Faculty Senate

Minutes - September 24, 2018 - 3:05pm

CCSU FACULTY SENATE MEETING

Present: Adair, S.; Amaya-Bower, L.; Bailesteanu, M.; Best, F.; Bishop, R.; Blitz, D.; Casiano, N.; Chen, S.; Delventhal, T.; Emiliani, B.; Fafunwa-Ndibe, S.; Foster, P.; Garcia-Bowen, M.; Gardner, P.; Givens, E.; Halkin, S.; Horowitz, S.; Hughes, H.; Kapper, M.; Karpuk, P.; Kean, K.; Kim, Y.; Kurkjian, C.; Latour, F.; Leonidas, E.; Mendez-Mendez, S.; Menoche, C.; Minor, L.; Mongillo, M.; Morales, A.; Nagpal, P.; Ngazimbi, E.; Oyewumi, O.; Pancsofar, E.; Paolino, J.; Pesca, C.; Phillips, E.; Pope, C.; Ragusett, J.; Rice, T.; Ruhs, T.; Sakaki, H.; Sohn, Y.M.; Spillman, D.; Stickland, A.; Styrczula, S.; Tafrate, L.; Tellier, A.; Vickrey, R.; Williams, L.; York, C.; Zering, J.

Ex-Officio: none

Parliamentarian: Dimmick, C.

President of the Senate: Jackson, M.

Guests: Kassandra Fruin (SGA)

1. Minutes

Minutes of September 10, 2018

• Approved unanimously
  

2. Announcements:

a. AAUP President (L. Williams)

• The work-life balance conference will be held on Friday, October 5.
• Faculty members are encouraged to sign up as members of AAUP.

b. SUOAF-AFSCME President (A. Strickland for L. Bigelow)

• Chapter President Lisa Bigelow cannot be here today because she is attending the UPBC's meeting with NEASC.
• The CCSU SUOAF Elections committee has been charged with conducting the biennial Officer election, which must, per the SUOAF Constitution, take place during the month of October. Further details should be forthcoming from the SUOAF Elections Committee later this week.
• The SUOAF Local Elections committee is being formed to conduct the election of Local Officers. The Local is comprised of the 5 SUOAF Chapters: Central, Southern, Eastern, Western and our 85 unionized members at the Board of Regents. According to the SUOAF Constitution, this election shall take place in November.
• SUOAF’s PAC (Political Action Committee) – which is formed at the Local level - is currently being formed and will be making a recommendation to the Local Executive Board as to which political campaigns should be supported in the upcoming elections.
• Reminder:  those members currently in the ARP retirement Plan who are potentially eligible to buy into SERS have received notifications from Human Resources, including a letter that includes person-specific factors that estimate the buy-in cost.  The mailing also included the form that needs to be completed and submitted by December 14. 2018.  If you have questions about your eligibility for this, contact Lisa Bigelow, who has a list of those eligible.
• Printed copies of our new contract should be ready very soon and will be distributed via campus mail.

c. SGA (K. Fruin)

• NEASC will meet tomorrow with the SGA executive board, and there will also be an open forum for students.
• The Good Neighbor Campaign event is on Saturday, September 29.

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

• Yvette Melendez has resigned from the Board of Regents. She will be replaced as Vice Chair by Merle Harris.
• The Community College Consolidation Committee put together a 21-credit general education core, including a 3-credit FYE.
• The Board has begun a search for regional vice presidents of a consolidated community college.
• The 5th annual conference on student success will be held on April 5 at CCSU.
• The FAC is considering changes to the structure of the committee (namely, the addition of more alternates, to ensure representation from all colleges and universities).
• The FAC proposed amendments to the BOR "Low Completer Policy".

e. President of the Senate (M. Jackson)

• The President of the University is encouraging faculty to send ideas for our contribution to the BOR's "white paper". The "white paper" is intended for the new state legislature and Governor.

3. Elections

a. Committee on Committees (3 senators needed)

• Senators Emiliani, Foster, and Phillips were nominated and elected unanimously

b. Committee on Constitution and By-Laws (2 senators needed)

• Senators Halkin and Latour were nominated and elected unanimously

c. Committee on Academic Freedom (3 senators needed)

• Senators Best, Mendez-Mendez, and Morales were nominated and elected unanimously

d. Committee on Appointments and Personnel (3 senators needed)

• Senators Best, Casiano, Garcia-Bowen, Kapper, and Mendez-Mendez were nominated
• The Elections Committee conducted the election by secret ballot, and reported that Senator Best received 38 votes, Senator Casiano received 29 votes, Senator Garcia-Bowen received 34 votes, Senator Kapper received 25 votes, Senator Mendez-Mendez received 30 votes, and Senator Blitz received one write-in vote.
• Senators Best, Garcia-Bowen, and Mendez-Mendez were elected to the committee

4. Committee Reports

a. Academic Assessment Committee (C. Broadus-Garcia)

b. Academic Integrity Committee (M. Martin)

• Report received by the Faculty Senate

c. Community Engagement Committee (M. Dischino and N. Thai)

• Report to be presented at a future meeting

d. Council of Academic Chairpersons

5. New Business

a. DEC exceptions for 2018-19 (updated)

• Approved unanimously

b. Discussion of recent actions of the BOR

• A resolution opposing the BOR "Low Completer Policy" was approved unanimously

6. Adjournment

• The meeting adjourned at 3:48pm.