If you missed the Feb. 2 Academic Senate meeting or need a refresher, keep reading for the highlights from the meeting. For more information on the Academic Senate, click here.
Meetings are open to the public and held on Zoom. Meetings are recorded only for the purposes of meeting minutes. Although senate meetings are not required to be public under Utah law, the senate has elected to conduct its business in a transparent way, and all attendees are welcome.
Subject to the approval of the Board of Trustees, the “university faculty shall have authority ... to legislate on matters of educational policy. ... The faculty has a right to a meaningful role in the governance of the University; ... it has a right to participate in decisions relating to the general academic operations of the university, including budget decisions and administrative appointments.”
“The legislative power of the University faculty collectively will normally be exercised by the faculty through their representatives in the Academic Senate and the college and Graduate and Undergraduate councils ...”
See Academic Policies 6-001-III-B-3, 6-002 and 6-300 to read the policies in full.
Debate Calendar
New Program: MS Financial Technology
The University of Utah’s David Eccles School of Business (DESB) Master of Science in Financial Technology (MSFT) is designed to equip students with the knowledge and skills necessary to navigate and lead in the rapidly evolving financial services landscape. As Fintech continues to revolutionize commerce and financial transactions, there is a growing demand for professionals who can bridge the gap between finance and technology.
The program emphasizes experiential learning, strategic thinking and interdisciplinary collaboration, preparing graduates to assume leadership roles in both established financial institutions and entrepreneurial ventures. By fostering a deep understanding of financial systems and technological advancements, students will be well-positioned to drive innovation and efficiency within the Fintech sector.
New Program: BS Artificial Intelligence
We propose a new undergraduate bachelor’s degree program in Artificial Intelligence (AI). This degree will prepare students for employment in a wide range of positions, both in developing new AI systems and in the growing number of application domains. Coursework will begin with the foundations of computer science and mathematics, then build toward core AI areas such as machine learning, data analysis, natural language processing, computer vision and robotics. The program will emphasize both the foundational aspects of modern AI and the hands-on skills needed to build and deploy AI systems responsibly.
Students will also study the societal, ethical and philosophical implications ofAI. Graduates of this program will be well-prepared for careers in industry, research and emerging AI-driven fields, as well as for graduate study in computer science and related disciplines.
The proposed program fills an emerging need that is distinct from our most closely-related degree program in Data Science. Data Science is about understanding and leveraging data to make decisions. Artificial Intelligence is about creating intelligent systems that can act, predict or assist autonomously.
The AI major has a stronger emphasis on algorithms, optimization and engineering. While both fields rely on the tools of machine learning, DS prepares students for data-driven industry roles using statistics, visualization and data management, and AI prepares students for technical roles oriented towards developing autonomous intelligent systems, leveraging techniques from NLP, computer vision, robotics, agents, etc. Furthermore, the AI major will prepare students for careers involving developing, using and auditing generative AI systems.
Information and Recommendations Calendar
Better U Fall 2025 Data Dissemination
The Better U Survey was completed by faculty and staff in Fall 2025. Results help leaders understand actionable drivers of engagement, belonging, well-being, stress and burnout. Groups are asked to consider what changes could be made at the local, department, college and university levels to improve the experience of working at the University of Utah. This survey looks at the health of the organization rather than focusing on the health of individual faculty and staff.
Policy 6-100: Instruction and Evaluation, Revision Sections F-M, R6-100C, R6-100E
Updates to the ongoing work of revising Policy 6-100: Instruction and Evaluation—the policy that governs courses at the U. To increase student, faculty and staff success, an in-depth revision process launched in September 2024 to revise the outdated policy and collaborate as One U. The working group reviewed, discussed, debated and iterated the policy section-by-section and proposed substantive revisions.
Starting in Fall 2025, we are proceeding through a robust feedback process to listen to a broad range of campus stakeholders via constituent group presentations, three town halls and presentations to the Academic Senate. The feedback process will be used to iterate the proposed revisions to present to the Academic Senate for a vote in late Spring 2026.
Graduate Council 7-year Reviews
Department of Educational Leadership and Policy
The Department of Educational Leadership and Policy offers a range of graduate professional and research degrees and licensures to train scholars, administrators and policymakers across K-12 and higher education contexts. Reviewers commended the department for its excellent student support and outcomes and for its faculty’s dedication and research productivity. To increase efficiency, the department is encouraged to clarify and coordinate its policies, organizational structure, faculty resources and curricula; develop mentoring protocols for junior and career-line faculty; and continue to ensure adequate staff support for faculty and students.
Department of Philosophy
The Department of Philosophy is highly ranked nationally and internationally, renowned for its innovative applied interdisciplinary research and programming in the arenas of science, biology and medicine. Reviewers underscored this distinction and additionally commended the department’s productive and dedicated faculty, strong graduate programs and outcomes and robust support of students. To maintain and build upon these strengths, the department will work with the college to increase extramural funding support for faculty; ensure equity in faculty workloads and compensation; and enhance clarity and transparency regarding departmental, college and institutional changes.
Undergraduate Council 7-year Reviews
Multidisciplinary Design Program
The Multi-Disciplinary Design (MDD) program at the University of Utah was conceived to foster
a rigorous and integrative framework for design education through a bachelor’s program and a minor degree. It employs product design as a medium for investigating advanced design research and methodologies, incorporating physical and digital technologies and outputs. The program equips students to navigate and address multifaceted, real-world challenges through collaborative and innovative strategies.
The MDD is commended for the passion and commitment of its faculty to the students, the manner in which they support each other in co-teaching studio classes, and their mentorship of students. The MDD is encouraged to hire an external advisor to develop a strategic plan, to have its chair complete a Development Strategic Plan, review curriculum to align with industry needs, revise its learning outcomes and assessment plan, and recruit tenured faculty to mentor tenure track faculty.
