AGENDA
- Call to Order
- Chair's Remarks
- Announcements
- Consent Agenda
- Committee Reports
- Undergraduate Committee - Thomas
- Report from the GSR
- New Business
- Executive Session
- Adjournment
MINUTES
The regular meeting of the faculty of the Department of Mathematics was held in HUB 214 at 11am PST, January 13, 2026. Max Lieblich, Chair, presided over the meeting. Zawad Chowdhury was the recording secretary.
Good News
We have received our TIF (Temporary Instructional Funds) amount, which is the money used to fund TAs and UTAs.
- The number has remained flat, no cuts.
- Functionally, that means a 10% cut because TAs are getting a raise.
Plan is to admit 10 grad students this year for a robust class. Also planning to hire at least 3 AAPs. Will hear more soon from Stefan and Bella, the respective committee chairs.
There is a Graduate Student “Appreciation Party” happening tomorrow (Wednesday the 14th, 5pm at Intellectual House).
- If you RSVPed, make sure you show up!
- If you didn’t RSVP you are still welcome. Julia will bake an extra cake if 5 people who didn’t sign up tell her they are coming.
Joe Silverman is visiting this week
- He’s giving the AAG seminar talk today, and also Colloquium on Friday.
- He’s also the upcoming president-elect of the AMS, and would be happy to chat about AMS affairs.
- Reach out to Bianca or Farbod if you want to meet with him. Wednesday in particular has many open slots.
Chair Remarks
The university has issued a deadline for making class materials accessible by April.
- There is nothing to freak out about, reach out to Max if you want to discuss further.
- Natalie is making a document on best practices, and will present at the next faculty meeting.
- This is a compliance issue for the university, not for individuals.
A reminder that we now have $300 for each seminar speaker, with no per seminar cap.
- Executive committee is discussing more about how best to spend research funds.
Discussion of merit review process.
Our service plan for the next two quarters is focused on figuring out what we need to do and what we want to do.
- This is in preparation for impending possible changes to staffing, where our support staff could be reduced or cut.
- Executive committee + GPC/UPC will figure out the minimal set of things that are needed for the department to operate
- Winter quarter is for the things that are needed; Spring will be focused on the extra things that we want to do.
- This is impending because of a directive to centralize staffing. We are in a cohort with AMATH and STATS, but unsure what this means in practice.
- “Change happens, but it does not have to mean doom”.
Announcements
- Farbod is a member of the dean search committee for the new dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.
- It is a secret search, so he will not be able to provide much information. But that makes now the best time to provide him input, before he is loaded with secret information.
Consent Agenda – None
Undergrad Committee – Rekha
All our undergrad degrees are now minimum requirement majors
- This means there are no GPA requirements to enter. You just need to complete a set of classes.
- If students are confused about the change, send them to advising.
- Faculty should hold their standards where they should be. Don’t need to pass students to meet any quota.
We have prereqs in almost all classes except 124, 200, 208, and we never waive them.
- Don’t tell students to join a class despite prereqs, advising will reject it no matter what the faculty say.
UW Prime research program happening this summer. Looking for project proposals from faculty that will run for 6-9 weeks and be focused on research.
GSR Report
The GSR takes notes at all the faculty meetings, to provide an update to grad students of what was discussed.
If any faculty member would like the notes from a meeting, let the GSRs know and we can send it to you!
New Business - None
Executive Session
Will last 5 minutes.