Faculty Senate

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)

b. SUOAF-AFSCME (L. Bigelow)

c. SGA (N. Elsinger)

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

  • The AY22-23 tuition increases at the State universities was reviewed. The changes amount to a 4.8% increase, which is roughly aligned with the pay raises in the new contracts. Questions related to how many students would feel the full impact of the tuition increase and whether student aid was increased were covered, as outlined in the document reviewed.
  • Other relevant issues are:
    • 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.
  • Sen. Best asked whether it would be helpful for the Senate to adopt the FAC Resolution on Russia’s invasion/attack on the Ukraine. President Latour said it could be moved now, or put on the agenda for a future meeting. Sen. Best moved the Resolution for approval.
    • 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)

    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

    a. Constitution and Bylaws Committee (J. Duquette)
    • F. Latour has met with various constituencies involved in the proposals to amend the bylaws of the Committee on Academic Advising and the Bylaws of the Senate. He proposed to meld all feedback together and come to the next meeting with a proposed path forward. There was no objection to this course of action.

    6. New Business

    a. Plan to return to on-campus meetings starting April 18, 2022

    • After consulting with the Steering Committee, F. Latour proposed to return to in-person Senate meetings effective Monday, April 18. Since the Governor’s Executive Order will expire on April 30th, the final meeting of the semester on May 2 must be in-person. He suggested the meeting be held somewhere other VAC 105, since that room is just large enough to hold the Senate and guests who normally attend. He will work with the Central Reservation Office to find an appropriate space. He requested (not required) that Senators wear their masks out of caution.
    • G. Crundwell asked why not wait until the May 2 meeting to return to campus.
    • B. Matzke asked if it would be possible to provide a hybrid option? F. Latour indicated that he would need to check with Robert’s Rules and State law.
    • L. Amaya indicated that the voting process would be impacted by a hybrid meeting. J. Bishop indicated the Steering Committee did discuss streaming the meeting, but not opening it as a hybrid meeting.
    • MOTION: To have the first on-ground meeting on April 18, one meeting sooner than State law requires. Motion failed.
    • The return to on-campus meetings will occur on May 2, 2022.

    6. Adjournment

    • The meeting adjourned at 4:35pm.