A meeting of the Academic and Student Affairs Committee of the Board of Trustees convened at 8:42 a.m. on Friday, April 9, 2021, on the Purdue University campus in West Lafayette, Indiana. The meeting was held in Stewart Center, Room 214, to allow for social distancing amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Restrictions were placed on the number of observers in the room, and other members of the media and the public who wished to observe the meeting virtually were provided such instructions. Everyone in the room was wearing a mask.
All committee members were present: JoAnn Brouillette, chair; Vanessa Castagna; Malcolm DeKryger; Noah Scott; and Professor Deborah Nichols (ex-officio). All other trustees were present: Sonny Beck; Michael Berghoff; Theresa Carter; Michael Klipsch; Gary Lehman; and Don Thompson.
Officers and administrators in attendance were: Mitch Daniels, president; Jay Akridge, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs and diversity; Chris Ruhl, chief financial officer and treasurer; Jim Almond, senior vice president, assistant treasurer, and assistant secretary; Steve Schultz, general counsel; Trent Klingerman, deputy general counsel (virtually); Janice Indrutz, corporate secretary and senior executive assistant to the Board; Ron Elsenbaumer, chancellor of Purdue University Fort Wayne (virtually); and Tom Keon, chancellor, Purdue University Northwest (virtually).
I. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Upon proper motion duly made and seconded, the Academic and Student Affairs Committee voted unanimously to approve the minutes of its last meeting convened on February 5, 2021, and an executive session convened on March 31, 2021.
II. APPROVAL TO APPOINT THE REILLY PROFESSOR OF CIVIL ENGINEERING
Provost Akridge respectfully requested approval to appoint Dr. Satish V. Ukkusuri as the Reilly Professor of Civil Engineering. He informed the Committee that Dr. Ukkusuri was a leading global scholar in the field of complex network science, with primary applications to transportation systems, and he said Dr. Ukkusuri was a pioneer in disaster management research and had received an award from New York City for his contributions to improving freight deliveries within the city. Provost Akridge cited one of six letters received in support of Dr. Ukkusuri’s appointment, the writer of which stated that Dr. Ukkusuri’s work was stellar and inspirational. Trustee Brouillette remarked that Dr. Ukkusuri’s background and credentials were impressive. Upon proper motion duly made and seconded, the Academic and Student Affairs Committee voted unanimously to recommend full Board approval of Dr. Ukkusuri’s appointment as the Reilly Professor of Civil Engineering. Supporting materials were filed with the minutes. Dr. Ukkusuri remarked that he was deeply grateful for the honor.
III. APPROVAL OF BACHELOR OF ARTS IN MUSIC
Provost Akridge respectfully requested approval to offer a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music on the West Lafayette campus. He explained that, historically, over 2,000 Purdue students enroll in music classes and ensembles each semester, with an overwhelming number majoring in STEM disciplines. He said the Bachelor of Arts in Music would allow students to add to their primary course of study a second major or degree in Liberal Arts, which would expand their career options in a broad range of areas related to music, including recording and production, sound design, music theory, composition, and arranging. Provost Akridge informed the Committee that the top ten engineering schools in the country offered degrees with some type of music emphasis and Purdue was the only Big Ten university to not offer a music degree. Therefore, the new degree would help Purdue compete for STEM students and others who were passionate about music and wished to earn a credential reflecting their passion.
Lengthy discussion followed Provost Akridge’s introduction of the degree. Dr. David Reingold, dean of the College of Liberal Arts, discussed the College’s Degree Plus program, through which the degree would provide a new option. He said it was fully expected that students would marry the degree with other fields of study. In response to many questions from the Committee, Dean Reingold also discussed how the degree would be marketed to students, and he confirmed it was not intended to be a stand-alone degree. Provost Akridge added that, while not intended to be stand-alone, the degree would be available to all students. Trustee Castagna described the degree as historic, and Trustee Brouillette expressed her belief that it would be another tool for the College to attract students. Trustee Brouillette also applauded Dean Reingold and the College for their efforts to integrate Liberal Arts into STEM. Trustee Klipsch offered his support for the degree, saying many employees of his former company had been involved with music and he could attest to the value of the degree.
Upon proper motion duly made and seconded, the Academic and Student Affairs Committee voted unanimously to recommend full Board approval of the Bachelor of Arts degree in Music. Supporting materials were filed with the minutes.
IV. APPROVAL OF FACULTY PROMOTIONS
Provost Akridge respectfully requested approval of the roster of faculty candidates for promotion. He outlined that the roster included 147 faculty members on the West Lafayette campus, 14 at Purdue Fort Wayne, 19 at Purdue Northwest, and 23 faculty members at the Purdue Schools at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis. He assured the Committee that each candidate had been reviewed through a multi-level evaluation process and appropriately endorsed at the university level, and he expressed his belief that the candidates’ achievements during the COVID-19 pandemic, and those of all Purdue faculty members, were especially noteworthy. Professor Nichols concurred that the faculty had done a fantastic job during a difficult year. Trustee Brouillette acknowledged all members of the faculty for their dedication and said, because of their efforts during the pandemic, Purdue continued to provide a quality residential learning experience when other universities could not.
Upon proper motion duly made and seconded, the Academic and Student Affairs Committee voted unanimously to recommend full Board approval of the slate of faculty promotions, effective at the beginning of each candidate’s regular term of service for the 2021-2022 academic year. Supporting materials were filed with the minutes.
