AU Senate Meeting
Minutes
02/21/2023 | Via Zoom | 3:30 PM
Mark Carpenter, Senate Chair called the meeting to order at 3:30 pm.
The Chair gave attendees an overview of the basic procedures for the Zoom meeting format and then began the meeting. The members of the Senate Executive Committee and the Senate Steering Committee.
Establish a Quorum
A quorum was established with 46 Senators and 51 Senators eventually indicated they were present.
The minutes from the January 24, 2023 Senate meeting were approved by unanimous consent.
Remarks and Announcements
AU President: Christopher B. Roberts
Began his update Auburn University, such as, department visits, enrollment, the hiring of the new Chief Communications Officer, capital projects and renovations, and the upcoming SACSOC visit.
AU Interim Provost: Vini Nathan
Began her remarks wherein she gave updates on the Board of Trustees, on-line program rankings, Promotion and Tenure Committee, and the ongoing dean searches. Duha Altindag, Kim Garzas, Gregory Spray and Michael Stern each asked a question of President Roberts and Dr. Roberts replied to each.
Information Items
Update on ChatGPT
Presented by Christopher Basgier, Director of University Writing, Office of the Provost.
Alejandro Lazarte asked a question of about Chat-GPT’s R-programming abilities.
Asim Ali added his perspective on Chat-GPT and the resources available from Biggio Center, as follows:
Self-paced, asynchronous Canvas course curated with relevant topics for faculty, GTA and post-docs: https://aub.ie/aicoursereg
Speaker series and to elevate the academic community’s understanding of the technology and issues, and identify opportunities. First speaker planned for April 5 - info coming soon. This is being done in partnership with the AI@AU initiative.
Seed grants starting this fall to utilize or navigate around implications of AI in your class. Thanks to the Office of the Provost for the funds to provide the funding for this opportunity. Information will be provided in Fall, and structure will be similar to the AUX program for AR/VR grants.
Faculty interested in planning for AI in their courses can reach out to Asim Ali, asim@auburn.edu.
More info on the Teaching with AI at Auburn course:
Canvas course developed & curated by Biggio Center. The course is asynchronous and self-paced. Modules will open every Thursday over the next 8 weeks. The course covers 8 modules through various lenses of technical, pedagogical, theoretical, and ethical. Those participating will be invited to future AI-themed discussions. Sign up today: https://aub.ie/aicoursereg
Update on the New Electronic Research Administration System
Presented by Martha Taylor, Asst. VP Research.
Senator Tony Moss asked a follow-up question regarding stages of implementation of the ERA system.
Action Items
Rules Committee Member Replacement
Presented by L. Octavia Tripp, Rules Committee Chair and Senate Secretary.
The Rules Committee chair, Octavia Tripp, was introduced and she took nominations, from the floor for the Rules committee member replacement for partial term of the seat vacated by Dr. Ken Macklin.A vote was taken and a total of 46 senators voted. The nominees and their percentage of the vote were Roy Hartfield - Aerospace Engineering (26%), Anthony Moss - Biological Sciences (52%), Murali Dhanasekaran - Drug Recovery and Development (20%) and Abstain (2%). Senator Tony Moss was selected as to fill the seat.
Octavia Tripp announced three openings on Rules committee to be filled next term. Then she took nominations from the floor. Five Senators were nominated. The nominees were instructed to provide bios for Senate review before the vote to be held in the March Senate meeting.
New Business
None.
Adjournment
Chair Mark Carpenter adjourned the meeting at 4:55 p.m.
