The University of Louisville presented the Brandeis Medal to on Feb. 5, during a reception at Louisville’s Marriott Hotel Downtown.

The Brandeis Medal, awarded annually since 1983, honors a recipient chosen for their devotion to economic, social or political justice and for advancing the cause of public service in the legal profession. Sotomayor, an alum of Princeton University and Yale Law School, is the seventh Supreme Court justice honored with the medal, following Harry Blackmun, Stephen Breyer, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Elena Kagan, Sandra Day O’Connor and John Paul Stevens.

“We selected Justice Sotomayor to receive the Brandeis Medal because she brings tremendous dignity, respect and compassion to the bench. She is a fierce defender of liberty,” said Dean of Louis D. Brandeis School of Law Melanie B. Jacobs. “Every student who is in this room who was at the law school today and got to interact with Justice Sotomayor is nodding and thinking of the way in which she touched them.”

The “people’s justice”

Appointed by Barack Obama in August 2009, Sotomayor became the first Hispanic and third woman to serve on the high court. Aptly, Sotomayor was introduced at the Brandeis event by , the first Hispanic law professor at UofL, and like Sotomayor, a native New Yorker from the Bronx. Trucios-Haynes said Sotomayor has served as a personal mentor and role model for the marginalized, underserved and disadvantaged in her 15 years on the bench, writing impassioned rulings and dissents on issues of race, gender and ethnic identity.

Sometimes dubbed “the people’s justice,” Sotomayor is known for decisions such as legalizing same-sex marriage and upholding the Affordable Care Act, as well as her concern for the rights of criminal defendants and criminal justice reform.

In providing greetings from the Commonwealth of Kentucky, Gov. Andy Beshear said the Supreme Court holds “a sacred duty to rule without bias or favor to any person or party.” The justices of the Supreme Court are “the very foundation of a functional system of government, one that’s designed to serve the people and not just the powerful.”

welcomed Sotomayor who then participated in a question-and-answer session with Jacobs.

The justice spoke candidly about her upbringing in an impoverished, high-crime housing project in New York City. She also discussed the positive influence of her grandmother and how life experiences had informed her philosophies on law and life.

“I felt loved, I never felt poor,” she said. “It was a hard life, but it was a life filled with joy. Poor people are not bad people, they’re just poor, but many people don’t understand the difference. They think poverty is your own fault.”

The law is not black and whiteÌę

Sotomayor described the delicate balance of interpreting the law, noting how she has encountered defendants who made bad choices, yet were willing to change their behavior. Other times, she met defendants unwilling to see their wrongs.

“Our judgment as a society must understand this difference,” she said. “That’s what my childhood taught me. The law is not black and white, it’s gray, and in that gray area is where judges and lawyers work.”

When asked how she has been successful in considering both sides of an issue, the justice responded, “We have to have balance in facing our problems, and the only way to have that balance is to be open to both sides of the conversation.

“Justice (Clarence) Thomas and I, for example, are well-known for frequently being on the opposite side of issues, but no one is more loyal to the people he works with and loves.

“The fundamental difference between us is that he believes every person is capable of lifting themselves up by the bootstraps, while I understand from my life experiences that some people need help getting their boots up so they can reach their bootstraps,” Sotomayor said. “If you start from the proposition that most people have good in them, it’s easier to find common ground.”

On another topic, Jacobs asked Sotomayor what is needed to restore eroded trust in the judiciary.

“The court would garner better support if it acted more slowly in undoing precedent,” said Sotomayor. “If we as a court go too far ahead of people, our legitimacy is going to be questioned, and I think the immunity case is one of those situations. I don’t think Americans have accepted that anyone should be above the law in America — even the president.”Ìę

Inspiring the next generation

While in Louisville, Sotomayor met with law students, a rare opportunity for the aspiring attorneys. She also visited students in the Central High School Law and Government Magnet Program, a UofL Signature Partnership program in which high schoolers are taught by Brandeis School of Law students to encourage minority participation in the legal profession.

Third-year law student Andi Dahmer explained how special it was to hear Sotomayor’s lived experiences come to life, and asked the justice this question: In a period of such uncertainty both domestically and abroad, what is one thing that brings you hope for the future with regard to the rule of law?

“In response, without missing a beat, she looked at us and said ‘you,’ meaning the youth, the students in the room,” Dahmer said. “I thought it was a very profound answer, and I was so honored that she said students of our generation give her such hope.” Ìę

Dahmer also said she was awestruck by the friendly presence of Justice Sotomayor.Ìę

Carcyle Barrett, also a third-year law student, felt a deep connection with Sotomayor’s journey in terms of challenges and aspirations. Both Barrett and Sotomayor hail from working class families in New York with migrant or immigrant parents.

“She had to navigate spaces where her potential was doubted by people, but in her persistence, she didn’t let anyone stop her,” said Barrett. “It resonates for me that her presence and diverse representation on the Supreme Court is needed to help shape the law.”

Further, Barrett said she was encouraged by the justice’s comments that success isn’t just about talent.

“She told us it’s about resilience, authenticity and staying true to your values,” Barrett said. “I think Justice Sotomayor’s ability to remain grounded and connected to her roots while holding on to her position is a reminder that you can succeed without compromising who you are.”

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Lawrence keynoted the school’s commemoration of Constitution Day 2023, which kicked off a in celebration of as UofL’s 19^th president and was part of the yearlong series of events marking the university’s 225^th anniversary.

Lawrence today is the secretary of the Phi Beta Kappa Society and was previously president of Brandeis University and dean of George Washington University’s School of Law. His topic was the role of universities in a fully functioning democracy.

He opened with a quotation from Justice Louis D. Brandeis: “If we are to be led by the light of reason, let our minds be bold.” And he closed with a quote from Brandeis’ protĂ©gĂ©, Justice Felix Frankfurter: “To regard teachers—in our entire educational system, from the primary grades to the university—as the priests of our democracy is 
 not to indulge in hyperbole.”

