Faculty Senate Meeting Summary, 2/19/26
Dear Colleagues,
I’m writing with a report on the Senate meeting held on February 19, 2026. As always, full text of remarks and reports can be found in the agenda.
Senate Chair’s Remarks
Chair Bhat gave updates on these initiatives:
- In accordance with the Class C resolution that was passed by the Senate on January 22, four faculty members have been appointed to the Fund Review Committee.
- The Office of Academic Personnel and Faculty has faculty development opportunities. Check their website for upcoming sessions.
UW President’s Remarks
President Jones reported on his recent visit to Olympia, where he advocated for funding for the University of Washington. He described a framework presented to the House and Senate emphasizing that the University is not seeking additional funding beyond what is necessary, while also expressing strong opposition to the proposed budget cuts. He indicated continued advocacy around the state budget framework. He reported a 1.1% increase in State revenue (approximately $27 million more than anticipated), expressed cautious optimism about improvements in the budget outlook, and indicated hope that potential cuts could be kept to under 3%.
The President addressed the Class C resolution regarding the TIAA transition and reaffirmed his commitment to shared governance and to addressing concerns that have been raised. He noted that there will be a meeting with the Senate Chair and Vice Chair to better understand what went wrong and how to move forward constructively.
President Jones also stated that there have been no confirmed incidents of ICE activity on any of the three campuses. In response to questions, he noted that he met with the mayor to discuss the city’s preparedness.
He also provided an update on the University’s strategic planning process, indicating that the plan is beginning to take shape. The Board will be walked through the plan in the coming weeks, with the goal of having it finalized and voted on at a Board meeting, and potentially moving into execution planning over the summer for implementation in the next academic year.
New Business
Nomination and Presentation of Candidates for 2026-2027 Faculty Senate Vice Chair: Professor Amanda Kost was the nominee for Faculty Senate Vice Chair. Professor Kost gave a presentation at the Senate and there was an electronic vote after the meeting.
Class A Legislation– Faculty Legislative Representative Responsibilities and Election Procedures: This legislation changes the timing of election for the Faculty Legislative Representative (FLR) and the Deputy Faculty Legislative Representative (DFLR), revises the beginning date of the FLR and DFLR term, outlines a procedure for filing a vacancy for FLR and DFLR, and describes removal procedures for those positions.
Class A Legislation – Chair’s or Dean’s Designee in Discussion of Allegations against Faculty Member: Senators passed this legislation on first consideration and it will now go back to the Senate Executive Committee for another review. This legislation permits the chair (or dean in an undepartmentalized school of college) to designate an administrator with a faculty appointment to hold the meeting with the faculty member who is alleged to have violated a rule or regulation.
Class C Resolution – Requesting the Establishment of a Full Tuition Program at the University of Washington for Students Who Are Citizens of Federally Recognized Tribes. Senators passed this Class C resolution and it will be shared with faculty. The resolution requests that the Washington State Legislature establish and fund a full tuition program at the University of Washington for undergraduate students who are citizens of Federally Recognized Tribes. The program shall not be funded through a student fee.
The Faculty Senate will meet again on February 19. The meeting schedule can be found on our website.
Legislation passed and under consideration can also be found on our website.
With appreciation for all you do,
Rania Hussein, Vice Chair, Faculty Senate