This week, the Executive Team continued discussions on institutional planning and long-term sustainability. We discussed the current federal landscape and its implications for the university. We also reviewed institutional priorities and discussed ways to better align campus programs and events with the university’s mission and values. We also discussed processes that will support consistent, data-informed decision-making, which we will continue to refine in the coming weeks.
Provost Khadijat Rashid, joined by Maribel Gárate-Estes, Dean of the Faculty, and Amanda Mueller, Director of Operations for Academic Affairs, shared updates from Academic Affairs, including the Academic Transformation. The PDRC process is underway for two degree credentials and two certificates, with a vote in the Faculty Senate anticipated in December or January. Degree credentials would move on to the Board of Trustees, while the process for certificates concludes with the Senate decision. Workgroups for credentials designated for transformation have been meeting and are due on December 1. Workgroups for credentials designated as “Grow/Sustain” will begin in early December. Thank you to the many faculty who have been working diligently to adapt their programs to the needs of our current and future students.
Provost Rashid also shared work to elevate the profile of our PhD programs and efforts to address the academic year calendar due to new federal guidelines regarding financial aid, which require 15 weeks during the summer (we currently have 13). She also gave preliminary information about two proposals that will be coming to the ET at a later date for further discussion and decision-making:
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A joint proposal from CORE and CDF for a pilot in trades programming, designed to ensure Gallaudet’s liberal arts brand is not diluted and test whether trades programming can generate revenue while supporting alternative learning.
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A flag policy proposal from the ASL Honors Society (a student group), which will be assessed as part of a larger examination of our current banner policy.
The Executive Team also discussed the 2027 World Federation of the Deaf (WFD) Congress in the United Arab Emirates. Given the current war in the region, any WFD travel requests are on moratorium for the time being and will not be approved. The ET will make a final decision in January 2027.