Minutes: October 6th, 1998

SFSU Academic Senate Meeting

Minutes for October 6, 1998

The Academic Senate was called to order by Chair Mark Phillips at 2:10 p.m.

Senate Members Present:

Aaron, Eunice; Bartscher, Patricia; Bernstein, Marian; Cancino, Herlinda; Chen, Yu-Charn; Cherny, Robert; Collier, James; Consoli, Andres; Cullers, Susan; Duke, Jerry; Eisman, Gerald; Elia, John; Fehrman, Ken; Ferretti, Charlotte; Fielden, Ned; Flowers, Will; Ganji, Vijay; Goldsmith, Helen; Gonzales, Angela; Graham, Michael; Graham, Minnie; Harnly, Caroline; Hom, Marlon; Hu, Sung; Jenkins, Lee; Jerris, Scott; Johnson, Dane; La Belle, Thomas; Oñate, Abdiel; Phillips, Mark; Raggio, Marcia; Shrivastava, Vinay; Simeon, Roblyn; Strong, Rob; Swanson, Deborah; Terrell, Dawn; Turitz, Mitch; Valledaros, Juan; Vega, Sandra; Vaughn, Pamela; Verhey, Marilyn; Warren, Mary Anne; Warren, Penelope; Wong, Alfred; Zieff, Susan.

Senate Members Absent: Contreras, Rey; Zoloth-Dorfman, Laurie; Wade, Patricia(exc.); Craig, JoAnn; Moss, Joanna; Choo, Freddie; Hammett, Jennifer; Shapiro, Jerald; Tarakji, Ghassan; Barnes, Paul(exc.); Gregory, Jan; Kelley, James(exc.); Scoble, Don(exc.); Corrigan, Robert(exc.); Montenegro, Ricardo.

Senate Interns Present: Dominique Ulloa, Happy Dayleg, Marvin Dumon

Guests: M. Kasdan, G. West, J. Kassiola, G. Whitaker, J. Perea, S. Taylor, G. Hammerstrom, J. Randolph, C. Hahn, M. Simpson

Announcements and Report

Chair’s Report

Phillips asked that we observe a moment of silence in honor of the lives of three people associated with the Senate who passed away recently: John True, Executive Director of Computing Services; the father of Bernadette Pichay, Academic Senate secretary; and the father of Senator Marlon Hom.

Phillips encouraged faculty to submit both professional and personal proposals for the upcoming Asilomar retreat to be held January 17-19, 1999.

Chancellor Reed will meet with the Academic Senate for a Q&A session at the October 20 meeting. It is expected that he will be asked hard questions and that he will be treated professionally and courteously. Chancellor Reed will also meet with the Senate Executive Committee that day. If the Senate agenda is light on the 20th, there will be time for Senate standing committees to meet.

There will be a Statewide meeting of Academic Senate Chairs on October 8 with an update on collective bargaining. Chair Phillips will report on that meeting in the future.

Agenda Item #1 - Approval of Agenda for Meeting of October 6, 1998

M/S/P (Vaughn, Fehrman) to amend the agenda to table Agenda Item #6.

Pamela Vaughn explained that it was the Executive Committee's opinion that the Proposed Revision to Academic Senate Policy #S81-18 on Leaves with Pay, a consent item from the Faculty Affairs Committee, is significant enough, particularly the section on principles of distribution, to warrant further dialogue before being brought to the Senate.

Robert Cherny requested that FAC comment on the amendment. Marlon Hom, FAC chair, answered that, as chair, he has no objection to the amendment. Hom added that there are some issues that have just been learned about recently, and it is to our advantage to seek further clarification and understanding as to how the policy was being changed without faculty knowledge five or six years ago.

Phillips commented that normatively, when a committee brings forward a recommendation, it goes to Ex Com, and if Ex Com has questions, there is dialogue between Ex Com and the standing committee. In this case, it was placed on the Ex Com and Senate agendas simultaneously. Based on Ex Com's response, there was desire for further dialogue between Ex Com and FAC prior to anything being brought forward formally.

The vote was taken and the motion to amend the agenda to table Agenda Item #6 passed.

M/S/P (Duke, P. Warren) to amend the agenda to add Agenda item #6, a resolution concerning Gary Hammerstrom.

The vote was taken and the motion to amend the agenda passed.

The agenda was approved as amended.

Agenda Item #2 - Approval of Minutes for Meeting of September 22, 1998

As there were no additions or corrections, the minutes were approved as printed.

Agenda Item #3 - Report from Vice President La Belle

Provost La Belle reported on teacher education initiatives at the state, CSU, and campus level to increase by 25% the number of teaching credentials granted by the CSU over the next two years.

In 1996, Chancellor Munitz began a Presidential initiative on teacher education, which paralleled initiatives from the state legislature and the governor's office. There was concern about the need for teachers across the system with the reduction of class size in K-4. In response, the legislature has allocated funding to increase the number of teaching credentials that the CSU is able to produce. At the same time, the Presidential Commission on teacher education filed a report to the CSU trustees, and the trustees endorsed a number of action steps to enhance the number of teachers, to provide alternative pathways for credentials, to endorse year-round teacher preparation programs, and to endorse relationships with schools, community colleges, and universities.

