Faculty Senate

Minutes - August 11, 2020 - 3:05pm - Online through WebEx

CCSU FACULTY SENATE MEETING

Members and Alternates Present: Adair, S.; Al-Masoud, N.; Anton, M.; Austad, C.; Baratta, C.; Barr, B.; Benoit, D.; Best, F.; Bigelow, L.; Bishop, J.; Blitz, D.; Boscarino, N.; Broulik, W.; Chakraborty, S.; Dobbs-McAuliffe, B.; Duquette, J.; Durant, M.; Fafunwa-Ndibe, S.; Ferrari, N.; Foster, P.; Gagnon, A.; Gamache, J.; Garceau, T.; Garcia-Lozada, A.; Gardner, P.; Ghiloni-Wage, B.; Gichiru, W.; Givens, E.; Gutierrez, S.; Halkin, S.; Holt, J.; Hou, X.; Hughes, H.; Kapper, M.; Karas, R.; Kean, K.; King, A.; Kullgren, A.; Langevin, K.; Leonidas, E.; Marchese, L.; Martin-Troy, K.; Martin, V.; Matzke, B.; Mendez-Mendez, S.; Menoche, C.; Merenstein, B.; Misbach, K.; Mitchell, M.; Nicholson, B.; Pancsofar, E.; Paolino, J.; Petkova, O.; Phillips, E.; Ragusett, J.; Ruhs, T.; Salama, T.; Schenck, S.; Scott, T.; Sikorski, J.; Singhal, R.; Skinner, L.; Spear, E.; Spillman, D.; Stickland, A.; Styrczula, S.; Sylvester, C.; Tafrate, L.; Wang, W.; Zering, J.

Ex-Officio: Dauwalder, D.; Farhat, J; Kim, J.; Kostelis, K.; Robinson, C.; Toro, Z; Wolff, R.

 

Parliamentarian: Dimmick, C.

President Elect of the Senate: Latour, F.

Guests: Brown-Foster, W.; Burkholder, T.; Cintorino, S.; Claffey, G.; Colburn, L.; Dumouchel, K.; Fallon, M.; Foust, M.; Gallagher, G.; Horan, M.; Jasek, M.; Kirby, Y.; LeMaire, P.; Matterazzo, S.; Maturo, C.; Melnyk, J.; O'Connor, J.; Palmer, J.; Rein, T.; Roark, E.; Suski-Lenczewski, A.

1. Minutes

No minutes at an emergency meeting

2. Announcements:

a. AAUP President (L. Williams)

• The State Legislature's Higher Education and Employment Advancement Committee will hold a Virtual Listening Session on the re-opening of colleges and universities on Thursday, August 13, 2020 from 11am to 5pm via zoom webinar.
• Click here for the agenda.
• Click here for the Bulletin Notice.
• In preparation for this, if you did not see the Higher Education and Employment Advancement Committee’s Informational Hearing on re-opening, click here for CT-N’s coverage.
• Our petition currently has about 1200 signatures, including people from the CSUs, community colleges, and UConn. We are requesting that faculty and staff be allowed professional discretion; in particular, faculty should be able to choose the modality of teaching (for example, Hyflex or not Hyflex). The BOR does not agree; they think administrators have the right to tell faculty whether to teach online or Hyflex, and faculty who do not obey can be disciplined. Our grievance on this subject is going to an outside arbitrator. Also, AAUP does not believe faculty should be forced to give private health information, since our health has likely not changed, our working conditions have. The BOR also does not agree. But the BOR does agree that health and safety are mandatory subjects of bargaining. Thus, we will negotiate with them on testing, cleaning, and ventilation. The BOR wants a proposal with which to begin negotiations. We have also begun discussions with the BOR on the effect of the pandemic on promotion, tenure, and renewal.
• The university is apparently out of laptops for faculty. This will make it difficult for some to teach online.

b. SUOAF-AFSCME President (L. Bigelow)

