A rescheduled open forum discussing the results of a listening tour conducted by Gordon Emslie, provost and vice president for Academic Affairs, and Gordon Baylis, vice president for Research, is set for 3 p.m. today.

Originally scheduled for Feb. 4, the forum was pushed back to March 25 because Emslie had to be out of the country to attend a funeral.

Faculty and staff are invited to the forum, which will be in Downing University Center Room 224.

The purpose of the listening tour was to evaluate the current status of academic departments and the university as a whole and provide helpful recommendations.

Because almost two months have passed since the original forum date, Emslie said some small “appropriate adjustments have been made.”

One of these adjustments includes the passing of Senate Bill 130, which allows WKU to offer advanced practice doctoral programs under certain circumstances.

“It was something that was not yet approved. It now has,” Emslie said.

He said the two will begin the forum by reporting their results, and they will also open up the floor for questions.

Emslie said after faculty and staff have had time to digest the information, a follow-up forum in April will take place where attendants can ask more in-depth questions.

Emslie and Baylis conducted the tour last semester, visiting all 46 departments.

“We are people who believe that our job is to come up with tools and options,” Baylis said. “And as we went on our listening tour, we got lots of questions and lots of ideas.”

Baylis said he and Emslie are recommending what faculty members can do, instead of telling them what they must do.

President Gary Ransdell said in a February email that he agrees with what Emslie and Baylis will present at the forum.

“Some of their recommendations are near-term, and some are long-term in context and implementation,” Ransdell said. “But all merit our full consideration.”