University Council Minutes

02/12/2025 03:30 PM - Tate Theater, Tate Student Center

View Related Documents Online The University Council met on February 12, 2025, in the Tate Theater. A quorum being present, the meeting was called to order at 3:30 p.m. President Morehead called on Parliamentarian Usha Rodrigues to provide brief remarks regarding voting and debate at the meeting and congratulated her on being named the dean of the School of Law effective January 1.

As the first order of business, a motion was made by Brian Seagraves that was seconded by George Allen to approve the minutes of the October 16, 2024, meeting. A vote was called, and the minutes were unanimously approved.

President Morehead then delivered his report to the Council:

• The President began his report by thanking Council members for helping to ensure the University had a successful fall semester. He also thanked the many staff members in Finance and Administration, Marketing and Communications, and other units who worked to minimize disruptions and foster safe conditions across campus at the start of the spring semester.    
• Dr. Matt Bishop began serving as Interim Vice President for Public Service and Outreach on December 1.
• The President presented the annual State of the University Address to the campus community on January 29. The address focused on UGA’s relentless pursuit of excellence across all areas of the University’s land and sea grant mission. Led by this mission, the University is experiencing tremendous momentum and has celebrated several recent achievements.
• The UGA School of Medicine has reached a number of critical milestones. In November, the School submitted its official application for accreditation to the Liaison Committee on Medical Education. Additionally, less than a year after the School of Medicine was launched, the University has exceeded the $100 million goal for the state-of-the-art Medical Education and Research Building through a combination of state funding and private commitments. 
• In December, UGA was ranked No. 7 among doctoral institutions for study abroad participation and No. 3 in short-term study abroad programs.
• Several online degree programs in the Terry College of Business, the Mary Frances Early College of Education, and the College of Public Health were ranked among the nation’s best according to U.S. News & World Report rankings released last month.
• This year, UGA set another institutional record with nearly 48,000 applications for admission, an increase of roughly 12% over last year.
• UGA’s completion rates have reached record levels, with 76% of students completing their degrees in four years, while 89% graduate in six years. Both metrics continue to outpace many of UGA’s peer institutions.
• Supporting students with scholarship opportunities continues to be a priority, and UGA surpassed 1,000 endowed need-based scholarships late fall semester 2024.
• UGA’s R&D expenditures have once again reached an all-time high, totaling $628 million in FY24, a 10% increase over last year’s total.
• The President took a moment to express his gratitude to Interim Vice President for Research Chris King and other members of the senior administration, including Provost Hu, Vice President Juanita Hicks, General Counsel Mike Raeber, and Vice President Ryan Nesbit, for their efforts to help faculty and staff navigate the uncertainty in federal funding and operations related to research that has arisen recently. The President stated he recognized the deep concerns of the community around this issue. As the President told state and federal leaders, the research performed by UGA faculty is absolutely vital. The President serves as co-chair of the Council on Competitiveness’ University Leadership Forum, which released a statement earlier this week pointing out the tremendous concern and the negative impact that any wholesale reduction in funding would have on critical life sciences and medical research at a time when competitors are looking for any advantage to seize the lead in the global innovation race.
• The President stated he is committed to ensuring that the University’s research enterprise remains strong, which is the most important thing UGA’s community can do at this moment to continue to fulfill its research mission.
• A clear indicator of the importance of UGA’s research enterprise is its economic impact on the state. It was recently reported that UGA generated an economic impact of $8.4 billion on the state of Georgia last year, a new record.
• Students continue to earn higher education’s most prestigious accolades, including three Schwarzmann Scholarships in January for the first time in the University’s history. 
• The President extended congratulations to UGA’s exceptional student-athletes for posting a record high GPA during the fall semester. The President also congratulated the women’s tennis team on winning the National Indoor Championship. This is their seventh national championship and fifth national indoor title.   
• Several capital projects are advancing across campus. Construction continues on Phase 2 of the Science and Ag Hill Modernization project. Once complete, this multi-year capital renewal project will provide more than 225,000 square feet of modernized high-quality research and instructional space.
• Construction has begun on a new first-year residence hall as well as a new dining, learning, and well-being center and a new parking deck. Last month, UGA announced a comprehensive $115.7 million renovation of Creswell Hall, beginning in 2027, that will provide 900 modernized living spaces in one of the campus’ largest residence halls.
• The President stated that these many accomplishments would be impossible without all of the University’s faculty, staff, and students, and he thanked all for their many contributions to this success.
• This concluded the President’s report.