“It is the special task of teachers to foster those habits of open-mindedness and critical inquiry which alone make for responsible citizens who in turn make possible an enlightened and effective public opinion (needed to create a functioning democracy),” he said.

“A renewed and strengthened national commitment to accessible and inclusive education will not only permit members of our society to live more meaningful lives, and more productive lives, but it will allow our nation to resist authoritarian impulses and embrace the openness of mind and spirit that are as essential today for a self-governing people in a democratic society as they were 
 236 years ago when the framers signed the Constitution. 


“Indeed, the ultimate authority of their signing and the ultimate authority to which we must continue to appeal and which our nation is duty bound to educate, is, ‘We the People.’”

Lawrence’s address was followed by a spirited panel discussion that included Brandeis Law professors Cedric Merlin Powell, Enid Trucios-Haynes and Joe Dunman and UofL General Counsel Angela Curry.

The presentation can be viewed in its entirety A photo gallery from the event is

Postel spoke briefly about his experiences throughout the past year and half as interim president, stating that he enjoyed the endless conversations and opportunities presented to him during that time.

“The past year and a half took a toll personally for me and my family, but all that said, it has been an extremely gratifying experience,” he said. “I’d like to thank the campus community for being responsive to our needs.”

Postel added that he has had numerous conversations with incoming president Neeli Bendapudi to help her “have a soft landing.”

“She is engaging, bright, fun to talk to and I think she will be a pleasure to work with,” he said.

Postel has compiled a transition document for Bendapudi that includes 195 active topics.

“She is not coming to the university in a time of full-blown crisis, but she is coming to a campus that has an awful lot of needs. Those needs are challenging. They will require year over year attention. She deserves and needs the full support of the university, the city and the state to move the needle,” Postel said.

Postel also touched on the state budget process, noting that the proposed 6.25-percent cut is disappointing, but some of it is offset by performance funding and cancer research.

“Still, we have to remain sharply focused. There is a pervasive attitude in Frankfort that higher education is bloated and we are forced to become lean – too lean in some areas,” Postel said. He submitted a list of priorities UofL needs to focus on to be transformational, including enhancing liquidity, retaining and recruitment of students, establishing a Phi Beta Kappa chapter, asset preservation and more.

“These are not in the budget. The budget is balanced right now, but that doesn’t include these things, which we need to move forward,” Postel said. “We have to focus on revenue generation – re-gaining the trust of our donor community and student recruitment. We’re past the crises, but we still have some heavy lifting to get to where we want to be.”

Billingsley said the CPE has approved a 6-percent ceiling on tuition increases for the next two years. If the board refuses a tuition increase, UofL will have to implement budget contingencies again, noting that enrollment increases will continue to be critical.

A new, electronic faculty evaluation system has been proposed that aims to make the process easier and save money. Miami of Ohio implemented a similar system and realized an 80-percent saving of faculty time, for example. There will be a formal proposal to include this system in next year’s budget.

Billingsley noted that Beth Boehm will serve as acting provost beginning in June; Paul DeMarco will be acting dean of SIGS; and Beth Willey will be interim associate provost for undergraduate programs.

Brandeis School of Law Dean Colin Crawford provided an update of the work he has been focused on since starting in that role in the beginning of the semester. These focus areas include signature programs, such as the Human Rights Advocacy Program and Central High School partnership, as well as commercial law opportunities and international programming.

CHAWS proposal

A proposal was made for a Center for Health Air Water and Soil (CHAWS), to be housed in the Cardiovascular Institute and led by Dr. Aruni Bhatnagar from the School of Medicine. CHAWS received a $250,000 annual gift for five years and is expected to be self-funded after that time period.

The mission is “to support and promote innovative, environmental research and project focused on health in all policies using the city of Louisville as an urban laboratory; to improve the health and harmony of our community by empowering citizens and using inventive technology; and to encourage new conversations and find new solutions to health challenges in our community and in our world.”

CHAWS is to be part of an Envirome Institute that also includes the Center for Occupational and Environmental Health Science; the Center for Integrated Environmental Health Science; Superfund Basic Research Program; American Heart Association Tobacco Center; Diabetes and Obesity Center; Center for Environmental Engineering; Center for Environmental Sciences; Center for Environmental Policy and Management; and Center for Healthy Air, Water and Soil.

The proposal was approved by the Faculty Senate.

Geospatial Technology certificate

A certificate In Geospatial Technology was also proposed during the meeting. The 15-credit-hour undergraduate certificate complements other programs including criminal justice, engineering, anthropology and biology. It was noted that the discipline is marketable and multidisciplinary. The proposal was approved.

Other news

Enid Trucios-Haynes provided the chair’s report, .Ìę

Elections were held and new senate officers include:

Chair, Krista Wallace-Boaz, Music

Vice Chair, David Owen, A&S

Academics Programs Committee: Chin Ng, Medicine; David Stirling, Medicine; Clare Sullivan, A&S

Committee on Committees and Credentials: Ben Foster, Business; Rebecca Jemian, Music; Michael Tseng, Medicine

Executive Committee: Diana Chlebowy, Nursing; J.P. Mohsen, Speed

Part-Time Faculty Committee: Robert Detmering, Libraries; Robert Myers, Business

Planning and Budget Committee: David Schultz, A&S

Redbook Committee: Forest Arnold, Medicine; John Ferre, A&S; Patrick Harris, Medicine

Academic Technology Committee: Patrick Harris, Medicine

Parking Advisory Committee: Ricardo Caicedo, Dentistry

Parking Appeals Committee: J.P. Mohsen, Speed; Eugene Miller, A&S; Patrick Lai, Dentistry

Staff Senate: Christopher Tillquist, A&S

Student Conduct Hearing Board: Joseph Gutmann, A&S; Diksha Katwal, Dentistry

SGA Representative: Patrick Harris, Medicine

Student Grievance Committee: Robert Barker, Business; Meg Hancock, CEHD; Avery Kolers, A&S; Patrick Harris, Medicine; Ben Schoenbachler, Medicine

Though Bendapudi doesn’t officially start at UofL until May 15, her early engagement with hundreds of UofL faculty, staff and students has been well received.Ìę

“Dr. Bendapudi is absolutely the best fit for moving UofL forward to continued greatness. Her biography is striking: as an immigrant to this country, she learned early the value of public higher education and its transformative powers. She is an engaged faculty member, enthusiastic fundraiser, and a strong advocate for our students and the student experience,” said Will Armstrong, chair of the Staff Senate.Ìę

“I am not exaggerating when I tell you that the times I’ve had the opportunity to speak with her I have felt genuine electricity. Her enthusiasm is infectious.”