• SUOAF-AFSCME shares the concerns of AAUP (except for the one on teaching modality, which is not applicable). SUOAF-AFSCME also has a grievance which has been filed at the BOR level. The hearing is on Thursday afternoon.
• SUOAF-AFSCME will participate in the listening session.

c. SGA (B. Kuo)

• No announcements.

d. FAC to the Board of Regents (D. Blitz)

• FAC resolution, Friday, August 7, 2020
• Most CSCU faculty at most institutions are happy with arrangements for choice of teaching modality, but this is not the case at CCSU. Concerns from staff about working conditions are common to most CSCU institutions.

e. President Elect of the Senate (F. Latour)

• The President Elect reminded Senators that today is Primary Election Day, and that those of us who have the right to vote should exercise it if we have not done so.

3. New Business

a. Discussion of and response to CCSU Fall 2020 reopening plans

• Successful Fall Opening 2020
• Blueprint Fall 2020
  • Testing of students and faculty (residential students, commuter students, faculty, staff, administrators, secretaries and other employees):
  • The Senate moved to the quasi committee of the whole to discuss this item.
  • The President Elect pointed out that testing is discussed in the Blueprint, and there are many things in that Blueprint that we had not heard of before, such as self-monitoring of symptoms. There is also a discussion of the residential student move-in protocol, and ongoing testing for residential students, residence hall directors, and student athletes. He acknowledged that the document is work in progress.
  • Senator Langevin is wondering about who Griffin Health is, how they were vetted, and how they will be held accountable. Also, she is wondering about entrances to buildings. President Toro said that the State hired the company. They will not be involved in monitoring entrances.
  • Senator Barr is wondering about the prioritization of student athletes. Shouldn't we cancel athletics in the Fall? President Toro said that we will not play intercollegiate sports in the Fall. The athletes will only be practicing. Student athletes are included in the testing as part of the residential student population.
  • Senator Ghiloni-Wage is wondering about the time frame for getting test results, and the testing capacity. President Toro said that they can handle the volume for 5-10% of our residential students plus residence hall directors, plus more if we do decide to do more testing. Results will be available in 48 hours.
  • Senator Adair is concerned about problematic statements made by Health Commissioner Gifford, such as the claim that testing is for diagnostic and not to contain the spread of the virus, and that testing would create a false sense of security (or a desire to not wear a mask).
  • Senator Bigelow is concerned about the protocol for residential directors - they will share bathrooms with students if they are in the quarantine hall. An alternative solution needs to be developed. President Toro said that this is the first time she hears about residence hall directors sharing bathrooms, but she makes a commitment to double-check on this issue.
  • Senator Spillman wonders why we are testing only 5-10% - is it based on risk analysis or limited resources? President Toro said that it is based on guidelines provided by the State.
  • Senator Zering wonders how the enforcement of symptom surveys will work. President Toro says that we are in this together and all of us have to take responsibility.
  • Senator Blitz said he got into trouble at the BOR by stating that the state guidelines are "minimal". Why can't we go beyond the baseline? President Toro said that the State is covering the expenses for the 5-10% of residential students. Any additional testing would be paid by the institution. Insurance companies are not too eager to cover the cost of testing. COVID-19 has affected the finances of the institution negatively, especially for 2020-21; a deficit of $17 million is projected with enrollment down by 10% and residence hall occupancy at 75%. At this point, we are doing better than expected for enrollment but definitely not for residence hall. At this point we might be looking at a $23-25 million deficit, which has been reduced to $12-15 million through budget cuts, which will be dealt with using reserves.
  • Senator Langevin is wondering about how many students per day, whether it be every day including weekends, and how students will results will be located. Senator Bigelow said that guidelines have been given to SUOAF members in health services; testing will be on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 12noon to 5pm at the test center located in the Quarantine Hall (Beecher Hall). The tests will be provided at no cost to students. Senator Langevin offer her help as a nurse.
