03.20.21 Faculty Meeting

Remarks and Announcements

Chair Donald Mulvaney 

The chair introduced the officers of the Senate, the administrative assistant, parliamentarian, and Steering Committee. He then gave an overview of the meeting agenda and announced that the officer election results would happen at the end of the meeting.

President Jay Gogue – Pandemic, social unrest, facilities, finances.

President Gogue spoke on four areas.

• COVID-19 Operations and Accomplishments. While expressing concern for the continued threat of the pandemic, President Gogue gave information on graduation numbers and enrollment figures over the past year.  He gave information on clinic vaccination activities and thanked nursing faculty and students for their participation statewide in vaccination efforts.

• Social Unrest and University Inclusion. The President spoke on improving enrollment and graduation numbers for underrepresented students, hiring and retaining underrepresented faculty and staff, increasing need-based financial aid, and improving the racial climate at the university. He discussed strategies for improvement on these issues and the role of the Board of Trustees and the Presidential Task Force in making progress.

• Financial News. The new Alabama budget increases Auburn funding ($14M for AU, $2M for the Experiment Station, and $2.1M for Extension). Endowments are at $980M. While loss of revenue related to tuition and COVID enrollment impacted the budget, AU saw savings from decreased utilities and travel. Federal funding from research remains robust, and Auburn has received $38.6M and $40M from the two federal stimulus bills.

• University Facilities. The $83M academic classroom building is underway, and Auburn completed the $22M Advanced Structural Lab in the fall. The Hotel expansion and Culinary center are also underway. Up for Board approval is a $60M College of Education Building and a $130M STEM and Agricultural Sciences Building. Finally, an EAMC emergency room facility is underway in the AU Research Park.

The President closed by thanking Senate leadership for their dedication and wise counsel.

Question: Duha Tore Altindag (Economics) – Altindag noted the racial makeup of the Zoom panelists for the meeting and asked the President if AU will work to increase diverse racial representation in upper administration.  Gogue responded with information on the diversity of the Presidential Cabinet and named upper administrators who are African Americans. He closed by saying that he does not dismiss the question and that AU needs to improve.  

Provost Bill Hardgrave – 

Provost Hardgrave spoke on measuring student success and the outcomes for students following graduation.

• High Impact Practices. The Provost listed high-impact practices at Auburn; ePortfolios, internships, undergraduate research, and study abroad. Student participation in these programs is surveyed prior to graduation, along with first-destination data. 77$ of Fall2019 and Spring 2020 graduates participated in at least one high-impact practice.

• First Destination data. 81% of Spring 2010 graduates seeking employment had 6 months after graduation. For Spring 2020 graduates, the figure was 73%.For those seeking advanced degrees 87% of Spring 2019 graduates were successfully enrolled. For Spring 2020, the figure was 85%.

Regarding the search for the COSAM Dean, the Provost reported that campus visits are underway for finalists, whith the two remaining open forums for candidates happening on April 7 and April 12.

Question: Tracy Witte (Psychological Sciences) – Witte spoke on anecdotal reports from faculty about poor classroom attendance following the reopening of the campus. She asked if the administration is systematically investigating this and what might be done for upcoming semesters to get students to come back physically.  The Provost was not aware of a systematic investigation and invited Norman Godwin (Associate Provost for Academic Effectiveness) to comment. Godwin stated there is a Freshman Forum survey on class attendance, and expressed hope it could provide some data.

Question: Tony Moss (Biological Sciences) – Moss followed Witte’s remarks by describing attendance in his graduate and undergraduate classrooms. The Provost responded that the issue is something his Office will continue to seek insight on. As data comes in, the Provost’s Office will share it.

Question: Duha Tore Altindag (Economics) – What type of student outcomes data is the Provost going to release?  Altindag requested data on average grades from the office of institutional research.  The Provost was not sure what grade data could be made available but said he would look into it.  Outcome data on high impact practices and final destinations will be made available.

Question: Margaret Flores (Special Education) – Flores asked about CDC guidelines and summer/fall classroom social distancing. Will AU follow the new 3’ guidelines? Chair Mulvaney recommended that the panel answer this later in the agenda.

