The first opened in 2021, and the second opened this fall. While the new residence halls are outfitted to meet 21st-century students’ needs, both were missing one important element — proper names.

University of Louisville Interim President Lori Stewart Gonzalez provided that last key element at the Sept. 23, 2022, meeting of the university Board of Trustees, when she announced that the new resident halls will bear the names Belknap Village North and Belknap Village South. Gonzalez’s announcement was met with the trustees’ approval. In her remarks, Gonzalez noted the proximity of the residence halls to other university facilities, such as the Swain Student Activities Center, the Interfaith Center, Ekstrom Library, numerous classroom buildings and outdoor common areas. Further, the new Center for Engaged Learning, where students can find hands-on job and research opportunities, will open on the bottom floor of Belknap Village South.

“Both the placement of these new facilities as well as consideration of students’ needs in the planning, design and construction exemplify the university’s commitment to strength of community,” said Gonzalez. “Our new residence halls, which 900 primarily first-year students call home, are indeed part of our campus village.”

Other Highlights

Trustees approved the creation of a Public Health Training Graduate Certificate and a Franchise Management Undergraduate Certificate. The Public Health Training Certificate will provide foundational public health knowledge to working professionals who may not be ready to fully commit to a traditional Master of Public Health degree. The Franchise Management Undergraduate Certificate will prepare students to work in franchising, whether that involves becoming a franchisee, working for a franchisee, working for a franchisor or working in the industry.

According to Interim Provost Gerry Bradley, both new certificate programs align with growing market interest in their respective fields and will provide stronger connections between the university and leaders in the public health and business franchise sectors.

The School of Medicine’s request to rename the Diabetes & Obesity Center to the Center for Cardiometabolic Science was unanimously approved. “Diabetes and obesity” focus on risk factors and disease; however, the center’s members also work on fundamental explanation of cardiovascular/cardiometabolic health. The center’s new name encompasses members’ interests in both health and disease.

Bradley notified trustees of two program closures. During a program review, the Kentucky Council for Postsecondary łÉČËÖ±˛Ą identified the Bachelor of Arts in art history degree program for closure due to low and declining enrollment, low degree conferrals and low student market demand. The art and design faculty are converting the BA (Bachelor of Arts) in art history to an art history track within the BA in art degree program.

The Graduate Certificate in Logistics and Distribution will also close due to low enrollment with no students enrolling in the program since Fall 2016. Consequently, the industrial engineering faculty will transition the certificate to an interdisciplinary Graduate Certificate in Logistics and Supply Chain Management in partnership with faculty in the College of Business.

UofL’s new Center for Engaged Learning (CEL) will celebrate its grand opening Tuesday, Oct. 18, from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. UofL’s newest student resource is located on the first floor of the Belknap Village South residence hall. Paul DeMarco, interim director of the Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity, gave a presentation about the value of engaged learning at UofL. In doing so, he emphasized how the university’s many different engaged learning opportunities, such as internships, study abroad programs, co-ops and research assistant programs, illustrate how the student experience goes beyond the classroom. The CEL will work on partnership with UofL’s existing engaged learning resources, such as the University Career Centers, Office of Community Engagement, Office of Study Abroad and International Travel, academic programs and several other units to connect students with engaged learning activities.

Jacoby Banet, Madison Cicha and Afi Tagnedji, who all recently participated in the Summer Research Opportunity Program (SROP), were also on hand to share the positive outcomes of their engaged learning experiences.

“The center is an exciting resource that will greatly benefit our students,” said Gonzalez. “Students who have had engaged or experiential learning opportunities ask richer questions in class and are prepared after graduation to tackle complex problems in any workplace setting.”

The next meeting of the University of Louisville Board of Trustees will take place Friday, Oct. 28, at 1 p.m. in the Jefferson Room, Grawemeyer Hall. Meeting information, committee reports and meeting minutes are available on the Board of Trustees .

This year, more than 700 students submitted recommendations for Student Champion Awards, yielding 547 recipients representing several schools, colleges and offices.

“A UofL diploma represents a communal investment in academic, professional and personal success,” said interim President Lori Stewart Gonzalez, who as provost initiated the Student Champion Award program in 2021. “As our students succeed, so does our university. My thanks and congratulations to the winners of this year’s Student Champion Award.”

The College of Arts & Sciences received the most nominations, with student submissions recognizing 173 faculty and staff across multiple departments. Students also recognized 63 employees in the College of łÉČËÖ±˛Ą and Human Development, 45 employees in the School of Medicine and 33 employees in the College of Business.

