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Kentucky State University President M. Christopher Brown II led a faculty assembly recently to discuss upcoming academic topics.

President Brown gave the faculty updates on the ongoing legislative session, emphasizing that the session is not yet complete and legislation won’t be finalized until the middle of April when the session ends.

The pedestrian bridge project is still ongoing, President Brown said. Funding was received for security cameras.

President Brown also updated faculty on the four-year graduation rate, which he wants to emphasize over the six-year rate moving forward. Heavy focus is on graduating the remaining members of the cohort enrolled in the fall of 2015.

President Brown also reviewed editing the mission statement with faculty. After much discussion, the faculty agreed to meet soon to vote on a final draft of the mission statement.

The QEP was also discussed and President Brown and others noted the need to complete the process as expediently as possible.

Updates were provided on a campus-wide salary assessment and proposals for reorganization in the academic units of the University.

President Brown reminded faculty that payroll will be outsourced to an outside vendor beginning July 1.

Those receiving promotion and tenure since President Brown began his presidency will receive retroactive pay, he said. Cost of living adjustments are also forthcoming, President Brown said.

Finally, President Brown indicated that a museum on Kentucky State’s campus could be a possibility in the near future, pending the outcome of the legislative session.

President Brown said he hoped to gather with the faculty at least once a semester to keep the lines of communication open.