Taylor Walkky-Byington

The panel discussed the process and motivation behind authoring Open Educational Resources (OER) for university courses. Key topics included the shift toward student-focused and equity-minded materials, the financial burden of traditional textbooks on students, and the challenge of finding inclusive content. Panelists shared their experiences with remixing existing open-access sources, complying with copyright and licensing requirements, and utilizing platforms to create living documents that can be updated. The discussion also addressed the time-intensive nature of the creation process and the technical challenges of ensuring accessibility for diverse learners.

The meeting featured reports from the Provost regarding institutional transitions, enrollment updates, nursing program accreditation progress, tribal outreach initiatives, and federal policy compliance. Discussions included new human resources processes, performance evaluation updates, and student support services offered through the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion department. The senate reviewed updates on non-academic program reviews, professional development grant policies, and social planning for the spring semester. Additionally, representatives provided reports on instructional senate bylaws and departmental review rotations.

The committee discussed trends in higher education, state budget outlooks, and governance group plans. The Dean of Academic Affairs provided updates on AI integration across curriculum and university studies, developments regarding AI-based tutoring, system-wide initiatives for student platforms, and potential models for adjunct and overload compensation. Co-chairs addressed deficit reduction plans, course cap changes, and academic program review processes. New business included planning for opening week, setting curriculum approval timelines, and selecting representation for the Strategic Planning Core Team. Committee assignments and scheduling conflicts for the upcoming academic year were also addressed.

The committee discussed several items including the removal of the Fine Arts Representative position and the scheduling of additional meetings due to Board of Regents conflicts. Updates were provided regarding the Undergraduate Academic Affairs Committee, including the re-design of majors, revisions to academic policies, and catalog change systems. The faculty representative reported on the Board of Regents meeting concerning the termination of tenured faculty, faculty evaluation deadlines, and budget concerns regarding free tuition programs. The committee also reviewed a faculty retreat summary, portfolio requirements, and the necessity of revising advising guidelines. Furthermore, the meeting addressed the rescheduling of executive meetings for upcoming months due to scheduling conflicts.

The meeting featured reports from the Provost regarding spring semester planning, budget realignment discussions, progress on the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program, tribal outreach efforts, and updates on accreditation reports. Joint Instructional Senate co-chairs provided updates on digital accessibility initiatives and revisions to teaching qualifications. Additional reports were presented on behalf of the Academic Staff Senate and the Student Government Association. Key business included the unanimous approval of revisions to the Departmental Bylaws Template, including amendments to personnel rules and annual performance review standards. The committee also approved changes to the Academic Program Review self-study deadline and the rotation schedule for reviews. New business included a review of bylaw revisions for the School of Business and Economics.