Resolution No. 2025-02 Regarding Centralization of Department Scholarships

On March 10, 2025, the Faculty Senate discussed a decision to centralize the scholarship process via a new software system for Fall 2025 enrollment, as announced by the Provost at the February 27, 2025 Faculty Senate meeting. Departments had raised concerns about the scholarship centralization proposal specifically and consultation and shared governance more broadly. 

During Senate discussion, the Provost said that he appreciates the concerns and the need for clarity. He stated that there are two separate processes involved: a scholarship strategy discussion which began over a year ago in the upper administration on the one hand, and how to centralize scholarships on the other. A decision was made in Fall regarding software. Following that, University Advancement created an inventory of scholarship to identify department scholarships for centralization, which then was reviewed and refined by Shelli Soto, Vice Provost for Enrollment Management for phase one (a group of recruitment scholarships with all other scholarships still being reviewed by departments). The Provost then reviewed the list and sent the information to Deans/chairs two weeks ago. He is going to the CHSS Dean’s Advisory Council meeting this week to discuss with CHSS chairs. He said there will need to be adjustments to the list, but that there is a need to be more efficient on scholarships/financial aid. He said that Increased student access to scholarships will help with revenues, including with student retention and transfer students. 

Several senators and the History Department Chair raised concerns regarding the lack of timely consultation with departments, the role of faculty expertise in making decisions about awards for field-based merit, automation of scholarships, and how scholarships were determined to be “centralizable.” There was a similar process at WCE last year which included identity categories for students. This resulted in lots of discussion about reducing identity to checkboxes and not understanding certain identity boxes. Shelli Soto said that the centralized system will eliminate the need for colleges/departments to do this kind of data collection, since it will work with existing data students provided when they apply for scholarships. The Provost clarified that the administration is still accepting feedback on which scholarships should be department managed. A question was asked about the rationale to cut faculty out of decisions. The Provost said that there are over a $1 million in unawarded scholarships every year. Senate President Slouber responded that the issue of unawarded scholarships could be handled directly, but that most of the scholarships selected for centralization were regularly awarded. A Senator pointed out that some scholarships are designed to have high standards that are not necessarily met by applicants in a given year. A Senator stated that the centralization will decrease faculty participation in fundraising. Additional issues raised included concerns about vulnerable students who may opt out of data being centralized. Senate President Slouber closed the discussion by stating that departments that want to keep their scholarship awarding process must be able to do so. He said that the broader shared governance issue, which he views as more important, will be discussed during Spring Quarter.

On March 12, the Senate Executive Council forwarded to the full Senate for electronic vote Resolution No. 2025-02 calling on the Provost to grant, in a centralized scholarship system, requests by any department or program to restore its traditional authority to set the standards of, and select recipients for, its scholarships. Voting on the resolution closed at noon on March 17, and the resolution was adopted by a vote of 22 yes, 1 no, zero abstentions. 

Note: After the resolution was sent to voting and ex officio members of the Senate, the Provost announced on March 14 a decision to remove the CHSS portfolio of scholarships from the centralization list for Spring 2025, along with those several from other colleges that have requested that their scholarships be removed from the list.