Faculty Senate

CCSU Faculty Senate

Minutes—March 7, 2005

VAC 105  3:00 PM

 

Present: Abadiano, Adams, Al-Masoud, Austad, Barrington, Best, Brann, Braverman, Button, Candales, Casella, Cohen, Craine, Crundwell, D'Addio, Fried, Garcia, Garcia-Bowen, Gilmore, Halkin, Hedlund, Hentschel, Kurkjian, Leake,  Lee-Partridge, Ljugholm, Machuga, Mahony, Marlor, Meyer, Moran, Mulcahy, Murphy, Odesina, Orloske, Osterreich, Park, Passaro, Pevac, Pirog, Poirier, Sadanand, Salinas, Sevitch, Terezakis, Thornton, Walo, Warshauer,  Wolff

 

 Ex-Officio:  Lemma, Pease, Whitford

 Parliamentarian: O'Connell

Guests: Adair (UPBC), Pudlinksi (Curriculum Committee)

 

Meeting called to order by President Craine at 3.03 p.m

 

1. Approval of Minutes of February 14, 2005 (corrected)

(Wolff/Murphy): approved unanimously

 

2. Announcements: President Craine

a. Has communicated with incoming President Miller (CCSU) to express support for Dr. Miller’s stand in defense of academic freedom and the right of Prof. Ward Churchill to speak at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.

b. Has sent letters to everyone in the Connecticut State legislature asking for their support to House Bill 5681.

c. Urged faculty to attend the CCSU-Emek Yezreel partnership discussion at Founders Hall on March 7

d. Invited Sen. Barrington who circulated the “Call for faculty involvement in ‘First Fortnight’ activities” in Fall 2005 that will expose new and returning students to academic, cultural and social opportunities at CCSU. She requested those interested in participating to contact Sens. Leake or Braverman and asked faculty to consider inviting a First Fortnight committee member to the next department meeting to make a short presentation.

 

President White (CCSU-AAUP) deputed Sen. Austad to report that the March 2 Lobby Day at the State legislature went well. She also reminded faculty that nominations for CCSU-AAUP chapter officers and council members were being solicited (the flyer had been sent to all faculty)

.

3. Unfinished business: None

 

4. New Business:

 

1. University Curriculum Committee (Pudlinski, Chair)

The March report recommended revisions, deletions, additions, clarifications, program changes, changing pre-requisites in

Manufacturing/Construction Management, Mathematical Sciences, Physics-Earth Sciences, Reading, Technical Education, Geography, History, Physical Education/Health Studies

(Wolff/Dowty):  approved unanimously

 

2. Elections – Faculty Senate Committees (Braverman, Chair)

 

The following Standing Committees Of the Faculty Senate will have openings for the upcoming Fall 2005/06 academic year.   Please send nominations, self-nominations are fine, to Sharon Braverman  braverman@ccsu.edu  the chair of the Elections Committees soon as possible.

 

The University wide elections for P & T, CSU Advisory Committee, Sabbatical Leave, Mediation and Termination Committees will be inter-departmentally mailed to all full time faculty the last week in March.   

 

Advisory Committee for CSU Professorship. (AAUP)

Functions and Responsibilities:

Advises the University President in the nomination of Instructional Faculty for the title of CSU Professor.

One year term ----- five openings (AAUP) with one representative per School.

 

CCSU Foundation Grant Advisory Committee (At Large)

Functions and Responsibilities:

Devises and publicizes criteria for the awarding of the CCSU Foundation Grants, reviews grant proposals and makes awards in collaboration with CCSU’s Grants Office.

Two-year term staggered-----Five Members with one representative per School.

Nominees needed from:

School of Technology

School of Business

One Instructional faculty at large.

Continuing members:

School of Education and Professional Studies- -Carol Williams (Nursing)

School of Arts and Sciences---- Robert Dunne (English)

 

Distinguished Service Award Committee (At Large)

Functions and Responsibilities:

Solicits from the University Community nominations for the Distinguished Service Award and Honorary Doctorates.  Reviews and recommends candidates to University President.