Enid Trucios-Haynes, Faculty Senate Chair, said she “” with the choice of Bendapudi as president.Ìę

“I am so delighted that she wants to be here,” she said. “And that she’s the first woman and person of color to lead our school speaks out loud to our commitment to diversity and inclusion.”Ìę

SGA president Vishnu Tirumala tweeted that Bendapudi’s appointment makes him want to stay in school instead of graduating.Ìę

A number of Bendapudi’s Kansas colleagues expressed their admiration for her via social media and on the record to local media outlets.

Sanjay Mistra, who teaches in the business school at Kansas, described Bendapudi to the as an “enthusiastic go-getter who sets big goals and works very hard to achieve them.” Mistra also pointed out Bendapudi’s fundraising prowess, noting that she led an initiative to build the $70.5 million Capitol Federal Hall on Kansas’ campus.Ìę

On Facebook, Eric Pahls commented: “As a Jayhawk, I cannot tell you how great of a selection this is. While we will dearly miss her, our loss is your gain. She is a gifted leader.” And, on Twitter, a number of Jayhawks expressed their gratitude for Bendapudi’s leadership:Ìę

“Neeli is absolutely amazing. She cares so much about students here at KU and in every interaction I’ve had with her she’s been so genuine. I’m so sad to see her leave KU but I’m glad she’s getting the recognition she deserves,” Katherine Riedel tweeted.

“I’ve been affiliated with KU in some form for 31 years and would be hard pressed to name a Jayhawk who represents us better than (Neeli Bendapudi). UofL got a good one!” – Nick Kallail

When she was introduced last week, Bendapudi told the UofL community that it “is not aboutÌęany leader having the magic bullet or having the secret sauce. It’s about helping me help you to make sure our best days are ahead.

“I so appreciate your trust and the confidence you’ve placed in me and I give each of you my word, I promise you. Every single day, every single moment – in big things and small – I will try to do my very best for this university.”

Check out some behind-the-scenes footage from her whirlwind introductory week below. Additional photos from the Belknap and HSC welcome ceremonies are .Ìę

Video by Mark Hebert.

He said the operations unit is working on a 5-year plan that includes making data-based decisions, improving communication within units and getting staff involved in decisions.

“I am thrilled to be here and I am excited about the direction we’re headed in,” Han said.

Also during the meeting, SGA’s newly-elected president Jonathan Fuller gave the group’s report, which includes a resolution to establish course fee evaluations. Fuller asked faculty senators for input on where this information should go (for example, at the end of a course evaluation). The resolution objective is to make clear to all students enrolled in a course with associated fees what the intended use of those fees is. The full resolution is .Ìę

Faculty Senate Chair Enid Trucios-Haynes provided her report, which included an update on several board meetings and subcommittee meetings since February. She said 53 candidates have applied for the presidential position, calling it a “good pool of candidates.” That number has since been whittled down to about 10. The presidential decision is expected in April or May. Her full report is .Ìę

Trucios-Haynes opened the floor for discussion on recently-held budget forums, survey results and other university priorities. Concerns were raised about the process behind dropping low-enrollment programs and which metrics are used to determine their fate.

“We shouldn’t be cutting any programs if our goal is to grow enrollment by 40 percent,” one senator said.

Another expressed concern about how to scale for such ambitious growth, including digital and physical infrastructure, support staff and services.

Interim Provost Dale Billingsley provided an update on the state budget process, noting that UofL will not know if any cuts are on the table until mid-April.

“The House passed a budget proposal that removed most of the governor’s cuts to university budgets; while this more generous budget is likely to be tightened up in the Senate, the university’s advocacy work, led by assistant vice president Shannon Rickett, seems to be having good effects,” he said.

Billingsley also reported that about 500 employees and students participated in President Postel’s budget forums in February, noting that while there was good discussion, none of the ideas proposed have been unexplored already.

UofL is reconsidering tuition sharing plans and whether they’re beneficial. Billingsley also discussed the university’s enrollment growth goals, which will become more clear when the revenue targets are further along by the end of April.

“Enrollment growth is many different things. The cheapest is retention, so we’re focusing very heavily on retention efforts,” he said. “Part of the reason for growth is not just to get money, but to improve the programs we have and to provide our students with the education and experience they need to become productive citizens.”

Billingsley also noted that, at 2018 tuition rates, discounting fees of any sort and thinking only of resident undergraduate tuition, an increase of 5,000 full-time undergraduates will yield almost $28 million dollars in gross tuition revenue per term.

