UNIVERSITY PARK – At its final regular meeting of the spring 2025 semester on April 29, the University Faculty Senate passed positional statements affirming its support for the stated mission and values of higher education and for additional and more transparent evaluation before decisions about closing Commonwealth Campuses. The senate also oversaw the transition of its leadership from outgoing chair Josh Wede, College of the Liberal Arts, to incoming chair Frantisek Marko, Penn State Hazleton, among other business.
A video recording of the full meeting can be found on the senate’s website.
Wede thanked all the senate officers: Michele Stine (immediate past chair), Michele Duffey (secretary) and Marko (chair-elect). He also thanked the committee chairs and vice chairs, as well as the senate office staff, and recognized outgoing senators with more than eight years of service. Wede will continue to serve as chair until July 1, when the new senate officers will officially begin their terms.
“Having stood in this senate chair position now, I realize how challenging it is,” Wede said. “But Shelli (Stine) did it with the utmost leadership, integrity and honesty. Michelle (Duffey) does more than anybody knows. Michelle has acted with integrity and has always been there to help support me. Frank (Marko) has been wonderful. We've been working together very closely over the past year, and I have no doubt we will are in good hands as Frank steps into this role.”
New officers installed were Stephen Snyder, Penn State Berks, as the chair-elect and Janet Hughes, University Libraries, as secretary.
Senate passes non-binding positional statements and a motion
The senate voted in favor of signing onto two separate documents being circulated by faculty governing bodies at institutions in the Big Ten and across the country, aimed at supporting and defending values of higher education, such as academic freedom, the protection of free speech and pursuit of scientific research.
The senate voted by unanimous consent to cosign onto a positional statement in support of “the core mission and values of higher education in the United States.” Senators also voted 139-21 in favor of a non-binding resolution to establish a “mutual academic defense compact.”
The senate also passed a positional statement, 97-62, related to the potential closure of some Commonwealth Campuses. Penn State President Neeli Bendapudi announced in February that she tasked a joint committee with delivering a recommendation for the future composition of the Commonwealth Campus ecosystem. The Board of Trustees is expected to consider the President's recommendations in mid-May.
Updates from University leadership
Interim Executive Vice President and Provost Tracy Langkilde and Senior Vice President for Research Andrew Read addressed the senate and answered questions from faculty on topics such as responding to federal executive orders, research funding, international students and Commonwealth Campus closures.
“We are continuing to navigate a complicated higher education landscape across the country and in Washington, D.C. We are continuing to look at the executive orders as they come out and figure out how they impact Penn State,” Langkilde said. “We're encouraged by our strong relationships and have had good interface with policymakers, including from students through Lion Caucus.”
Faculty members asked about research grant funding, including guidance for submitting proposals and options for appeals if funding is cut. Read said his team is working with legal counsel and national organizations on the appeals process and certification requirements. He encouraged faculty to continue spending on grants and submitting proposals. He also said faculty members should stay in touch with his office as the situation evolves and email the Office of Sponsored Programs at osp@psu.edu if they receive unusual communication coming from funding agencies. Additional information for the research community is available on the Office of the Vice President for Research website.
Langkilde also thanked and recognized the outgoing senators and senate leaders.
“I have newfound recognition and appreciation for the many hours you all put into the Faculty Senate,” Langkilde said. “Thank you for choosing to do this. I appreciate your time and dedication.”
Committee reports
Senate committees tasked with working in tandem with University leaders on various initiatives also reported on their progress. Highlights of the reports include:
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The senate committees on Curricular Affairs, Faculty Affairs and Intra-University Relations reported consultation with the administration on what will happen after the decision on the future composition of the Commonwealth Campus ecosystem is announced.
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The senate committees on Curricular Affairs, Education, and Intra-University Relations reported that all six of the reports compiled by the Academic Portfolio and Program Review (APPR) working groups have been presented and are available to read on the APPR website. Over the next month, the committees will be working on getting the different working groups together to come up with final proposals for how to conduct a portfolio review and a program review.
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The committees on Faculty Affairs, Intra-University Relations, and University Planning reported consultation on budget reviews throughout the year, including on the capital plan and education and general budget. Jim Strauss, chair of the University Planning Committee, also reported that Read met with their committee that morning to discuss the federal research grant overhead rate and the potential financial impact.
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The Committee on Faculty Benefits reported a meeting that morning with Human Resources to discuss possible changes to the health care plan design in 2026 and beyond. They also reviewed an informational report draft on the status of retiree health care changes.
Other Senate Business
The senate also:
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Voted to revise language in Senate Policy 47-45, regarding grading systems for medical degree students, to conform to the current College of Medicine grading policy.
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Passed a legislative report recommending minor change to a section of its standing rules to update the Senate Committee on Curricular Affairs’ (SCCA) membership and selection procedures. The committee is responsible for recommending curricular policy and evaluating and managing undergraduate curricular proposals.
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Thanked senators who are ending their terms of service with more than eight years of service to the senate: Kathleen Noce, Danny Perkins, Eric Walker and Michele Duffey. A special certificate was also presented to Langkilde, who will be ending her term as interim executive vice president and provost on Aug. 11.
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Congratulated six graduating student recipients of the John W. White Graduate Fellowship: Billal Gomaa, Rida Hamid, Vy Le, Bailey McLaughlin, Kareena Pandya and Sophia Vicenzino.
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Listened to reports on faculty tenure flow, the status of benefit changes from 2023-24 and on spring 2025 academic unit visits.
The next regular meeting of the senate will be held at 1:30 p.m. June 24 via Zoom.
About Faculty Senate
The University Faculty Senate is a legislative body comprised of 200 faculty, elected by their peers from each college and campus. The senate also includes representatives from the undergraduate and graduate student body and University administration. The senate holds legislative authority on educational matters including curriculum, student policies, admissions, and retention/graduation requirements. The senate also serves as an advisory and consultative body to the University administration, a process referred to as shared governance.