  • Senator Bigelow wonders if savings will be achieved from having no intercollegiate athletics in the Fall, and could they be applied to testing. President Toro said that this is work in progress. Remember that if we don't play, we won't get some money from the conference or NCAA.
  • Senator Chakraborty is wondering about testing for service engineers working on scientific instruments on campus for a day or two. President Toro: no.
  • Senator Anton is wondering if the flu vaccine will be available on campus as in the past. President Toro: Definitely.
  • The President Elect enumerated three possible approaches. One of them would be to approve a resolution in support of increased testing, perhaps one supporting the FAC resolution. A second would be to take our concerns to the legislature and in particular to attend the listening session on Thursday. A third would be to take our concerns to the BOR and ask them to reallocate some of the money that is being spent on Students First toward increased testing; this is unlikely to produce results given the BOR's priorities.
  • The Faculty Senate emerged from the quasi committee of the whole to consider a resolution drafted by Senator Adair (Mendez-Mendez/Foster).
  • Senators Barr, Best, and Mendez-Mendez spoke in favor of the motion. Senator Barr said that it addresses inequities and implied hierarchies. Senator Best said that approving the resolution would inspire confidence and increase enrollements. Senator Mendez-Mendez said that his work on HIV has taught the value of testing; he thinks that 10% is reasonable if we include faculty, staff, and other populations that we serve.
  • Senator Menoche wonders what costs we are talking about. President Toro: $106 per test.
  • Senator Foster is wondering if we should explain how standards of equity are violated via diminished testing.
  • Vice President Bishop would prioritize faculty and staff not covered by health insurance.
  • Senator Phillips moved to amend the proposal by striking the reference to Yale and UConn, on the basis that we should not be doing something because they are.
    • Some Senators said that they should be kept in as examples, and that we should hold ourselves to the same standards as them. Senator Bigelow said that UConn has a worse budget than us but are still putting priority on testing.
    • Senator Martin-Troy noted that it is easier for Yale and UConn to do testing because they have medical schools.
    • Motion to amend defeated (15-36)
  Resolution approved unanimously (48-0)
  • Motion (Mendez-Mendez/Kean): to transmit this resolution to the Committees on Higher Education and Employment, Appropriations, and Labor and Public Employees of the Connecticut General Assembly.
  • Approved unanimously (43-0)
  • Safety measures in buildings: face mask regulations in classrooms and buildings (except for dorm rooms), measures to rectify situation in cases of refusal to comply with face mask regulations, screening of persons entering buildings (temperature checks, symptom checks, hand sanitizing), ventilation and air filtering in buildings:
  • The Senate moved to the quasi committee of the whole to discuss this item.
  • The President Elect pointed out that the Blueprint discusses many of the issues in this bullet point.
  • Senator Bigelow is concerned about the hotline process; why is the onus on the faculty or staff member to enforce mask regulations? This could put people at risk. She is also wondering if unions were consulted when the violation policies were developed. Also, how were the protocols developed for student athletes? President Toro said that the person answering hotline will direct the call to Student Affairs or Human Resources as appropriate. She said that she can assure us that support will be there from Student Affairs and Human Resources. As for the protocol for student athletes, we have to follow the protocol of our conference and of NCAA. Senator Strickland said that at this point there will be no Fall sport competitions, but winter sports will continue to evolve; we will know more around October 1. CCSU-President Williams said that her union was not consulted when the policies were developed, and SUOAF-AFSCME President Bigelow said that her union was also not consulted.
  • Vice President Bishop is wondering about students who become threatning; should we call campus police in this case? COO Santorino: the police is there for those situations. But the police is there for enforcement, not compliance.
  • Senator Spillman is wondering where in the Blueprint temperature checks are mentioned? The President Elect said that the Blueprint specifically mentions temperature checks are not recommended and that symptom monitoring is the preferred approach. CIO Claffey said that there are too many conditions that could throw off temperature checks, including the margin of error inherent to the thermometers.
