Minutes - April 4, 2022 - 3:05pm - Online through WebEx
A more detailed set of minutes will be posted as soon as possible.
CCSU FACULTY SENATE MEETING
Present: Acharya, K.;
Al-Masoud, N.;
Amaya, L.;
Andreoletti, C.;
Atkinson, S.;
Bartone, M.;
Best, F.;
Bigelow, L.;
Bishop, J.;
Boscarino, N.;
Bray, A.;
Broulik, W.;
Crundwell, G.;
Donohue, P.;
Drew, S.;
Dumpson, N.;
Duquette, J.;
Elfant, A.;
Farrish, K.;
Flinn, B.;
Foster, P.;
Gamache, J.;
Garbovskiy, Y.;
Garcia-Bowen, M.;
Gichiru, W.;
Givens, E.;
Gonzalez, K.;
Halkin, S.;
Hedlund, J.;
Huang, Y.;
Jarmoszko, T.;
Kapper, M.;
Karas, R.;
Kean, K.;
King, A.;
Kirk, C.;
Kreeger, J.;
Kumar, R.;
Liu, R.;
Martin, A.;
Matthews, S.;
Matzke, B.;
McCarthy, M.;
Merenstein, B.;
Morano, P.;
Ofray, J.;
Orange, M.;
Oyewumi, O.;
Paolino, J.;
Robinson, G.;
Rode, D.;
Salama, T.;
Savatorova, V.;
Schenck, S.;
Scott, T.;
Sikorski, J.;
Smith, R.;
Sohn, Y. M.;
Spear, B.;
Styrczula, S.;
Sugg, K.;
Sylvester, C.;
Washko, L.;
Whittemore, L.;
Zadi, S.;
Zhao, S.
Ex-Officio: Burkholder, T.; Farhat, J.; Jarrett, J.; Kostelis, K.; Mulrooney, J.; Robinson, C.; Toro, Z.; Wolff, R.
Parliamentarian: Dimmick, C.
President of the Senate: Latour, F.
Guests: Abed, F.; Blitz, D.; Bucher, L.; Claffey, G.; Elsinger, N.; Fallon, M.; Frank, L.; Kaczmarek, M.; Kirby, Y.; Larsen, K.; Lueken, C.; Magnan, C.; Martin-Troy, K.; McGrath, K.; Misra, K.; Moore, N.; Palmer, J.; Parady, K.; Pincince, T.; Suski-Lenczewski, A.; Tobon, B.; Tully, J.
1. Minutes
a. Minutes of March 7, 2022 were accepted.
2. Announcements
a. AAUP President (T. Burkholder)
- The CSU AAUP approved the tentative agreement (1289 in favor; 15 against.)
- Council representative election is now ongoing to elect three Council representatives and one alternate.
- President Cheng is visiting CCSU on April 25. Faculty are encouraged to attend.
- The last Chapter Chat of the year will be held on May 3.
- An end-of-the year gathering at Alvarium is being planned for Friday, May 6. Attendance is capped at 50. Details will be forthcoming.
b. SUOAF-AFSCME (L. Bigelow)
- No announcements.
c. SGA (N. Elsinger)
- SGA is currently hosting General Elections for the 2022-2023 academic year. Voting will take place April 12-14.
- The SGA base-budget season is underway. Faculty advisors to clubs are asked to make sure their clubs submit a base budget request by April 15 and stay informed of Finance committee updates.
- The SGA is supporting HB5272, An Act Concerning Menstrual Products.
- The SGA E-Board has been elected as follows: President-Elect is Olanrewaju “Ola†Olamuyiwa. Vice President-Elect is Anaya Moore. Treasurer-Elect is Madino Hassan. New officers take office on May 4.
d. FAC to the Board of Regents (M. Jackson/D. Blitz)
- The SO assumes a 24% decline in enrollment from year-to-year (but when they went to NECHE, they predicted a 5% increase year-to-year.) The reduction in fees due to a decline in enrollment is estimated at $80 million.
- The 27th payroll occurs in in this biennium budget. That amounts to an additional $40 million across the system. That effects all agencies of the State that pay on a biweekly basis.
- The FY22 SEBAC retroactive salary increase is estimated at $70 million. This is a problem for the Board because they requested 0% from the governor, which was consistent with their opening contract proposals This strategy clearly failed.
- SEBAC pay raises for a two-year period is estimated at $60 million.
- This all totals $250 million, which is being asked of the State legislature.
- D. Blitz then compared the enrollment figures used in the budget with what was presented to NECHE.
- D. Blitz also showed an exhibit which was included in the Board of Regents’ request for the accreditation of the one community college. The structure in purple shows the system in place at the universities; it is in stark contrast, in terms of faculty participation, to the structure proposed for the community colleges. For example, department chairs will be eliminated. Faculty will be in a distinct minority (less than 30%) in the governance structure for the one community college. There will be a loss of autonomy and integrity at the individual institutions
- The COVID-19 issue: the initial email in which decreased COVID protocols effective April 4th was announced did not include notice of continued on-campus clinics and recommendations for boosters. A subsequent notice included boosters, but not the vaccination clinics.
