendapudi said the hospital process is 鈥渃oming along well,鈥� since UofL agreed to acquire .

鈥淭here is a sense of excitement and trepidation. This will be good for us. We are finally in charge of our own destiny,鈥� she said. 鈥淗ad Jewish closed, that would have been 2,500 jobs lost, $100 million in payroll. The human impact was what was most important to me 鈥� 600 people a month in the community need a hospital room. Where would they go?鈥�

Provost Beth Boehm said the new student well-being committee has been formed.

鈥淚t is a big group and I鈥檓 delighted so many people wanted to be a part of this,鈥� she said.

Also, an advising task force has been charged, as has an IBM implementation committee.

Boehm also provided an update from the Council on Postsecondary 成人直播, noting that a program review consultant has been hired by the state to review programs at all public schools. They will look at which programs to sustain, grow, start or sunset. This work will require an 鈥渆normous鈥� data pull, Boehm said.

A search firm has been chosen for the provost search. Airport interviews continue for the EVPRI position. Boehm is meeting with Arts & Sciences faculty next week to discuss the school鈥檚 dean search. Finally, Boehm is attending an ACC Provost Conference at Clemson and will provide an update upon her return.

Dr. Ralph Fitzpatrick, senior vice president for Community Engagement, Susan Jenkins and Heidi Cooley Cook discussed the Cards Come Together initiative. This inaugural week of service, led by UofL President Neeli Bendapudi, will feature several service projects across the city as well as collection sites on campus. The objective is to get 1,000 faculty, staff and students to participate. A complete list of projects is available online at events.louisville.edu/cardscometogether.

A kickoff celebration will be held at the Red Barn Oct. 22 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Cedric Powell, faculty grievance officer, provided his annual report. From Sept. 20, 2018 through Sept. 30, 2019, there were nine Type I faculty grievances filed and four Type II grievance. His full report is .

Ombudsman Diane Tobin also provided a report from her office. She said the trends she is seeing that cause people to use her services include communication issues, budgetary issues, understanding policies and procedures and lack of positive recognition. Throughout the past year, 122 people across campus have used the ombudsman鈥檚 services. More information about those services is .

Sabrina Collins provided an update from the SGA. She recently attended the College Completion Summit in Salt Lake City with administrators and staff with an objective of learning how to become a more student-centered campus.

Also, two resolutions recently passed in the Student Senate:

• A resolution to implement an anonymous evaluation system of academic advisers following advising appointments;
• A resolution to excuse students from class for election day due to absentee ballot issues.

The Faculty Senate voted to endorse the latter.

The Staff Senate report from September is . Committee reports are also .

The next Faculty Senate meeting is Nov. 6 in Chao Auditorium.

Additionally, Staat has served on countless committees, is the faculty representative to the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary 成人直播, is a member of the Faculty Senate and spent the past year serving as interim university ombudsman. In his spare time, he serves as president of the model railroad manufacturing business San Juan Car Co. Inc., based in Durango, Colorado.

On Dec. 31, Staat will retire after more than 40 years at UofL. He鈥檒l remain on campus for another three or so years, however, as he continues to work through the phased retirement program, maintaining the UofL Sterilizer Monitoring Program.

UofL News had a chance to talk to Staat about his career, his motivation and his retirement plans.

UofL News: How did you end up at UofL?听

Bob Staat: I grew up in the Rocky Mountains (Colorado, Wyoming and New Mexico) and have a BS and MS from University of New Mexico. I went to work with my MS and quickly found that I needed the PhD to get ahead and one of the consultants I worked with invited me to work with him at the University of Minnesota. I finished my degree and did some post doc work there. My first academic appointment was at the Medical University of South Carolina but UofL saw that I had NIH funding and came calling with a better offer. That was 42 years ago.

UofL News: In all of your years here, what would you say is your most memorable accomplishment at UofL?听

Staat: My first memorable time was when I got the notice that my NIH grant had been renewed, which is major to an assistant professor. A few years later, I developed the Admissions Index, which was one of the first attempts to combine both academic achievements and nonacademic characteristics in the selection process of students into professional schools. My Faculty Senate work is very memorable and representing the faculty of all state-supported universities at the CPE has been equally rewarding. Perhaps receiving the President鈥檚 Distinguished Career of Service Award is the capstone to many memorable accomplishments.

UofL News: What has been the biggest challenge?听

Staat: Funding of my laboratory was/is the biggest challenge. As my NIH funding dried up, I was fortunate enough to recognize that there was a new OSHA guideline recommending that all healthcare facilities using in-house sterilizers need to monitor their effectiveness using a biological system. This was similar to my Master鈥檚 work and with the support of the Dental School Administration I started an entrepreneurial program to service the needs of dentists and physicians. This activity quickly became self-supporting and a continuing source of income for my lab and the Dental School.

UofL News: What drives you to get involved with the university beyond teaching?听

Staat: I didn鈥檛 start out with the goal of being involved in these activities but two professors who were active in the administration, Drs. David Cohn and Van Stewart, kept urging me to become active in the governance of the university. They said I was good at service activities and had a voice of reason. After being a senator for several years, I was fortunate to be elected to the senate leadership position.听

UofL News: Based on your experience with the Faculty and Staff Senates and CPE, what would you tell employees about their work?听

Staat: One of the UofL roles that has been very rewarding is the faculty representative to the staff senate. I think they are underappreciated at times and I recognize that without them the faculty could not function.听

I was one of the nominees COSFL presented to the governor to represent the faculty of the state as a member of the Council on Postsecondary 成人直播 (CPE). The governor selected me and I have worked with CPE the last 4 years. My activities there range from the tuition setting group to helping build the new Strategic Agenda to work on the new diversity plan. What I have learned is that UofL is respected by other institutions for its quality and major steps forward.

UofL News: What is your favorite spot on campus?听

Staat: I鈥檓 not sure I have a favorite spot on campus other than my office as I am lucky to have windows on two sides and friendly faculty and staff stopping by.

UofL News: What is your favorite thing about Louisville in general?

Staat: Two things come to mind; one is the restaurant scene 鈥� just too many good ones from which to choose. And, coming from the Southwest many years ago, I was amazed at the green grass and tall trees and still appreciate the greenery of Louisville and Kentucky.

UofL News: What are your retirement plans?听

Staat: I鈥檓 not going to totally retire, but will go 40-percent time using the Phased Retirement plan and will still do some Dental School committee work and will keep the School鈥檚 Sterilizer Monitoring Program running strong. I will do some of the traditional retiree things such as traveling. I also have a small business manufacturing model trains and will increase my role in the business. Between the model trains and my woodworking hobby plus some travel, I may consider coming back to UofL fulltime to get a break 鈥� just kidding.

UofL News: What is the best piece of advice you can impart on your students?听

Staat: You have a great opportunity here, but as with all opportunities, it is up to you perform. The faculty can鈥檛 take the exams for you. Keep up with the topics so you are not overwhelmed at test time. And finally, manage your money carefully while in college and remember that you are investing in yourself and that with a degree you will make on average about $1 million more during your lifetime. An excellent return on your investment!