LSU’s Faculty Senate met Monday to discuss several key administrative updates and policy changes after canceling its meeting last month.
The Senate discussed the upcoming distribution of AI and attendance surveys to students, which are expected to be available by early April.
The attendance survey is a follow-up of a survey sent to faculty on their view of student attendance last spring. The AI survey will ask students questions about their use of AI.
Both surveys will be anonymous and open only to LSU students. The Senate has met with Student Government members to help publicize the survey and get more responses.
The Senate also approved the proposal regarding LSU faculty eligibility to pursue advanced degrees at the university.
Previously, faculty members not classified as instructors were not able to pursue graduate degrees at LSU. This proposal allows faculty, with conditions and oversight, to obtain those degrees.
These conditions include having a faculty member, their supervisor and the chair of the department associated with the degree submit a statement outlining how the advanced degree will benefit the faculty member’s current department at LSU.
Also, while getting their degree, the faculty member cannot teach or advise graduate students in the department associated with their degree. Any conflicts of interest must be addressed between the faculty and both department chairs.
Another primary focus was the Faculty Senate Executive Committee elections scheduled for April 21. Currently, there are no new nominees from the floor for the positions of president, vice president, secretary and members-at-large.
The confirmed candidates include Daniel Tirone from Humanities & Social Sciences for president, Michelle Osborn from Veterinary Medicine for vice president and Kenneth Lopata from Science for secretary.
Additionally, the candidates for members-at-large are Mehdi Farasat from Engineering, Kristen Healy from Agriculture and Kyla Kazuschyk from the College of Music & Dramatic Arts.
Faculty were also reminded of the mandatory Research Security Training renewals. In accordance with federal requirements, faculty must complete a one-hour online training session every 12 months to ensure the university remains eligible for grant approvals.
The meeting concluded with discussions regarding the ongoing Flagship Transformation Initiative. The initiative was launched in its first phase earlier this year by Chancellor James Dalton.
The initiative aims to unite five key institutions in the LSU system, including the Baton Rouge campus, LSU Health Sciences in New Orleans and Shreveport, LSU AgCenter and Pennington Biomedical.
On March 9, the university submitted a prospect to its accrediting body, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. The request was a proposal for approval to merge the campuses.
The Senate will meet again April 21 at 3 p.m. in the Dalton Woods Auditorium.
