Subject: Meeting with Faculty Senate Leadership April 19,2022 1PM Chancellor Plowman and Provost Zomchick, Thank you for arranging to meet with us on Tuesday April 19 at 1PM in the AHT 8th Floor Conference room. It is our understanding that Chancellor Plowman will not be attending. Below are some topics for possible discussion and we assume that the Chancellor will pass on comments on any of this to Chief of Staff Scoggins to relay to us. 1. We continue to be concerned about the lack of shared governance on the budget processes this year, particularly given the promises that BAM would be much more transparent. The processes described in the BAM procedures in terms of Senate input are not being followed. We request hope that a process be put in place to have appropriate shared governance input prior to the time for the UTK Advisory Board vote on the budget. 2. We remain concerned about UTORII and formally ask that you intervene to have the Chairs of the Research Council and the Graduate Council (or their designate) serve on the UTORII internal advisory board. The State funding for UTORII far outweighs any other new sources of funding for research and graduate education here and we remain concerned that there has been virtually no transparency regarding the planning process for expenditures of these funds and no attention to shared governance in this planning. As just one piece of evidence of the problems, there is still no updated website for UTORII despite a promise from the Provost in November that appropriate information about UTORII would be posted. 3. Regarding Athletics, we encourage comments regarding the Knight Commission report on athletics revenue in order to inform the UTK Senate vote on the resolution in support of this report by the Coalition on Intercollegiate Athletics. 4. Regarding the decision to hold a football game that directly interference with classes, we request that a very significant portion of the revenue from this game be directed at academic programs. We say this because as far as we are aware there are no funds being provided in next years budget from Athletics to support academic programs. We also request that a very clear protocol, given the tremendous disarray that occurred last year when such a game was held, be established and guidance be provided to faculty regarding their options for managing classes that day. 5. We again request information on changes in the number of administrative positions here, similar to the information available on the changes in faculty and students over the past decade. 6. What are the processes in place to maintain academic programs given the additional retirements this year, the loss of faculty in high-demand fields to industry, and the large projected increase in undergraduates? 7. To aid in transition planning, we request that the incoming President-Elect and the incoming Immediate Past President be invited to join our meeting on May 17. 8. We have received concerns about the new VolCard requirement, including a $50 charge being assessed to students who requested a card. Stay well, Lou As an addenda, we have received requests to accommodate a few individuals in higher education in the Ukraine and hope that UTK can establish a means to assist at least a few individuals.