A meeting of the Academic and Student Affairs Committee of the Board of Trustees convened at 8:53 a.m. on Friday, June 7, 2024, in Stewart Center, Room 326 on the campus of Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana. 

Committee members present included: JoAnn Brouillette, chair; Kevin Boes; Vanessa Castagna; Shawn Taylor and Professor Susan South (ex-officio). Other trustees present: Sonny Beck; Michael Berghoff; Malcolm DeKryger; Michael Klipsch, and Gary Lehman. Theresa Carter participated via conference call.

Officers and administrators in attendance: Mung Chiang, president; Patrick Wolfe, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs and diversity; Eva Nodine, senior vice president, assistant treasurer, and assistant secretary; Steve Schultz, general counsel; and Cindy Ream, corporate secretary and senior executive assistant to the Board.

I. (WL) APPROVAL OF MINUTES

Upon proper motion duly made and seconded, the Committee voted unanimously to approve the minutes for the meeting convened on June 7, 2024.

II. APPROVAL TO AWARD POSTHUMOUS DEGREES, SAMEER KAMATH AND SARA BROWN

Provost Wolfe respectfully requested approval to award a posthumous non-thesis master of science degree in Mechanical Engineering to Sameer Kamath. Provost Wolfe noted that Sameer Kamath had met the requirements, including completion of 90% of the credit hour requirements.

Upon proper motion duly made and seconded, the Academic and Student Affairs Committee voted unanimously to recommend full Board approval to award a Posthumous Degree to Sameer Kamath. Supporting materials were filed with the minutes.

Provost Wolfe respectfully requested approval to award a posthumous non-thesis master of science degree in human development and family science to Sara Brown. Provost Wolfe noted that Sara Brown had met the requirements, including completion of 85% of the credit hour requirements.

Upon proper motion duly made and seconded, the Academic and Student Affairs Committee voted unanimously to recommend full Board approval to award a Posthumous Degree to Sara Brown. Supporting materials were filed with the minutes.

III. (WL) APPROVAL TO APPOINT THE EVAN AND SUE ANN WERLING PROFESSOR OF COMPARATIVE ONCOLOGY

Provost Wolfe submitted the request for approval to appoint Dr. Michael O. Childress as the Evan and Sue Ann Werling Professor of Comparative Oncology. Dr. Childress has been a professor of comparative oncology at Purdue since 2009. His background is in clinical veterinary oncology, with a special focus on translational cancer research in pet dogs with spontaneous non-Hodgkin lymphomas.

Upon proper motion duly made and seconded, the Academic and Student Affairs Committee voted unanimously to recommend full Board approval of Dr. Childress’s appointment as the Evan and Sue Ann Werling Professor of Comparative Oncology. Supporting materials were filed with the minutes.

Dr. Childress thanked the Board and shared that he is grateful to be at Purdue where he can indulge in his curiosity on a daily basis and inspire his students to do the same.

IV. (WL) APPROVAL TO APPOINT THE CORTEVA AGRISCIENCE HENRY A. WALLACE CHAIR IN CROP SCIENCES

Provost Wolfe submitted the request for approval to appoint Dr. William Johnson as the Corteva AgriScience Henry A. Wallace Chair in Crop Sciences. Dr. Johnson joined the department of Botany and Plant Pathology in 2002. His work on weed management directly impacts crop productivity, resilience, and quality, reducing environmental impacts and enhancing food security. Dr. Johnson has also been actively involved in outreach and extension activities, disseminating his research findings and recommendations to farmers, policymakers, and the public.

Upon proper motion duly made and seconded, the Academic and Student Affairs Committee voted unanimously to recommend full Board approval of Dr. Johnson’s appointment as the Corteva AgriScience Henry A. Wallace Chair in Crop Science. Supporting materials were filed with the minutes.

Dr. Johnson shared that Purdue University was a wonderful opportunity for him 22 years ago. He stated that he has had a very supportive department, department head and the College of Agriculture. He noted that his job is very rewarding, and he was honored to receive the appointment.

