Minutes of the February 11, 1997 Senate Meeting
The Academic Senate was called to order by Chair Mark Phillips at 2:10 p.m.
Senate Members Present: Eunice Aaron, Sanjoy Banerjee, Paul
Barnes, Patricia Bartscher, Gerrie Baughman, Marian Bernstein, Janet Buchholz,
Yu-Charn Chen, Robert Cherny, James Collier, Jerry Duke, Gerald Eisman, Ken
Fehrman, Newman Fisher, Helen Gillotte, Helen Goldsmith, Peter Haikalis, Ann
Hallum, Jennifer Hammett, Caroline Harnly, Mary Ann Haw, Marlon Hom, Bonnie
Homan, Rick Houlberg, Todd Imahori, Dane Johnson, Herb Kaplan, James Kelley,
Thomas La Belle, Wanda Lee, Lois Lyles, Hollis Matson, Eugene Michaels, Joel
Nicholson, Abdiel Oñate, Mark Phillips, Mario Rivas, Anita Silvers, Peggy
Smith, Dawn Terrell, Lana Thomson, Thaddeus Usowicz, Marilyn Verhey, Patricia
Wade, Kenneth Walsh, Mary Ann Warren, Penelope Warren, Nancy Wilkinson, Yim
Yu Wong, Darlene Yee.
Senate Members Absent: George Woo(exc.), Sally Berlowitz(exc.),
Jay Schrock(exc.), Elisabeth Prinz, David Hemphill(exc.), Alfred Wong, Roberto
Rivera, Will Flowers(exc.), Gary Hammerstrom(exc.), Don Scoble(exc.), Robert
Corrigan(exc.), Michelle Cheng, Lee Sprague, Eric Hammer, Raymond Pestrong(exc.).
Senate Interns Present: Jaymee Sagisi, Sabrina Mehrok.
Guests: G. West, A. Silvers, G. Johnson, G. Whitaker, V. Lane,
J. Kassiola, V. Thompson, S. Peregoy, M. Peña.
Announcements and Report
Chair's Report
- The Senate has several new senators this semester:
At-Large: Herb Kaplan/BECA and Ray Pestrong/Geosciences
Presidential appointee: James Collier/University Advancement
College of BSS: Abdiel Oñate/History
College of BUS: Joel Nicholson and Yim Yu Wong (both from International
Business)
College of S&E: Paul Barnes/Biology, Gerald Eisman/Computer
Science, and Newman Fisher/Mathematics
College of HHS: Janet Buchholz/Counseling
CIC Interns: Jaymee Sagisi and Sabrina Mehrok
- The Faculty Affairs Committee has an especially large workload this
semester since they will be dealing with revisions to the PSSI policy, teaching
effectiveness, and RTP; therefore
- Ad hoc committees have been formed to discuss in greater depth PSSI
issues, lecturer issues, the Leave with Pay policy, and the policy on the
review of department chairs;
- Two faculty meetings have been scheduled for faculty feedback
on the PSSI policy (Thursday, Feb. 13 from 8:00 - 10:00 a.m. and Wednesday,
Feb. 19 from noon - 2:00 p.m. in the Verducci Room of the University Club);
- The Senate now has a Web Site: http://www.sfsu.edu/~senate. Special
thanks to Monica Jáquez/Senate Office, Dale Berglund/Academic
Computing, and Julianne Tolson (a.k.a. The Websterina!)/Academic Computing;
Agenda Item #1 - Approval of Agenda for Meeting of February 11, 1997
The agenda was approved as printed.
Agenda Item #2 - Approval of Minutes for Meeting of December 19, 1996
The minutes were approved as printed.
Agenda Item #3 - Report from Vice President La Belle
Vice President La Belle reported that CUSP seeks to enhance the campus
through incremental change. It is process-oriented, using problem solving and
brainstorming. Some of the major concerns of CUSP are internationalization,
user-friendliness, links to the community, academic excellence, teaching and
learning strengthening, non-discrimination and multi-cultural base for the campus.
Cornerstones is composed of four non-negotiable system-wide assumptions
-- a strong baccalaureate for the 21st century; the need to respond to an increasing
student population with the same quality and a similar resource base; accountability
to the citizens of the State for quality and resources; and a link for the University
to the economy through graduate and professional education. It is efficiency
and resource driven with quality, access and cost being major concerns. This
says almost nothing about the changing environment and little about development
and support of faculty. This also implies a new need to fund, based on something
other than "seat time."
The Statewide Academic Senate review of the Baccalaureate is based
on assessment. This un-links credits to learning and focuses on teaching students
rather than classes. It suggests three levels of baccalaureate - general, technical
and specialized.
