Approved Minutes of the Faculty Senate Meeting

September 12, 2007

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

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The first meeting of the 2007-2008 year was called to order at 12:10 PM.

 

Members Present: Emenyonu (Accounting), Vu (Art), Lavin (Art), Feng (Biology), Pang (Chemistry), Petroski (Communication), Jirsa (Com Disorders/MFT), DaPonte (Computer Science), Lawler (Counseling), Smith (Couns/Sch Psych), Fullmer (Earth Science), Mills (Econ/Finance), Diamantis (Education), Madonia (Ed Leadership), Larocco (English), Shea (English),  Johnson (English), Swartz (Exercise Science), Pelayo (Foreign Language), Hetric (Foreign Language), Sakalowsky (Geography), Paddock (History), Metaxas (History), Dunklee (Journalism), McGinn (Library Science), Clerc (Library Services), Toce (Library Services), Page (Management), Prince (Marketing), Dennis (Mathematics), O’Brien (Media Studies), Strawn (Nursing), Rebeschi (Nursing), Goldblatt (Part-Time Faculty), Capone (Part-Time Faculty), Gilliland (Philosophy), Horch (Physics), Buterbaugh (Political Science), Sherman (Psychology), Colwell (Psychology), Faraclas (Public Health), Smith (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).

 

Members Absent: Skoczen (Anthropology), Maloney (Athletics), Davie (Exercise Science), Brin (Mathematics), Kuss (Music), Carrano (Part-Time Faculty), Roman (Part-Time Faculty),

 

The minutes of May 9, 2007, were approved.

 

Introduction of New Senators:

President Johnson asked new senators to introduce themselves and welcomed them to the Senate.  The seasoned senators were asked to introduce themselves, he thanked them, and welcomed them back to the Senate.

 

He also highlighted the purpose of the Faculty Senate and reviewed two main principles, shared governance and academic excellence, as the principles that should guide us and point us in the right direction for a productive year.  He thanked outgoing president DaPonte for all of his hard work and dedication to the Senate for the past three years. He also thanked Maria Diamantis, the secretary.

 

President Johnson reminded all senators that our regularly scheduled meetings are on Wednesdays, every other week, alternating with the subcommittees.  The Secretary, will be sending out the Agenda, Minutes of the previous meeting, and any resolutions for action.  The deadline for sending such resolutions to Secretary Diamantis is prior to Friday 4:30 pm.

The Senate is exercising the Robert’s Rules of Order and the Senate Constitution.

 

President Johnson distributed and explained the Faculty Senate Survey.  This is a brief survey where each senator was asked to prioritize two items of concern that define the state of our university at the present time.  The surveys will be collected, summarized and used for future actions.

 

Senator Dunklee requested the secretary to email all senators a copy of the senators and the departments they represent.  It will be sent prior to the end of this week.

 

President’s Report

President Johnson distributed his report and highlighted the following:

v              Senate dates for Fall 2007:  Sept. 26, Oct. 10, Oct. 24, Nov. 7, Nov. 28, and Dec. 12.

v              The executive committee meetings with President Norton and Provost Williams are at 8

            am on:  Wednesday 10/3; Tuesday 10/30; Thursday 11/29; and Monday 12/10.

v              The Presidential Dialogues are scheduled for:  Tuesday 9/25 at 12:30 pm; Monday 10/22

            at 1 pm; Thursday 11/ 15 at 12:30 pm; and on Friday 12/7 at 1 pm.

v              Past President DaPonte, Personnel Committee Susan Cusato, and President Johnson met

with President Norton and Maria Houser of HR to discuss the revised P & T documents, which were disapproved by President Norton in June 2007.  President Norton will be visiting the Senate on Sept. 26.

v              Past President DaPonte and President Johnson also met with Provost Williams to discuss

a range of issues, including the new Academic Affairs Policy regarding assignment of faculty to administrative positions and the immediate need for scheduling of university-wide open discussions of assessment.  Provost Williams will be visiting the Senate on October 10.

 

Standing Committees and Election of Chairs

President Johnson asked the former chairs of each committee to introduce the duties of each committee. 

The senate recessed for 20 minutes to allow the standing committees to meet, elect chairs, and review agendas for the coming year.

 

Academic Policy

¨      Senator Bloch was elected chair of the committee.  The committee will meet next week to examine and address the Class Cancellation Policy and past resolutions.

 

Elections

¨      Senator Swartz was elected chair of the committee. 

 

Finance

¨      Senator Brucker was elected chair of the committee.

 

Personnel Policy

¨      Senator Cusato was elected chair of the committee.  The committee will meet next week to discuss the P & T revisions and the document will be brought to full senate for action.

Rules

¨      Senator O’Brien was elected chair of the committee.  The committee will be bringing the Graduate Council Rules of Order for ratification.

 

Student Policy

¨      Senator Madonia was elected chair of the committee.

 

 

Technology

¨      Senator DaPonte was elected chair of the committee.

 

Announcements

§         Senator Mills wishes to publicly thank Dr. Ron Herron for assisting in the Rosh Hashanah services at 7 pm and the light dinner at 5:30 pm.

 

§         Senator Fullmer reminded all that SCSU was an official sighting for Sputnic in the USA which will be documented and he will be interviewed by the New Haven Register.  The sighting took place on October 10th, 1957.

 

§         Senator Clerc announced that the new Library Director, Dr. Christina Baum, will be starting on October 1st. 

 

Old Business

 

President Johnson updated all that President Norton didn’t approve the P & T revised documents and although she was not objecting to the revisions, she felt that she couldn’t endorse a document that still needs revisions.

 

President Johnson met with, along with Senator Cusato (chair of the Personnel Policy), President Norton to discuss the Promotion and Tenure document.  Senator Cusato reported that the committee intentionally left some vagueness to allow some room for interpretation.  The committee will work on the revisions.

 

Senator Cusato is meeting with Maria Houser (representative from HR) tomorrow and will bring back any information.  The document is not in compliance with the CBA at the present time, a major concern for all.  A lengthy discussion followed but no action was taken.

 

Senator LaRocco presented the Senate Bill No. 1318 and alerted all senators of this act concerning public institutions of higher education system transfer and articulation process.  A copy of the bill will be scanned and send to all senators for review.  Lengthy discussion followed on why such mandates will be impossible to implement.

 

President Johnson reminded all senators that at the next meeting we need to take action on the Ratification of Graduate Council’s Rules of Order.  Please review it and be ready to act.  Issues that were discussed for consideration are:  a)  allow departments to deal with membership of graduate faculty and not be included in the Rules of Order; b) abolish the graduate faculty designation that requires application process; c) the Senate can make recommendations for revisions to the Graduate Council.

 

Meeting was adjourned at 2:00 pm.    

 

Respectfully submitted,

Dr. Maria Diamantis

Secretary of the Senate