August 29th, 2023

 

Academic Senate

Plenary Meeting Minutes

Tuesday 29 August 2023

Hybrid – Zoom & Seven Hills

2:00 PM

OPEN FLOOR PERIOD:  2:00 - 2:10 PM

The Open Floor Period provides an informal opportunity for campus community members to raise questions or make comments directed to Senators, Senate officers or to university administrators. Please arrive promptly at 2:00 PM. Please limit comments to not more than three minutes per topic. We usually allow 5 minutes total but extend this time today. Senators may make announcements under Item 3 below.

 

CALL TO ORDER: 2:10 PM

A Land Acknowledgement is offered by Chair Goldman

1. Approval of the Agenda for 29 August 2023

 

Agenda is accepted as Read. Seconded by Sen Olsher. No Objections and the motion is approved.

 

2. Approval of the Minutes for 9 May 2023

Sen. Holschuh moved to approve the minutes as read. Sen. Wilson seconds. Minutes are approved as read.

 

3. Announcements from the Floor

Chair Goldman gave notice that there will be a special election that will be held for a tenure track professor to join the Tenure and Promotions Committee. Nominees may be from the Graduate College of Education, the College of Business, the College of Ethnic Studies, the College of Liberal & Creative Arts, or the J. Paul Leonard library. Other colleges are already represented. People who serve on the University Tenure and Promotion Committee (UTPC) cannot serve on the Senate.

 

Katie Lynch moved to offer event announcements for the events Discover SF State, held on October 21, 2023, and Explore Sf State on April 20, 2024.

 

4. Reports

Chair Goldman Asserted that these will be delivered every two weeks. He offers a thank you to everyone for being with us this semester and for the academic year.

1. 1. Chair’s Report

Chair Goldman Noted that this is a time of transition and shared governance is vital amidst budget cuts and enrollment drops. Student enrollment has immediate and long-term effects. Chair Goldman noted that we must meet institutional and personal goals. The campus climate and its moral is also very important. He noted that we must also meet our own lofty expectation on a campus committed to equity, academic freedom, and other important issues. We must also be mindful of the threat of the pandemic. All these challenges will be dealt with in time and the senate is part of the solution. What awaits on the other side will not look like things before the pandemic. Some of the pandemic effects may stay with us. We will experience a new stable equilibrium.

1. 2. President’s Report

President Mahony: Offered gratitude to people who were on campus all summer and others who worked while off campus (such as faculty). President Mahony also offered thoughts on the decline in university enrollments, noting that this is the result of various economic, educational, and demographic trends outside the campus’s control. The CSU Mercer Study made clear the gaps in CSU funding. However, there are things our campus can do. President Mahony offered her thanks to those in the room who have stepped up to contribute to shared governance.

 

No questions were raised at this time.

 

1. 3. Provost’s Report

Provost Sueyoshi:  moved to consider the joy of seeing more students on campus than in recent memory. Provost Sueyoshi offered comments on the reduction of course sections but noted that critical sections will not being eliminated. Provost Sueyoshi offered appreciation to Lory Beth Way and Jane Dewitt for their work on the WASC review. She also noted that streamlining curriculum, seeking ways to raise enrollments from 2% to 5%, and working with departments to reduce DFW rates will be helpful. Some progress has been made in some areas, bit more progress is needed.

 

No questions were raised at this time.

 

1. 4. Standing Committee Reports

Chair Goldman Offered a summary to new members about the structure and procedure of the Academic Senate. For example, there are 28 sub committees and 5 standing committees. Chair Goldman reminded new and continuing senators that we hear reports from the standing committees at each Plenary meeting.

 

1. 1. 1. Academic Policies Committee

Sen. Chou Noted that she is honored to be the chair of the APC and explains the function of the committee.  She noted that the next meeting will be on Sept 5, 2023 and extended an invite for guests to attend.

 

No questions were raised at this time.

 

1. 1. 2. Campus Curriculum Committee

Chair Goldman Gave notice that the Academic Policies Committee and the Campus Curriculum Committee often work together.

 

Roberta: Noted that they had successful first meeting. Roberta gave notice that she will have news to share at the next plenary meeting.

 

No questions at this time.