The estimates for new teachers range from 250,000 to 300,000 in the next 10 years, based primarily on elementary teachers, thus the multiple subject program. With the governor's new action on high school class size, we can expect changes for single subject preparation. In short, class size reduction, retirement, and increased enrollment have come together to create this great need.

The legislature has observed that the CSU is not carrying the same level of responsibility in producing teachers as it has in the past. Chapman, National, Phoenix, and others have gotten into the teacher production business and become very competitive. The immediate goals of the system are to increase the number of teacher's credentialed in the system by 25% by June 2000.

La Belle outlined some of the initiatives coming out of the Presidential Commission and, thus, endorsed by the trustees: new admissions procedures for teacher preparation programs; integrated undergraduate teacher preparation programs with multiple entry points, including early advisement; the integration of Liberal Studies and teacher preparation coursework; early field experiences; and a continuum of preparation programs, including extended university, year-round operation, and both on and off campus options. La Belle added that nationwide the locus of control for credentials has moved away from colleges of education.

La Belle described some of the initiatives carried out here by Dean Jacob Perea and his colleagues in the College of Education: working closely with the Elk Grove school District on an alternative cohort of multiple subject candidates, and hiring new faculty and staff to accommodate increases.

La Belle noted that the SFSU campus target for teaching credentials has been increased by 139 and summarized SFSU actions to address this target: adding funding to the new Child and Adolescent Development program; providing money to the College of Humanities for integrating or blending professional education and liberal studies courses; adding staff and also additional faculty, but probably not on the tenure-track, to accommodate the increases; beginning to implement a year-round teacher education program, which will involve Extended Learning; allocating money to Liberal Studies for release time for coordinator and faculty advising; funding 20 additional sections of so-called bottle neck courses in liberal studies; working with the College of Humanities to fund blended courses and outreach into the schools; funding a full-time faculty line between science and mathematics and education, which is the most dire area for an increase in qualified teachers.

La Belle summarized that teacher education is and will become more of a total campus-wide responsibility, and it will reach out into most of the colleges, and it will ask faculty to blend their subject matter field with teacher education. It has been 30 years since the Fisher Bill and Ryan Act basically separated teacher preparation and subject matter. Now, the new thinking from the legislature is that it is better to integrate those fields. Chancellor Reed is as intent as Chancellor Munitz was on moving teacher preparation and teacher credentialing through the system. The legislature considers this one of its primary challenges, and CSU and Reed plan to deliver on those promises.

Eunice Aaron introduced some other realities to the discussion on teacher education. She noted that we can educate the additional teachers, but until we make the profession more attractive, we will not retain those teachers, with around 50% of new credentialed teachers leaving after just one year. She suggested that we consider forgiving student loans to these teachers and that those individuals going into these programs receive additional support from the Chancellor's office so that they don't have to work 40-50 hours a week while taking a full load. Acknowledging Chancellor Reed's correct commentary on increasing production, Aaron commented that even if we turn them out year after year, it's a futile effort if we're not keeping them. If we look at the greatest concentration of emergency certificates, Aaron concluded, it's in those districts that are most unattractive because of the absence of support for these teachers; until we do things about that, it's just sound and fury really signifying not very much.

Robert Cherny recounted an anecdote from a column in the San Francisco Chronicle where a school with a severe teacher shortage asked their janitor to fill in. The teachers thought he was excellent, and they asked him to do it more permanently. He answered that he would love to but could not afford the salary cut. Cherny commented that we can promise to ncrease 25% more teachers, and we should do all of these things mentioned by the Provost, but there are things in the larger society that may prevent us from accomplishing these objectives. We may not have made teaching sufficiently attractive to attract 25% more, and if we do not accomplish it, we need to look at larger arenas for understanding why we're not accomplishing it.

Cherny added that he was a little bit concerned about the comparison between our teacher preparation and those at proprietary institutions given that ours have admission requirements and that he did not know if there were significant admissions requirements at National and Phoenix. He asked for clarification on whether we planned to dilute our admissions requirements.

La Belle confirmed that there were no plans to dilute admissions requirements. He added an observation supporting the observations on the unattractive nature of the work sites: when they lowered class size in K-4, a lot of secondary teachers who were credentialed K-12 wanted to move, which created shortages across all levels. La Belle also noted that two days ago the governor signed a bill that would increase service credit for teachers, which may slow down the retirement process and retain people at the top levels of the system. He concluded that no one has an answer on how to save K-12, here or across the country.

Julian Randolph added two comments on teacher education. He suggested that it would be interesting to explore the University of California's role in teacher education, with major tax dollars going to an institution that has habitually been absent from teacher preparation in its colleges of education. He also commented on the politics of education based on his experience on the Executive Board of the California Language Project. Legislation has been rewritten so that it excludes from legislative oversight although holds accountable to legislative oversight subject matter projects that are not considered "core," with foreign languages, performing arts, and physical education never considered "core."

