Faculty Senate Meeting, August 19, 2025

Minutes

2024/2025 FACULTY SENATE

Tuesday, August 19, 2025

2:00 pm – 3:00 pm

Virtual Meeting-Teams

1. Call to Order and Roll Call
   • Call to Order: 2:01 pm
   • Roll Call (8 needed for quorum):

2. Approval of minutes: June 2025
   • Motion made by Spencer Lewis, second by Jose Quiroga.
   • Send any edits or corrections to Gar.
3. Chair’s Report:
   • Matt McNair spoke on climate surveys. Matt is reviewing the last one and wrapping up any loose ends. He emphasized the importance of positive culture and climate.
   • Glenn spoke on the uniqueness of our Faculty Senate, that we don’t have Faculty, and that we are often not engaged the same way as campuses with working faculty, however we desire to be more involved. Matt agreed that we should have a role in shared governance. Emphasized importance of bringing up issues through chain of command, not just him, but he is open to hearing them.
   • Glenn asked about Matt’s goals. Matt talked about having an executive vice chancellor, hiring to fill vacant positions, but funds are limited so more personnel are unlikely to happen soon. Tasked the expanded cabinet with goals before September board meeting. Matt expects no recissions, expects a special legislative session.
   • Spencer asked about the best way for Faculty Senate to interface with chancellor. Matt responded that he does not really have any best practices but mentioned he would like to eliminate councils that report to him and, prefers the council resolve that via the appropriate/responsible department. Spencer Clarified that he wanted to know what Matt thought Faculty Senate should try to be/do. Matt is open to roles this group could charter, but has no specific designs.
   • Jose asked about Faculty Senate’s role in cross collaboration across separated units. Expressed desire to be a sounding board for chancellor, to give cross-departmental feedback. Matt talked about how he hopes everyone is willing to offer each other, and him, constructive criticism.
   • Spencer talked about activities of past Faculty Senate, ie: outstanding employee awards. Matt seemed amiable to the idea, that small awards could be given out of operations budget and loved the idea of faculty senate taking charge of team building exercises.
   • Glenn expressed a desire to be more recognized by the board, being that in the past our bylaws have been archived at previous board meetings. Spoke on challenges with pro-tempore chancellors in helping make faculty senate more useful/involved.
   • Chelsie spoke on the climate study and reported lack of collaboration between SCS/SA, expressed desire for Faculty Senate to be the bridge. Matt questioned the history/purpose of the separation, expressed a desire to combine the two. Spencer expressed that external stakeholders see us as one entity, proposed that SCS could help advertise the shared resources aspect of the system office to institutions. Karla commented on how SCS and SA are both viewed as bringing institutions together, but on distinct aspects. Jose spoke on seeing SCS/SA as departments of the same entity. Jose posited that it may be a result of a culture of not celebrating our wins, instead giving them to the institutions.
   • Spencer asked about upcoming strategic planning and would Faculty Senate be included? Matt said there will be a salary study done by December, NSHE adopted strategic plan a year ago, no thought of a plan specific to SA. Open to the idea, believes the culture work is more important. Did talk about reevaluating where current resources are and where they could be redistributed.
   • Jose expressed dichotomy of where we are leading vs where we are coordinating. Matt talked about looking into what we can do for campuses to smooth presentation of information and requests to the board. Jose expressed a desire for NSHE to draft our own bills to present to legislature, an idea Matt approved and encouraged.
4. Old Business:
   • Senate Chair Position: Karla Kirk has joined the Faculty Senate.
   • Website Redesign: tabled for next meeting
5. New Business:
   • Forgone in favor of time.
6. Next Meeting:
   • Tuesday, September 16^th at 2:00 pm.
7. Adjournment
   • Motion to adjourn by Glenn, seconded by Marinn
   • Meeting adjourned at 3:00 pm

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