Approved Minutes of the Faculty Senate Meeting
December 13, 2006
http://www.scsu.ctstateu.edu/organizations/facultysenate
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The eighth meeting of the 2006-2007 year was called to order at 12:10 PM.
Members Present: Emenyonu (Accounting), Vu (Art), Lerud (Biology), Petroski (Communication), Jirsa (Com Disorders/MFT), DaPonte (Computer Science), Smith (Couns/Sch Psych), Fullmer (Earth Science), Mills (Econ/Finance), Diamantis (Education), Madonia (Ed Leadership), Larocco (English), Johnson (English), Swartz (Exercise Science), Rinehardt (Exercise Science), Pelayo (Foreign Language), Piemontese (Foreign Language), Sakalowsky (Geography), Amerman (History), Madison (History), Dunklee (Journalism), McGinn (Library Science), Clerc (Library Services), Reynaga (Library Services), Stepanovich (Management), Prince (Marketing), Bennett (Mathematics), O’Brien (Media Studies), Wagner (Nursing), Aronson (Nursing), Young (Part-time Faculty), Gilliland (Philosophy), Enjalran (Physics), Buterbaugh (Political Science), Sherman (Psychology), Bloch (Sociology), Brucker (Special Education), Major (Special Education/Reading), Nye (Theater).
Members Absent:
Manzella (Anthropology), Slomba (Art), Maloney (Athletics), Pang (Chemistry), Lawler (Counseling), Blackmer (English), Brin (Math), Kuss (Music), Anderson (Part-time faculty), Capone (Part-time faculty), Roman (Part-time Faculty), Brancazio (Psychology), Faraclas (Public Health), Smith (Recreation/Leisure), Cusato (Science Ed/Env Stud), Cameron (Social Work), Keenan (Social Work) , Fields (UCF)
The minutes of November 29th, 2006 were approved.
Announcements:
¨ The Exercise Science Department will hold its SHARE FAIR on Monday, 12/18 at 5:15 pm at the Ballroom of the Adanti Student Center. Education students will share all of their accomplishments and all faculty is invited.
¨ The basement of Buley Library has suffered great losses due to the flooding. Some books/other materials will be relocated to the Student Center.
¨ Senior Theses Exposition for the Art Department will be held in Earl Hall.
¨ Senator LaRocco updated the Senate on the contract negotiations.
¨ Senator LaRocco presented a motion for the Sense of the Senate on Faculty Workload:
“The Ad hoc committee of the Senate will write a resolution that suggests that current workload is an impediment to the academic excellence of this institution.”
President’s Report:
The President’s Report was distributed. President DaPonte highlighted the following:
*She also announced that there will be a 6.4 % increase on tuition and fees for the next academic year.
Grad Council ~ ~ Senator Bloch ~ ~ No report
FASP ~ ~ Senator Vu ~ ~ No report
Standing Committee Reports
Old Business:
¨ Technology Resolutions (both resolutions are attached) :
1) Information Technology Communication Resolution
2) Classroom Technology Resolution
Since the resolutions were presented and discussed at the last Senate meeting, there was no further discussion and both resolutions were passed as presented.
¨ Academic Policy: Sense of the Senate Resolutions (attached) :
Each of the Academic Policy issues were presented for the Sense of the Senate. The results by show of hands, are:
1) Grade Appeals ~~ Strong support
2) Midterm Grade Policy ~~ Strong support
3) Add/Drop Period ~~ No support
4) Number of Transfer Credits ~~ No support
5) Faculty Reassigned Time ~~ Strong support
New Business:
¨ UCF Resolution ~~ Due to J. Fields absence, no action was taken
¨ The Senate’s Ad Hoc committee (Senators: P. Major, J. Bloch, B. Johnson, R. Gilliland, J. Mills, and A. Raynaga) presented the attached resolution on Shared Governance for the Sense of the Senate. Resolution was presented only and no action was taken due to the time.
The senate adjourned at 2:00 PM.