  The floor was then opened for the following reports:

• Executive Committee, presented by Chair Eric Rubenstein
• University Curriculum Committee, presented by Chair Susan Sanchez
• Committee on Statutes, Bylaws, and Committees, presented by Chair Barbara Biesecker
• Staff Council, presented by President Rebecca Mayo
• Student Government Association, presented by President Rock Rogers
• Graduate Student Association, presented by President William Walker

The following action items were presented to the Council for consideration:

• Susan Sanchez, chair of the University Curriculum Committee, presented the following proposals:
  • Proposal to terminate the Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Classical Languages. A vote was called, and the proposal was approved.
  • Proposal to terminate the Graduate Certificate in Marriage and Family Therapy. A vote was called, and the proposal was approved.
  • Proposal to terminate the following programs in the College of Engineering. A vote was called, and the proposal was approved.
    • Graduate Certificate in Computer Systems Engineering
    • Graduate Certificate in Engineering Physics
  • Proposal to terminate the Minor in Leadership in Student Affairs. A vote was called, and the proposal was approved.
  • Proposal to offer a Minor in Bioethics. A vote was called, and the proposal was approved.
  • Proposal to offer a Minor in Birth through Kindergarten Education. A vote was called, and the proposal was approved.
  • Proposal to offer an Undergraduate Certificate in Applied History. A vote was called, and the proposal was approved.
  • Proposal to offer an Undergraduate Certificate in Artificial Intelligence – Computing. A vote was called, and the proposal was approved.
  • Proposal to offer an Undergraduate Certificate in Climate Change Geographies. A vote was called, and the proposal was approved.
  • Proposal to offer an Undergraduate Certificate in Construction Management. A vote was called, and the proposal was approved.
  • Proposal to offer the existing major in Data Science (M.S.) online. A vote was called, and the proposal was approved.
  • Proposal to offer the existing major in Geology (M.S., M.S. Non-Thesis) online. A vote was called, and the proposal was approved.
  • Proposal to offer the existing Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) in Elementary Education online. A vote was called, and the proposal was approved.
  • Proposal to offer the existing Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) in Workforce Education online. A vote was called, and the proposal was approved.
  • Proposal to offer the existing Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) in Elementary Education on the Gwinnett campus. A vote was called, and the proposal was approved.
  • Proposal for a new major in Neuroscience (B.S.). A vote was called, and the proposal was approved.
• Barbara Biesecker, chair of the Committee on Statutes, Bylaws, and Committees, presented the following proposal:
  • First Reading: Proposed change to UC Bylaws, Standing Committee: Curriculum Committee. A vote was called, and the proposal was approved.

The following information item was presented to the Council:

• Phillip Griffeth of the Office of Academic Honesty was on-hand to answer questions concerning the following report:
  • 2023-2024 Academic Honesty Report

There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 4:14 p.m.
 
Respectfully submitted,
 
Fiona Liken, Registrar
Secretary to University Council

 