V. (WL) APPROVAL OF NEW DEGREE, MASTER OF SCIENCE ROBOTICS TECHNOLOGY

Provost Wolfe respectfully requested approval of a new residential degree, Master of Science Robotics Technology, on the West Lafayette campus in the Purdue Polytechnic Institute. He shared that the M.S. program serves two purposes: 1.) robotics is in high demand from our students, both in-state and internationally and 2.) this serves as an “escape path” for direct-to-Ph.D. students that decide not to finish a Ph.D. The anticipated start date is Fall 2024.

Upon proper motion duly made and seconded, the Academic and Student Affairs Committee voted unanimously to approve the new degree, Master of Science Robotics Technology. Supporting materials were filed with the minutes.

VI. (WL) APPROVAL OF NEW DEGREE, PHD ROBOTICS TECHNOLOGY

Provost Wolfe requested approval of a new residential degree, PhD Robotics Technology, offered on the West Lafayette campus in the Purdue Polytechnic Institute. He shared that Robotics is a highly interdisciplinary field of study that relies on three foundational pillars: sensing, computing and actuating that traditionally have been studied under separate degrees. The proposed plan of study represents the inaugural launch of what could become a university-wide commitment to robotics education. He noted that Robotics is an important field of study and stated that Purdue has letters of support from Eli Lilly and Cummins, which are both in the top four of job posters for Ph.Ds. in this field. The anticipated start date is Fall 2024.

Upon proper motion duly made and seconded, the Academic and Student Affairs Committee voted unanimously to approve the new degree, PhD Robotics Technology. Supporting materials were filed with the minutes.

VII. (WL) APPROVAL OF MASTER OF SCIENCE SOFTWARE ENGINEERING

Provost Wolfe respectfully requested approval of a new degree, Master of Science Software Engineering, offered fully online through the West Lafayette campus. He noted that the degree is interdisciplinary utilizing coursework from the department of Computer Science and the Elmore Family School of Electrical and Computer Engineering. The demand for individuals with a master’s degree in software engineering has grown by over 50% since 2013.  The anticipated start date is Spring 2025.

Upon proper motion duly made and seconded, the Academic and Student Affairs Committee voted unanimously to approve the new degree, Master of Science Software Engineering.  Supporting materials were filed with the minutes.

VIII. (WL) APPROVAL OF DOCTOR OF ENGINEERING

Provost Wolfe respectfully requested approval of a new degree, Doctor of Engineering, offered fully online through the West Lafayette campus. The online Doctor of Engineering (D. Eng) degree allows the College to expand its reach by creating a pipeline for the existing online Master’s students and allowing working professionals to earn a doctoral degree while maintaining their personal and work commitments. The online program allows the University to fulfill its land-grant mission by expanding access to the doctoral curriculum for Indiana residents and qualified students throughout the United States and abroad. The anticipated start date is Spring 2025.

Upon proper motion duly made and seconded, the Academic and Student Affairs Committee voted unanimously to approve the new degree, Doctor of Engineering.  Supporting materials were filed with the minutes.

IX. (PNW) APPROVAL OF NEW DEGREE, MASTER OF SCIENCE APPLIED ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

Provost Wolfe respectfully requested approval of a new residential degree, Master of Science Applied Artificial Intelligence, offered through the Purdue University Northwest Hammond campus. The degree will be supported administratively by PNW College of Technology graduate studies office. He shared the program would prepare students for high-demand careers in the field of artificial intelligence, which aligns with the state’s goal of enhancing economic opportunities for Hoosiers. The anticipated start date is Fall 2024.

Upon proper motion duly made and seconded, the Academic and Student Affairs Committee voted unanimously to approve the new degree, Master of Science Applied Artificial Intelligence.  Supporting materials were filed with the minutes.

