Approved Minutes of the Faculty Senate Meeting

February 2, 2005

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

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The eighth meeting of the 2004-2005 year was called to order at 12:10 PM.

The minutes of December 8th, 2004 were approved as amended.

Members Present:

Emenyonu (Accounting); Rogers (Anthropology), Vu (Art), Slomba (Art), Pang (Chemistry), Ullian (Communication), Jirsa (Com Disorders/MFT), DaPonte (Computer Science), Lawler (Counseling), De Barbieri (Counseling), Fullmer (Earth Science), Mills (Econ/Finance), Corbett (Education), Diamantis (Education), Madonia (Ed Leadership), Heidmann (English), Blackmer (English), Johnson (English), Yang (Exercise Science), Rinehardt (Exercise Science), Piemontese (Foreign Language), Amerman (History), Madison (History), Dunklee (Jounalism), Klassen (Library Service), Stepanovich (Management),  Prince (Marketing), Bennett (Math), Brin (Math), O’Brien (Media Studies), Wagner (Nursing), Young (Part-time Faculty), Capone (Part-time Faculty), Pettigrew (Philosophy), Broadbridge (Physics), Paulson (Political Science), Abe (Psychology), Brancazio (Psychology), MacGregor (Recreation/Leisure), Cusato (Science Ed/Env Studies), Dripchak (Social Work), Keenan (Social Work), Bloch (Sociology),  Brucker (Special Ed/Reading), Major (Special Ed/Reading), Nye (Theatre)

Members Absent:

Maloney (Athletics), Lerud (Biology), Pennisi (Foreign Language), Reynaga (Library Services), Kuss (Music), Aronson (Nursing), Anderson, E. (Part-time faculty), Anderson, J., (Part-time faculty), Bulmer (Public Health)

Visitors:  Dr. Cheryl Norton, President, SCSU

Guest Speakers

President Norton gave the senate an overview of activities that occurred over the intersession break.  In addition, she announced that she will be meeting with Congresswoman DeLauro and Senator Dodd in the near future to discuss Educational and Bio-technological issues.  She has also been meeting with state legislators regarding budgetary and other issues critical to SCSU.

Announcements

• Senator Diamantis reported on a meeting of the Enrollment Management Committee, which has proposed reducing the registration period for matriculated students from 6 weeks to 3 weeks.  She indicated that this was being proposed for the following reasons:

(1) to allow adequate time to mail term bills…..

(2) to allow adequate time to correct bills……

(3) to allow adequate time to determine late fees.

This generated significant discussing amongst the senators that this change did not have academic merit, but was being done to facilitate accounting protocols. 

Several senators expressed that this action was “beyond belief” and was another example of academic issues, which should be paramount at any university, being subverted by non-academic considerations.

President DaPonte indicated that this would be discussed under New Business

• Senator Heidmann reported on the success of the two day workshop on teaching with writing
• Senator Pettigrew reminded senators of the upcoming Cinema du Monde presentation
• Senator Vu reported that he has a showing in New York

President’s Report:

The president’s report was distributed.  President DaPonte highlighted the following:

• The calendar for the breakfast meetings and presidential dialogues has been established.  Some senators expressed concern that all dialogues and breakfast meetings were on the same day of the week and that will restrict attendance.  President DaPonte indicated he would speak with President Norton about changing some of the dates
• President Norton did not approve the two Technology Committee resolutions and President DaPonte indicated that the committee will be meeting with Dr. Norton.
• President DaPonte reported on the meeting between the Executive Committee and Chuck Bunting whose firm is heading up the search for the Provost.
• President DaPonte updated the senate on the status of the Vice Presidential searches.

UCF Update – Joe Fields

• UCF has given the Rules Committee the revised constitution and is awaiting senate action for final approval
• UCF is still considering representation for Women’s Studies and Urban Studies on the UCF
• Departments with variable credit courses, that were originally approved as single credit courses, need to notify UCF of the requested change in credit

Graduate Council – Jon Bloch

• No Report

Standing Committee Reports

• Academic Policy Committee
• No Report

• Elections Committee
• No Report

•  Finance Committee
• The part-time faculty travel fund is depleted and the full-time fund has $2700 left.

• Personnel Policy Committee
• No Report

• Rules Committee
• The UCF Constitution should be finalized next week and ready for Senate action

• Student Policy Committee
• No Report

• Technology Committee
• No Report

• FASP
• Senator Pettigrew reported that FASP met over the break and has two goals
• They will  have a public forum at the end of February
• They will be going to each school to discuss FASP

Old Business:  None

New Business:

• Senator Johnson noted that the CSU Grant Application packet contained significant errors and this resulted in too much confusion.  The fact that the application was re-issued on two occasions only heightened the confusion.  This feeling was supported by several other senators.
• Senator Bennett reported that the Dean of Arts and Sciences has already requested that the Math Department cut 10 summer school courses.
• On the question of Enrollment Management and the reduction in the registration time, President DaPonte asked for a Sense of the Senate on the question:  “We are opposed to the reduction in registration time because of its academic impact in prioritizing non-academic over academic issues.”  The vote was unanimous for “YEA.”

The senate adjourned at 1:55 PM.

Respectively submitted,

Robert E. Jirsa, Ph.D.

Secretary of the Senate