Faculty Senate
January 22, 2026
MEETING INFORMATION
Date
Thursday, January 22, 2026
Time
3:15 - 5:15 p.m.
Business 3:30 - 5 p.m.
Location
101 Richard Woodcock Education Center
Please note the exciting new room location!!
Zoom link: https://wou-edu.zoom.us/j/81141923854
Agenda
Meeting Agenda (DOCX)
Draft Minutes
Draft Minutes for January 8, 2026 (DOCX)
“If you would like to request disability-related accommodation(s) to participate in a WOU activity or event, please complete the online request form at least three (3) business days in advance. If you have questions, contact Disability Access Services (DAS) at 503-838-8250 or das@wou.edu. QR Code to online request form:
MATERIALS
Institutional Reports
-
Faculty Senate President's Report (Michael Baltzley): Campus Private and Reserved signs; Draft of a revised indirect cost recovery policy
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University Provost’s Report: Program Review and Office of Academic Effectiveness Update (Judy Sylva and Jessica Murfin)
-
Interinstitutional Faculty Senate Report (IFS) (Ricardo Pelegrin)
Consideration of Old Business
1. Endorsement of Statement from Graduate Studies Committee
New Business
1. 2026-27 Faculty Senate officer elections
Informational Presentations, Open Discussions, Committee Reports, Announcements
1.Rights and Responsibilities in the 2026 Social Climate (Craig Ashford and Mike Hanson)
2. Call for future business—New Business, Presentations, Discussions
3. Announcements
- Paw Point Store: Student Engagement initiative where students earn Paw Points for attending events. If you want your event to be part of this initiative, check out the flyer here.
- Fight Hunger Games: On March 7, 2026, from 9 am to 9 pm, the Werner University Center will be filled with board games and video game stations and snacks! The inaugural WOU Fight Hunger Games is a food drive for the WOU Food Pantry. Admission is a donation of non-perishable, non-expired food, in any amount.
- “The Nature of Things: WOU Art & Design Faculty Biennial” reception is today from 4-6 in the Cannon Art Gallery.
4. Closing discussion items from the floor
NEW BUSINESS ITEMS
Please submit new business items using the following link: https://wou.edu/facultysenate/submit-new-business/
IMPORTANT DEADLINES THIS YEAR
Curriculum proposals
To provide sufficient time for all the review steps (committee and Faculty Senate), the deadline for submitting curriculum proposals for inclusion in the next academic catalog is the second Thursday of February for course proposals, program changes and new certificates. New programs take longer to process.
See wou.edu/curriculum and the Deadlines and timing page for more specific information.
SUBMIT NEW BUSINESS
Have something you would like to share with or have discussed by Faculty Senate? Use this form to let us know!
VOTING LINK
When there is an active motion during Faculty Senate, current senators can use the link and QR code below to access voting via computer or smartphone.
OUR MISSION
The mission of the Faculty Senate is to lead faculty in fulfilling their responsibilities in the shared governance of the university and to represent faculty interests to university and community stakeholders. The Faculty Senate serves as a liaison between faculty and administration. Responsibilities include the following:
- ensuring that academic freedom is encouraged and protected;
- overseeing curriculum development that promotes student learning in alignment with identified university student learning goals and outcomes;
- participating in the review and implementation of the strategic plan of the university;
- informing faculty about university policies, procedures, and substantive changes made by the administration; and
- making recommendations to faculty and administration on policies to improve the learning environment.
