UofL News: You have served at the University of Louisville for 24 years. What is it about the institution that has compelled you to continue investing in this community?

Kevin Ledford: I served the university first as a student temporary worker, and then later as a full-time employee for the past 18 years. If I had to pick one thing that has compelled me to continue to invest in the UofL community, it would be the people. I see daily how passionate everyone is about the vitally important work we do in educating future generations. During my years, I have interacted with departments and people all over the university and they are almost universally dedicated and passionate about the work we do, and their role in it.

UofL News: Some may not understand or appreciate the purpose of a staff senate. Can you describe the significance of its impact, along with some distinguishing features of the UofL Staff Senate?

Ledford: To me, UofL鈥檚 Staff Senate provides a voice and representation of staff community, gives feedback to administration and advocates for staff outcomes that will hopefully improve conditions that help make the university a better place to work. We work collaboratively with administration and the other shared governance bodies, such as the Faculty Senate and the Student Government Association to help accomplish these goals

UofL News: How do you plan to use your new position to develop changes in ways that uniquely leaves your mark?

Ledford: I want to use my position to advocate for investment in our human capital, our employees. One of the key issues I have heard repeatedly is how we struggle to get and keep good talent in the staff areas and to maintain staffing levels that set us up for success. I think by advocating for that investment in our staff, we can improve the ability of our staff to support the goal of educating our students, providing them and the faculty who teach them a better experience.

UofL News: What would you say are the greatest factors in your life that have brought you vocationally to where you are today?

Ledford: I am an Information Technology person by profession. My IT background tends to make me approach things in a very process-and-systems-driven mindset. This has really been a benefit to me as I am in the role of Staff Senate chair. I am a firm believer that if you have good systems in place and your process is well designed, then it should be easier to adapt and innovate. IT also must be very collaborative and communicative, so those are skills I try and use as much as possible.

UofL News: Everyone loves telling and hearing a good story; what is one of the most memorable moments you have from your time on staff thus far at UofL?

Ledford: A very personal story comes to mind when you ask that question. In 2009, I ended up with a very bad case of swine flu, that became pneumonia and eventually ended up with me in a medically induced coma for a month. During that time, the people who I worked with and worked for, were amazingly supportive. I didn鈥檛 have a lot of sick time built up at that point, so I ran out of it quickly while dealing with that and my recovery. Those I worked with and even folks I didn鈥檛 know very well donated sick time. It is a lot of why I think that program is so important for supporting those in need, and I encourage those with time to donate to the Shared Leave Program. It also shows the heart of the folks who work here and how they will come together to support each other in times of need. We have great folks, and it is amazing when you get to see them at their very best.

To learn more about the Staff Senate and what they accomplish for the work culture of the university, visit the

UofL News: Tell us a bit about your position as professor of chemistry. How did you land at UofL and what interests you in this work?

Eugene Mueller: I started at UofL in August of 2007 – they hired me away from the University of Delaware, and I remain very happy with my decision to come here. In regard to how I ended up in chemistry? Well, spring break of my freshman year I was working on a lab report in my sister鈥檚 unfinished basement, and I read that 鈥渕olecules have to collide in order to react.鈥� I had taken two years of high school chemistry and half a year of college chemistry, and I never thought about how reactions happen. I鈥檝e been hooked ever since that moment. I wanted to continue to do the research and learn more, but a big and delightful surprise is that teaching has proven to be equally rewarding.

UofL News: What motivated you to pursue the role of Faculty Senate chair?

Mueller: I decided I had two choices: I could either become a curmudgeon who just complains about decisions, or I could try to put myself in a position to make the decisions better.

UofL News: The Faculty Senate is tasked with many responsibilities. Which responsibility is most consistently appreciated by the faculty, considering its impact on faculty culture.

Mueller: We approve and give close scrutiny to new academic programs, and our recommendations are then forwarded to the Board of Trustees. While it is just a recommendation, we help change and clarify roles of those programs. We also frequently have the ability to get modifications in other matters and policy when we are a part of the process early. A major thing the senate chair does is provide the faculty with an explanation of why certain decisions are reached.