Information Item – Panelist Session

Chair Mulvaney invited panelists to introduce themselves and briefly note their roles.

The panelists were:

Ron Burgess, Executive Vice President

Kelli Shomaker, VP for Business and Finance

Lady Cox, Assistant Vice President for Engagement

Dan King, Associate Vice President for Facilities

Norman Godwin, Associate Provost for Academic Effectiveness

Chris O’Gwynn, Director of Risk Management; Chair, COVID Resource Center

Robert Norton, Faculty Representative, COVID Resource Center

Comment: Michael Stern (Economics) – Stern objected to several panelists’ characterizations that Auburn is following the Governor’s orders and CDC guidelines on COVID Safety for fall semester classroom operations. Stern argued that CDC distancing recommendations are not being followed in the classroom. He noted that Fall Semester schedule building indicates that CDC guidelines will continue to be disregarded.

Sam Sommers (English) – Sommers asked if a panelist could speak on Dr. Stern’s comment about course enrollment and full, in-person classes for the fall semester.  Sommers asked about possible accommodations for an online pivot in the Fall. Norman Godwin replied that registration begins in April. The plan for Fall enrollment as it stands can change with potential changes in the COVID situation.

Question about central COVID Testing – Kelli Shomaker reported that AU received about 20000 tests and has administered around 8500. Testing continues with most recent particants being 90% students.

Question about vaccination rate for AU students and personnel – O’Gwinn and Norton answered that with the availability and use of off-campus vaccination sites, it is difficult to get clear numbers on the vaccination rate among students/staff/faculty. Kelli Shomaker added that this week Auburn received 2200 more doses for the on-campus vaccination site.

Question about Summer Camps: Ronald burgess answered that overnight camp plans are movng forward but may be adjusted with further guidance. All protocols must be followed. Planning is moving forward with expectations that some guidance will change things. Regarding the upvcoming governor’s COVID orders, Auburn intends to require masks in the classroom through Spring Semester. AU will encourage masks outside. Summer will be decided later.

Question: How is air handling and air cleaning progressing on campus.  Dan Kind spoke on best practices in HVAC and how Auburn is working to achieve best practices in all AU buildings that can meet them. These practices include air-exchange rates, HVAC timing, and high-efficiency air filtration. Work continues on pandemic-proofing the campus.

Question, Tracy Witte (Psychological Sciences) – Is Auburn considering requiring student returning in the fall to be vaccinated.  VP Burgess said that currently, Auburn cannot require the vaccination while it is considered experimental by the CDC. Burgess said that, even if the CDC approves the vaccines, accommodations will be available.

Kathleen Martin – Martin asked about field trips and car spacing.  Burgess said the administration is looking into adjusting that policy as new guidance emerges.

Duha Tore Altindag – What is the CDC recommended practice for facilities/classroom social distancing and does Auburn follow them? Norton answered thatguidelines have changed for primary and secondary schools, but the 6 foot guidance remains currently for universities. Norton stated that, wherever possible, the University maintains a 6-foot distancing policy.

Don Mulvaney – Can students be required by faculty to wear masks in classrooms in the summer?  Norton and O’Gwynn responded that it depends on the Governor’s order, but the expectation is that the university will retain the right to require masks in the classroom.

Alan Seals – Seals asked Norton who made the decision not to follow the Governor’s 6-foot guideline in the Spring? Norton responded that the 6-foot guideline was followed wherever possible, but that some situations did not allow for it.  Burgess followed that the governor’s orders call for reasonable steps where practicable.

Information item – Officer Election Results – 

Todd Steury, Chair-elect

Steury gave election results. 414 ballots were cast in the election, representing a 21% participation rate among faculty.  The Secretary-elect winner was Lucretia Tripp with 57.1% of the vote. The Chair-elect winner was Mark Carpenter with 50.7% of the vote.

New Business

None

Adjournment

Hearing no new business, Chair Mulvaney adjourned the Spring 2021 General Faculty Meeting at 4:45pm.

Respectfully submitted,

Greg Schmidt

Senate Secretary