Other general interest items from Billingsley’s report include:

• Cardinal Core, the program that replaces the General łÉÈËֱȄ Requirements of 2002, has been accepted by the undergraduate faculties and will be promulgated for all undergraduate students in the undergraduate catalog to be issued in May. The Cardinal Core makes some significant but not radical changes in the current program, especially in the areas of quantitative reasoning, historical understanding and diversity.
• CPE has proposed a new academic program review policy with more CPE control over curriculum and program administration.
• Campus Climate Survey action plans should be released later this month.
• Dean search updates: The Speed School search committee hosted four campus visits, which concluded at the end of January. The committee submitted unranked recommendations. The Nursing School search committee selected five finalists for on-campus interviews. The SIGS decanal review is underway and expects to complete its work in May. The Music decanal review and SPHIS decanal review are getting underway with the election/appointment of members as required by the REDBOOK. Medicine decanal five-year review will begin in July.
• For other searches: With the resignation of Bryan Robinson, President Postel is overseeing advancement activities until a consultant can be retained. VP Enterprise Risk Management and Compliance: Rhonda Bishop, Vice President for Enterprise Risk Management, Audit and Compliance, starts April 16. VP Finance and CFO: Preparations for a renewed search have begun. University Ombuds: Dr. Bob Staat has agreed to take up this assignment (again) until June 30.
• The SACS reaffirmation team will visit the university March 26-29 for onsite review of the focused report issues and the QEP proposal.

Billingsley’s full report is .Ìę

Committee reports, including academic programs, part-time faculty, ULAA and the president search faculty consultation committee, are also .Ìę

The next Faculty Senate meeting is April 4 from 3-5 p.m. in Chao Auditorium.

Dr. Postel just returned from Dallas and provided senators with an update about UofL’s SACS accreditation, which has been fully restored.

“That is very good news. And there are no strings attached; it was a full, clean removal (of probationary status),” he said, thanking many people involved in the process to re-gain accreditation.

SACS will be back on campus in the spring for a routine visit, which was interrupted last year due to the probationary status.

The NCAA process will continue next week with appellate hearings. UofL is appealing two specific penalties in the case.

“Technically, this is a win. But there is a lot of complexity involved because the NCAA has its own rules and guidelines. The facts are good, the story is terrible and we’re not defending those involved, but rather those affected who weren’t involved,” Postel said.

He also said there are “lots of searches underway,” including:

• COO – there are two finalists, both external, and this position is expected to be filled by the end of December.
• VP of Enterprise and Risk Management – this position is new but necessary, according to Postel.
• In January, the new CFO will start, as will the new dean of the Brandeis School of Law.
• The new controller search started this week.
• Searches are underway for the J.B. Speed School of Engineering and the School of Nursing.

“Next year will be no different, as we currently have interim positions for communications and marketing, HR, advancement and the Provost. And, depending on how the presidential search goes, the EVP for Health Affairs as well,” Postel said.

Postel also touched on the KentuckyOne Health sale downtown, nothing there are two finalists – both private equity firms – that could buy the buildings. The buyer is expected to take ownership and continue to partner with UofL to help manage programs that take place in those spaces.

“This is a good place for us to be and we expect to know more by the end of December,” he said.

UofL is in the final stages of the Campus Climate Survey. One was conducted a few years ago, but the information was not released to the campus.

“We now know the reason it wasn’t sent out is because it was critical of the administration. So we’re going to send both that one and the new one out when it’s ready,” Postel said, to applause. “We can’t fix problems if we don’t know what they are.”

Postel ended his report by announcing that Friday, Dec. 22 will be a holiday.

“It’s been a rough year and everybody deserves a day off,” he said.

Jim Begany, vice provost for Strategic Enrollment Management and Student Success, said UofL has close to 3,000 more applications compared to this time last year. The office is undergoing a reorg, with Dablow leading engagement efforts with the goal of graduating students.

Dablow said the graduation rate at UofL was 43.3 percent 10 years ago. Last year, it was 54.4 percent.

“We’re really proud of that, but it’s still not good enough. We still have work to do,” he said.

He said the university is on pace to increase its graduation rates by about 2 percent each year, which should put us around 60 percent by 2020. His office is tasked with finding out why students don’t persist through graduation and there are two main reasons: They shouldn’t be here in the first place because it’s not an academic fit or other reasons such as financials, or they have either had a mediocre or worse experience here.

“We’re trying to get in front of students as early as orientation,” Dablow said.

The groups of interest and persistence for the office are:

• Underprepared students
• Underrepresented students
• Underresourced students
• Pre-unit students

Underresourced students represent the biggest cohort. Dablow said the biggest impact on enrollment increases in the past 10 years has been the 274-percent increase in student scholarships.

Actions Items

An update to the School of Medicine Bylaws was approved that included clarified language.

The College of Business proposed a master’s of science degree in Business Analytics, aimed at new graduates and people looking to switch their career. The 30-hour degree focuses on analytics and data mining, and is a cohort-based, revenue-sharing model that is available online. The School of Public Health and Information Sciences is exploring a similar program and eventual collaboration is possible. The motion was approved by the Faculty Senate.

The Committee on Committees and Credentials held elections that included Reg Bruce (Business) and Diane Chlebowy (Nursing) being added to the Academic Programs Committee, and David Schultz (A&S) being added to the Planning and Budget Committee.

Reports

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. An announcement was made that there is a Hepatitis A outbreak in Kentucky and the vaccine will be offered to employees.

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The Faculty Senate meeting in January will be held on the second Wednesday, 3-5 p.m. in Chao Auditorium. Ìę

Sherman, who has been in the role for less than a year, provided an update about the foundation since the state and forensic audits were completed.

“Our problems were simple – the foundation spent more than it made. That is a bad equation for sustainability,” he said. “Our sole purpose is to fund scholarships and endowments for faculty and staff. The goal is to do this in perpetuity, but we weren’t doing that.”

The ULF has been under an audit for nearly 900 straight days.

“I assure you there is no granular of sand that hasn’t been looked at and we have a clean bill of health,” Sherman said.

Changes that have been made to clear the investigations and restore donor and stakeholder confidence include:

• New leadership from top to bottom
• Revised bylaws
• A separation of the UofL president and the president of the foundation
• Transparency and compliance with open records requests
• New independent executive
• Specific board resolutions
• Established compliance process to ensure funding to the university is consistent with donor intent
• A more robust conflict of interest policy
• Changed auditors and law firms

“I know this has been painful for a lot of areas on campus. But if we didn’t reign in our spending, it would have further unintended consequences,” Sherman said. “We are looking at the next 200 years, not the next 24 months.”