UofL News: What would you say are some of the unique benefits and opportunities of your position?

Mueller: The best thing is to be able to help guide policy development. Also, some of the invitations I receive have the great advantage of what I call 鈥渟oft advocacy.鈥� For instance, at a recent football game I could talk with some other trustees about a few things that are coming down the pike, and enjoy the informal socialization of getting to know each other better for the times we do have formal meetings.

UofL News: What are some of the unique challenges?听

Mueller: The senate doesn鈥檛 make laws like the U.S. Senate. We are a part of governance, but for us that is mostly consultation, questioning and persuading the administration by voicing concerns. There are viewpoints which are very different between the appointed trustees versus the representative trustees. Some things, for example, from the budgetary point of view, may seem innocuous to appointed trustees, but they don鈥檛 seem that way to faculty. However, we can make a difference through persuasion, and that requires homework, analysis and good argument.

Much of what my predecessors and I have done is essentially invisible, taking place in confidential conversations. Often, all I can say to others is, 鈥渋t鈥檚 not as bad as it might have been,鈥� or 鈥測es, that position was voiced,鈥� but I cannot go into much more detail. In all cases when I have been bound by confidentiality, I feel the restriction on me to speak publicly was very reasonable. I鈥檝e discovered that the administration and trustees really do want the staff, the faculty and the students to be happy here, to be productive. It鈥檚 something that鈥檚 very genuine. Exactly where priorities fall does not always please faculty, staff or students, and viewpoints are so different certainly for professional administrators who have not been faculty. But it鈥檚 an unavoidable fact that when someone puts on a new hat, their view changes because their responsibilities are so different. Yet, I have found the trustees and the administration very ready to listen. The tension of different viewpoints coming together is one reason it is called “shared governance.”

UofL News: Tell us something you have come to appreciate about the faculty culture here at UofL.

Mueller: I have been really impressed by how many of my colleagues are willing and ready to serve, and do it in a very reasonable and productive manner.

UofL News: What do you personally hope to accomplish for the faculty at UofL through your position?

Mueller:

• I am hoping for a more structured and lasting method of consultation before major decisions are taken. In particular, I hope for the development of the annual budget to include a broader consultation of more senators.
• Regarding presidential searches, the Redbook specifies an advisory committee made up of an elected faculty member from each school, but 鈥渋t shall be consulted鈥� is all it says. So, amending and clarifying that language is a current work in progress.
• I aim to spread the culture of consultation to campus construction projects, giving more thought to the impact on pedestrians and traffic.

UofL News: What is an element of Faculty Senate that you wish people better understood?

Mueller: I wish people understood that the senate represents all the faculty, including junior faculty, part-time faculty and part-time lecturers. They can talk to their senators or to me if there is a problem, because we can be proactive. The summaries of our meetings are beneficial and informative for any faculty to read. While in my position, I would like as much input as possible.

To learn more about the Faculty Senate, visit .

The is a rebranding of the Bachelor of Science in chemistry 鈥� biochemistry track program. This four-year undergraduate program will continue the interdisciplinary nature of the current biochemistry track with altered chemistry and biology course requirements to give students more options than the current B.S. chemistry program. Program Director Craig Grapperhaus said the new program considers the increase in demand for biochemistry studies as well as the lack of competition for such programs within Kentucky.

Associate Professor Martin O鈥橳oole reported that the will be a joint program between the J.B. Speed School of Engineering and the School of Public Health and Information Sciences. The online program will appeal to students with undergraduate degrees in engineering or public health as well as health care professionals who want to learn how to manage complex amounts of medical and public health data sets.

To meet the increasing workforce demand in Kentucky鈥檚 industrial base, the will fill the gap between traditional four-year engineering and two-year technician programs. Program Director Thomas Rockaway said the program will emphasize applied math and science skills directly relatable to industry. Some common job titles for applied engineering graduates include product development, manufacturing, product testing, technical sales and field service.