Raymond Chastain, associate professor in the College of Arts & Sciences, Amy Hirschy and Susan Longerbeam, both associate professors in the College of łÉČËÖ±˛Ą and Human Development, and Leondra Gully, director of the Cultural Center, received the most acknowledgements from the student body.

“Our Student Champion Award recipients demonstrate the kind of faculty and staff that make UofL a great place to learn,” said interim Provost Gerry Bradley. “Their commitment exemplifies the Cardinal Principles of Community of Care and Noble Purpose. The support they provided and the relationships they developed were vital to the university’s mission.”

All faculty and staff names that were submitted as Student Champions can be viewed [PDF].

For nearly a decade, Guan has led various academic innovations in the College of Business. In his senior leadership role, he has focused on strategic initiatives as the college addresses challenges brought on by technological innovation, globalization and demographic change. His knowledge of the college’s strategy and operations, his close working relationships with different constituencies in the college and beyond, and his demonstrated ability to engage the business community make him an ideal person to lead.

“I am confident that Interim Dean Designate Guan will be a highly engaged leader for the college during the period of transition,” Bradley said. 

“It is an honor to be appointed interim dean of the College of Business,” Guan said. “I very much respect this institution and the students it serves, and it is my intention to build upon the momentum we have created over the last five years of Dean Mooradian’s leadership. It has been a privilege to be part of Dean Mooradian’s leadership team, and I feel that I am well prepared to lead the college during our search process.”

Mooradian and the College of Business’s chief of staff, Joe Neary, will work closely with Interim Dean Designate Guan to ensure a smooth transition for the college. The university leadership team will move forward with a formal dean search for the college in the spring of 2023. At that time, a professional search firm will be selected, and a search committee will be formed consisting of both elected and appointed members of the college. The university will provide more details regarding the search process this winter.

In his announcement, Bradley took a moment to recognize departing Dean Mooradian.

“I want to express both my and Interim President Gonzalez’s sincere appreciation to Dean Mooradian for the many ways he has strengthened the College during his tenure,” Bradley said. “I am thankful to Interim Dean Designate Guan for accepting his appointment, and I look forward to partnering with you all on this journey to the College of Business’s next chapter.”

While he is interim in title, Guan’s role in developing many of the college’s initiatives over the last four years means the college is in a prime position to continue its growth and innovation for students and the Cardinal Community.

“We are indeed in excellent shape as we enter the fall semester. Our enrollment is strong, as is our financial position. We continue to improve the student experience and focus on increasing our graduation rate,” Guan said. “All these, and many more, are reasons to feel very optimistic about the College of Business.”

The university is conducting a national search based on best practices that includes listening to stakeholders, engaging a specialty search firm and identifying an advisory group to the president. The search process has included listening sessions with students, faculty, staff, alumni, student athletes, student athlete alumni, coaches, athletic department staff and the community.

The Planning Group will share feedback with Interim President Lori Stewart Gonzalez and an Athletic Director Search Advisory Group, which will work with the search firm to create a leadership statement/job description for the athletic director position and to inform decisions made during the search process.

The search firm will be retained within the next few weeks. From that time, the search process should take three to five weeks, Gonzalez said.

After structured interviews, background checks and other key elements of a structured search, the Advisory Group will advise the president, who will select the final candidate pending input from the Board and any necessary approvals.

“We have committed to a thorough search conducted with integrity and diligence,” Gonzalez said. “This process will help us secure an athletic director who will have the skills and experience necessary to lead our program now and in the future.”

Interim President Lori Gonzalez provided senators with current student enrollment and retention figures. A decline in undergraduate enrollment compared to last year was reported. Gonzalez said that administration anticipated this decrease and despite the current dip in student enrollment, current figures for the fall 2022 term show promise. Figures for the fall 2022 semester include a 6% increase in student applications, 14% increase in admissions and 30% increase in deposits.

Gonzalez further reported an increase in student retention rate of 91% from the fall 2021 to spring 2022 semester, improving upon the 86% student retention rate reported the previous year.

“Our fall to spring retention for first-year students is back to pre-pandemic levels, which is pretty amazing,” Gonzalez said. “Getting back in class and having the right kind of experience, I think, has made a big difference.”

Dan Durbin, executive vice president for finance and administration, and Keith Sherman, executive director and chief operating officer of the , presented information on the university budget and available funding currently offered through the foundation. Durbin provided an overview of the university’s $1.3 billion budget for fiscal year 2022. General or unrestricted funds are used to cover the unrestricted operating expenses incurred by the university; this funding accounts for about 40% of the institution’s total budget.