- FAC resolution on Ukraine was not included in the BOR agenda. Copies were sent in advance of the BOR meeting to BOR and SO leadership. CSCU President did call for free tuition/fees for all refugees (including Ukraine). The BOR agenda should include a line item for FAC resolutions to be communicated either for action or information.
- Renewed requested for regular FAC agenda items turned down – The SO claimed that all FAC matters are to be filtered through the CSCU Provost.
- CSCU Online Learning Council at the System Office has been expended; amongst additional personnel needed are enrollment management personnel experienced in admitting students to online programs. Very clearly, there is an attempt to resuscitate Online CSU, which was an attempt to control online courses (it failed.) This encroaches on faculty control of curriculum and pedagogy, and at the university level, institutional autonomy.
- K. Parady asked if the outcome of the proposed resolution would be free tuition and fees for impacted students and how those costs would be covered. D. Blitz clarified her first question was correct and that the BOR has nearly $1 billion in federal funds available to cover this cost.
- Sen. Bray voice support on premise, but stated we are entering a challenging financial time, CCSU in particular because of the largest reduction in the number of students. She doubted that the System Office would use other funds to cover this and would likely expect the host universities to cover the costs. She also indicated that there are conflicts in many regions of the world leading to refugees and that singling out the Ukraine does not take that into effect.
- Sen. Crundwell spoke in support of Sen. Bray and suggested that this resolution be broadened to include all refugees.
- D. Blitz spoke in support of Sen. Bray’s and Crundwell’s ideas to expand the resolution to all refugees and welcomed a broader resolution at the next meeting. He spoke in favor of voting on this particular resolution now, and a broader resolution at a later date.
- K. Parady supported D. Blitz.
- Sen. Best supported D. Blitz, that the Senate look at the collective oppressions at a later date, but act on this Resolution specific to Ukraine at this meeting.
- MOTION: To approve the Resolution on Russia’s invasion/attack on the Ukraine. Motion passed.
e. President of the Senate (F. Latour)
- Today is the first day of the mask-optional policy. He encouraged the CCSU administration to monitor the situation closely in case there is a spike.
- D. Blitz asked if faculty member decides to continue wearing a mask, what happens during one-on-one student meetings in their office.
- Sen. Bray asked in the Chat: “Given the "mask optional" policy - is there also a relaxation of a no covid on campus policy as well? If a student is positive but asymptomatic - are they still required not to attend classes?†K. Parady said she believes the answer is yes.
- Anna Suski-Lenczewski indicated that although contact tracing has been suspended, people who are having symptoms or have tested positive should call in through the symptom tracker. HR is then contact tracing and advising people whether they need to isolate or make other arrangements. Symptomatic and positive people are told not to come to campus. Weekly PCR testing by Yale has stopped; Health Services has rapid tests available.
- K. Kostelis indicated there are 4 large spaces that can be used by faculty to meet with students. One conference room is also located within each school. These facilities can be reserved through Bookings.
- J. Tully indicated the University is staffing the Quarantine and Isolation halls and they will be operated through the week after graduation.
- Sen. Best indicated he will continue to wear a mask and asked whether it is true that students do not have to wear masks in class. He wondered why faculty would not want to meet with a student in their office.
- K. Kostelis said that faculty could meet with students in their office, but for those who would feel more comfortably, these larger spaces are available.
- F. Latour suggested faculty have masks available in their offices for students.
- Sen. Halkin asked whether people are allowed to eat and drink in many more places since the mask requirement has been lifted? A number of senior administrators agreed that was true.
- Sen. Bishop added “As the weather improves, we can take advantage of meeting outside - maybe even a walk and talk meeting.â€
3. Elections
a. Election of President, Vice President, and Secretary of the Faculty Senate (2022-24 term) b. Call for Nominations: Standing Committees of the Faculty
4. Committee Reports (reports marked with an asterisk are informational reports intended for consent agenda only; if you would like a report to be discussed, please inform the President and Secretary by Monday, noon)
a. Curriculum Committee (N. Moore) b. Sabbatical Leave Committee (AAUP) (B. Flinn and K. Martin-Troy) c. Committee on Committees (G. Crundwell) d. Academic Integrity Committee (J. Hansen and A. Weinberger)* e. Board of Regents Research Award Committee (J. Werblow)* f. Board of Regents Teaching Award Committee (C. Pudlinski)* g. Grade Appeals Committee (R. Holt)* 5. Unfinished Business 6. New Business a. Plan to return to on-campus meetings starting April 18, 2022 6. Adjournment
a. Constitution and Bylaws Committee (J. Duquette)