Provost Report听

Interim Provost Gerry Bradley presented the following leadership search updates.

• Dean of the College of 成人直播 and Human Development: Search committee appointment letters have been sent. The committee will be charged in mid-January.
• Dean of the School of Nursing: Semi-finalists have been selected. Semi-finalist interviews are scheduled for mid-January.
• Dean of the College of Business: This dean search has been rescheduled to begin spring 2024.
• Dean of the School of Medicine & EVP for Health Affairs: Search firm recently conducted stakeholder interviews on campus. This will be a combined role where the dean will also serve as the next executive vice president for health affairs. Names of faculty elected to the search committee have been submitted to the provost.
• Vice Provost for ITS & Chief Information Officer: The position profile has been posted. There has been significant interest in the position, and the search committee is reviewing candidates.听

Bradley also reported that the new Strategic Enrollment and Retention Committee (SERC), which was created in August 2023, now has 17 members representing several facets of university operations with more members to be invited once subcommittees are established. The SERC will determine how to best update the 2018 Strategic Enrollment Management Plan so that it covers all key actions needed for the university to reach its new and aggressive student growth plans.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) continues to demand attention from higher education. Formally charged in August 2023, UofL’s Committee on the Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence in UofL Academics now has a full complement of committee, subcommittee and steering committee members. The committee is assessing the potential applications and impact of ChatGPT and generative AI in academics and undergraduate/graduate student research at UofL. Bradley said that the committee is expected to complete its work and submit final recommendations in spring 2024.听

Other Faculty Senate News听

• Faculty Senate Chair Eugene Mueller reported that he and other faculty are exploring opportunities for formalizing Faculty Senate input on university budget decisions. University President Kim Schatzel said that she is fully supportive of this effort because it strengthens the university鈥檚 commitment to shared governance and transparency. Further details are forthcoming.
• Kevin Gardner, executive vice president for research and innovation, reported that the Research and Innovation Strategic Plan is in development and expects the plan to be ready to present by March 2024.听

Due to the holiday break, the January 2024 Faculty Senate meeting will take place Wednesday, Jan. 10, rather than Jan. 3. See the for meeting minutes, committee reports and other information.听听

Gosser provided an overview of the certificate program to senate meeting attendees.

鈥淭his aligns with our university鈥檚 strategic plan, specifically where our priorities focus on being a great place to learn and a great place to connect,鈥� said Gosser, who is also director of the Yum! Center for Global Franchise Excellence, Management & Entrepreneurship. 鈥淯ofL is the first university in the country to offer such a program. Only one other university has a franchise management minor, while others have only one class in the subject.鈥�

The 12-credit-hour program will begin in the spring 2023 semester and will be fully online. Gosser added that, while there is potential for growth, especially given the growth in the franchise industry, the certificate program will initially be offered to those currently enrolled in a UofL degree program (not offered as a standalone certificate).

Course content will focus on all elements of the franchise model that are not taught within the industry such as legalities, relationships, funding models, growing a franchised business as well as building and human resources infrastructure for a franchised business.

Details about the undergraduate certificate program in franchise management are available .

President Updates

The ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Center for Engaged Learning will take place Tuesday, Oct. 18, from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. Located on the bottom floor of the university’s new residence hall, the CEL will serve as a resource for students who are interested in engaged/experiential learning opportunities.

The number of interim positions at the senior leadership levels generates concerns throughout the university community. Interim President Lori Gonzalez and Interim Provost Gerry Bradley have been posting monthly messages to the community and have been hosting informal conversations with faculty and staff. The Office of the President is working with the Kent School of Social Work Center for Family Well Being to identify strategies for building trust throughout the community. Town hall meetings with senior administration to address concerns as well as other strategies are being planned as well.

The strategic plan co-chairs, board of trustees, president鈥檚 and provost鈥檚 leadership teams and university deans have rescheduled the release and implementation of UofL鈥檚 new strategic plan to January 2023. This change in release date will allow the necessary time for all to consider our community鈥檚 suggestions and questions carefully and respectfully.