University Council Member	Substitute
Abernathy, Rylie
Ainsworth, Scott
Allen, George
Allenspach, Karin
Anderson, Mumbi
Archuleta, Kristy	Chatterjee, Swarn
Auer, Matthew (Ex-Officio)
Ayers, Benjamin (Ex-Officio)
Bacon Talati, Virginia
Bar-Peled, Maor
Barnes, Brittany
Beasley, Sophia
Beer, Jenay
Bendle, Neil
Beyette, Fred
Biesecker, Barbara
Bishop, Matthew
Bolding, Chad
Bolshoy, Daniel
Bourlai, Thirimachos
Brocato, John
Buck, Mackenzie
Cagliani, Rachel
Campbell, Julie
Campbell, Marcia
Capuozzo, Bob
Carlson Welch, Annie
Cartwright, Katherine
Chapman, Jennifer
Cleveland, Christopher
Colson, Gregory	Campbell, Ben
Cook, Michelle (Ex-Officio)
Coolong, Timothy
Cotterell, Michael
Coverdill, Jim
Cullen, Thomas	Cloudy,  Joshua
Dallas, Iain
Daniel, Jeremy
Day, Gregory
Dumas, Denis
Dunn, Laurel
Durham, Stephan (Ex-Officio)
Ehlers, Benjamin
Eimers, Jennifer
Estep, Jason
Eustace, Joe
Farmer Ford, Kelly
Fitt, William
Fuhrman, Nick
Fulbright, Patrick	Cooke, KT
Fusco, Rachel
Fusillo, Lisa
Galiautdinov, Andry
Gallagher, Holly
Gottdenker, Nicole
Gowda, Grace
Graham, Toby (Ex-Officio)
Gueneli, Berna
Hall, Cassandra
Halper, Edward
Hamilton-Jones, Bethany
Hanawalt, Christina
Harman, Ruth
Healey, Lauren
Heiss, Christian
Hirt, Sonia (Ex-Officio)
Holladay, Steven
Hong, Philip (Ex-Officio)
Housley, Lauren
Howe, Chad
Hu, Jack (Ex-Officio)
Huang, Ching-Yu
Hunt, Brendan
Hunter, Mark (Ex-Officio)
Ivy, Stuart
Jackson, Angel
Jackson, Chandra	Leach, Erin
Jackson, Dailey
Johnson, Daniel
Johnson, Hunter
Jones, Stacy
Jones, Tom
Katiyar, Samiksha
King, Christopher (Ex-Officio)	Muilenburg, Jessica
Kinsler, Joshua
Klein, Jared
Krause, George
Krunkosky, Thomas
Kurup, Samarchith
Lakuriqi, Enkeleida
Lam, Son	Chin, Jinjie
Landers-Potts, Melissa	Scott Kozak, Melissa
Landrum, Kim
Leclerc, Monique	Missaoui, Ali
Lee, Jae-Kyung
Lemons, Derrick
Levine, Oliver
Leyting, Jennifer
Liken, Fiona (Ex-Officio)
Lough, Kyser
Makaev, Sergei (Ex-Officio)
Mandal, Abhyuday	Balasubramaniam, Sarangan
Marotta, Anthony
Marshall, Michael
Masciadri, Milton
Mason, Charlotte
Mastrovita, Mandy
Mayo, Rebecca (Ex-Officio)
McDaniel, Kenneth
Medlock, Amy
Morehead, Jere (Ex-Officio)
Moreno, Karma
Morris, Kacy
Mowbray, Orion
Mundy, Mathew
Myers, Michael
Naeher, Luke
Nesbit, Ryan (Ex-Officio)
Nuss, Michelle (Ex-Officio)
Okech, David
Olali, David
Pagnattaro, Marisa (Ex-Officio)
Palmer, Chadwick
Peake, Jason
Peroni, John
Peterson, Thomas
Petrongelli, Amy
Petty, Jeffrey Todd (Ex-Officio)
Place, Nick (Ex-Officio)
Poulson, Rebecca
Raju, Dona
Read, Glenna
Reaves, Kayleigh
Redmon, Melissa
Reeves, Nancee
Resutek, Robert	Carpenter, Tina
Rice, Jennifer
Roberts-Galbraith, Rachel
Rodrigues, Usha (Ex-Officio)
Rogers, Rock (Ex-Officio)
Royer, Angie
Rubenstein, Eric
Santesso, Esra	Mattison, Julia
Sawyer, Laura
Saylor, Elizabeth
Schey, Ryan
Schirmer, Trenton
Seagraves, Brian
Sen, Rik
Sharma, Suraj
Sheagley, Geoffrey
Shelton, Braden
Shelton, Robin
Shenoy, Somanath
Sims, Cynthia
Smith, Demetrius
Smith, Kelly (Ex-Officio)
Smith, Sara
Smolenski, Craig	Green, Jessica
Spangler, Denise (Ex-Officio)
St. Pierre, Elizabeth
Standifer, Alton
Standifer, Brittany	Richardson, Jimmy
Stelzleni, Alexander
Stenport, Anna (Ex-Officio)	Lemons, Paula
Stevens, William
Stooksbury, David
Sullivan, Spencer
Symons, Avery
Tackett, Randall
Tanner, Susan
Templeman, Kellie
Timian, Viki
Tolley, Beth
Turner, Pamela
Urbauer, Jeff
Van Rees, Charles	Connelly, Scott
Walcott, Ron (Ex-Officio)
Walker, Jennifer
Walker, William (Ex-Officio)
Weaver, Kyleigh	Derevere, Brent
Winter, Amy
Woods, Chip
Xiong, May
Young, Catie
Zhang, Hui	Chen, Yuanxin
Zhen, Chen
Zvonkovic, Anisa (Ex-Officio)	Rogers, Connie

Voting Record of February 12, 2025, Meeting