The Metropolitan State University of Denver Faculty Senate convened for the final time of the 2022-23 academic year May 3, with the meeting led by President Liz Goodnick, Ph.D., associate professor of Philosophy. After announcements, updates and votes, the 2023-24 body convened to vote on new leadership and nominate for committee seats.
Announcements and updates
- There was a Cross-Functional Universitywide Workload Taskforce update April 28. There will also be a board presentation June 2 that will be livestreamed for anyone to watch here.
- MSU Denver is hosting a Rowdy Picnic on June 10 from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at Washington Park. It is open to students and faculty and staff members, as well as partners and children. Event planners are looking for volunteers to work in shifts to set up grilling, game play and cleanup. Contact Diane Yee, director of Campus Recreation, with questions and volunteer here.
- End-of-year executive committee reports can be found here.
- Faculty Senate budget overview and considerations can be found here.
- Employees are invited to take a brief survey on housing insecurity by May 15.
- Science Network Upgrade information can be found here.
- Sen. Kim Klimek, Ph.D., associate professor of History, updated the body with a curriculum report, which can be found here.
Votes
Academic Policy Committee changes
Sen. Jenny Allert, DNP, MSN, R.N., associate professor of Nursing, held a second read on changes to the graduate catalog to correct some inaccuracies involving simultaneous enrollment and interinstitutional registration. The motion on the simultaneous-enrollment change passed with 62 in favor, one in opposition and four abstaining, while the interinstitutional-registration change is a nonvoting APC change.
Curriculum changes
Klimek held a second read on curriculum manual changes at the graduate and undergraduate levels. These changes have already been unanimously approved by the Faculty Senate Curriculum Committee. The undergraduate level changes passed with 68 in favor, one in opposition and one abstaining. The graduate level changes passed with 69 in favor, four in opposition and one abstaining.
IRC and Rules Committees bylaws
Sens. Micah Battson, Ph.D., assistant professor of Nutrition, and Kelly Evans, Ph.D., assistant professor of Sport Management, proposed changes to the Rules Committee and Instructional Resources Committee bylaws. The motion passed with 64 in favor, three in opposition and one abstaining.
Handbook changes
Vice President Jessica Weiss, Ph.D., professor of Art History, held a second read on several handbook changes.
- Uncompensated overload teaching
- The motion passed with 63 in favor, five in opposition and five abstaining.
- Chair sabbaticals
- The motion passed with 68 in favor and six in opposition.
- Distinguished professorship
- There was a motion to amend the motion to include a one-year stipend of $15,000.
- The amendment passed with 47 in favor, 19 in opposition and 11 abstaining.
- The new motion passed with 44 in favor, 24 in opposition and nine abstaining.
- There was a motion to amend the motion to include a one-year stipend of $15,000.
The meeting then adjourned at 4:15 p.m. for the 2022-23 senators, leaving the incoming 2023-24 senators to convene at 4:17 p.m. for elections.
Election results
- Goodnick was reelected to serve as Faculty Senate president.
- Michele Clark, MPA, J.D., associate professor of Management, was elected to serve as vice president.
- Bill Carnes, DM, professor of Management, was elected to serve as secretary.
- Meredith Jeffers, Ph.D., was reelected to serve as the faculty trustee.
Standing committee at-large nominations
- Academic Policy Committee
- Brenden Kendall, Ph.D., associate professor and associate chair of Communication Studies
- Elisa Varela, Ph.D., assistant professor of Communication Studies
- General Studies Committee
- Chris Meloche, Ph.D., associate professor of Biology
- Reappointment, Tenure and Promotion Committee
- Summer Trentin, associate professor of Art History
There are still other committee positions open. Senators who are interested in filling any committee seats should contact Goodnick.
Incoming senators
Rosemarie Allen, Ed.D., associate professor of Early Childhood Education
Pamela Ansburg, Ph.D., professor of Psychological Sciences
Karina Benabe, MSW, Clinical Field faculty
Meg Bertoni, Ph.D., affiliate professor of Criminal Justice and Criminology
Michael Botyarov, MBA, lecturer of Aviation and Aerospace Science
Brooke Evans, Ph.D., professor of Mathematics
Philip Fiscor, assistant professor of Music
David Fontenot, Ph.D., assistant professor of Criminal Justice and Criminology
Mingli He, Ph.D., professor of Engineering and Engineering Technology
Brenden Kendall, Ph.D., associate professor and associate chair of Communication Studies
Jason Kolts, Ph.D., associate professor of Biology
Cynthia Kuhn, Ph.D., professor of English
Brian Lambert, Ph.D., assistant professor of Computer Information Systems and Business Analytics
Melissa Masters, Ph.D., RDN, professor of Nutrition and director of Nutrition Graduate Program
David Merriam, Ph.D., assistant professor of Biology
Jason Miller, Ph.D., professor of English
Daniel Moore, Ph.D., assistant professor of Secondary Education
Laura Montero, MSW, lecturer of Social Work
Sam Ng, Ph.D., professor of Meteorology
Lisa Ortiz, professor of Journalism and Media Production
Dan Pittman, Ph.D., assistant professor and faculty advisor of Computer Science
Maria Quijada, Ph.D., assistant professor of Management
Sanaa Riaz, Ph.D., associate professor of Anthropology
Anna Ropp, Ph.D., professor of Psychological Sciences
Hayden Swisher, Ph.D., Non-Majors Chemistry Laboratory supervisor
Garvita Thareja, Ph.D., MBA, assistant professor of Health Administration
Summer Trentin, associate professor of Art History
Renee Trombley, Ph.D., assistant professor of Criminal Justice and Criminology
Mohammad Valipour, Ph.D., assistant professor of Engineering and Engineering Technology
Richard Wagner, Ph.D., professor of Meteorology
Outgoing senators
Darcy Beery, M.A., associate professor of Journalism and Media Production
Laura Braunschmidt, lecturer in Aviation and Aerospace Science
Jacob Cho, assistant professor of Management
Carrie Colton, MFA, associate professor and faculty advisor in Performance and Movement
Barbara Decker, MSW, BSSW, program director and senior lecturer in Social Work
Matt Drake, MSW, LCSW, Ph.D., senior lecturer in Social Work
Barb Echohawk, Ph.D., associate professor of Geology
Andy Evans, Ph.D., professor of Environmental Science
Jennifer Gagliardi-Seeley, Ph.D., professor of Biology
Elmer Harris, Ed.D., assistant professor of Early Childhood Education
Jovan Hernandez, Ph.D., associate professor of Psychological Sciences
Michael Jacobs, Ph.D., professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Di Jia, Ph.D., assistant professor of Criminal Justice and Criminology
Viktor Kiss, Ph.D., assistant professor of Computer Information Systems and Business Analytics
Vida Melvin, Ph.D., associate professor of Biology
Thyago Mota, Ph.D., assistant professor and faculty advisor of Computer Science
Robert Niemeyer, Ph.D., assistant professor of Mathematics
Julie Rada, adjunct faculty of Theatre
Prabhdeep Sandha, Ph.D., RDN, assistant professor of Nutrition
Richard Sandoval, Ph.D., assistant professor of Anthropology
Michala Stock, Ph.D., assistant professor of Anthropology and director of the Human Identification Laboratory
Pamela Troyer, Ph.D., professor of English
Jessica Weiss, Ph.D., professor of Art History
Jennifer Zakotnik-Gutierrez, Ph.D., lecturer of Mathematics