In addition to reigning in spending, Sherman added that the foundation is looking at other ways to grow the endowment. This includes an end to the deferred compensation plan, an end to “tax gross up” payments to staff, the development of the first ever line-item budget, a review of all real estate holdings to determine their value, and more.

Sherman said the changes have been noticed and September marked the best month for donations in a year.

“Donors are starting to come back because they see the reforms,” he said.

Sherman’s presentation is .Ìę

Lee Smith, interim COO, provided an update from his area, which includes about 800 employees across campus in facilities management, business services, public safety, IT, performance improvement and business analytics.

When the $48 million budget shortfall was announced, Smith’s area was tasked with saving $20 million in operations and procurement.

As of today, savings of $4.5 million in operations has been identified, and $3.4 million in procurement. These savings have come from energy, software/hardware licensing changes, reduction of off campus leases, improved contract negotiations and more.

“For example, for software, we found that products across campus in aggregate cost more than an enterprise system, so we’re continuing to look at these types of cost reductions,” Smith said.

Smith’s team has identified five goals to achieve across the unit:

1. Optimize resources by maximizing cost efficiencies and strengthening fiscal controls. This means moving some systems online, for example, to save both time and paper.
2. Increase revenue streams. There are three major RFPs underway to help: banking, managed print and wireless services.
3. Improved customer service. More training and surveys will be put into place to achieve this goal.
4. Protecting the university’s infrastructure. IT, for example, launched a new Phishbowl resource to identify phishing scams. This also includes improved disaster recovery capabilities and prioritizing deferred maintenance.
5. Focus on data-driven decision making and, as a result, producing user-friedly reports.

Senate votes to suspend Paralegal program

In other Faculty Senate business, the Academic Programs committee put forth a proposal to suspend the university’s paralegal program, which is an associate’s degree program. The program is housed in the Political Science department, which has been affected by the budget crisis. The Paralegal program is the only associate’s degree program at UofL and it requires American Bar Association accreditation. This accreditation will be lost the program does not have a devoted director, which the department is unable to hire at this time because of the budget.

In consultation with the A&S Dean’s office and the Provost’s office, a 5-year suspension of the program was recommended. This was done to provide more time to see if any other departments want to pick up the paralegal program, such as Law or Criminal Justice. It is rare for this type of program to fall in the Political Science department.

Department Chair Rodger Payne said the impetus behind this proposal is completely driven by budgetary issues. There is a teach out plan that runs for the current students through 2018. The program averages anywhere between 11 and 28 students a year.

Joe Gutmann, who teaches courses in the program, provided a gentle rebuttal on why UofL should keep the paralegal degree. The program began in the 1980s, so UofL has a nearly 40-year investment, and there is strong job growth in this field, especially for women and minorities. The biggest competitor in the city is Sullivan and “their program is thriving,” according to Gutmann.

A motion was brought forward to suspend the program and that motion was passed.

Other reports

The Student Government Association report is . The group suggested that course fee evaluations be placed on syllabi or online so students know where their fees are going.Ìę

Also, the SGA is looking at ways to centralize the advising system so it’s more consistent across campus.

Faculty Senate Chair Enid Trucios-Haynes provided the Chair’s report, noting that the presidential search discussion will continue in the next Board of Trustees meeting later this month. The presidential search process is expected to include listening tours at some point, and Trucios-Haynes said she has been ensured that the senate will be involved in that planning process.

She also released a general statement to some media outlets disagreeing with the lack of transparency involved in the presidential search.

“The concern for me is we are a community, not a business. But we have to let the process move forward and the process of doing this work is important,” she said.

The Provost report from Dale Billingsley is .

The President’s report from Greg Postel is .Ìę

The Redbook committee held a first reading of new bylaws that included “cleaned up” language and clarifications. A second reading and vote will be held during the December meeting.

Additionally, the discussion item on the presidential forum and suggested priorities has been delayed until the December meeting, which is scheduled for Dec. 6, 3-5 p.m., Chao Auditorium.

Senate committee elections were held, and an action item was approved to add a graduate certificate in biostatistics. All courses already exist as part of the master’s program, so no additional resources are needed to launch the certificate program.

Chair Enid Trucios-Haynes presented highlights from the chair’s report, which is available .

She noted her efforts urging board of trustees’ chair David Grissom to advise the campus community about the planned framework for the presidential search process, which he has reported will be a closed search throughout the process. The BOT has received numerous responses to his proposal, including from faculty, chairs, deans and the AAUP.

The Faculty Senate Executive Committee also responded and, after a lengthy discussion, it was motioned and approved that the senate endorse the XC’s letter, which reads:

Dear Members of the Board of Trustees,

The Executive Committee of the Faculty Senate is thoroughly opposed to the decision of the Board of Trustees to conduct a closed Presidential search. We feel that severely limiting the input from faculty and other constituents will damage the efforts to cultivate greater transparency, undermine the importance of shared governance, and negatively impact the future working relationship and trust between the faculty and senior leadership.

We believe that more input from constituents, particularly faculty, will assist the search committee throughout the process by providing important institutional history, and thus result in a better outcome. This more inclusive representation would also help restore the confidence of the University’s donors. We urge the Board to reevaluate the search process, and open the search once finalists are selected, allowing faculty, staff and students to interact on campus with each of the finalists. We also strongly recommend that the search committee be expanded to include a broader representation of campus and community constituents, along with a robust engagement of the .

Collaboration is essential to restoring the morale of the faculty, and greater collaboration will serve to unify the administration, students, staff and faculty so that we, the community of the University of Louisville, can focus on moving forward with our values, goals and initiatives.

Sincerely,

The Executive Committee of the Faculty Senate & The Faculty Senate

Todd Mooradian, dean of the College of Business, was introduced to the Senate. He has been in the post for a little less than a year and provided some of his background, including his proximity to higher education throughout his entire life, growing up near the campus of the University of New Hampshire.