Agenda Item #4 - Report from Statewide Senators
Statewide Senators Cherny and Aaron commented on the CSU Academic Senate's
meeting of January 23-24, 1997. A summary of the meeting, as prepared by Lester
Pincu, CSU Fresno, was distributed. (Copies are available in the Academic Senate
Office, ADM 552.)
Items presented included
- Vice Chancellor West's intention that the CSU close all gaps (not salaries)
in the budget;
- The Channel Islands Campus appears on the list of campuses from the Chancellor's
Office and a statement should be available by July.
- Board of Trustees Chair Martha Fallgatter is committed to support for the
CSU system and has very successful fund-raising capabilities.
- President Clinton appointed President Corrigan to an Education Committee.
The action plan of this committee includes an increase in work study funds.
Phillips questioned where the Statewide Academic Senate is in relationship
to Cornerstones and merit pay. Cherny responded that Cornerstones
has only an indirect relationship to the Statewide Senate and encouraged everyone
to read the Statewide Senate web site. He also referred to Action Item #4 of
the January meeting calling for funding to evaluate the impact of the Performance
Salary Step Increase Program and First Reading Item #1 which calls for a task
force to develop alternative merit pay systems.
Agenda Item #5 - Proposal for a Master of Arts in Education: Concentration
in Language and Literacy Education
CRAC Chair Ann Hallum introduced this item and introduced Suzanne Peregoy/Elementary
Education and Associate Dean of Education Vera Lane as resources. This replaces
and expands upon an existing MA in Education concentration in Elementary Education
with an emphasis in reading. The proposed degree is designed to serve K-12 and
adult education MA candidates. It has two 12-unit emphases -- an early literacy
emphasis and a cross-cultural language and academic emphasis that deals with
students who are learning English as a second language. Students may earn reading
and language arts specialist credentials along with the MA. There are no resource
implications and some of the courses may also be used by students seeking other
credentials. As no one was on the speakers list in second reading, M/S/P (Kelley,
P. Smith) to close debate. The item was approved unanimously.
Agenda Item #6 - Proposed Policy on the Use of Undergraduates in the Classroom
APC Chair Peggy Smith introduced this item and emphasized that the
concern was that undergraduates are being given credit rather than pay for assisting
in classroom instruction. After lengthy and extensive consultation, this proposed
policy seeks to assure that an undergraduate earning credit for a course will
have a valid learning experience. This policy does not cover graduate students,
undergraduates working through work study, or paid teaching assistants.
Matson proposed as a friendly amendment, and APC accepted, that the
3rd paragraph on page 2 read: "The Course Review Committee must approve
the establishment of each '685' course."
Kelley questioned the intent to always have the faculty of record present
since undergraduates can be hired as lecturers in laboratory sessions. Smith
responded that this policy deals only with students who are paying to take the
'685' course for credit, not those being paid to teach.
Yee suggested that we need to help faculty with instructional support
as enrollment and class sizes increase. This proposed policy provides enhanced
learning opportunities for students in '685' courses. Cherny asked the
committee to consider comparing this course to an internship course, to consider
a maximum number of units for enrollment, and is there a parallel policy for
graduate students. Usowicz suggested that the policy could assist in
labs when appropriate staff is present. Imahori emphasized that this
policy was not written to encourage the use of undergraduates in classrooms.
A maximum number of units was not given since in certain curricula, learning
could continue if the course was taken in different areas within the same department.
La Belle stated that the only rationale for this policy is one of student
growth and development, not resource concerns. Cross-age tutoring and peer tutoring
are valid ways for tutors to learn.
Matson asserted that some departments do not allow Credit/No Credit
courses in the student's major and this proposed policy requires that '685'
courses be taken Credit/No Credit. She also questioned who should determine
the learning objectives for a department specific '685' course since the policy
is contradictory. Furthermore, not all departments can afford to provide formal
training to a small number of students. Gerrianne Johnson/Speech emphasized
that this is not a workload reducer for the faculty of record if a valid learning
experience is provided for the student. Goldsmith indicated that the
maximum number of units was toward a degree; any additional units would be taken
at the student's own initiative. The labs in the policy are required labs. The
training provided to students would not be proscribed by the policy.
Barnes raised questions about liability, particularly in labs. M.
Warren was concerned that it is risky to use unpaid undergraduates as classroom
assistants since it conceals the actual workload. Hammett questioned
if the policy would permit an undergraduate to lead a group discussion of the
material without the faculty of record being present. Sometimes this can lead
to better discussions on certain topics. Lyles recommended that the use
of undergraduates in the classroom should be rejected. No policy is needed.
M/S/P (Aaron, Gillotte) to send the policy back to committee.
The Senate was adjourned at 3:53 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Bonnie Homan
Secretary to the Faculty