Approved Minutes of the Faculty Senate Meeting

February 1st, 2006

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

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The eighth meeting of the 2005-2006 year was called to order at 12:10 PM.

Members Present:

Emenyonu (Accounting), Slomba (Art), Lerud (Biology), Pang (Chemistry), Petroski (Communication), Jirsa (Com Disorders/MFT), DaPonte (Computer Science), Smith  (Couns/Sch Psych), Fullmer (Earth Science), Mills (Econ/Finance), Corbett (Education), Diamantis (Education), Madonia (Ed Leadership), Larocco (English), Blackmer (English), Johnson (English), Yang (Exercise Science), Rinehardt (Exercise Science), Piemontese (Foreign Language), Sakalowsky (Geography), Amerman (History), Madison (History), Dunklee (Journalism), McGinn (Library Science), Clerc (Library Services), Reynaga (Library Services), Stepanovich (Management), Prince (Marketing), Dennis (Math), Brin (Math),  O’Brien (Media Studies), Wagner (Nursing), Aronson (Nursing), Anderson (Part-time Faculty), Young (Part-time Faculty), Gilliand (Philosophy),  Enjalran (Physics), Buterbaugh (Political Science), Sherman (Psychology), Brancazio (Psychology), Bulmer (Public Health), Smith (Recreation/Leisure), Cusato (Science Ed/Env Stud), Dripchak (Social Work), Keenan (Social Work), Bloch (Sociology), Brucker (Special Ed/Reading), Nye (Theatre)

Members Absent:

LaDousa (Anthropology), Vu (Art), Maloney (Athletics), Lawler (Counseling),Vacant (Foreign Language), McGinn (Library Science), Madison (History), Kuss (Music), Roman (Part-time), Capone (Part-time), Major (Special Ed/Reading).

The minutes of December 7th, 2005 were approved.

Guest Speaker:

• Provost Selase Williams was the guest speaker and he began by discussing Strategic Planning and distributed a handout outlining the University Strategic Planning Process.  He highlighted the following components of the Strategic Planning Process;
• The relationship to the Academic Strategic Plan
• The purpose of developing a University Strategic Plan
• The requirements necessary to make the strategic planning effort effective
• The composition of the Steering Committee
• The responsibilities of the Steering Committee
• The Strategic Planning Working Groups
• A question and answer period followed the presentation

• Provost Williams also discussed faculty searches and indicated that the recommendations from the search committees to the Dean should be unranked, but be accompanied by an indepth commentary regarding each candidate.

Announcements:

· Senator Gilliland announced that Gen Ed Taskforce will be holding dialogues

President’s Report:

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

• President DaPonte has met with both President Norton and Provost Williams over the break regarding the Strategic Planning process.
• The first Presidential Dialogue will be Tuesday, February 7^th in the Ballroom of the Adanti Student Center.

UCF Update – Joe Fields

• Joe Fields presented the Senate with a handout highlighting the UCF activities from the fall semester.  Among the highlights were the approval of 56 course and program proposals during the fall and the appointment of four new members to the Gen Ed Taskforce.
• UCF is also considering a proposal to allow Schools some latitude in developing standards in addition to UCF standards.  Since there is a question regarding the constitutionality of this concept, UCF is requesting input from the Senate Rules Committee.

At this time, Senator Johnson moved that the agenda be adjusted to move to Old Business immediately.  This motion passed unanimously.

Old Business

• Student Policy Resolution on Student Courses
• Discussion continued on this resolution that was postponed from the December 7^th meeting.
• Following extensive discussion and the acceptance of two friendly amendments, the question was called.  Since there was objection to calling the question, a vote was held to call the question.  The motion to call question passed by the required 2/3 margin.
• The vote on the main motion was held and it passed with no nays and two abstentions.

At this point, the Senate returned to the regular agenda

Graduate Council Update – Jon Bloch

• There was no report

Standing Committee Reports

• Academic Policy Committee
• There was no report

• Elections Committee
• Ed Roman was elected the new Part-time Faculty Senator.

• Finance Committee
• There was no report

• Personnel Policy Committee
• There was no report.

• Rules Committee
• There was no report.

• Student Policy
• There was no report.

• Technology
• Senator Diamantis informed the faculty that Al Chai had sent out the IT Newsletter via e-mail.
• Please e-mail Senator Diamantis regarding any problems in the high-tech classrooms.

New Business

• Senators expressed concern over the elimination of the rankings for faculty search committees.  Among the concerns expressed:
• The impact on academic excellence
• The lack of notice to, and input from, departments
• The inability to rank may put the search committee at risk
• Professional qualifications are based ranked by colleagues in the hiring department, not by the Dean
• Candidates may need to know where they stand and not knowing may impact their interest in coming to SCSU.

• President DaPonte called for a Sense of the Senate for maintaining the traditional policy of ranking.  The vote was yea, with no nays and one abstention.

The senate adjourned at 1:50 PM.

Respectively Submitted,

Robert E. Jirsa, Ph.D.

Secretary of the Senate