Faculty Senate

Minutes - November 9, 2015 - 3:05pm

CCSU FACULTY SENATE MEETING

Present: Anderson, C.; Andreoletti, C.; Antonucci, C.; Arena, J.; Bantley, K.; Baratta, C.; Best, F.; Bigelow, L.; Bilisoly, R.; Bishop, J.; Boscarino, N.; Cistulli, M.; Clapp, S.; D'Addio, D.; Doolittle, W.; Duquette, J.; Durant, M.; Emeagwali, G.; Emiliani, B.; Gamache, J.; Ghodsi, R.; Grasso, L; Gross, S.; Jackson, M.; Kapper, M.; Karpuk, P.; Kean, K.; Kim, Y.; King, A.; Kotowicz, T.; Koulidobrova, H.; Kullgren, A.; Larsen, K.; Latour, F.; LoGiudice, S.; Martin, M.; McGuire, M.; Mejia, G.; Mendez-Mendez, S.; Moffo Simpson, T.; Mongillo, M.; Nelson, W.; Paolino, J.; Pearson, F.; Phillips, E.; Pozorski, A.; Ragusett, J.; Rudzinski, H.; Sadanand, N.; Simmons, R.; Spear, E.; Styrczula, S.; Sweeney, D.; Troiano, P.; Williams, C.; Wood, R.

Parliamentarian: Dimmick, C.

President of the Senate: Cohen, S.

Guests: Caroline Fox (SGA); Paul Petterson (VP, CCSU-AAUP); Thomas Rein (Anthropology)

1. Minutes

Minutes of October 26, 2015

• Approved unanimously
  

2. Announcements:

a. AAUP President (P. Petterson for M. A. Mahony)

• The Department of Art is organizing an event ("Art Assembly) on Wednesday, November 18, at 1:40pm. Faculty members are encouraged to participate.
• There will be a Master Strategy meeting on Thursday, November 19, at 3pm, in the Constitution Room.
• The SCSU Faculty Senate approved a resolution on the Board of Regents contract proposals.
• The BOR has introduced an updated proposal on Special Funds. The new proposal calls for the same amount as this year, instead of $0.

b. SUOAF-AFSCME President (L. Bigelow)

• SUOAF-AFSCME has begun negotiating its contract with the BOR. The next negotiation meeting is on December 7.

c. SGA (C. Fox)

• Competition for a Cause has begun, and everyone is encouraged to participate by donating food items. The deadline is Friday, November 20.
• The students will be rallying on Thursday, November 19 in support of the faculty.
• The SGA is considering a possible resolution in support of the faculty.

d. FAC to the Board of Regents (S. Adair)

• The SCSU Faculty Senate resolution was sent to BOR President Ojakian and to members of the BOR.
• The FAC will meet on Friday.
• The FAC supports the creation of an academic advisory committee on strategic planning.
• The legislature is still discussing outcomes-based financing.
  • Faculty members are concerned that the implementation of outcomes-based financing would lead to grade inflation.

e. President of the Senate (S. Cohen)

• The memo that BOR President Ojakian sent to the 17 campus presidents about the strategic planning process can be answered using available information about things that CCSU is already doing. Therefore, there is no need for the Senate to have a role in drafting a response.
• The online course cap proposal was discussed, and Richard Bachoo gave a presentation on the impact of the Willard-Diloreto renovation. Senators asked many questions; in particular, Senator Durant asked about the possibility of encouraging hybrid courses as a possible solution.

3. Committee Reports

a. Excellence in Teaching Committee

• Senator Kean has concerns about this report. Cindy White will be present at the next meeting to address them.
• Report accepted by the Faculty Senate

b. Curriculum Committee (M. Jackson)

• Item 1: Senator Latour is concerned that a committee that may make significant changes to the curriculum has only 5 members, only one of whom is an elected member of the Curriculum Committee. Curriculum Committee Chair Jackson answered that the role of the ad hoc committee is not to propose changes to the curriculum, but rather to coordinate our response to the BOR's request.
• Senator Karpuk objected to some of the language of the BOR request, and added that it seems to infringe upon our right to determine our curriculum.
• Curriculum Committee report approved unanimously

4. New Business

a. Constitution and Bylaws Committee - Senate bylaws amendment proposal

• Approved unanimously

b. SGA resolution on sexual assault and interpersonal violence statement on course syllabi

• Some senators wondered why such a statement should be on the syllabus as opposed to, say, the student handbook. The resolution answers that question in its fourth "whereas" statement.
• Senators spoke in favor of the resolution, and emphasized that it is non-binding.
• Motion: The Faculty Senate endorses the Student Government Association's Resolution Supporting a Sexual Assault and Interpersonal Violence Statement on Course Syllabi.
• Approved unanimously

c. Further discussion - BOR contract proposals

• There was no discussion.

5. Adjournment

• The meeting adjourned at 4:26pm.