Two years term staggered.  Three members

Two openings.

Continuing member:

Elizabeth Kaminski  Sociology

 

Excellence in Teaching Award Committee (AAUP)

This committee determines ten to twelve semi-finalists from a pool of nominees over the summer months. A previous awardee chairs the committee. Four members

Two year term staggered----four members with one representative per School

Three openings.---Nominees needed from:

Arts and Sciences

Technology

Education

Continuing member:

School of Business      Dave Fearon   Management

Grade Appeals Committee (AAUP)

Functions and Responsibilities:                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

Reviews grade appeals by students.

Two-year term staggered—five members, one representative per School.

Nominees needed from:

School of Business

School of Technology

At Large (AAUP)

Continuing members;

Arts and Sciences: David Spector Biology  Arts & Sciences

Education:  Connie Tait  Counseling & Family Therapy

                      School of Education & Professional Studies

 

Information Technology Committee

Functions and Responsibilities: This committee recommends strategies for the use of information technology to further the teaching and goals of the CCSU faculty.

Twenty-one members Two-year term staggered.

School of Business  two vacancies AAUP

                  Olga Petkova continuing member

School of Education and Professional Studies  two vacancies AAUP

      Jeff Hoffman continuing member

School of Technology One vacancy

      Karen Tracey continuing member

School of Arts & Sciences  six vacancies

      Continuing members:

     

      Jack Tessier            Biology

      Moises Salinas       Psychology

      Rae Schipke           English

      Eleanor Thornton Design

      Administrative Faculty (AFSCME)  one vacancy

      Continuing member   Sherry Pesino

       One  vacancy from the Library

 

Library Committee  (At Large)

Functions and Responsibilities:

This committee makes recommendations for

Purchase, processing and distribution  of  library materials;

Advises Vice-President of Academic Affairs as to the status of the library as an instrument serving the needs of the University and participates in planning for future library facilities.

Two year term staggered—five members at large

Three vacancies.

Continuing members:

      Rae Schipke   English

      Jack Tessier   Biology         

 

Mediation Committee (AAUP)

Functions and Responsibilities:

Assists the University in resolving faculty disputes.  See article 16 of the AAUP

Contract.

Three-year term staggered----six members.

One  vacancy.

      Continuing members

      Susan Gilmore     English          (2007)

      Barbara Candales  Social Work (2006)

      Ronnie Casella    Education    (2006)

      Susan Vial              Design         (2006)

      Barry Westcott       Chemistry    (2006)

 

Promotion and Tenure (AAUP)

Advises the Administration regarding promotion and tenure decisions.

One-year term-— 11 vacancies

 

Four Associate Tenured Professors

Seven Full Tenured Professors

At least one representative per School

 

Sabbatical Leave Committee (AAUP):

Functions and Responsibilities:

Committee receives all requests and proposals for Sabbatical Leave and makes recommendations to the President.

 

Two-year term staggered.  8 members

One member per Academic School

Four vacancies:

One from School of Education and Professional Studies

Three at large (AAUP)

Continuing members:

      Lee Lee                 School of Business

      Sanford Rich        School of Technology

      Parker English     School of Arts and Sciences

      Toni Moran            School of Arts and Sciences

 

Safety and Environmental Health Committee (At large)

Functions and Responsibilities:

Makes recommendations on Safety and University Emergency procedures and  matters of University Compliance with State and Federal Health and Environmental regulations.

Two year terms staggered—four members

Two vacancies

      Continuing members

      Tony Carberry  AFSCME

      Carol Williams   Nursing

 

Student Affairs Committee (At Large)

Functions and Responsibilities:

Reviews and recommends to the President policies and procedures for the establishment and recognition of all students’ organizations and clubs.

To review and recommend to the Faculty Senate policies, procedures and regulations concerning student affairs in such areas as student rights and responsibilities and student behavior; individual, in small groups and student body as a whole.

