University Teaching Committee has selected recipients of the Early Career Teaching Awards; President Taylor Randall has requested the Senate’s recommendation on the approval of those recipients.

Distinguished Professor Advisory Committee, likewise, has selected a slate of new recipients of that award. Randall requests the Senate’s recommendation on their approval.

Click here to learn more about the Executive Committee's role and membership.

During the report from the administration, the senate welcomed Senior Vice President for Health Sciences Bob Carter to the University of Utah, Vice President for Government Relations Jason Perry gave an update on the legislative session and Vice President for Research Erin Rothwell provided an update on federal funding.

The senate also received the Associated Students of the University of Utah report from ASUU Senate Chair Mercedes Johnson and the University of Utah Staff Council report from UUSC President Marie Wintriss.

The senate made no objection to the Faculty Appointments Reports, which included the following:

• For Academic Affairs: Seven new Emeriti, three new tenure-line faculty, three new career-line faculty, no new visiting faculty and 10 new adjunct faculty, with no new resignations distinct from the Emeriti count.
• For U of U Health: One new Emerita, three new tenure-line faculty,11 new career-line faculty, 188 new adjunct faculty (related to moving University of Utah Medical Group (UUMG) clinical staff to Clinical Attending Adjunct appointments in the Department of Family and Community Medicine, which makes them eligible to precept medical students), and no new visiting faculty, alongside no tenure-line resignations distinct from the emeriti count.
• The senate recommended approval of the AY25 Early Career Teaching Awards recipients and faculty selected as Distinguished Professors.

The senate recommended approval of the following:

• The new UACI Center for Metabolic Health, which grew out of a longstanding, successful, strategic research initiative. The center is interdisciplinary, spanning departments on both the Health and Academic Affairs campuses, and aligns with institutional, health and research priorities.
• Revisions to Policy 6-117 (Undergraduate Emphases) and Policy 6-225 (Graduate
  Emphases) that impose clarity and uniformity across campus about what “emphases”
  mean, introducing the requirement that they build on a common core of courses and
  knowledge within majors, differentiating emphases as transcript notations, and increasing from one to two the number of emphases a student can carry within a major.
• Revisions to Policy 6-101, Undergraduate Studies and Degrees, to codify the 120 credits required for bachelor’s degree under UBHE R402, with exceptions for up to 126 credits if required for accreditation or licensure. Assistant Dean for Curriculum Katrina Green praised departments across campus for their outstanding work to update the degree requirements while focusing on student benefit and success and noted that this work is complete for all but three degrees, and these program updates are nearly complete.
• New Minor in Medical Laboratory Science, which provides interprofessional education opportunities for students in allied health and STEM majors and prepares students for graduate and professional programs in health care. The minor does not require additional resources, because it will use existing courses, faculty, and facilities from the major.
• Rule R7-200B, Principal Investigator Eligibility and Responsibilities in Sponsored Projects, which updates and formalizes language in the Research Handbook that will be superseded by Policy 7-200, Research Administration Policy.

• Ken Monson, Chair of the Senate Personnel and Elections Committee provided an overview of the annual process for recommendations for committees and elections for the Executive Committee and Senate President-Elect.
• Darryl Butt, Dean of the Graduate School, provided an update on the UACI Center approval process and data on the value of centers to an institution. President-Elect Richard Preiss suggested creating a map of UACI Centers based on disciplinary homes and collaborations as a way to share what is available and identify opportunities for new centers, which Butt will pursue.
• Revisions to Policy 1-015, Safety of Minors, which clarifies language and aligns the policy with current best practices.

Information and Reports

Graduate Council 7-year Review

• Department of Economics

Established in the 1890s, the Department of Economics offers bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees; it also supports several interdisciplinary and interdepartmental programs. Reviewers commended the department for substantially strengthening its research profile and productivity since the time of the last review; for the scope, quality, and scale of its contributions to the university and local community; and for its dedication to improving student outcomes and job preparation. The department is encouraged to work with administration to develop a robust marketing campaign to recruit undergraduate students into the major and to ensure awareness and appreciation of the department’s achievements and contributions; and to grow and develop its graduate programs.

Comments from Economics Department Chair Tom Maloney:

"As there has been an increase in the review processes we’re all subject to over the last decade or so, I want to note that this experience reinforced for me that a well-organized, faculty-led review of this type can actually be a positive and productive experience, and I want to thank everyone involved and everyone at the Graduate School, and I thank Darryl Butt and Helene Shugart in particular for their leadership in this process."

Creating Master's Emphases: Biomedical Informatics
Our program restructure proposal requests the formal designation of three emphases within our current M.S. in Biomedical Informatics degree: Biomedical AI and Data Science, Translational Bioinformatics, and Applied Clinical Informatics. These emphases have existed as established tracks within the program for the past six years, demonstrating consistently high desirability and effectiveness in preparing students for careers in biomedical informatics. By officially designating these tracks as emphases, we ensure that students' expertise is formally recognized on academic transcripts, making it easier for employers, professional organizations, and academic institutions to recognize their qualifications. This change will enhance students' marketability in the workforce and provide a structured academic trajectory for those pursuing further education, strengthening their applications with a clear record of specialization.