Kudos to the UofL community for once again being named one of America鈥檚 鈥淏est of the Best鈥� LGBTQ-friendly universities, according to Campus Pride, a national nonprofit organization that rates colleges and universities according to their support of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues.

UofL has joined JED Campus in support of student well-being and mental health. The program is a nationwide initiative of The Jed Foundation (JED) to help schools evaluate and strengthen their mental health, substance misuse, and suicide prevention programs and systems to ensure that schools have the strongest possible mental health safety nets.

The university received a $600,000 appropriation from the Kentucky General Assembly to renovate space for military-connected students. Renovations are underway at the space formerly occupied by the university鈥檚 International Center, which has moved to Jouett Hall.

Provost Updates

At 2,944 first-time students, this year鈥檚 freshman class is the largest in recent history and more students – about 3,700 – are living on campus than ever before, now is the time to identify new and creative ways to keep students enrolled. The provost鈥檚 office is working with the deans to build on one another’s retention efforts. Details about the faculty鈥檚 role in those efforts are forthcoming.

Searches for new deans of the College of Arts & Sciences (Libraries Dean Bob Fox, search committee chair) and the Raymond A. Kent School of Social Work and Family Science (School of Music Music Dean Teresa Reed, search committee chair) are underway with anticipated completion by the end of 2022. Searches for the deans of the College of Business and School of Nursing will begin in the spring of 2023. The search for the dean of the School of 成人直播 will begin in the fall of 2023. Other searches include a vice provost of online strategy and teaching innovation and a chief cyber security officer.

The UofL Demographic 25 committee was formed to address the projected sharp decline in traditional college-age students (18 years old) by the year 2025. The committee, comprised of about 80 people, developed strategies to help mitigate challenges posed by the decline. On August 19, the committee presented their action plans to both Interim President Gonzalez and interim Provost Bradley. The proposals tackled several different topics, including online learning, academic program quality, institutional aid, recruitment and more. The president and provost are now reviewing those proposals and will determine what the university will prioritize in both the long term and the short term.

Workday

Melissa Shuter, executive director of Operation Support Services, provided an update on the Workday implementation progress. Workday HR will replace Peoplesoft HR. Quick reference guides and other resources are in development. Training will be provided for those who hire or do job recruiting. User acceptance testing was recently completed, which generated helpful feedback on further development and smooth transition to the new system. More than 180 different training materials will be released in early November.

Learn more about Workday at UofL .

In Memoriam

Faculty Senator Joseph Guttman delivered a memorial tribute for Michael Francis Hottois, who died May 22, 2022, at age 76. Hottois retired from the University of Louisville after more than 40 years teaching scenic and lighting design. He was a full professor and former chair of the theater department and designed sets for local, regional and national theatres, including the Louisville Ballet and HBO.

Read the full memorial presentation .

Committee Reports

Committee reports from the Sept. 7 Faculty Senate meeting are available . A recording of the senate meeting is available .

The next UofL Faculty Senate meeting will take place Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2022, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the Clinical Translational Research Building, room 101/102, on the Health Sciences Campus.

John Smith, assistant director of Intramural and Recreational Sports, will serve a fifth term as senate chair. In his remarks at the June 14 monthly Staff Senate meeting, Smith, who also serves as the staff constituency representative on the UofL Board of Trustees, said his priorities for the next year will focus on the presidential search and the compensation and total rewards study.

鈥淚 believe we will have a strong candidate pool for the university鈥檚 next president,鈥� said Smith who is on the presidential search committee. 鈥淚 will consider candidates who are committed to shared governance, and I encourage all of our senators to keep sending me their ideas, questions and concerns about the presidential search.鈥�

Where the compensation study is concerned, Smith said he will focus on how the results of the study will be addressed and will push against measures that put unnecessary strains on university departments.