X. (SW) APPROVAL OF ADDITIONAL ACTIONS RELATED TO SEA 202

Trustee Brouillette asked Steve Schultz, Senior Vice President and General Counsel to provide a high-level summary of the Delegation of Further Authority for SEA 202 Compliance: Adoption of Policy Statement on Institutional Neutrality. Mr. Schultz shared that the Committee and the Board had been provided with a Resolution and supporting materials for the actions taken today, noting that we continue to evaluate and take steps on complying with Senate Enroll Act 202. He noted the recitals are important because they recount both the Board’s statutory authority for complying with the statute and for operating the university. It also recounts the history of that Board’s delegation of that authority in a few important respects including the April meeting where you delegated certain authority on various aspects of SEA 202. It also recounts the delegation of authority to the faculty in 1964 and clarifies responsibilities of the faculty. This resolution provides further delegations of authority to comply with SEA 202 including the establishment of committees on each campus that will be responsible for initiatives and programs designed to promote cultural and intellectual diversity. It also reaffirms the authority of the provost to serve as the chief academic officer for the Purdue system. It reaffirms and clarifies, for the first time in 60 years, that delegation of responsibilities to the faculty of the university recognizing that these responsibilities are subject to the ultimate authority of the Board and are to be exercised in consultation with the president. It approves and adopts the statement of policy on institutional neutrality and delegates authority to vice president for ethics and compliance to develop a policy on unit level statements that would be consistent with the statement on institutional neutrality. That statement is based on the 1967 Kalven Report out of the University of Chicago which also points out Purdue history.

Counsel Schultz added clarity stating that when the time comes, like the Kalven Report, Purdue recognizes that there may be times when we do in response to requests from policy makers provide a comment on matters that directly relate to the operations or physical affairs of the university or the tools the state gives to advance our land grant mission. He noted that is an exception to this principle however we agree with the Kalven Report that says, ‘these extraordinary instances apart there emerges a heavy presumption against the university taking collective action or expressing opinions on the political and social issues of the day or modifying its corporate activities to foster social and political views however compelling and appealing they may be. Notwithstanding those exceptions we may sometimes cite.’

Upon proper motion duly made and seconded, the Academic and Student Affairs Committee voted unanimously to approve Additional Actions Related to SEA 202.  Supporting materials were filed with the minutes.

Chair Brouillette noted that the full text of the Resolution would be set forth in the minutes, and it reads as follows:

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WHEREAS, the Board of Trustees (the “Board”) of The Trustees of Purdue University (the “Corporation”) is vested under the laws of the State of Indiana with the power to, among other things, “do all acts necessary and expedient to put and keep Purdue University in operation” (IC 21-27-7-4) and “make all bylaws, rules and regulations required or proper to conduct and manage Purdue University” (IC 21-27-7-5); and

WHEREAS, Indiana law further empowers the Board to delegate the authority that it possesses, recognizing that no manner of delegation is irrevocable (IC 21-38-3-2); and

WHEREAS, over the 155-year history of Purdue University, the Board has from time to time exercised the legal discretion afforded to it to delegate certain authority and responsibilities to administrators and faculty of the University, notably pursuant to:

*the Bylaws of the Corporation, which establish the officers of the Corporation and confer upon the President of the University, subject to the control of the Board, the authority to “direct and be responsible for the conduct of all the affairs of the University except those which by law or [the] Bylaws are made the specific responsibility of the Treasurer or other persons;” and 

*a 1964 Board action approving certain “Regulations of the Internal Administration of Purdue University” that included, among other things, a Delegation of Authority and Responsibility to the Faculty of the University (the “Delegation of Faculty Responsibility”), which stipulated that the powers and responsibilities of the faculty are subject to the authority of the Board and are to be exercised in consultation with the President; and

WHEREAS, in its 2024 legislative session the Indiana General Assembly enacted, and the Governor of Indiana has now signed into law, Senate Enrolled Act 202 (“SEA 202”), which among other things codified the concept of tenure at state educational institutions, required such institutions to include programming to promote cultural and intellectual diversity as part of any campus diversity efforts, and required the boards of trustees of such institutions to establish policies and practices designed to promote free inquiry, free expression, and cultural and intellectual diversity on their campuses, including through various tenure, promotion, performance evaluation, employment, contracting, student admissions, student orientation, reporting, and other requirements; and 

WHEREAS, as enacted in SEA 202, and consistent with IC 21-38-3-2 referenced above, Section 6 of new Indiana Code chapter IC 21-38-10 recognizes the ability of Board to delegate responsibility to take various actions required by SEA 202; and

