Faculty Senate

CCSU Faculty Senate

Minutes—February 14, 2005

VAC 105  3:00 PM

Present: Abadiano , Al-Masoud, Austad, Best, Brann, Braverman, Button, Cohen, Craine, Crundwell, D'Addio, Deloy, Dowty, Fried, Garcia-Bowen, Halloran, Hedlund, Hentschel, Kremens, Kurkjian, Leake, Lee-Partridge, Lisi, Ljugholm, Martin-Troy, Mahony,Meyer, Moran, Mulcahy , Odesina, Oliva, Pevac, Pirog, Recoder-Nunez, Sadanand, Salinas, Sevitch, Talit, Terezakis, Tomaiuolo, Walker, Warshauer, Whitford, Williams, Wolff, Wolynska

Ex-Officio: Kremens, Read

Parliamentarian: O'Connell

Guests: Blitz (University Planning & Budget Committee), Pudlinksi (Curriculum Committee), White (CCSU-AAUP), Walsh (CSU-AAUP), Wilder (CFO-CCSU)

Meeting called to order by President Craine at 3.05 p.m

1. Motion to approve minutes of January 31, 2005, with corrections

Terezakis/Austad ;

Passed unanimously

2. Announcements

President Craine (Senate) reminded senators of the revised schedule (approved by the Senate last year) of meeting dates of the Faculty Senate for the Spring 2005 semester (posted on the web site). The next meeting of the Senate will be on March 7.

President White ( CCSU- AAUP) thanked Senators and faculty for signing-up for the CSU Lobby Day (March 2) at the State Capitol and urging state legislators to pass House Bill 5681. All those wishing to go by bus to the state capitol on March 2 should assemble at the back entrance to the Student Center by 8.30 am on March 2

President Walsh (CSU-AAUP) was introduced by President White. He gave a report on the impact on higher education of Gov. Rell's suggested budget plan. He said its effects would be nothing short of "catastrophic", hitting us harder than any other state unit. The mandated tuition freeze suggested by the Governor will mean bigger deficits for our operating budget with no increases in scholarships. Contractual salary raises will also remain unfunded. The infrastructure improvement projects will also suffer from underfunding. The reserves (that were generated by past concessions by unions) will be depleted. President Walsh mentioned that we had been underfunded since 1995. In 1989, the State financed 74% of an undergraduate education. Today it has dropped to below 51%. The recommended faculty to student ratio is 15:1. Today it is 22:1 and under the Governor's plan, it could increase. There is a shortage of full-time teachers and counselors. This will ultimately impact adversely on students. AAUP has lobbied the State legislators continuously since last Fall. Its access to leadership is good. President Walsh asked that we defend our programs and jobs on March 2, by letter/e-mail/phone calls. Those meeting with legislators on March 2 will include students and alumni as well.

 

Larry Wilder (Interim CFO, CCSU), was introduced by Prof. Blitz of the UPBC. He provided a general overview of CCSU revenues and expenditures by category and functional areas. Some of the highlights are :

The state appropriation for CCSU is $ 60 million out of a total of $ 144 million. It amounts to supporting us 42 cents to every dollar needed. The expenditure on Academic Affairs is 35% of the total. Our current total employment is 908 (including vacancies) of which 446 are faculty/counselors/coaches/librarians, 265 classified, 162 administrators (SUOAF) and 35 Managerial/Confidential.

3. Unfinished Business: None

4. New Business: a. Curiculum Committee (Chris Pudlinski, Chair)

Announcements:Undergraduate Catalog revisions deadline is March 4.

UPBC report on General Education is on the CCSU web site - comments are welcome.

Revisions and additions to programs in Engineering Technology (Wolff/Leake), Chemistry (Wolff/Crundwell), Mathematical Sciences (Terezakis/Wolff) were approved unanimously.

 

b. Resolution in support of Connecticut House Bill 5681 concerning appropriations to increase faculty at public institutions of higher education (Sen .Guy Crundwell) to be sent to all legislators in the State of Connecticut

 

Two options were presented. The motion (Button/Martin-Troy) to use one as a cover letter as written and submitted by Sen. Sevitch with the other written by Sen. Crundwell  forming the body of the Senate resolution, with editorial suggestions from Senators Talit and Moran and with the President of the Senate authorized to make final changes,  passed unanimously.

 

5. Motion to adjourn (3.57 pm) : Wolff/ Leake

Passed unanimously

Respectfully submitted

Nanjundiah Sadanand

Secretary, Faculty Senate