Miami University’s Senate held discussions on Senate Bill 1 (S.B. 1) and cuts to the Department of Education at its meeting Monday afternoon. Additionally, the senate passed a proposal to change GPA requirements in the Honors College.
Many senators and other faculty addressed S.B. 1 in comments throughout the meeting and questioned how they would be able to teach effectively without talking about things like politics and climate change, which have both been banned by S.B. 1.
“I just don’t know how we can say anything that is not political,” one senator said.
S.B. 1 is set to take effect in 90 days, however, as President Trump works to dismantle the Department of Education, educators across the state are left with questions about funding and policy.
“I don’t know what higher ed is going to look like after all this, but I do know no one is coming to save us,” said Rosemary Pennington, chair of the Department of Media, Journalism and Film. “It’s up to us to protect what we can, to protect each other, to protect our fields and our values.”
One senator voiced concerns about Miami’s practice of including professors' contact information and office location on syllabi, since it would be easier to harass professors if that information is public.
Provost Elizabeth Mullenix said Miami is still waiting on instructions from its legal council before it makes any decisions on policy revisions.
Susan McDowell, vice president for research and innovation, said Miami will continue to run all of its current programs until told otherwise. She added that many of the grants that Miami receives are not in jeopardy. Half of Miami’s federal funding comes from being a sub-recipient with another college (meaning Miami has partnerships with other universities and will continue to receive funding so long as those universities do not forfeit the funds).
McDowell said changes from S.B. 1 will likely not be sweeping adjustments to departments, but instead will target individuals, and she stressed that faculty need to communicate with one another and with their department heads.
“I think it's going to take individual decisions,” McDowell said, “and it's going to take a lot of communication.”
The senate also passed a proposal changing the GPA required to graduate with honors from 3.5 to 3.25. The proposal would additionally clarify that Honors College students are required to complete an honors senior project to earn this notation on their diploma.
The senate's next meeting is at 3:30 p.m. on April 14 in 111 Harrison Hall.
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