http://www.scsu.ctstateu.edu/organizations/facultysenate

The fifth meeting of the 2001-2002 year was called to order at 12:17 PM.

Members Present:

Brownell (Art), Lavin (Art), Martinelli (Biology), Puerschner (Chemistry), Ullian (Communication), Coburn-Enquist (Communication), Jirsa (ComDisorder/MFT), DaPonte (Computer Science), Lawler (Counseling), Nwachuku (Couns/SchPsych), Fullmer (Earth Science), Thorson (Econ/Finance), Corbett (Education), Cairns (Ed Leadership), Petrie (English), Hood (English), Johnson (English), Mee (Exercise Science), Rinehardt (Exercise Science), Verplaetse (Foreign Language), Sakalowsky (Geography), Judd (History), Petto (History), Bielefield (Library Science), Schofield-Bodt (Library Science), Wu (Library), Prince (Marketing), Brin (Math), Wallace (Nursing), Prince (Part-time faculty), Young (Part-time faculty), Volkman (Philosophy), Broadbridge (Physics), Paulson (Political Science), Sherman (Psychology), Kahlbaugh (Psychology), Bulmer (Public Health), Grants (Recreation/Leisure), Cusato (Science Ed/Env Stud), Dripchak (Social Work), Skoczen (Soc & Anthro), Brucker (Special Ed/Reading), Major (Special Ed/Reading), Watts (Theatre)

Visitors:

Tait

Members Absent:

(Accounting), Maloney (Athletics), (Education), Hernandez (Foreign Language), Dunklee (Jounalism), Nodoushani (Management), Bennett (Math), Moss (Music), (Part-time faculty), (Part-time faculty), Haymes (Social Work)

The minutes of October 24 were approved.

President Paulson reported that he has gotten "nothing but a positive feeling" from the NEASC team in their exit summary.

President Paulson went on to discuss the crisis management plan now available online. (M. Watts also distributed hardcopies of the document.) A November 7 meeting with President Adanti, J.P. Smith, P. Dilger, and J. Prokop addressed related security measures that were first raised at the University Dialogue, November 6. Specifically, the original plan of prohibiting access to the campus all day on Sundays was changed. Except for emergencies, campus facilities will be inaccessible every day of the week from 11pm to 6am, including Sundays. However, faculty will continue to have access to the facilities during the day.

Also at that meeting, President Adanti expressed concern about the technical feasibility of implementing resolutions F-01-01 Banner and F-01-02 GPA (passed 10-10-01). These resolutions will be approved with the stipulation that there is no guarantee of successful implementation. Course Withdrawal Policy resolutions F-01-03 and F-01-04 (passed 10-10-01), requiring consistency in the statements of the policy, will be approved as passed.

P. Brucker explained, in response to concerns raised on the floor, that there seemed to be less food delivered for today's meeting than she ordered. She will check into this.

J. Tait reported that the UCF debate on the future of the Writing Board will be held on November 8 in the AVP room at 9:35am. G. Puerscher expressed concern that the current proposal would make the Writing Board "an autonomous standing committee," and A. Paulson noted his concern that the current proposal would tie L-courses to specific instructors.

Standing Committee Reports:

1. Rules: There is a resolution under Old Business.
2. Personnel Policy:
• The committee has been working on a statement regarding the BOT's appeal to the Labor Board to "scope" certain contract issues, but this has turned out to be a "moving target." The items in question were recently reduced to four, and the committee did not have sufficient information on this to proceed.
• The committee continues its work on the Hardship DEC.
3. Student Policy: No report.
4. Technology: No report.
5. Academic Policy:
• The committee has completed its investigation of procedures for canceling of a program. In light of our investigation, no further action is warranted at this time.
• The committee has solicited information from Dean Fredeen and others regarding any late add/drop policy. The committee has received assurances that there is a consistent policy across the schools, but there seems to be no policy in writing. This is a matter of some concern, since it would seem that any such policy needs to be consistent.
• The committee continues to investigate the distribution of students from various departments on the Dean's List. This is in response to a concern that certain departments might be "easy graders" relative to others, and students from these departments would therefore take up space on the List that would exclude even better students in more rigorous programs. It is unclear at this time whether this concern is warranted.
• The committee has begun its investigation of the proposed course withdrawal policy. We are checking information from other campuses (but the scope of our studies must be limited due to a lack of financial and other support). Len Brin has volunteered to help develop a survey tool.
6. Elections:
• Nominations have been received for special elections to the Terminations Committee and two Part-time Faculty Representatives to the Senate. Elections will commence shortly.
7. Finance:
• There is $23,000 in the full-time travel account, and there is $6,000 in the part-time travel account.

