President Lori Stewart Gonzalez speaks on revitalization efforts during Faculty Senate

The Ohio University Faculty Senate hosted President Lori Stewart Gonzalez and Executive Vice President and Provost Elizabeth Sayrs as guest speakers at this past Monday’s meeting. The President began by discussing her continued dynamic strategy efforts she formally discussed during her investiture address. 

Ohio University’s dynamic strategy employs four work groups focused on education, discovery, engagement and commitment. Each group will develop a list of goals in key areas for the University using surveys targeted at Ohio U faculty and students. The survey questions will aim to guide the work of the Ohio U community over the next five years. 

Gonzalez discussed the ‘phased renewal plan’ that was approved at the Board of Trustees meeting that took place on Jan. 18 and 19. The plan would see the revitalization of Bentley and Morton Hall, two of the most used learning spaces on campus, along with new undergraduate degrees for artificial intelligence and cybersecurity engineering.

Gonzalez also shared plans for Ohio U’s $28.4 million biennial state capital budget. The University already estimated $750 million in deferred maintenance and the latest state capital budget will go towards renewal in the College of Fine Arts, Siegfried Hall and regional campuses.

Sayrs gave some brief updates regarding their artificial intelligence (AI) group and their academic calendar group. Both discussed the long-term implications of AI in reshaping higher education and evaluated the student calendar to reinforce student mental health and effectiveness. 

Sayrs could not provide any specifics regarding dean searches occurring for many different campuses across the school. “We're almost ready to announce the HTC (Honors Tutorial College) Dean. Like we're super, super close.” she said. She also announced that the Patton College of Education search will have finalists starting Wednesday and the University Libraries dean search will conclude by “mid-April”.

In other senate news, Doug Clowe of the Professional Relations Committee introduced a plan for a three-year retirement program for tenured faculty, an alternative to the retirement resolution put forth in previous meetings. The program would introduce a transitional period for tenured faculty to create a smooth replacement process and give them a set retirement date three years in advance.

Allyson Hallman-Thrasher from the Educational Policy and Student Affairs Committee did a second reading for a resolution to assign the University Curriculum Council, the council that oversees all curriculum manners at Ohio U, the development of a definition of co-curriculars. The resolution passed by a majority. She also introduced a resolution to expand the definition of excused absences to include caregiving and medical responsibilities, like doctor's appointments. 

Cynthia Anderson of the Promotion and Tenure Committee did a second reading for a resolution that would change university-level promotion and tenure requirements. The documentation processes for teaching excellence at Ohio U would be updated in accordance with guidelines for promotion and tenure.