“Our unrestricted funding is made up of tuition, fees and state appropriations. Tuition and fees are influenced by external and internal factors, so we have very limited latitude when it comes to increasing unrestricted operating funds from tuition and fees,” Durbin said. “Our state appropriation is about $130 million a year; $127 million of that is base, and we have to earn the other $3 million through the Performance Funding model, so that $3 million is always at risk.”

Performance funding is reallocated each year based on each university’s performance relative to other institutions in the state. UofL performed better than the sector average in seven of the 11 performance metrics used to determine state performance funding. Despite a slight increase in 2022, state funding for the university has generally declined over the past decade.

The university’s general fund budget will soon face several significant challenges, including inflation, employee compensation increases and the 2025 demographic cliff projected to impact higher education enrollment and institutional aide nationwide. As neither state allocation nor tuition increases can meet these financial obstacles fully, units have been encouraged to take advantage of the $82 million that is currently available through the University of Louisville Foundation.

Sherman reported the total foundation funding, which includes both endowment and current use funds, is available to each UofL school and college. Senators were also provided with a recommended order of spending for all funding, both restricted and nonrestricted, to reduce general fund spending and maximize UofL’s budgetary efficiency.

“Grant monies typically need to be returned to the grantor if you don’t spend them, so you should spend those funds first. Then go to your restricted endowments and your restricted non-endowed gifts [before spending] your unrestricted money. Your unrestricted money is gold because you can do anything you want with it. We recommend spending unrestricted gifts before your unrestricted endowments because non-endowed gifts don’t grow.” said Sherman.

Committee reports and a of the meeting can be accessed on the . The next Faculty Senate meeting is scheduled for Feb. 8 and will take place remotely via Microsoft Teams.

As vice provost for faculty affairs, Dawson-Edwards will work with the provost and academic deans to oversee all faculty personnel actions and provide faculty and administrator professional development programs. Her service in the provost office begins Feb. 1, 2022.

Prior to her current role, she served as the department chair for A&S Criminal Justice, director of the A&S Social Change Program and acting director of the Anne Braden Institute for Social Justice Research.

“She is a passionate educator and a justice-oriented scholar who focuses on the intersection of public policy and criminal justice with a specific focus on race, schools and juvenile justice,” said UofL Interim President Lori Stewart Gonzalez in an announcement to the university jointly issued with Interim Provost Gerry Bradley. “Throughout her career, she has worked tirelessly for institutional and community change, always striving to bring greater equity and inclusion to the policies and practices of organizations.”

Outside of her work at UofL, Dawson-Edwards currently serves as the Kentucky affiliate representative on the national board of the American Civil Liberties Union with a recent appointment as the nationwide ACLU deputy affiliate equity officer, where she ensures that equity and inclusion have a constant presence in the search and placement of organizational leaders. She has also worked with numerous school districts conducting professional development trainings and consulting on racial equity and workplace restorative justice practices. Dawson-Edwards received the 2016 University of Louisville College of Arts & Sciences Community Service Award.

“We are confident that her work will touch every part of our university to ensure our faculty know they are supported,” Gonzalez said. “Her personal and professional experience and interests as well as her service to the university make her the ideal person for this role, which is vital to our administration.”

Learn more about Cherie Dawson-Edwards .

Gonzalez announced Wednesday that School of Dentistry Dean Gerry Bradley will serve as interim provost. Dean since 2016, Bradley has extensive academic and administrative experience, previously serving as associate dean for research and graduate studies and chair of developmental sciences at the Marquette University School of Dentistry. Since coming to UofL, he has played a key role in many important initiatives at the university, including serving as chair of several dean searches and co-chairing the Executive Budget Steering Committee.

Margaret Hill, associate dean for academic affairs, will lead the School of Dentistry as interim dean.

Gonzalez also appointed Gail DePuy, professor of industrial engineering and interim vice provost in the Center for Engaged Learning, to serve as interim senior vice provost. She will have oversight of the other vice provosts and oversee key initiatives in the provost’s office.  A former acting dean of the Speed School of Engineering, DePuy has been instrumental in developing and shepherding the university’s strategic planning effort since 2019.

Paul DeMarco, professor of psychological and brain sciences and interim director of undergraduate research and creative activity, will assume the role of interim vice provost for the CEL.

The appointments are effective immediately.

“With these changes to our already strong leadership team, and with the continued outstanding efforts of you, our faculty and staff, we are well positioned to continue our growth as a premier anti-racist metropolitan research university that creates thriving futures for students, our community and society,” Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez also said she expects to fill two other key positions, the vice provost for faculty affairs and the vice president for diversity and equity, “in the coming weeks.”