Kevin Ledford, enterprise systems programmer III for UofL鈥檚 Information Technology Services, is the newly elected vice chair. He served as the senate鈥檚 secretary-treasurer in fiscal year 2021-22 and replaces Andrew Grubb who decided not to run for another term as vice chair.

鈥淚 see a lot of challenges and opportunities with shared governance and human capital,鈥� said Ledford. 鈥淲e must do what we can to make sure our university retains good employees. Our senate must also be sure we have a voice in every room where decisions are made.鈥�

Smith, Ledford and several of the senators thanked Grubb for his service.

鈥淵ou have all done much more for me than I have done for you,鈥� said Grubb, senior academic coordinator for the University Honors Program. 鈥淚t was a pleasure to have served you.鈥�

Carcyle D. Barrett, a paralegal in the Office of University Counsel and immediate past president of the Black Faculty/Staff Association, was elected secretary-treasurer. She said, given her capacities at the university, she is confident in her awareness of issues of importance to the senate and university staff and will look for opportunities for the senate to be part of university decision-making. Further, she hopes that the Cardinal Anti-Racism Agenda (CARA) will remain a priority for the new administration and the entire university.

鈥淐ARA is not just a characteristic of previous administrations,鈥� said Barrett. 鈥淭his is a characteristic of all employees now and into the future.鈥�

New Staff Senate website

The new fiscal year also brings a refreshed resource for the Staff Senate and UofL employees. Thanks to the efforts of Senators Kari Donahue and Gretchen Henry, the UofL Staff Senate have been updated to provide more and easier access to senate information. Donahue, a marketing and communications specialist in the J.B. Speed School of Engineering, and Henry, senate coordinator, said the new webpages are the result of about two years of work. Adjustments to the pages will be made as the university鈥檚 web improvement project falls into place, and information will be updated as necessary.

Guest speaker: Josh Heird, Athletics

Josh Heird, UofL鈥檚 new athletics director, was the guest speaker at the Staff Senate meeting. In his comments to the senate, Heird, who previously served as interim athletic director since December 2021, said that more frequent communication between Athletics and the Staff Senate is integral to strengthening trust throughout the university community.

鈥淎thletics may be the most visible department in the university, but it is certainly not the most important,鈥� said Heird, who also noted fiscal responsibility and providing student-athletes with the resources they need to succeed as some of his other priorities. 鈥淎ll of us work together to make sure our students are proud to learn here and work here.鈥�

Other business

• Committee reports for the June 14, 2022, Staff Senate meeting are available on the Staff Senate .
• The next UofL Staff Senate meeting is Tuesday, July 12, and will be held via Microsoft Teams.

Jim Begany, vice provost for enrollment management and student success, presented updated enrollment figures. As of June 1, overall enrollment was down by 636 students. Begany reported a 710 decrease in undergraduate enrollment, a decrease of 17 in professional enrollment, as well as an increase of 91 for graduate enrollment. No change was reported for the total of incoming freshmen students.

In order to address these declines, the Enrollment Lightning Response Team was formed to assist with student registration. The ELRT is currently reaching out to non-registered students through multiple channels, including email and one-on-one meetings. In addition to the efforts made by members of the ELRT, faculty were encouraged to reach out to non-returning students.

“We have lists of these (non-registered) students that we can break down by major. A student鈥檚 connection with faculty is extremely important, and we encourage faculty to reach out to these students,鈥� Begany said.听

Executive Vice President and University Provost Lori Gonzalez reported that email notices were sent to faculty members concerning tenure and promotions. Gonzalez informed senators of plans to compile past tenure and promotion decisions in order to provide interested faculty members with transparent and useful data. Past decisions will be organized by college and the names of the faculty members will be omitted.

鈥淢y approach to tenure and promotion is that there should be no secrets for anyone. You should know at every step what is happening,鈥� Gonzalez stated. 听

Gonzalez also announced two recent staff appointments in the Office of the Executive Vice President and University Provost. Douglas Craddock Jr. from the College of 成人直播 and Human Development will serve as chief of staff, and Sarah Lopez from the Office of Communication and Marketing will serve as deputy chief of staff. Gonzalez stated that the appointment of Craddock and Lopez will increase the responsiveness of the Office of the Provost.