1. 1. 3. Faculty Affairs Committee

Carries: Met first time last week. Offers hello to new senators. She then summarizes their agenda, this includes implementation of new policies, as well as formalizing support for international faculty, as well as simplifying language for degree granting programs.

 

No questions were raised at this time.

 

1. 1. 4. Strategic Issues Committee

Alaric: Noted that the SIC committee studied proposed cooperative policies around the campus and campus partners, as well as the campus budget. Sen. Trousdale also gave notice that he is on the University Budget Committee (UBC) and will be attending a meeting on Thursday 10am-12pm.

 

Chair Goldman Clarified that information about how issues are proposed by UBC and related topics are listed in the Friday Senate Report. If people want to attend, they must email UBC for the Zoom link.

 

No questions were raised at this time.

 

1. 1. 5. Student Affairs Committee

Sen. Olsher Offered remarks about the scope and mission for the SAC committee (i.e. they look out for the interests of the students (housing, FinAid, etc.). Notes prior successes of the committee, such as the resolution to improve student fee payment and the change of language such as change of  Academic Probation to Academic Notice.

 

Chair Goldman Noted that Sen. Collins joins as member of the ASCSU, as do Sen. Kavuri-Bauer and Sen. Wilson. Chair Goldman Offered comments about Brad’s position on the CFA. Chair Goldman made further remarks about Ryan as Senate Secretary and Rick as Vice Chair. There are also regularly invited guests, who include Ex Chair Albiniak and Trustee Yee-Melichar.

 

 

SPECIAL SENATE ELECTION

During the summer, Academic Senate of the CSU (ASCSU) Senator Darlene Yee-Melichar was appointed Faculty Trustee for the California State University System. The Executive Committee (ExComm) subsequently appointed Sen. Santhi Kavuri-Bauer, who was then At-Large Senate Representative to ExComm, to replace Trustee Yee-Melichar as ASCSU Senator. This opened a position on ExComm for a new At-Large Representative, to be a member of the Senate elected by Senate peers.

5. Nominations & Elections for one new At-Large Representative to the Executive Committee

Chair Goldman moved to explain the role of the At-Large Representative. He then explained the voting procedure.

The nomination form was shared with the senate at 2:53pm.

Vice Chair Harvey Further explained how the voting process works.

Vice Provost Way: Can we identify the colleges to which each nominee belongs?

Note that the colleges were added to each nominee.

Election Results 8/29/2023

David Hellman, At-Large Representative (58% of the vote)

Note that voters will use this form: https://forms.gle/nctwQnvZbGEQJ9hMA

INFORMATIONAL ITEMS

An informational item is a statement announcing the completion of a process, carried out in accordance with Senate policy, and requiring formal notification of the Senate at its conclusion.

There are no informational items today. We will be using parts of today’s meeting to instruct Senators in processes and procedures.

Chair Goldman Explained what an informational item is. These are items that need no action by the senate.

No questions were raised.

 

 

CONSENT ITEMS

A consent item is one deemed by the Chair to be non-controversial, requiring no debate. Any Senator may call the item to the floor, in which case it is considered as new business in first reading. If no Senator calls it to the floor, it is considered approved. It may be read into the record, or we may move directly to the next agenda items.

6. Recommendation from the Executive Committee: Error Correction on S22-301 Sabbatical and Leaves with Pay Policy, consent item. Several revisions of the Leaves with Pay Policy have retained obsolete language based on a 1998 collective bargaining agreement. The language is in Section VI. A., Principles of Distribution Within the University, in which “In no case shall the campus grant fewer sabbatical leaves than the number of leaves budgeted in the 1991-1992 CSU budget” is to be deleted. This is the only change to S22-301 Sabbatical and Leaves with Pay Policy under consideration here.

Chair Goldman Explained that a Consent Item is a non-controversial item. However, if someone wants, they can request than a Consent Item be moved to discussion. Today’s Consent Item is recommendation from the EXComm to correct a prior item:  S22-301 – Sabbatical with Leaves Policy. Chair Goldman gave notice that this is to update language originally drafted in 1998. The consent item is to delete the outdated line. It was noted that policy items like this are lifted from Collective Bargaining agreements, in this case an agreement drafted in 1998 (thus quite outdated).