WHEREAS, the Board has previously adopted, at its April 5, 2024 stated meeting, a resolution that reaffirmed the University’s institutional commitment to academic freedom and faculty tenure and that delegated certain authority and responsibilities for complying with SEA 202 (the “Prior Resolution”); and

WHEREAS, SEA 202 requires the Board to adopt a policy on institutional neutrality; and

WHEREAS, the Board now desires to further delegate additional authority and responsibilities for complying with SEA 202, to clarify the Delegation of Faculty Responsibility for the first time in 60 years, and to adopt a policy statement on institutional neutrality as required by SEA 202;

NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED by the Board as follows: 

1. The Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Diversity (the “Provost”) is hereby delegated authority, in consultation with the President and the regional campus Chancellors, to empanel a diversity committee for each Purdue campus as described in IC 21-27-7-6, as amended by SEA 202 (each, a “Diversity Committee”), based on the following general parameters:

a. The Diversity Committee for Purdue West Lafayette shall assume responsibility for overseeing the work of the Equity Task Force established in 2020 as one of the Purdue Next Moves initiatives;

b. Each Diversity Committee shall, in addition to meeting other statutory requirements, develop recommendations for (i) programming that substantially promotes both cultural and intellectual diversity, and (ii) ensuring that the mission of the Office of Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging at Purdue West Lafayette (and each comparable office at Purdue Fort Wayne and Purdue Northwest) includes such programming—in each case as provided in IC 21-38-10-1; and

c. Each Diversity Committee shall, in connection with its review and recommendation of policies (as required by IC 21-27-7-6), coordinate closely with the Executive Policy Review Group (“EPRG”) established under the auspices of the Vice President for Ethics and Compliance acting pursuant to delegated University policymaking authority from the President under University policy V.B.5.

2. In furtherance of the responsibilities delegated to the Provost herein and in the Prior Resolution, the authority of the Provost as the chief academic officer for the University system, having the responsibilities set forth in policy V.B.5 including responsibility for curricular and faculty affairs on the regional campuses, is hereby reaffirmed and ratified, such that the Provost is empowered to coordinate and align academic affairs activities across all University campuses, with the assistance and full cooperation of regional campus leadership, to include but not be limited to issues pertaining to SEA 202 compliance.

3. The Delegation of Faculty Responsibility, which was once codified in the (now-defunct) University Code as Sections A.4.00 and A.4.05 is hereby reaffirmed, with the following modifications and clarifications:

a. Consistent with the notion that all delegated faculty responsibilities are subject to the authority of the Board and are to be exercised in consultation with the President, the responsibility to “advise” on a given matter does not constitute a “right” to advise on such matter, it being understood that the parameters for the timing and duration of such advice are to be determined by the party requesting it;

b. The responsibility to establish policies for University and student participation in athletic affairs and other group extra-curricular activities is removed in each case from the list of delegated responsibilities, it being recognized that these activities have long been governed by other mechanisms established by the NCAA, the Big Ten Conference, and Purdue student life administration; and

c. The reference to “general educational policies” of the University is intended to refer in the present day to the Academic Regulations maintained by the Office of the Provost.

4. The Statement of Policy on Institutional Neutrality attached hereto as Exhibit A is hereby approved and adopted as the official policy of Purdue University (the “Institutional Neutrality Policy”).

5. The Vice President for Ethics and Compliance and the Provost are hereby delegated authority to promulgate, for ultimate consideration and approval by the EPRG, a policy on public statements that will be designed to provide guidance to academic and administrative units on the issuance of unit-level messages on political or social activities, issues or events in a manner consistent with the Institutional Neutrality Policy.

6. The Secretary of the Corporation is hereby authorized and instructed to record this Resolution in the minutes of this meeting, to be maintained in the official records of the Board and the Corporation.

XI. UNIVERSITY SENATE REPORT

Professor Susan South, university senate chair, began by providing highlights from the April Senate Meeting along with continuing topics of discussion. She shared results from a survey of senators with regards to SB 202. A copy of  Dr. South’s presentation was filed with the minutes. 

By consent, the meeting adjourned at 9:57 a.m.