Executive Vice President of Research & Innovation Kevin Gardner informed senators that new awards for fiscal year 2021 are at an all-time high. Gardner reported 60 research disclosures to date and an all-time high in sponsored research agreements.

“Through March, our awards are higher than they were all of last year. Between the record levels of awards and an anticipated increase in endowment spending, that should see us in good stead for our research expenditures, which is how we get measured as a research university,鈥� Gardner said.

Senators were presented with three proposed program closures by the Academic Programs Committee. The programs included a bachelor of science in atmospheric sciences through the College of Arts and Sciences, as well as a master of education in instructional technology and a master of education in literacy education both through the College of 成人直播 and Human Development. All three proposed program closures received unanimous approval by the Faculty Senate. 听

Committee reports and a of the virtual meeting can be accessed on the . The next Faculty Senate meeting is scheduled for July 7 via Microsoft Teams.

Bendapudi informed senators that the university recently received positive ratings by Standard & Poor鈥檚 and Moody鈥檚. These credit rating agencies evaluate several different industries, including higher education institutions.

鈥淲e were downgraded by these agencies for a couple of years, but this year, they took notice of the fact that we have stabilized our finances. We took some important corrective measures that we needed to, and I am pleased to tell you that both of them changed the outlook of the university from negative to stable,鈥� Bendapudi said.

Bendapudi also provided senators with preliminary information on budgeting priorities. She asserted that her highest priority will be the restoration of retirement benefits, pending approval from the Board of Trustees. If passed, retirement benefits will be restored to 7.5% effective July 1.

Bendapudi also addressed her priority on employee healthcare, stating 鈥渨e are making a commitment that there will not be any health care cost increases. Last year, we felt that given everything going on, the university would absorb those additional costs and not pass it on to our employees. So, I am pleased to tell you that for a second year in a row, the university will absorb those increases.鈥�

Mary Elizabeth Miles, vice president for Human Resources, informed senators about upcoming training sessions for the Remote Work Policy. The policy was developed over the past year with the assistance and feedback of several members of the university community, including the Policy and Economic Development Committee of the Staff Senate.

Referencing the Miles stated, 鈥渄epartment leaders may offer flexible work options to employees as long as a strong presence is in our classrooms and student-service areas are maintained and the overall operations of our schools, colleges and departments are continued without compromising the quality or productivity.鈥�

The new Remote Work Policy and the Remote Work Agreement will be released on June 1. At that time, employees wishing to work from home may submit the Remote Work Agreements to their first- and second-line supervisors. Any denials will be directed to the department head for final review and determination.

In response to feedback from staff and faculty members, HR will be providing a series of supervisor and employee HRtalks training sessions to review the Remote Work Policy and Remote Work Agreement. All faculty and staff were encouraged to attend the upcoming trainings, which can be accessed from the .

Executive Vice President and University Provost Lori Gonzalez announced that her office is interviewing for a chief of staff to the provost. Gonzalez stated that the position will increase the responsiveness of the Office of the Provost. Four candidates were interviewed for the Dean of the College of 成人直播 and Human Development, and Gonzalez announced that a decision should be expected in the near future.听

Committee reports and a of the virtual meeting can be found on the . The next Staff Senate meeting will be held on June 8 via Microsoft Teams.

Executive Vice President and University Provost Lori Gonzalez informed senators of plans to restore employee retirement benefits. Retirement benefits were moved back to 2% at the beginning of the pandemic in 2020 and were recently raised to 6%. Gonzalez informed senators that retirement benefits are estimated to be returned to the original 7.5% by July 1, pending approval from the Board of Trustees.

