Last Tuesday, the ASUW Senate met for the second time since the start of the semester to hear from Provost Kevin Carman and to have the first legislation of the 110th administration. Provost Carman addressed the Senate to introduce himself and to give his advice and laid out the UW administration’s priorities for the year.
“ASUW has an equal voice in governance with Faculty and Staff Senates, so don’t think your voice doesn’t matter because it does.” Carman told the Senators and urged them to share their concerns and feedback with the higher administration.
Carman also laid out the higher administration’s priorities for the year including reviewing feedback from the Saddle Up program, the continued re-organization of the university, feedback and input sessions regarding the strategic plan, and working to hire faculty for the School of Computing.
“Our current goal is to have the School of Computing be an independent school by 2027 but if we get there sooner that would be great,” Carman said. “We’ll actually be hiring our first faculty in the School of Computing and search for faculty this year and have faculty for next fall.”
The Senate had the first reading of Senate Resolution #2818: ASUW Support for Board of Trustees Block Tuition Proposal, which would support the Board’s consideration of a new tuition policy that would implement a block tuition system that would charge students with a flat rate for their tuition fixed at 12 and 15 credits, respectively. The proposal will be discussed by the Board of Trustees’ September meeting.
The Senate also debated two charge letters which would create two new ASUW Senate ad-hoc committees that would deal with student parking and continuing ASUW’s restructuring, respectively.
After discussion and passing amendments by Senator Hunter Swilling, the body’s President pro-tempore, which would set a minimum of students at-large who may serve on the committees. The Senate passed the two charge letters unanimously by a standing vote.
The next ASUW Senate meeting will be next Tuesday.
