Erin LaFon

The meeting featured the introduction of various new faculty members and administrators across multiple colleges, including Engineering and Computer Sciences, Health Professions, Liberal Arts, and Arts and Media. Key segments included the presentation of the Distinguished Service Award to a faculty member, updates on new department chairs and directors, and announcements regarding upcoming Faculty Senate executive committee and senate meetings.

The meeting included announcements regarding standing committee orientation, upcoming Faculty Senate meetings, and the resignation of the Faculty Senate secretary. A portion of the meeting was dedicated to honoring the memories of several faculty members. The remainder of the session focused on introducing new administrators and faculty members from various departments, including the College of Arts and Media, College of Business, College of Education, College of Health Professions, and College of Liberal Arts.

The meeting included a memorial tribute to former faculty and staff members, the introduction of new administrative staff across various university departments, and the recognition of numerous new faculty members across the Colleges of Arts and Media, Business, Education and Professional Development, Health Professions, Information Technology and Engineering, and Liberal Arts.

The meeting included a state of the university address by the president, highlighting community achievements, research grants, and efforts to address the local drug crisis and state budget challenges. Contingency plans for potential tuition increases were discussed in response to state appropriation cuts. The Faculty Senate representative provided an update on faculty committee work and legislative advocacy. The remainder of the meeting was dedicated to honoring retiring faculty members and presenting awards, including the distinguished service awards, the Charles E. Hedrick outstanding faculty award, and the Marshall and Shirley Reynolds outstanding teaching award.

The meeting included discussions on the faculty flower fund and its role in supporting faculty in times of illness or bereavement. The President provided remarks on faculty recognition, retirement announcements, the status of the Provost search, strategic goals including enrollment and student success metrics, and community outreach efforts such as the business incubator and addiction recovery initiatives. A salary increase proposal for faculty and staff was presented. Additionally, the Faculty Senate Chair reported on senate activities, including curriculum committee work, academic calendar revisions, and faculty handbook development. The meeting concluded with recognitions for retiring faculty and a memorial tribute to a late geography professor.