Gonzalez also addressed plans for future health care costs stating, 鈥渢he administration is committed to not passing any increases to health care costs. There will be no change in premiums for the second year in a row for employees at the university.鈥�

Both Gonzalez and Faculty Senate Chair David Schultz reported that the mass COVID-19 vaccination site at Cardinal Stadium will stop taking first-dose patients in the coming weeks. Gonzalez cited low patient turn out as one contributing factor of the upcoming closure. Schultz informed senators that alternative vaccination site locations will be available.

Senators were presented with the second readings of the revised bylaws for the School of Nursing and the J.B. Speed School of Engineering — both of which were approved unanimously. Two academic certificate proposals, a graduate certificate in Health Care Ethics and an undergraduate certificate in Ethics both through the College of Arts and Sciences, were also unanimously approved by the senate.

Mary Elizabeth Miles, vice president for Human Resources, informed senators on two changes to employee flexible spending accounts. After reaching out to those affected, the decision was made to increase dependent care FSA to $10,500. In addition, there will be a roll over for FSA from 2020 to 2021 and then 2021 to 2022.

鈥淲hat that means for our employees is that if you had any money left in your dependent care or in your medical FSA at the end of 2020, it will now it roll over into 2021. Whatever you have left this year, you will be able to use that money for 2022 through Dec. 31,鈥� Miles stated.

Schultz later led a senate discussion on the proposed Faculty Accountability Policy, which was presented during last month鈥檚 Faculty Senate Meeting. In December 2019, former Provost Beth Boehm charged a committee to make recommendations regarding expectations of faculty behavior and appropriate disciplinary actions. The proposed policy is intended to add consistency and equity in disciplinary actions across departments.

The policy was shared with senators during last month鈥檚 meeting to allow time for feedback and suggestions. During the discussion, senators voiced concerns, suggested amendments and recommended changes to the proposed policy. The recommendations of the senate will be shared with the Office of the Executive Vice President and University Provost.

Committee reports and a of the virtual meeting can be accessed on the . The next Faculty Senate meeting is scheduled for June 2 via Microsoft Teams.

Lewis provided an overview of the current state of the University of Louisville Police Department. Despite a rise in violent crimes reported to the Louisville Metro Police Department, Lewis informed senators that the university community has seen a decrease in violent crimes. Lewis stated, 鈥淚 credit that decrease to the men and women of the ULPD, who create a barrier of stopping and deterring potential crime as it’s happening.鈥�

Senators were informed about the success of several programs including the ULPD and Criminal Justice Internship Program. A former participant from the program that started as an intern has now graduated and will be hired on to become an officer within the department. Lewis highlighted this successful program as an important alignment with the Department of Criminal Justice and a worthy investment in students.

ULPD also reported community-wide upgrades to security and surveillance technology. Additional cameras have been placed around the Cardinal Towne apartments to eliminate a low visibility zone around the building. Similar improvements will continue to be implemented across all three university campuses.

Lewis also addressed concerns raised after an incident at University of Louisville Hospital that was not identified to the university community through the RAVE alert system. The incident was handled internally by the hospital鈥檚 security staff rather than ULPD forces. Lewis also provided clarification on the Clery Act, the federal law requiring colleges and universities to disclose information about crime on campus. After meeting with risk management and legal advisors, the determination was made that the incident in question fell outside of the geographical scope of the Clery Act. Lewis cited that this is due to the University of Louisville Hospital retaining private security and the Louisville Metro Police Department serving as the primary responding agency.

Staff Senate Chair John Smith followed up by announcing the launch of a new Comprehensive Emergency Response Center. The center will handle a wide range of emergencies on a university-wide scale. The center will be housed on the Health Science Campus on the first floor of the Nursing School building.

Bendapudi provided senators with highlights from the past semester. She reported that enrollment reached 23,000 in the fall 2020 semester, the highest it has been in the past 20 years. Research funding was at an all-time high at $170 million, and Bendapudi reported that it will continue to increase. She also highlighted the positive effects of last year鈥檚 university healthcare enterprise expansion.