Mooradian outlined three of his priorities in the decanal role, including promotion of a culture of inclusiveness, innovation and efficiency.

“I want to the school to embrace and celebrate each individual and invest in their success wholeheartedly. We’re also spending a lot of time thinking about value propositions so the community embraces us more,” he said. “We’re working hard to engage the community and finding ways to contribute to Louisville, Kentucky and the world. I am so pleased to be a part of an institution that gives students a public service opportunity.”

Report: Interim president Dr. Greg Postel provided an update on a variety of issues, including SACS. Last week, SACS sent six visitors to campus to gauge UofL’s progress in addressing the organization’s concerns that initiated probationary accreditation status last year. Specifically, SACS representatives were looking at 10 issues and UofL was cleared on eight of them.

The two that remain a concern have to do with the university’s affiliated entities and the qualification of administrators.

Postel said a memorandum of understanding is being created to define UofL’s relationship with the UofL Real Estate Foundation. He added that many searches are underway for administrative positions and he hopes to name a few permanent positions soon to help with the second concern.

More information about the SACS visit isÌę.Ìę

Postel noted that September marked UofL’s biggest research month in the history of the institution, led by Dr. Roberto Bolli’s $13.8 million grant from NIH to study a promising new heart failure treatment.

He pivoted to donor activity, which he described as “good, surprising,” and noted that the Advancement Office is working on enhancing stewardship efforts and programmatic support.

Postel provided an update on UofL Hospital, describing it as “busy, busy, busy.”

“The hospital is full. It hired 108 nurses in two months. Prior to July, it couldn’t hire a nurse to save itself, so that just shows the kind of work UMC is doing,” he said.

Postel discussed the budget, noting that 2016-17 is done and favorable. It will be available next week. The 2017-18 budget, meanwhile, is balanced, including the $48 million deficit.

“We’re right on target in every category,” he said. “I’m obsessed with finding new revenue streams. My biggest worry right now is how much education could be a victim to a decrease in state appropriations. It’s not a matter of ‘if,’ it’s a matter of ‘how much.’ But it’s reason for us to get motivated to find ways to stand on our own,” Postel said. “This is why we’re focusing on priority setting and hosting open forums to get faculty and staff to help us understand our priorities.”

Finally, Postel touched on the athletics scandals taking place, nothing the NCAA appeal for the prostitution scandal is in process and expected in mid-December. He said he is not optimistic because of the more recent FBI allegations against the men’s basketball team.

“The real issue here is reputational. To see another hit is painful,” he said. “There is nothing good about this (FBI) story. We are working very hard to stay current about the information as it comes in. The university is not a target in this, we are viewed as a victim. But that means we will have financial and reputational exposure again.”

Postel said he received about 3,000 emails last week about this scandal via email.

“It’s important to note that none of the decisions being made are personal. They’re all being made to protect the university,” he said.

Report: Interim Provost Dr. Dale Billingsley provided a brief update that will be available online soon. He mentioned the diversity plan is now available online and individual units will be required to work on their own plans soon. He also noted that there have been requests for more support for tuition revenue sharing plans for new programs and his office is working on getting a single template launched to tuition revenue sharing plans are transparent.

Report: Brian Bigelow, Title IX and ADA Coordinator, introduced himself to the Faculty Senate, having been in his position for the past 15 months. He provided an overview of what the university’s responsibilities are in response to last month’s changes to Title IX, introduced by Secretary of łÉÈËֱȄ Betsy DeVos.

“There are new regulations, but we don’t know what they say yet and we don’t know how long it will take for them to go into effect,” he said. “In the meantime, it doesn’t affect UofL specifically. We’re in a holding pattern, but we’re alert to changes coming down the pike.”

Other reports are available online:

The next Faculty Senate meeting is Nov. 1, 3-5 p.m. in Ekstrom Library’s Chao Auditorium.

President Postel report

Postel opened his remarks by indicating the university’s progress on a number of issues, including the SACS accreditation process. SACS will conduct a site visit Sept. 19-21 to asses our current accreditation probationary status.

“I can tell you we’re ready. We’ve checked every box in a very meticulous way,” Postel said.

Exit interviews will be conducted on the last day of the site visit, Sept. 21, and Postel said we will have a reasonable idea of where we are with our accreditation at that time.

Postel also discussed the Trump administration’s recent decision to rescind the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.

“This decision is of great concern to the university. Though it doesn’t apply to a lot of people, it is symbolic. We pride ourselves on being a diverse and welcoming campus and this threatens that,” he said. “We are taking this as a very serious concern and we intend to spend a lot of time talking to elected officials about finding a solution instead of just discontinuing the program, which I think would be a huge mistake.”

Postel discussed the university’s work on security and affiliated campus housing. He mentioned a lot of work is being done thinking about how to better security in and around campus, and he has also initiated a conversation about possibly changing affiliated campus housing’s policies that currently allow non-students to rent.

“Many of these affiliated buildings have non-students and a lot of crime is the byproduct of non-students. This will take a while because of leases, but one of the goals is to homogenize those dorms,” he said.

Postel also said the university is getting ready to launch a national search for a new police chief.

Postel transitioned to the donor community, which he said “continues to warm up to us.” Two major gifts are expected to be announced soon, as is a cardiac research project gift.

On the topic of the budget, UofL finished the fiscal year more than $20 million ahead this year, “a dramatic difference from the past two years.” He said this progress should bode well for the SACS visit.

UofL Hospital is “doing extremely well” since its transition to UMC this summer. In June, 85 nurses were hired and the hospital beds are full.

“This is a great problem to have,” Postel said.

Jewish Hospital and Frazier Rehab buildings are for sale. Postel said this is a concern since UofL has “major” programs housed in those buildings.

“The conversations are not going so great. It is possible there won’t be a buyer. We own the land and the buildings if the current operator leaves,” he said.

