University of Idaho Faculty Senate Vice Chair Kristin Haltinner informed the Faculty Senate about multiple cases regarding academic freedom and national higher education issues at the weekly meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 23.
On June 20, the state of Texas passed Senate Bill 37, which focuses on higher education faculty senates, aiming to give less power over curriculum to the faculty and more to governing boards.
“I would like you to know about these things because I think that we need to be prepared for some of them coming here this spring,” Haltinner said.
The Argonaut covered the previous Faculty Senate meeting where a dispute between a professor and student over gender identity in children’s literature resulted in the firing of multiple Texas A&M professors and the resignation of the president.
Another higher education issue was the proclamation by President Donald Trump of a $100,000 H-1B visa application fee for submissions after Sunday, Sept. 21. Haltinner explained how this added struggle on visa applications could limit UI’s ability to recruit high level faculty.
“We see the erosion of academic freedom, the politicization of curriculum, the vulnerability of faculty and students, and these are all things that I think we should be thinking about and potentially addressing,” Haltinner said.
Faculty Senate Vice Provost Diane Kelly-Riley gave an update on strategic plan funding requests, informing faculty about an information session on Friday, Sept. 26, with the requests due Wednesday, Oct. 1. She reminded the attendees that midterm grades are due on Monday, Oct. 20, and that a faculty gathering will take place on Oct. 2, organized by the College of Graduate Studies.
Other business for the Faculty Senate included a request for faculty to fill out a Common Read survey for next year’s book, and a request to use consistent terminology across all grading platforms.
Scarlet Herway can be reached at [email protected].