V. REPORT OF THE UNIVERSITY SENATE
Professor Deborah Nichols delivered her last report as chair of the University Senate as follows:
“Today I say goodbye to all of you as Senate chair. It’s been a long, strange year for sure. I think we have accomplished a great deal under a number of extraordinary circumstances. We have passed resolutions to support greater diversity and inclusivity on campus, we have worked through many challenges directly related to the pandemic, and we have attempted to do the regular business of the Senate. We also collected a great deal of data, gathering nearly 27,000 responses over four waves, to share with you how the campus community was feeling, what their concerns were, and ideas they had regarding what would be most helpful during these challenging times. These efforts were met with some initial skepticism and perhaps a fair amount of apprehensiveness about what the surveys might reveal. It is my belief, however, that knowing what the challenges are and facing these truths head on is best served by asking the questions, gathering the data, and listening to everyone’s voices – even when the truth is just an acknowledgement that you don’t always know the way forward. What we documented across these surveys led us to make strides in addressing child and elder care issues; caregiving responsibilities; distribution of faculty responsibilities; student, staff, and faculty mental health resources; and teaching challenges.
One consequence of the pandemic was an opportunity to engage in a different kind of shared governance. In June, with leaders of CSSAC, MaPSAC, PSG, PGSG, and the Provost’s office, we formed the Protect Purdue leadership group. We met together weekly through February and now meet about every other week to discuss questions and share concerns raised by each of our constituencies. I found this group to be an integral part of our pandemic response and invaluable to better understanding everyone’s concerns across the campus community.
Consequently, while I could pass into my twilight days and simply assume the role of past chair on June 1st, as Dylan Thomas wrote, “Do not go gentle into that good night.” So, with that sentiment and a great deal of enthusiasm, I want to share what I and a growing number of faculty, staff, and student colleagues have been working on this spring, separate from my role as Senate chair. In light of the effectiveness of our Protect Purdue leadership team and the collaborative relationships we have formed through these shared governance efforts, we are proposing to restructure our university senate into one that is based on mutual trust, shared sense of purpose, clear understanding of the issues at hand, adaptability, and productivity – all evidence-based indicators of effective shared governance. While there are multiple goals linked to this proposed restructuring, I will highlight two of the most important ones briefly.
First, similar to the BOT Equity Task Force’s charge to “ensure all members of the university community have the opportunity to experience all Purdue has to offer equitably…” and as evidenced through multiple surveys we did during the last year, it is critically important that all voices on campus are represented, able, and encouraged to participate in discussions about procedures, policies, and practices that affect them. And, equally important, for other constituents to understand and respect the challenges that our fellow colleagues face in the various roles and responsibilities they assume as Boilermakers. A University Senate that is heavily dominated by faculty neglects the unique needs facing others on campus. The proposed restructuring would distribute representation through our shared governance structures more equitably across staff, students, and faculty.
Second, as the pandemic highlighted for everyone, effective and timely governance and an ability to respond in the moment to various challenges are both crucial aspects of shared governance. Current structures are not effective and do not support timely decision-making. In fact, I would argue that current structures promote a culture of dysfunction and intransigence. As Robert Birnbaum, a scholar of higher education, wrote in 1989, academic governance structures are “weak, ineffective, an empty forum, vestigial, unrepresentative, and inept…slowly collapsing and becoming dormant and purely ceremonial.” Little has changed since in academic or university senates since that time. The proposed restructuring would retain individual groups like CSSAC, MaPSAC, and the graduate and undergraduate student groups, create a faculty council, and potentially create other councils that focus on the key needs of each set of constituents. A university or executive council comprised off leaders of these groups, and others, would also be created. This group would resemble the Protect Purdue leadership team and would be able to meet as frequently as needed to address circumstances as they arise. Finally, below the councils would be standing and ad hoc committees, with equal representation of faculty, staff, and students on these committees. Regional campus representatives would also continue their roles in these respective councils and committees.
Going forward, in the next month we will distribute a proposal outlining the rationale and justification for restructuring, hold a listening session, and engage in other activities to solicit feedback and answer questions from all campus constituencies, draft and disseminate a detailed proposal by early fall, hold a campus-wide vote on the proposal with a simple majority needed to pass, and bring the results of that vote and the proposal to the Board, most likely in October 2021. These events and actions follow the precedent set in 1964 when the original university senate was formed.
I will end with this: Thank you for working with me and, by proxy, my staff, faculty, and student colleagues across our campus community. I am grateful for your willingness to listen and take action on behalf of all Boilermakers.”
Trustee Brouillette thanked Professor Nichols and expressed her appreciation for Professor Nichols’ candidness. She agreed that 1964 was a long time ago and it was time to review the Senate structure to make it more effective. Trustee Brouillette also recognized that, though it had been a tough year, Professor Nichols had “come through with flying colors.”
Trustee Thompson said Professor Nichols had worked with the Board collaboratively for a better tomorrow and had done so with class, in a strategic way, and truthfully. Trustee DeKryger applauded Professor Nichols for her bravery to suggest change was needed and said the Board would be supportive. Trustee Lehman agreed that there had been many changes at the university since 1964. He, too, thanked Professor Nichols for her courage and, noting that child care was important to Professor Nichols, he invited Ms. Candace Shaffer, senior director of benefits, to share plans for a new child care center targeted to open in August 2022.
VI. ADJOURNMENT
By consent, the meeting adjourned at 9:21 a.m.