  • Senator Halkin is concerned about ventilation, especially the quality of the ventilation system in Copernicus. She also wonders how the UV light would actually kill the coronavirus; where is the scientific evidence? She is also unconvinced that filters have been cleaned quartely in the past. COO Santorino: the infiltration of outside air is being increased for 10% to 20%. We have to be careful with mold and mildew. MERV 8 filters have been replaced with MERV 13, which will be changed monthly (instead of quarterly). He is confident that the new systems will create a safe environment. Recommendations are made by ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers).
  • Senator Blitz said that symptom monitoring only works with a high degree of compliance, unlike temperature checks. Temperature checks would also help during flu season. They are used by UConn and Amazon warehouses.
  • Senator Mendez-Mendez would like a second look at temperature checks. He wants to know more about airflow quality control. He is also wondering about who installed the UV systems, and how reliable are they? COO Cintorino: we have looked at many different types of thermometers, including high-end ones, and they were not satisfactory; our contractor installed the UV systems. More information can be provided as needed. CIO Claffey said that there is also an issue with creating a queue of people waiting for temperature checks if someone is COVID-positive.
  • Senator Langevin pointed out that a fever is usually not a false positive, and is wondering how the decision to not perform temperature checks came about. President Toro said that the workgroups that made the recommendations are following the advice of experts. CIO Claffey said that we had medical and nursing professionals on the workgroup that made the recommendations, and the workgroup looked at many different options. The student symptom monitoring team is staffed by "almost 17 different people" who will determine whether the students who have symptoms have COVID or something else. The goal is to keep symptomatic people from coming to campus. Vice President Bishop said that sharing the rationale with the campus community might help with compliance.
  • The Faculty Senate emerged from the quasi committee of the whole to consider the following resolution (Mendez-Mendez/Bigelow): the Faculty Senate requests that the committees in charge of the reopening process further explore the issue of temperature checks, and come back to us with further scientific information that we could analyze at our next meeting.
  • Approved (36-9)
  • Faculty preferences for mode of teaching (online vs. hyflex), administrative faculty and staff preferences for work location (in office vs. telecommuting), situation of part-time faculty; hyflex training and compensation:
  • The Faculty Senate returned to the quasi committee of the whole to discuss this item. The President Elect pointed out that this has been addressed (partially) by the resolution that we approved earlier.
  • CCSU-AAUP President Williams said that the issue of faculty choice of modality has mostly been resolved or is being resolved for this semester, but we should discuss it for future semesters at a future meeting. She also pointed out that this has not been an issue at other CSCU institutions.
  • Senator Durant asked about Hyflex classes with small number of students signed up for the on-ground seats. Is there a minimum number of students that need to sign up for the on-ground seats in order for the Hyflex course to remain Hyflex? Provost Dauwalder said that, in order to honor our commitment to students, classes that are scheduled as Hyflex will remain as Hyflex through the entirety of the add/drop period, and need to be delivered from the Hyflex classroom regardless of the number of students who choose to enroll in on-campus seats. In particular, there are features in which we invested money (such as captioning and recording) that are available in Hyflex classrooms. A more detailed statement will follow. The President Elect asked if this means that in a class with zero on-ground students, the faculty member is expected to teach in an empty classroom with all students watching online; the Provost answered in the affirmative. If the university moves to remote operations, this might change. Senator Durant is worried about on-ground seat attrition if students are in a class with 2-3 on-ground students. Provost Dauwalder believes that it is too early to make changes, as we need to honor our commitments to students.
  • Senator Blitz pointed out that at other CSUs (such as Eastern), half the class is on-ground one day and the other half is on-ground the other day, and that at other CSCU schools, they did a better job respecting faculty preferences, and things are working better elsewhere. Provost Dauwalder said that he did not compare what is done at CCSU with what is done at the other schools, since each school has its own process to create guidelines to address the situation. He believes that CCSU is taking health and safety very seriously. Senator Blitz wonders how we can honor a commitment to zero students in the on-ground portion of a class, and Provost Dauwalder said that zero students is not the entire enrollment in the class, since some students are enrolled online.
