Approved Minutes of the Faculty Senate Meeting
February 28, 2007
http://www.scsu.ctstateu.edu/organizations/facultysenate
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The eleventh meeting of the 2006-2007 year was called to order at 12:10 PM.
Members Present: Skoczen (Anthropology), Arthur Guagliumi (Art), Slomba (Art), Pang (Chemistry), Petroski (Communication), DaPonte (Computer Science), DeBarbieri (Counseling/Sch Psych), Fullmer (Earth Science), Mills (Econ/Finance), Diamantis (Education), Larocco (English), Blackmer (English), Swartz (Exercise Science), Pelayo (Foreign Language), Piemontese (Foreign Language), Sakalowsky (Geography), Amerman (History), Dunklee (Journalism), Clerc (Library Services), Prince (Marketing), Dennis (Mathematics), Bennett (Mathematics), O’Brien (Media Studies), Wagner (Nursing), Aronson (Nursing), Young (Part-Time Faculty), Gilliland (Philosophy), Buterbaugh (Political Science), Sherman (Psychology), Mackey (Psychology), Faraclas (Public Health), Panza (Recreation/Leisure), Cusato (Science Ed/Env Stud), Cameron (Social Work), Keenan (Social Work), Bloch (Sociology), Brucker (Special Ed/Reading), Tamura (Special Ed/Reading), Nye (Theatre), Joe Fields (UCF), Nicaise (FASP).
Members Absent:
Emenyonu (Accounting), Maloney (Athletics), Lerud (Biology), Paul (Com Disorders/MFT), Lawler (Counseling), Madonia (Ed Leadership), ___ (English), Rinehardt (Exercise Science), Madison (History), McGinn (Library Services), Reynaga (Library Services), Stepanovich (Management), Kuss (Music), Anderson (Part-time faculty), Roman (Part-Time Faculty), Enjalran (Physics).
The minutes of February 21, 2007 were approved.
Announcements:
Ø The Theater department is proudly presenting “Saturday, Sunday, Monday” during March 7-11.
Ø Speaker Tom Parker will be speaking on Monday, 12-1 in EN a 120.
Ø Painting show exhibition in Earl Hall.
Ø Patti DeBarbieri gave an update on the SCSU Foundation Board as the Senate representative. She announced that the board has made great changes by inviting alumni’s assistance and feedback; changed accounting firms; and changed the direction of the investment portfolio, as well as examining the 9.1 million endowment fund. She will be coming back at the next Senate meeting to discuss this in more detail.
Ø Senator Fulmer announced that we are in a “heavy rain storm” weather and the prediction is that we will get 3” of precipitation.
Ø Senator Diamantis urged all senators to announce to their department faculty to attend the Town Hall meeting this Friday, 1-3 pm, to discuss the Strategic Plan.
Ø Senator Diamantis announced that Bob Jirsa is doing well, the transplant took place and it was uneventful. He is feeling well with no complications. He sends his regards to all and if anyone wishes to contact him, he has access to email: jirsar1@southernct.edu.
President’s Report:
The President’s Report was distributed. President DaPonte highlighted the following:
¨ CSU lobby day on March 29th. He urged senators to announce to their departments and find out if AAUP should get a bus to transport faculty to Hartford.
¨ The breakfast with the President and the Executive committee has been rescheduled to Wednesday, March 14.
¨ President DaPonte met with the Provost to discuss the Strategic Plan. Provost Williams expressed his concerns about the upcoming UCF resolution since the issues have been already addressed since the resolution was drafted.
¨ Question from the floor was the status of the results from the Climate Survey and the Faculty Senate Survey. President DaPonte announced that the reports are in and they will be made public soon.
FASP Update: Dr. Nicaise announced that the FASP was to meet last Friday but the plan was not made available early enough for the members to review. The committee is planning to attend the Town Hall meeting and they will meet Friday the 9th to vote on the plan.
Dr. Nicaise will update the Senate on their vote at the next meeting.
UCF Update: Dr. Fields reported that due to snow, UCF has not met. He clarified that since he presented the resolution to the Senate from UCF, on shared governance the administration is working together with UCF and UCF has formed committees for the FYE program. The Undergraduate evaluation issue is also being addressed.
~ UCF requested the Provost to visit their meeting and discuss the University Strategic Plan
~ The transition of renaming/approving courses from L to W has reached 50% of current L courses, in other words there are 157 W courses approved.
Concern from the Senate floor was the composition of the FYE committee, but Dr. Fields explained that the composition is more faculty than administration and is it fair to ask members to work on committee but have no vote?
Another comment was that the Senate runs a referendum on FYE. Dr. Fields responded that it wouldn’t be wise to have a referendum on a pilot program, which is what FYE is currently proposed as. At any rate, UCF voted unanimously on the FYE program and construction of committee.
UCF will review the FYE proposal and examine how it might or might not effect the All University Requirements.
Graduate Council Update: Senator Bloch ~~ no report.
Standing committee Reports:
Ø Academic Policy ~~ Senator Bloch reported that they are discussing the university wide grades appeal process.
Ø Elections ~~ Senator Swartz : no report
Ø Finance ~~ Senator Brucker reported that there is no more money in the travel account and only 1 Full Time TA is on hold, versus last year at this time there were 30 FT on hold.
Ø Personnel Policy ~~ Senator Cusato: no report
Ø Rules ~~ Senator O’Brien confirmed that there exists a Constitution for the Library committee which was approved by the Senate but failed at President’s office. ULC is willing to meet and their minutes be distributed to all.
o Senator O’Brien will work closely with President DaPonte and collect information on classroom and office space allocation. President DaPonte can then make recommendations to Provost Williams on the issue.
o Lengthy discussion on scheduling issues where departments are allocated two or three rooms to scheduled their classes all day.
Ø Student Policy ~~ Senator Madonia (absent) ~~ No report
Ø Technology ~~ Senator Bennett reported that she met with Dr. Chai and received a copy of the Information Security Document for review. In addition the committee will be discussing the IT Report from the consultants which was just released electronically and there is an open discussion on this next Thursday at 8:30 am.
Old Business ~~
v UCF resolution ~~ it was rescinded.
v Workload Ad Hoc Committee ~~ clarification needed on the membership of this ad hoc committee. Senator Larocco is one member but no other members were assigned. This will be addressed at the next meeting.
Senate adjourned at 1:55 pm.
Dr. Maria Diamantis
Secretary of the Senate