Postel said there will be more open forums in October to provide the university community with more updates. The forums will be panel format and will include five panelists and Postel. More information will be released soon.

In other business

A moment of silence was held to memorialize Dean Richard Clover, from SPHIS, who passed away in May, and Dr. Ron Sahoo, Mathematics professor, who passed away in June.

A new senator orientation was held prior to the formal meeting. Ten new senators were recognized.

Professor Jasmine Farrier led discussion on the action item of a new B.S. in Neuroscience. The initial meeting was held proposing this new program last May. She said concerns have included stretched resources and cannibalization of other majors. The program would include a collaboration between A&S and the School of Medicine. Farrier noted that Arts & Sciences Dean Kimberly Leonard-Kempf supported the proposal.

“We hope that instead of cannibalizing other students that this is used to recruit new students,” Farrier said.

The program was approved by the Faculty Senate.

Student Government report

The SGA reported that they have created a statement in support of DACA and it is on the SGA website and has also been shared via social media. The SGA has received positive feedback throughout the summer on the SAC and dining expansions.

The governing body is currently outlining qualities the next UofL president should have, and is consolidating redundancies in its constitution.

Staff Senate report

The Staff Senate did not meet in August, but did hold a forum on both the Belknap and HSC campus. Members met with John Elliott, the new AVP for Human Resources, and expressed concerns over the hiring freeze and continued uncertainty about finances.

Faculty Senate Chair report

Enid Trucios-Haynes posted her , which included her initiatives.

“Every Faculty Senate chair has initiatives. Mine are to increase the role of research in the classroom and to put together an ad hoc committee on best practices in teaching evaluations,” she said.

Trucios-Haynes hopes to host an event in the spring to highlight the intersection of research and teaching.

Also, the Committee of State Faculty Leaders meeting is being held this week. Agenda items include recommendations for faculty representation on the CPE.

Finally, Trucios-Haynes is hoping to define the role of faculty members in the presidential search. The search firm, R. William Funk & Associates of Dallas, was announced this week. The contract runs through June 30, 2018.

Provost Dale Billingsley report

Billingsley provided updated numbers about UofL’s graduation rates, which are now at 52.8 percent. The retention rate has increased in the past two years, from 79 percent to 80.6 percent.

“This is great news. If we can move the cohort rate this year and do it consistently, we will get to a 60 percent graduation rate by 2020,” he said.

Also, applications are up nearly 224 percent over this time last year. In our target markets of Chicago, Cincinnati and Nashville, our applications are up by nearly 310 percent.

Vice Provost for Diversity and International Affairs Mordean Taylor-Archer report

Taylor-Archer presented the University Diversity Plan, available in its entirety online, which was created in conjunction with a number of campus groups and entails three focus areas – .Ìę

Of UofL’s nearly 23,000 students, 20.3 percent are underrepresented, including 11.1 percent African American. The five-year target is to get that number up to 23 percent and 14 percent, respectively. Taylor-Archer noted one challenge with achieving that goal is the expected flat high school graduation rate among African Americans.

The report also outlines high impact strategies to promote equity and inclusion and to monitor cultural competency. Some of these include diversity training and cultural competency training for faculty and staff.

UofL has won a Higher łÉÈËֱȄ Excellence in Diversity Award for the fourth year, Taylor-Archer said.

Dean of University Libraries Bob Fox report

Fox noted that the Libraries is not renewing its largest (by cost) journal package, Elsevier’s ScienceDirect. There will be an opportunity to re-add individual titles, however, and the Libraries website will include a link for feedback about what those titles may be if the cost permits.Ìę

To put the package in perspective, the package costs about $2.2 million, compared to less than $1 million for the next largest package.

“We’re looking at all of them to see if we can cut more. The only place I can really cut is collections. I don’t have an operations budget and we have 30 less staff than we did when I started seven years ago,” he said.

The next Faculty Senate meeting is Oct. 4 on the HSC campus.

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Trucios-Haynes presented a statement of the executive committee for endorsement. It reads:

“The forensic audit of the University revealed significant issues regarding administrative transparency. The Executive Committee of the Faculty Senate continues to strongly encourage the University of Louisville Foundation to enhance faculty involvement in board governance by creating a permanent, ex-officio voting Faculty Representative on the Board of Directors. This increased faculty participation will strengthen the commitment to transparency and accountability of the Foundation’s business. We believe that robust shared governance at the University of Louisville Foundation might have led to greater oversight because of the unique perspective and investment faculty have in University matters.”

Trucios-Haynes put the endorsement of this statement up for a vote and it was passed unanimously.

She also said there are a number of RFP committees underway, including banking, print services and employee assistance program, and the faculty consultation committee to the presidential search held its second meeting last month.

The ad hoc budget committee also recently met for a second time to discuss strategic initiatives and the widespread impacts of the hiring freeze/frost. Trucios-Haynes said a major concern is the role faculty members play when there are less faculty available to teach, and the committee’s priority is to ensure this does not become the “new normal.”

Report, Dr. Dale Billingsley, interim EVP and Provost

Billingsley reported that the ombudsman search will conclude soon, and Dr. Bob Staat will continue in that role until Aug. 1 to ensure a smooth transition.

The Law School dean search has concluded and Colin Crawford will start Dec. 31. Professor Lars Smith will fill in until Crawford is on campus. Billingsley also reported that the Law School is expecting 150 students for the fall semester, about 60 more than last year.

The nursing and Speed dean positions have been posted and the goal is to have those searches underway in the fall.

SIGS Dean Beth Boehm and School of Music Dean Christopher Doan are up for the 5-year reviews.

Billingsley also reported that the Board of Trustees approved Redbook changes in its June meeting to bring it into compliance with SACS’ expectations. The scope of SACS’ September visit to campus has been expanded to address “financial stability issues,” in light of the Foundation audit.