Attendance
Attendance
Senate Officers
Name
Department/Title
Mark Carpenter
Chair
Lisa Kensler
Chair-Elect
L. Octavia Tripp
Secretary
Linda Gibson-Young
Secretary-Elect
Dan Svyantek
Immediate Past Chair
Administration
Name
Department/Title
Kelli Shomaker
VP for Bus & Fin & CFO
Arthur Appel sub for Paul Patterson
Dean, College of Agriculture
George Flowers
Dean, Graduate School
Jeffrey Fairbrother
Dean, College of Education
Greg Newschwander
Dean, College of Nursing
Calvin Johnson
Dean, College of Veterinary Medicine
Ex-Officio Members
Name
Department/Title
Vini Nathan
Interim Provost
Shali Zhang
Dean of Libraries
Danilea Werner
Steering Committee
Senators by Departments
Name
Department/Title
Roy Hartfield
Aerospace Engineering
Valentina Hartarska
Ag Economics & Rural Sociology [missed Sept. Oct. Nov.-explained in Jan]
Kristine Griffet sub for Vinicia Biancardi
Anatomy, Physiology & Pharmacology
Kevin Moore
Architecture
Lauren Woods
Art
James Birdsong
Aviation
Anthony Moss
Biological Sciences
David Blersch
Biosystems Engineering
Mark Tatum
Building Sciences
Regina Gramling
Business Analytics and Information Systems
Tae-Sik Oh sub for Bryan Beckingham
Chemical Engineering
Wei Zhan
Chemistry
J. Brian Anderson
Civil Engineering
Kevin Smith
Communication and Journalism
Peter Weber
Consumer & Design Sciences
Christine (Chris) Schnittka
Curriculum & Teaching
Murali Dhanasekaran
Drug Discovery and Development
Liliana Stern
Economics
Andrew Pendola
Educational Foundations, Leadership & Technology
Michael Baginski
Electrical & Computer Engineering
Sunny Stalter-Pace
English
John Beckmann
Entomology & Plant Pathology
Joseph Stover sub for Damion McIntosh
Finance
Zhaofei (Joseph) Fan
Forestry, Wildlife, and the Environment
David King
Geology & Geography
Kimberly Garza
Health Outcomes Research and Policy
Zachary Schulz
History
Elina Coneva
Horticulture
Diana Samek
Human Development & Family Studies
Christopher (Brooks) Mobley
Kinesiology
Kasia Leousis
Library
Hans Werner van Wyk
Mathematics and Statistics
Sabit Adanur
Mechanical Engineering
Lee Johnson
Music
Kevin Huggins
Nutritional Sciences
David Mixson
Outreach
Lena McDowell
Pharmacy Practice
Jennifer Lockhart
Philosophy
Luca Guazzotto
Physics
Peter White
Political Science
Alejandro A. Lazarte
Psychology
Rebecca Curtis
Special Ed. Rehab. Counseling/School Psych
Gregory Spray for Laura Plexico
Speech Language and Hearing Sciences
David Strickland
Supply Chain Management (new)
Janice Clifford
Socio/Anthro/Social Work
Adrienne Wilson
Theatre
Absent without substitute
Name
Department/Title
Bobby Woodard (Administration)
SVP for Student Affairs
Janaki Alavalapati (Administration)
Dean, College of Forestry, Wildlife, and the Environment
James Weyhenmeyer (Administration)
VP Research
Jake Haston (Ex-Officio Member)
SGA President
Ashley Reid (Ex-Officio Member)
Staff Council Chair
Clint Lovelace (Ex-Officio Member)
A&P Assembly Chair
Makeda Nurradin (Ex-Officio Member)
GSC President
Evelyn Hunter (Ex-Officio Member)
Steering Committee
Robert Cochran (Ex-Officio Member)
Steering Committee
Robert Norton (Ex-Officio Member)
Steering Committee
Elizabeth (Lisa) Miller
Accountancy
Mary (Molly) Gregg
ACES
Jacek Wower
Animal Sciences
Shehenaz Shaik
Computer Science & Software Engineering
David Han
Crop, Soil, and Environmental Sciences
Nathan Whelan
Fisheries & Allied Aquaculture
Clark Danderson
Hospitality Mgmt.
Ben Bush
Industrial Design
Rich Sesek
Industrial and Systems Engineering
Liesl Wesson
Management and Entrepreneurship
Jeremy Wolter
Marketing
Chris Martin
Nursing
Peter Christopherson
Pathobiology
Amit Morey
Poultry Science
LTC, Michael Quinn
ROTC Air Force
LTC, Laura Fryar
ROTC Army
Captain, Matthew Roberts
ROTC Naval
Robert Cole
Veterinary Clinical Sciences
Zachary Zuwiyya
World Lang & Literatures