鈥淚 am so grateful that so many people came together to allow us to back the acquisition of the Louisville-based assets of Kentucky One, It’s been a little over a year since we took over all of the assets. Imagine where we would have all been with COVID-19 without Jewish hospital, without Mary and Elizabeth. It’s a scary thought so I鈥檓 very grateful that continues to go well,鈥� Bendapudi said.

The Staff Senate Grievance Committee reported one grievance filed in the last month. A small hearing committee met with the grievant, a first line supervisor, and a witness in the case. The recommendation was submitted to all parties, the grievant authority agreed with the grievance committee鈥檚 recommendation, and the disciplinary action was upheld.

Committee reports and a full video recording of the virtual meeting can be found on the . The Staff Senate will not meet in the month of January. The next Staff Senate meeting will be held on Feb. 9 via Teams.

Two program proposals were presented to senators. The proposals included a bachelor of arts in computer science degree program through the J.B. Speed School of Engineering, as well as a master of science in health profession education through the College of 成人直播 and Human Development. Votes on both proposals were tabled and will be resubmitted to the Faculty Senate at a later date.

Ben Barberie, a representative of the Student Government Association, shared the preliminary findings from the Real Cards campaign organized by the SGA. Over 100 students were given the opportunity to voice their concerns about the past fall semester. Barberie shared the following response submitted by a student, which was said to summarize many student concerns from the past semester.

鈥淚 wish they knew that I’m trying my best to give 100% for everything. I struggle with prioritizing taking care of myself, on top of everything going on and everything I have to do. I appreciate professors saying they understand what we’re going through, but actions speak louder than words and I’m not seeing much action. I feel so depleted and anxious all the time. Going to face-to-face classes makes me feel like I’m putting myself in harm鈥檚 way and there’s no way around it.鈥�

Executive Vice President and University Provost Beth Boehm acknowledged this concern raised by the SGA and announced that the Student Wellbeing committee, cosponsored by the Provost鈥檚 office and the Faculty Senate, has been reinstated. The committee has prepared a list of policy decisions for faculty to include in their syllabi for the upcoming spring semester. These recommendations were forwarded earlier as part of the Academic Scenario Planning committee, and Boehm stated they would be forwarded once more before the end of the year.

Boehm also informed senators that campus buildings will be locked from the end of the semester until and our return in the spring. Research faculty expecting packages over the break were encouraged to coordinate with Physical Plant and/or Canon mail to arrange deliveries and pick-ups.听

Senators were updated on COVID-19 testing protocols for those returning to campus in the spring. Boehm announced plans for four required testing periods for the upcoming semester, with the first testing period taking place from Jan. 4 to Jan. 15. All students, faculty and staff will be required to either participate in the testing period or submit a form stating they will not be on campus.

Dr. Jason Smith, chief medical officer for UofL Health, presented information on the current state of UofL Health鈥檚 COVID-19 response. Nearly 100 COVID-19 patients are currently receiving treatment through UofL hospitals. While only 10% of beds are being occupied by COVID-19 patients, Smith informed senators of the dangers that the state-wide surge in cases has imposed on smaller institutions.

He stated, 鈥渨e’re seeing a lot more of transfers in from the outside, so we’re starting to see smaller hospitals become full with patients and they鈥檙e sending us non-COVID patients that they typically would have kept themselves and been able to take care of but there鈥檚 just a lack of beds overall within the community.鈥� Smith went on to say that last year鈥檚 healthcare acquisitions have made it possible to accept the overflow of patients during the pandemic.听

As of Dec. 2, UofL Health has performed almost 95,000 tests across Louisville. Smith reported an increase in positivity rates, with a 23% positivity rate in the last week of November. To combat this surge, UofL Health has coordinated care with other healthcare systems in the Louisville area on treatment protocols, testing opportunities, and community-wide bed placement to ensure the ability to provide care for the community.

Committee reports and a of the virtual meeting can be accessed on the . The next faculty meeting is scheduled for Jan. 13 via Microsoft Teams.