The budget advisory committee continues to review requests for general funds and is tracking all open positions to ensure UofL hits a $10M savings target. There are five areas exempt from the hiring freeze/frost:

• Instructional impact
• External compliance and internal policy
• Safety and Security
• Essential patient care
• Contractual obligations

Billingsley noted there has been some confusion about funding sources, adding that general funds represent about 40 percent of the captures from attrition.

Enrollment is about 300 students behind this time last year – equating to about $3 million in revenue – though professional and graduate schools are doing well. Other institutions are reporting lower enrollment, too, with the University of Kentucky down about 7 to 8 percent.

“All of the incoming freshmen are excited and eager to be here. I’m hopeful that positive energy will be enough to overpower some of the negative stuff the staff and faculty are feeling,” Billingsley said, noting that those feelings are justified given the current situation. “The enthusiasm is there, but people are perplexed. Hopefully the positive energy from the incoming freshmen will help sustain us through the hard times. The bad times will end.”

Billingsley concluded his report by discussing his concern for the Trump administration’s federal aid plan, which primarily targets PELL and SGO grants.

“This is the financial aid these students use to get out of the poverty cycle,” he said. “If the budget does not change, we will have to adjust to reinforce the closing of that socio-economic gap.”

Report, Lee Smith, interim COO, and Mark Watkins, AVP for Business Services

Smith reported that his department is tasked with helping to find $20 million in savings – $10 million of that from the operational budget and $10 million from procurement.

From the operational budget, Smith said a variety of opportunities have been identified, such as IT costs (for example, paying for licenses that were not being used), energy management and supply costs. There are a handful of RFPs in progress, including managed print and wired and wireless internet that should also trim costs.

For procurement, Smith said we spend about $320 million to external companies. He said we will recoup some savings en route to that $10 million goal in the next year by applying a 6-percent surcharge to procurement activity at units.

Watkins added that there are 10 prioritized areas to find procurement savings, including computers, software, furniture, catering services and more.

“Our $3.2 million catering services bill is dispersed through many providers. The goal is to get that down to six preferred caterers,” he said, as an example.

A task force has been created to help with this initiative.

An extensive Q&A followed their report, with many expressing concern over the “procurement tax.” Smith said, “Our judgement is this is the best path forward for us right now.”

Dr. Greg Postel, interim president

Postel opened his PowerPoint presentation by stating that there is so much going on right now, “I don’t think it’s a time when over communication is possible.”

His first slide provided an overview of the UofL Hospital/James Graham Brown Cancer Center management transition, which was completed without incident July 1. Postel said 2,500 employees now work for UMC, which has a “strong” balance sheet and a balanced budget. Also, employee enthusiasm and engagement over the transition is “profound.”

“There were a number of people outside cheering when they were changing the signs. They’re excited about the opportunity to manage their hospital,” he said. “This is a real economic engine for the University of Louisville. This is one example of how to bring into our control and asset and a growth opportunity versus a cut.”

Postel provided a quick overview of the four construction projects underway – Belknap Academic Building, Swain Center renovation/expansion; Pediatric Medical Office Building; and Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium.

“I’m most excited about the academic building. It will include all of the things that go into making sure our students excel,” he said.

All projects remain on track for completion about a year from now.

There are a number of appointments and searches underway:

• CFO, national search underway
• CAO, position will not be refilled
• COO, proposed internal search
• AVP HR, an interim appointment will be followed by a search
• VP for advancement, an interim appointment will be followed by a search
• VP for community engagement, an interim appointment will be followed by a search
• HSC CFO, complete
• Director of the James Graham Brown Cancer Center, complete
• Brandeis School of Law dean, complete
• School of Nursing dean, national search to start in the fall
• Speed School dean, national search to start in the fall
• Ombudsman, search concluding

Postel provided an update to UofL’s SACS accreditation status, noting the leadership had an “excellent” meeting in June with SACS. Postel and a few other administrators are going to visit SACS in Georgia to talk about anything extra the university can do to ensure the September site visit is successful.

“It is a way for us to be proactive and for us to get our faces out there,” he said.

One of his biggest concerns is the financial stability of the university.

“SACS will want to see that we have a balanced budget. This institution has not had a balanced budget in years and they’re going to make sure we’re sticking to this. I’m very focused on this. “Now is not the time to be lax on expenses and revenue,” Postel said.

Postel said he has received a lot of feedback from donors and members of the public about the recent NCAA ruling about the men’s basketball team.

“There were four sets of findings and they were not appealing. This is a bad story and we’re not making excuses,” he said.

UofL is appealing two of the penalties: vacation of wins/titles and financial claw back from conference proceeds.

“It’s hard to find precedent with these penalties. We are appealing these two with a ‘non-emotional’ justification. We feel that there were errors made in the way these penalties were decided. Some of the players ended up not even playing for UofL, for example,” Postel said. “We have to balance being fair but accepting our punishment.”

The appeal process will run at least until the fall, when the next hearing is scheduled.

Postel said there is not much to update on the UofL Foundation’s forensic audit. The board of trustees continues to study the report and a detailed discussion will take place at the next board meeting, July 20. This, he said, will kick off additional conversations.

The Jewish Hospital/Frazier Rehabilitation Center are on the market. These are KentuckyOne Health’s largest facilities and UofL owns the ground and much of the programming that takes place there (about half of the admissions).

“We’re trying to understand what we can do that produces no-to-minimal risk for the university but is in the best interests of the community because these facilities provide a big safety net for many, many people,” Postel said. “Two of the three busiest ERs in the city are for sale and as a service we can’t look away, but we can’t do something at the peril of the university.”

Finally, UofL will “reassess” the current, “extremely conservative” budget in the fall to see if we can change strategies.

“Will we have to be as harsh about hiring? Procurement? We should be able to know more by then. Nothing is going to be easy or popular,” Postel said. “But we are busy trying to make this as painless and short term as possible. I am also confident we are going to have donors back again and soon. We’re all in this together.”

There is no Faculty Senate meeting in August.Ìę