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Faculty Senate Minutes February 2, 2026
No full textCall to Order University Business Faculty Senate Business Reports School of Graduate Studies Professional Responsibilities and Procedures Committee (PRPC) Office of Research Old Business New Business Information Adjourn - 4:43 p
Civic Center Curriculum Committee Agenda January 7, 2026
No full textCall to Order New Business Proposed Assessment Framework Discussion Rubrics and shared learning outcomes discussion Adjourn: 10:00 a
Fact Sheet: Kratom
No full textThere are many common myths and misunderstandings associated with kratom. Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) is a tropical tree native to Southeast Asia. In recent years, kratom use has grown in the United States. It is sold in various forms, including capsules, powders, and most commonly as liquid extracts or “shots. These kratom products are promoted as health supplements, advertised for benefits such as boosting energy, enhancing mood, or producing opioid-like effects. However, most users may not fully understand what they are consuming or the potential risks it carries. Commercial kratom products vary widely in their chemical composition. Synthetic (human-made) or highly concentrated extracts may contain unpredictable levels of alkaloids (i.e., organic plant materials that have physical or psychological impacts on people) and have undergone little or no safety testing
Clinician Tele-Mental Health Attitudes in North American Indigenous Communities
No full textThis study examined mental health clinicians (n=104) serving North American Indigenous clients and how tele-mental health (TMH) factors during and after the COVID-19 pandemic impacted future willingness to continue TMH. Results indicated predictors of future TMH usage were not statistically significant due to the high baseline of willingness to utilize TMH, regardless of factors. The goal of this study was to investigate awareness of clinician attitudes of TMH and promote continued research and training for tele-mental health care with Indigenous populations
Parents’ Lived Experiences with Competitive Integrated Employment for Children with Intellectual and Developmental Disability
No full textThis phenomenological qualitative study explores the lived experiences of Kentucky parents seeking Competitive Integrated Employment (CIE) for their children with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). Guided by the research questions—How do parents experience this process, and what barriers or supports do they encounter?—the study highlights systemic challenges despite legislative efforts such as the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. In-depth interviews with five parents revealed three themes: (a) parental transformation and the pursuit of meaningful work, (b) systemic challenges in accessing CIE, and (c) overcoming protective instincts: navigating fear, independence, and self-advocacy. Findings suggest a shift from passive support to active advocacy, underscoring the need for improved vocational support services and targeted policy interventions
Beyond Morphology: Testing Molecular Assessment of Macroinvertebrate Communities in Alpine Streams of the Teton Range, USA
No full textAlpine streams and the macroinvertebrate communities that reside within them are threatened by the rapidly changing climate. Long-term monitoring of these communities is required to understand how they are changing and to predict their future trajectories. Historically, stream monitoring and assessment has been performed by collecting and identifying individuals using their morphological traits. However, in alpine aquatic ecosystems, distinct macroinvertebrate species often lack the morphological differences that allow them to be distinguished. DNA metabarcoding, an alternative method for identification which uses genetics instead of morphological differences, is not impacted by this issue, and therefore, may be better suited for alpine stream monitoring. Here, we compare morphology- and DNA metabarcoding-based assessments of streams in the Teton Range, Wyoming. We found that DNA metabarcoding allowed us to identify a greater number of taxa, but sometimes, a taxon was found using morphology-based assessment only. In these cases, we determined that the incompleteness of reference databases used for DNA metabarcoding was the primary source of error. We then compared our DNA metabarcoding data to a similar study from Colorado, where more database building effort has occurred. We found that by increasing the regional coverage of reference databases, the performance of DNA metabarcoding is improved
Queer, Hybrid Participatory Design: Relational Practices and Norms for Coalition Building With Rural, LGBTQ+ Communities
No full textThis paper examines the first year of collaboration between the Bear River Region LGBTQ+ Community Coalition and queer residents in rural northern Utah, United States, using a hybrid participatory design (PD) approach. Using Yep’s queer relationality theory, we examine how hybrid spaces were designed and iteratively adapted to support inclusion, care, and collective agency among LGBTQ+ community members. Drawing on Community Coalition Action Theory and queer PD, we analyze four cases from May 2024 to June 2025 including workshops and regular meetings to explore how relational practices evolved across different formats and phases of coalition development. In this paper, we articulate how norms, facilitation, and planning were co-created by coalition members, shifting away from productivity-centered hybrid models toward participatory practices. We contribute to PD by advancing queer relationality as both a theoretical and practical framework for designing hybrid interactions that resist normative constraints and center the lived experiences of rural LGBTQ+ communities
Academic Standards Subcommittee Agenda January 15, 2026
No full textWelcome and approval of December 18, 2025 minutes Discussion Topics: Continued discussion on the proposal to add Bachelor of Applied Sciences (BAS) academic degree requirements Preliminary discussion of potential policy adjustments Incomplete grade policy Pass (P), D+, D, F Option policy Next Meeting: Thursday, February 19, 202
Curriculum Subcommittee Agenda March 5, 2026
No full textApproval of Minutes - February 5, 2026 R401 - Program Proposals Semester Course Approval Review Other Business Draft Graduate Certificates Policy Adjourn: 3:00 p
The Effect of a Preclinical Disability Elective on Medical Student Awareness, Attitudes, and Clinical Competency
No full textOpportunities for education on disability are sparse in many medical school curricula, leaving students ill-prepared to address the needs of patients with disabilities in their future careers. The purpose of our study was to design and implement a novel elective course on disability for medical students and evaluate the effect of the course on student awareness, attitudes, and clinical skills. Medical students were surveyed to assess interest in a new disability elective and to understand in what areas they felt their knowledge and skills were most lacking. With support from our University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disability, we utilized student-garnered data, as well as the Core Competencies developed by the Alliance for Disability in Health Care Education, to develop a 10-week disability elective. Session topics included social vs. medical models of disability, disability ethics, clinical communication skills, and engagement with people with real disabilities in mock patient encounters. We conducted pre- and post-elective surveys assessing students’ self-reported knowledge and perceived competence in specific aspects of providing care to patients with disabilities. Data was gathered from two elective iterations (2022 and 2023), with a total of 16 students who completed the course. Across both iterations, there were significant improvements in scores between pre- and post-elective surveys, with participants demonstrating greater knowledge, more positive attitudes, and improved clinical skills at posttest. For scenario-based survey questions, students at pretest indicated significantly less comfort with providing care to patients with disabilities than those without disabilities; at posttest, students indicated equal comfort with providing care to patients with and without disabilities. The first two offerings of this novel elective curriculum found a significant positive effect on medical students’ self-reported knowledge, attitudes, and clinical competency concerning patients with disabilities. Further studies are needed to assess whether such effects are observed in future cohorts, and if they are persistent in students’ clinical careers