  • Vice President Bishop is concerned that we might not be able to see the online students. CIO Claffey said that each Hyflex room has two monitors: one that shows what is shown to the students, and one where faculty can see students.
  • Senator Mendez-Mendez suggested that Provost Dauwalder should reflect on the process of revising the schedule and assigning faculty to teach Hyflex.
  • Senator Phillips wonders if a class with 10 on-ground students for 90 seats will be moved to a smaller classroom. President Toro and CIO Claffey said no (the other rooms are all taken).
  • A senator asked when faculty would be allowed to access their offices without booking an appointment. COO Cintorino said that this would be possible starting on August 24.
  • The President Elect wonders if part-time faculty have been given training opportunities and hopes that they will be given compensation when they are. Senator Kean answered that such training opportunities have not been given yet. He is also worried that he has been asked to do more work over the summer than usual, and he still has no Fall contract and is not eligible for unemployment over the summer. AVP Robinson said that all training so far has been open to part-time and full-time faculty. We have had two sessions of Quality Matters training so far for our part-time faculty, both of which were full. There is indeed training available, including in the evening. Michelle Malinowski has been involved with contacting part-time faculty about this.
  • Senator LeMaire spoke of the need for laptops for part-time faculty. CIO Claffey said that there are few laptops available, but we have made efforts to provide computers to faculty, including desktops.
  • Senator Bigelow asked why are we not looking to mitigate as many risks as possible by reducing the on-campus presence to as few as possible to accomplish essential functions. President Toro answered that the university is bringing back the number of people that we need to campus, and that we need people in offices in order to serve our students. President Toro and Senator Bigelow agreed to meet in order to discuss these issues.
  • Criteria for campus shutdown and conditions for reopening campus in case of temporary shutdown:
  • Senator Blitz pointed out that if we shut down the campus in the Fall, it may only be for a few days, unlike in Spring 2020. President Toro emphasized that a "shutdown" is different from a "closure". A "shutdown" means we are not coming back for the rest of the semester. It can be initiated by the State or by the conditions on the campus. A "closure" is temporary and/or limited to a part of the campus.
  • Senator Blitz also wonders how we can tell if 1% of the campus population is infected if testing is limited to residential students and residence hall directors.
  • Several Senators said that the Blueprint's chart used to make decisions about shutdowns and closures is difficult to understand, and does not look like an actual flowchart.
  • Communication with students and faculty (timely information, clear and precise pamphlets):
  • Senator Garcia-Lozada is concerned that flyers to remind people to wear masks are too small. Large posters should be created, and the monitors should be used to display information about safety procedures. CIO Claffey said that we do have a digital signage project which will interact with the emergency notification system.
  • Senator Blitz has prepared a draft of an information pamphlet on COVID-19 that could be distributed to students, which he will share with the administration so that they can adapt it and distribute it. Janice Palmer thanked Senator Blitz and will use it as a basis for the pamphlet that will be distributed to students.
  • Possible extension of Bill FS.19.20.022B (Temporary Revisions to Academic Policies) to Fall 2020
  • The Faculty Senate emerged from the quasi committee of the whole to consider motions based on this item.
  • Motion (Mendez-Mendez/Matzke): Spring/Summer 2020 grade appeals shall be accepted in electronic form, under the same conditions as normally described in the policy. The Grade Appeals Form should be made into a fillable PDF.
    • Approved unanimously (36-0)
  • Motion (Mendez-Mendez/Spear): To extend the entirety of Bill FS.19.20.022B to the Fall 2020 semester.
  • Several Senators expressed concerns about discussing such an item nearly three and a half hours into a meeting, without the Registrar being present.
  • Motion: To postpone this item to another emergency meeting, where we will also discuss any other issues related to the Fall 2020 reopening plans. The time of the meeting will be set by the Faculty Senate Steering Committee.
  • Motion to postpone approved (34-1)

  4. Adjournment

  • The meeting adjourned at 6:33pm.