Dr. Maria Diamantis
Secretary of the Senate
Faculty Senate Resolution
Information Technology Communication
Whereas Southern Connecticut State University exists for the primary purpose of furthering academic excellence;
And whereas the faculty is committed to providing instruction enhanced with technology;
And whereas during the summer and intersessions, more classrooms are equipped with technology;
And whereas some of the existing classrooms with technology are upgraded or the keys to the technology stations are changed without the knowledge of the faculty;
And whereas computer software and hardware upgrades are implemented in the computer labs and classrooms without the knowledge of faculty;
And whereas technological repairs are made in classrooms and labs during semesters and intersessions without the knowledge of faculty;
And whereas such unannounced updates negatively impact the ability of faculty to efficiently and effectively conduct their classes;
Be it resolved that:
The university provides a newsletter to inform all full time and part time faculty, prior to the beginning of each semester and other means of communication during the semester as technology and technology service changes occur.
Faculty Senate Resolution
Classroom Technology
Whereas Southern Connecticut State University exists for the primary purpose of furthering academic excellence;
And whereas the faculty is committed to providing instruction enhanced with technology;
And whereas the use of information technology and instructional technology are rapidly increasing as tools or classroom and laboratory teaching and learning;
And whereas implementation of technology is not currently integrated in the design of new general purpose classrooms and laboratories;
Be it resolved that:
The design and construction of all new, refurbished, or converted general purpose classrooms and laboratories include the installation and implementation of technology equipment and services, including but not limited to:
Ø A projection or wall mounted video display system appropriate to the size of the room
Ø An audio/speaker system
Ø An internet connection
Ø A document display (ELMO) system
Ø The ability to connect a laptop computer to the display, audio, and internet systems, and
Ø A telephone
Academic Policy Issues: Sense of Senate Sought
As the APC faces a long list of issues to address, it would like to know the sense of the senate on the following matters. More details on these issues can be provided on the senate floor. We realize that opinions may vary once the resolutions are presented, but before getting that far, we wanted to know if potentially you would support these actions.
1. Grade Appeals: As there continue to be issues surrounding the grade appeals process, several faculty members have suggested that, like some other universities, SCSU have a university-wide grade appeals committee. Would you potentially support a university-wide grade appeals committee?
2. Midterm grade policy: Some faculty have asked for the senate to take a firm position on this issue. Would you potentially support a resolution that affirms the AAUP’s position on the new midterm grade policy?
3. Add/drop period: Some faculty have asked that the add/drop period be no longer than seven calendar days, so that students cannot add a class if they have missed more than the first week of sessions. Would you potentially support a resolution that limited the add/drop period to seven calendar days?
4. Number of transfer credits: A program has asked that it be able to accept a higher number of transfer credits than is currently permitted by university policy, so that it may attract better students. Would you potentially support a resolution that permits more transfer credits for students in a particular program?
5. Faculty reassigned time: Faculty are sometimes given administrative responsibilities a) without any sort of general announcement to the faculty at large that such positions are available. Furthermore, b) faculty are given these positions for indefinite periods of time, tying up faculty lines. Would you potentially support a resolution(s) that a) required administrators to announce these positions whereby faculty could fairly compete for them, and b) placed limits on the length of time that a given faculty member could assume this administrative or quasi-administrative role?
Faculty Senate Preamble to the Principles of Shared Governance
The members of the Faculty Senate at SCSU, as representatives of the faculty, affirm our wholehearted commitment to the principles and processes of shared governance. We commit ourselves to the task of upholding and furthering the principles of shared governance that have shaped the academic traditions of American universities, and have contributed to the academic excellence of SCSU. The faculty has a central role in achieving the academic mission of our institution. We recognize our primary responsibility in the areas of curriculum, faculty status, and educational policy. Governance that is truly shared, i.e., governance in a participatory and collaborative fashion, and governance that is transparent and straightforward, is essential. We feel a true model of shared governance is the best means for bringing the University into its next great era.