Faculty Senate met Monday to discuss potential changes in diversity, equity and inclusion programs, university finances and resolutions related to faculty salaries and jobs.
Ohio University President Lori Gonzalez began the meeting by discussing Ohio Senate Bill 1, which would prohibit all DEI programs at higher education institutions.
Gonzalez said the Inter-University Council, a group including all presidents of Ohio’s public universities, decided not to say anything about the bill because of the Ohio Senate’s control over funding.
“So I think what we have to figure out as a campus is this push to stop something that is important to our value system, how we’re going to do it and still stay in compliance with the law?,” Gonzalez said. “How we make our values live is make sure every student feels like he or she or they belong.”
Despite this change in approaches to supporting underrepresented groups on campus, Gonzalez said the university will continue to have activities supporting students in being successful and to make both faculty and students feel they belong.
Gonzalez also said the university is currently looking for a software system to focus on human resources, finances and a student information system, respectively in order.
Finally, Gonzalez spoke about the governor’s budget. The budget for 2025 is expected to be approximately the same as the 2024 budget; however, in the coming years, the scholarship amounts are expected to change.
“The governor presents his budget and then the Senate and the House take up that budget and decide if they’re going to go, more which isn’t likely, less which is possible, or keep the same as the governor’s budget,” Gonzalez said.
The governor’s merit scholarships are expected to increase in 2026 and 2027, as well as funding for mental health services, but need-based funding is expected to decrease overall.
“They’re adding about $45 million to the governor’s Merit Scholarship for FY 26 and then we’ll add another, about $32 million for FY 27,” Gonzalez said.
Next, Provost Don Leo spoke regarding the search for a new dean in the Chaddock and Morrow College of Fine Arts and the implementation of tuition on grants for graduate students.
Leo mentioned about 10 first-round interviews for the new dean will be this week, and the best candidates will be invited to campus at the end of February and beginning of March.
He also focused on a new policy implemented Jan.1 which requires all proposals for research, teaching or other sponsored programs which aim to employ a graduate student must include budgets covering tuition and fees for the student.
“This is an initiative where grad tuition that is put on external grants will come back to the units that generate those funds and then be used to enhance research and scholarship to promote this work,” Leo said.
Eric Muth, the vice president for research and creative activity, also spoke regarding concerns about the federal grant pause. Muth said for obligated money on grants, the work continues like normal due to contractual obligations, with multi-year awards obligated one year at a time.
Muth said the university normally bills backward by 30 days, and would typically be billing for January currently. He said with the federal government’s shutdown last week, bills could not be submitted.
“We are getting caught up on our bills,” Muth said. “We are trying to, if we can, bill at a faster rate in case the federal government does something else that they’re not lawfully allowed to do. But we are in good shape.”
Muth asked faculty to keep on doing the good work they have been doing and thanked members of the Faculty Senate for serving on the senate.
After Muth’s presentation, Gonzalez received a question about the presence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement on campus. Gonzalez explained OU will follow all federal and state laws regarding immigration, and the university cannot stop ICE agents from coming onto campus.
“I’m giving you news that I’m not happy to be delivering, but that’s just the facts. They can come onto our campus,” Gonzalez said. “So we’ll just have to see. We’ll find out what we’re supposed to say.”
The Professional Relations Committee passed a resolution regarding legal advocates in meetings. According to this resolution, if a lawyer will be present at a meeting regarding any faculty member’s employment or employment duties, the faculty member must be notified beforehand.
The Finance and Facilities Committee also passed a resolution regarding faculty wage deterioration. This resolution ensures wages do not dip below the consumer price index.
The Senate Executive Committee brought up multiple resolutions during the meeting as well.
The first two resolutions involve the closing date of course evaluations. One resolution would set the closing date on the last day of classes, the other would set it after final grades. These options will be discussed and one will be chosen at a later meeting.
The last resolution ensures all courses, except tutorials and classes of fewer than five students, have a course evaluation available.
Finally, a resolution was passed to issue service awards to faculty and staff members who have done a great service to the community, university or their field.