 

Two year terms staggered ---Four members 

Two vacancies

      Continuing Members:

      Joanne DiPlacido  Psychology

      Peter Osei               Biology

 

Termination Hearing Committee (AAUP)

Functions and Responsibilities:

Assists the University in termination hearings following procedures outlined in article 16 of the AAUP Contract.

Two-year terms staggered---five members instructional faculty.

Three vacancies

      Continuing members:

      Patricia Hensley Sociology

      Bill Tracey Management 

 

University Athletics Board (At Large)

Functions and Responsibilities: This committee provides oversight on our athlete’s academic performance and the overall structure of the Athletics Department at CCSU.

Two-year term staggered.       Five members.

Two vacancies

      Continuing members:

      Mary Erdmans               Sociology

      David Harackiewicz      Physical Ed and Health Fitness

      Toni Moran                     Political Science

      Peter Osei                       Biology

 

University Planning and Budget Committee

Functions and Responsibilities:  Assists the University in Planning and Budgeting.

 

Three year term  staggered ---nine members 

Six AAUP members  three AFSCME members

Three AAUP vacancies

One AFCSME vacancy

Continuing members:

      Dave Fearon    (06)  Management    

      Rick Roth          (06)  AFSCME

      David Blitz        (07   Philosophy

      Paul Petterson  (07) Political Science

      Meg Leake        (07)  AFSCME

3. University Planning & Budget Committee (Adair)

 

Prof. Adair substituted for the Chair, Prof. Blitz and presented a resolution on the University College.

Motion to limit discussion to 20 minutes (Terezakis/Murphy) : approved unanimously

 

Motion to break for 5 minutes to review the resolution as presented and reconvene at

3.40 pm (Moran/Dowty) : approved unanimously

 

After reconvening,

Motion to table the resolution (Austad/Terezakis): Fails  (for - 8, against - 23)

 

Several senators participated in the discussion (Abadiano, Barnes, Best, Crundwell, Dowty, Fried, Greenbaum, Halkin, Lemma, Martin-Troy, Mulcahy, Salinas, Sevitch,  Terezakis, Walo, Warshauer, Wolff )

 

They asked questions on the reliability of the estimated costs for the first year of the University College as submitted in the resolution. There were also concerns regarding the request for more money for administration of the program.

 

Other concerns raised were:

Why was the resolution not available much earlier for discussion within departments?

How will it affect our general education requirements?

What is the rationale for the structure of the University College?

Where will it be located?

Can we get additional faculty for the program?

How are we going to address student retention concerns?

Why was Counseling not considered for inclusion in the University College?

 

Motion to close discussion (Wolff/Terezakis): Passed 30 – 7

 

4. Academic Freedom resolution (Sens. Austad, Lisi, Terezakis and President White-CCSU/AAUP )

 

Sen. Austad implored the Senate to pass the resolution as circulated in defense of Academic Freedom and in support of Prof. Ward Churchill’s (of the University of Colorado, Boulder) right to free speech. She said that the resolution spoke for itself.

Sen. Sevitch supported the resolution saying, the idea that Prof. Churchill should be silenced or fired from his position is reprehensible. He added, it is repugnant to think that one can be denied a platform or removed from one’s job for saying something that others disagree with or find offensive. It goes against the fundamental principles of the AAUP and is a threat to each of us.

Sen. Moran seconded Sen. Sevitch’s remarks.

Sen. Orloske supported the resolution even though he was personally offended by Prof. Churchill’s specific remarks on the terrorist attacks of 9/11.

Sen. Meyer offered a friendly amendment that was accepted to change the “can not” in the resolution to “cannot”.

Motion to approve resolution (Austad/Best)

Passed unanimously

 

5. Motion to adjourn – 4.30 p.m( Wolff/ Murphy ) : approved unanimously

 

Respectfully submitted

 

Nanjundiah Sadanand

 

Secretary

Faculty Senate, CCSU