Approved Minutes of the Faculty Senate Meeting
February 13, 2008
http://www.scsu.ctstateu.edu/organizations/facultysenate
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The ninth meeting of the 2007-2008 year was called to order at 12:10 PM.
Members Present: Vu (Art), Feng (Biology), Pang (Chemistry), Jirsa (Com Disorders/MFT), DaPonte (Computer Science), Smith (Couns/Sch Psych), Fleming (Earth Science), Mills (Ecom/Finance); Diamantis (Education), Madonia (Ed Leadership), Larocco (English); Shea (English), Johnson (English), Troy (English), Swartz (Exercise Science), Davie (Exercise Science), Pelayo (Foreign Language); Olson (Foreign Language), Paddock (History), Dunklee (Journalism), McGinn (Library Science); Clerc (Library Services), Toce (Library Services), Dennis (Mathematics), O’Brien (Media Studies), Gilliland (Philosophy), Horch (Physics), Buterbaugh (Political Science), Sherman (Psychology), Faraclas (Public Health); Cusato (Science Ed/Env Stud); Bloch (Sociology), Brucker (Special Ed/Reading); Nye (Theater); Weiss (UCF).
Members Absent: Emenyonu (Accounting), Selvaggio (Anthropology), Lavin (Art), Maloney (Athletics), Petroski (Communication), Lawler (Counseling), Sakalowsky (Geography), Metaxas (History), Page (Management), Prince (Marketing), Gubitose (Mathematics), Kuss (Music), Bochain (Nursing), Rebeschi (Nursing), Carrano (Part-Time Faculty), Goldblatt (Part-Time Faculty), Roman (Part-Time Faculty), Capone (Part-Time Faculty), Colwell (Psychology), Smith D. (Recreation/ Leisure); Cameron (Social Work), Keenan (Social Work), Tamura (Special Ed/Reading).
The minutes of January 30, 2008, were approved.
Announcements:
ü Music Performance: “Anything goes” on Fridays and Saturdays March 4th-8th at 8 pm and matinees at 2 pm.
ü Professor Pat Panichas (Exercise Science) was selected as the USA judge for the gymnastics competition of the 2008 Summer Games in Beijing, China.
ü CSU Legislation Day is March 5th. Please contact AAUP if you are planning to attend to secure the transportation.
President’s Report: President Johnson distributed the report.
At this time, Provost Williams arrived and opened discussions on (a) graduate faculty status and (b) ULC Constitution
(a) Graduate faculty status:
· the graduate faculty status should be parallel to the high quality of education for our students at the graduate level; the status should/would provide high quality to promote our university as the flagship of graduate studies
Comments from Senators at large:
· flexibility should exist in departments that rely on adjunct faculty to teach graduate level courses
· since current faculty hiring require faculty to have terminal degrees, they should be granted graduate faculty status at the time of hire
· there was a general consensus that departments should identify such faculty and that faculty should teach graduate courses as well as serve on master’s thesis committees but not chair such committees
(b) ULC Constitution:
o Provost Williams explained that the resolution was not approved because it was looked upon as a new issue and it was framed in the holistic existence of the library to the whole university
Comments from Senators at large:
o the ULC was originally constituted and designed as an advocacy for library resources
o the reason for the constitution’s review at this time is because there are no elections for the members; there is no definition of the length of terms for each member; there is no definition of what is the committee’s charge
o the need of the creation of two committees to address the different needs of the faculty/university community
At the time, Provost Williams departed and the Senate returned to committee reports.
President Johnson made a motion to move to Old Business unless there are committee reports that need to be addressed. Motion was accepted with only two committees reporting the following:
Standing Committee Reports:
Student Policy: Senator Madonia reported Chief Dooley visited the committee and has provided feedback on the following issues:
a) faculty involvement/feedback in the efforts to develop an emergency management plan. The committee exists and is working to strengthen the plan with feedback and input from every constituent group. The Provost and the Chief are aware of the Student Policy committee’s interest to work with all concerned and committee will be consulted as the plan evolves.
b) use of tasers: a draft policy is being reviewed and it is based on recommended standards of the International Association of College Law Enforcement Administrators and other professional law enforcement organizations. The Student Policy committee will have the opportunity to be involved in this process.
Technology: Senator DaPonte reported that the bond funds for faculty computer replacements have not been received yet.
At this time with unanimous vote, the Senate moved to:
Old Business:
Graduate Council Rules of Order: after a lengthy discussion the following motion was presented:
The faculty senate supports the recommendations of the Adhoc committee on the Graduate Council Rules of Order, with modifications to Part I.A of the document, which identifies Graduate Faculty as the only faculty eligible to chair thesis committees.
Motion passed by majority with 2 abstentions.
New Business: CIS evaluation form and CIS report:
Discussion was opened on the proposed evaluation form and its possible pilot testing. Senators felt that the evaluation form was too long, unclear in some questions, and it was not addressing needed issues. The discussions resulted in proposing that the evaluation form be examined carefully and to remove any specific questions concerning pedagogy and bringing it back to the senate floor. Other senators were invited to participate in the process.
The motion was accepted by majority.
The Senate meeting was adjourned at 2:05 pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Dr. Maria Diamantis
Secretary of the Senate