Gerald Eisman, who directs the Office of Community Service Learning, reminded us that there are hundreds of openings for mentors for school kids. He asked faculty to consider possibilities for their students to perform these services and earn academic credit by reflecting on it in the classroom.

Jacob Perea, Dean of the College of Education, commented that education is always driven by politics in this state. He asked that in the coming election, we take a close look at what Proposition 8 says. He feels that it does absolutely no good for education in the state of California.

Phillips added that as someone with over 30 years of experience in training teachers, he welcomed the emphasis being placed by the Chancellor. Ann Reynolds placed an emphasis too, but she planted a lot of trees and didn't provide any water to keep them alive. Phillips felt that Chancellor Reed intends to provide the water as well.

Agenda Item #4 - Report from the Director of Athletics

Michael Simpson, the Director of Athletics, reported on the status of the Athletic Program and the activities of the Athletics Advisory Board.

He noted, first, that SFSU has moved to a new athletic conference, the 12 member California Collegian Athletic Conference. The new conference expands opportunities to compete and also brings SFSU into compliance with division II of the NCAA, by providing athletically related aid to our student athletes. He added that SFSU now has two additional teams, women's tennis and indoor women's track, which puts SFSU in compliance with requirements for gender ratios in athletic teams.

Simpson also described the successful establishment of the athletic scholarship endowment fund, and the creation of a recruiting and retention team that involves enrollment services, financial aid, housing, and outreach--just to name a few--to help recruit and retain a better student-athlete.

Simpson spoke as a proxy for Eric Solomon, reporting on the findings and status of the Athletic Advisory Board. The board met three times, attendance was fair, and the board mostly listened to reports. They are concerned that the function of oversight has declined. The board has three basic ideas: meet more often, receive issues from the Senate Executive Committee, and if that is not possible, consider revision of the charge. Solomon also suggested linking the board to the new recruiting team or having the senate add an ex-oficio at-large member of Ex Com as a liaison.

Agenda Item #5 - Proposed Revisions to Academic Senate Policy #S93-184 - University Development Priorities Committee Statement of Responsibilities

Phillips introduced the proposed revisions to Academic Senate Policy #S93-184, University Development Priorities Committee Statement of Responsibilities, a consent item from the Executive Committee of the Academic Senate. The reason for the change is to bring the policy into accord with the many changes that have taken place in the area of advancement and development. This policy was developed by Ex Com in conjunction with Vice President of University Advancement Jim Collier's office in order to provide the support and advisement that was needed in this case. The former policy was outmoded by events that had passed it by.

Cherny commented that something had to be done with this committee because it has never functioned as it was intended to function. He added that by deleting sections 1.a, b, and c from the committee charge, we have eliminated all faculty roles in establishing priorities in fundraising. Cherny asked Vice President Collier how faculty can address those sorts of issues if not through this committee?

Collier answered that he welcomed the formation of this committee and that one of the purposes of the committee will be to review all sorts of assignments and priorities including those in development.

M/S/P (Hom, Vaughn) to move to second reading.

M/S/P (Cherny, Aaron) to amend proposed revisions to Academic Senate Policy #S93-184 by restoring articles a, b, and c, in section A.1.

Collier responded that article a of the amendment is very mushy and that in the fast paced fund-raising regimen it would be virtually impossible to delay and have things reviewed twice a year.

Cherny asked again how we can accomplish the goal of allowing faculty a voice in establishing priorities. Cherny added that this committee seems the logical place for faculty to do this. Collier responded that goals are established for the fundraising program each year, and we are more than willing to review those goals, which is one of the purposes of this group.

Charlotte Ferretti added that she would support removing articles a, b, and c. It would really slow things down and make it cumbersome for faculty to respond to the priorities set by funding agencies.

M/S/P (Cherny, Aaron) to substitute the following amendment for the earlier motion to amend the proposed revisions to Academic Senate Policy #S93-184. Add the previous A.1.c. to the new A.1. so that A.1. reads as follows: "The University Advancement Activities Advisory Committee, an all-university committee, shall meet at least once each semester to provide counsel on the planning and execution of assignments such as alumni relations, commencement and other special events, development, governmental relations, public affairs, publications, and recommend developmental fund raising priorities to the President."

As this was considered a friendly amendment by Collier and Ex Com, the main motion was amended as above.

Phillips added that we are struggling in a number of areas between the conception and faculty role in a process and the realities of everyday life for those who run things like the Center for the Enhancement of Teaching or the Office of University Advancement. He foregrounded the difficulty in wanting to set policy and have a voice while not getting into micromanaging.

M/S/P (P. Warren, Duke) to close debate.

The proposed revisions to Academic Senate Policy #S93-184, University Development

Priorities Committee Statement of Responsibilities passed unanimously as

amended. (To view this policy, click here.)

Agenda Item #6 - Resolution Honoring Professor Gary Hammerstrom

Phillips introduced and read a Resolution Honoring Professor Gary Hammerstrom.

The resolution passed unanimously. (To view this resolution, click here.)

The Senate was adjourned at 3:15 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Dane Johnson

Secretary to the Faculty

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