1. Rules : Accountability of Senators

The original resolution had been revised in committee since the last meeting. The revised language was accepted without objection so the resolution reads as follows:

Part H - Accountability of Senators

An attendance roster will be present on the Senate Web page. At the end of each month, the Secretary of the Faculty Senate shall update the roster with the month's attendance at Faculty Senate standing committee meetings.

Members may be excused from Faculty Senate and standing committee meetings by the Faculty Senate President (or his/her designee), or standing committee chair, respectively, and will be noted on the attendance roster by the letter (E).

At the beginning of each academic year, the Faculty Senate President will advise departments of the availability of the attendance roster on the Senate Web page.

J. Fullmer moved to amend the resolution to specify that every member of every department would be notified on the availability of the roster. The motion failed without a second.

W. Sherman moved to amend the resolution by replacing "departments" with "all faculty." The amendment passed by voice vote.

A motion to call the question failed.

B. Johnson moved to amend paragraph two of the resolution to read:

Members may be excused from Faculty Senate meetings by the Faculty Senate President (or his/her designee), and from standing committee meetings by the committee chair, and will be noted on the attendance roster by the letter (E).

 

In a voice vote, the vast majority of Senators affirmed the resolution as amended, while about four voices were heard against.

2. Academic Policy Committee: Curricular Approval Resolutions (attached to 10-10 Agenda)

Two Curricular Approval Resolutions were passed last year for President Adanti's approval, but they were rejected on the grounds that they merely reasserted what is already in the contract. Nevertheless, many faculty want these resolutions to be an official part of the legislative history, asserting the continued role of the faculty in curricular development. In light of this, these resolutions were again brought to the floor of the Senate so they can be sent to President Adanti "for your information."

Both resolutions passed by voice vote without a single vote against them.

1. M. Watts withdrew his resolution regarding SCSU's Crisis Management Plan. In light of the plan that was recently produced and distributed by the administration, the resolution is moot. However, Senator Watts urged that faculty study the plan.
2. G. Puerschner noted that Health Services are not open after 5pm even while lab classes are scheduled after that time. The issue was assigned to the Student Policy Committee.

Having finished its business early, there was a 10 minute recess while the Senate waited for Al Chai to arrive.

Al Chai provided two handouts (copies are available from the Senate Secretary). One handout categorizes software by level of IT support. The other describes the current projects under the Office of Information Technology. A. Chai called special attention to the following:

• Faculty are invited to visit the Office of Information Technology's website to investigate the progress of various ongoing projects. (http://www.southernct.edu/departments/oit/)
• The high-tech or "smart" classrooms at Southern each cost about $60,000 to upgrade. This compares to about $13,000 each for similar facilities at Central. Each university only gets about $140,000 for this purpose. Clearly, we need to find a more cost-effective model for upgrading these rooms. The first step is to identify which technologies are most commonly used and needed.
• Student Technology Assistance Reps (STARS) are the student help workers in IT. IT depends on student help and University Assistants, and we are implementing programs to better identify and retain those students who are qualified to help us.

Al Chai addressed the following issues when the floor was opened for questions:

• Some internet resources can be accessed only with a ".edu" email address. While not all students can currently get an email address from Southern, it is hoped that every student will have an email address from Southern by Fall, 2002. In the meantime, students can apply for an address at the Jennings computer lab.
• A. Chai will investigate scheduling concerns associated with high-tech rooms by raising the issue with ETAC. Specifically, he will check into the claim that certain classes have an automatic priority to use such rooms, effectively shutting out others.
• The current scheduling of student help needs to be better coordinated to address faculty concerns that sometimes those delivering A/V equipment do not know how to operate it. This is part of the STARS program, and other ongoing initiatives. IT intends to implement basic training for all incoming student help.

Al Chai finished his talk by emphasizing his understanding that IT is a service.

The meeting was adjourned at 2:02.

Respectfully submitted,

Resolutions Passed:

F-01-06 Curricular Approval Resolution 1

F-01-07 Curricular Approval Resolution 2