AU Steering Meeting

Remarks and Announcements

AU Interim-Provost: Vini Nathan

• Dr. Nathan shared information about the recent three Dean Searchers and gave a recent update from the February SASCOC visit.

Information Items

Update on Campus Saftey and Security

Presented by Floyd Johnson, Director of Emergency Management, and Susan McCallister, Director of Campus Saftey and Compliance.

• Floyd Johnson provided a presentation about campus safety by sharing a powerpoint of the overview of safety on campus. In his presentation he discussed three main areas, Prevention, Protection, and Preparedness. He reviewed Auburn Safety and Security by reminding the committee that Auburn police are present on campus and that there is a university Auburn police precinct located on campus. He furthered discussed carrying a concealed weapon on campus. He discussed that while there is a new law in reference to carrying a concealed weapon there will be no major opinion that campus security will continue to reinforce the law when necessary.

Update on AI@AU

Presented by Gerry Dozier, AI@AU Initiative.

• Doizer presented a PowerPoint presentation on the AI @ AU Initiative. He gave an overview of the AI initiative by sharing that AI@ AU has goals of conducting transformative multidisciplinary research to address society’s critical issues. He shared the importance of the Initiative for Auburn University. He introduced several committees made up of AU faculty that will be working on the AU Initiative. Those committees are Research, AI Computational Infrastructure, Inclusive Excellence & AI Ethics, and AI Education. Dozier

Senate Committee Business

• Ralph Kingston and Leslie Cordie shared information on the expansion of membership for Retention Committee. The information shared was based on three added positions in order to support revision and the restructuring of the committee. It was noted that there needs to be one person from Academic Affairs, one person from Student Affairs - Director of Strategic Assessment, and one person from the Office of Inclusion and Diversity. This would allow for re – energizing the committee.

• Mitchell Brown chair of the Faculty Handbook shared proposed changes to the handbook. This included discussion on three concerns. Concern 1 – Retention Committee, Concern 2 – Clarification on the confusion about the distinction between guidelines and policy 3- clarification of the misunderstanding of language on the provost website about in reference to schools and colleges.

• Update on the vote for the three open Rules Committee Seats. As of now, there are four candidates for the three seats. Tony Moss declined the nomination. During the vote each senator selects 3 (of the 4) candidates. Candidates with over 50% are deemed elected. If fewer than 3 candidates make 50% on the first round, then another round of voting with ALL the candidates not yet elected listed. Senators get to select 1 or 2 candidates (depending on how many slots remain to be filled.)

Unfinished or New Business

• None.

Adjournment

Chair Mark Carpenter adjourned the meeting at 5:10 p.m.