 

Sen. Wilson Offered a point of Information – it makes sense to remove this because it refers to a specific date, but is there value to that specific date?

 

Sen. Holschuh: This phrase was included to align policies from 1998. The language mirrors the current CBA and is further clarified there, making this line redundant and obsolete.

 

Chair Goldman Explained that there is a baseline for the number of sabbaticals set by the CBA. This recommendation is meant to clear up confusion.

Sen. Trogu Offered a point of clarification - what is the reference to 12% in the policy?

 

note: this is in reference to the following passage found on page 3 of Academic Senate Policy#S22-301:

If there are a sufficient number of faculty unit employees eligible for sabbaticals who meet the conditions in the CBA, then a campus shall grant no fewer sabbaticals than twelve percent (12%) of the total number of campus faculty unit employees eligible to apply for such sabbaticals in that year in addition to those faculty approved for a sabbatical at one-half (1/2) of full salary.

 

If a sabbatical leave is denied based on factors other than the merit of the proposal as identified in 27.6 or 27.7 of the CBA, upon request of the faculty unit employee, the sabbatical leave shall be deferred until the following academic year. If, as a result of deferrals under 27.6 or 27.7 of the CBA, the number of sabbaticals initially awarded falls below 12%, then the most highly ranked applicants not initially granted sabbaticals will be awarded sabbaticals, up to the 12% requirement.

 

Chair Goldman offered that there is a list that goes out each year containing faculty eligible for a full semester sabbatical at full pay and benefits. The percentage refers to 12% of the length of that list. Chair Goldman gave notice that FAC can explore this further later.

 

 

CONTINUING BUSINESS

Continuing (once called Old) Business involves items returning to the Senate, usually in Second Reading, but occasionally still in First Reading. Items in Second Reading belong to the Senate as a whole rather than to an individual or committee. Comments on Second Reading items should be confined to those for or against or proposing specific amendments. Amendments and the final document are passed or not passed by majority vote.

There are no items of continuing business today. Continuing Business is usually from a recent Plenary, and we try to close out business by the end of the academic year.

Chair Goldman Explained that these items are from previous meetings but will need further discussion. These are often resolutions in second reading.

No questions were raised.

 

 

NEW BUSINESS

New Business items are brought by a committee or individual to the Senate in First Reading, during which open discussion and debate may occur. We ordinarily limit each speaker to three minutes. Senators may yield their time to non-Senators if needed. The item is then returned to the Committee for further revision, to be brought back as Continuing Business in Second Reading.

There are no New Business items scheduled for today. These items generally come from one of our five standing committees or the Executive Committee.

Chair Goldman Explained that this topic is clear and opens the floor to general questions or comments before moving to scheduled presentations.

 

PRESENTATIONS

7. Presentation by Teddy Albiniak, Special Assistant to the President and Provost, Strategic Plan Short Report. See Strategic Planning | Strategic Planning (sfsu.edu) Estimated time 3:15 PM.

Ex Chair Albiniak: Offered thanks to the Academic Senate for the initiation to make the first presentation of the new senate session. He offered remarks about what the Strategic Plan is and its context. Ex Chair Albiniak presented slides that defined the strategic plan’s process and outcome. The outcome is a document that outlines goals. He then presented those. This was followed by summary of the 4 Phases and then the 6 Strategic Priorities.

Ex Chair Albiniak explained what the next steps are. One is to maintain communities built around communication and dialog. He explained the timeline for these actions.

The floor was opened for questions. There are no questions.

 

8. Presentation by Jane DeWitt, Associate Dean of Academic Planning, WASC Accreditation Report. See WSCUC Institutional Accreditation | Undergraduate Education and Academic Planning (sfsu.edu) Estimated time 3:30 PM.

Vice Provost Way presented WSCUC Reaffirmation and Accreditation. She Noted the importance of this review to the campus.   Vice Provost Way offered a summary of the outcomes and the timeline. Vice Provost Way then offered thanks to Associate Dean DeWitt. Vice Provost Way presented a slide listing the commendations made by the WSCUC Reaffirmation and Accreditation review committee. These included things such as promoting student well-being, demonstrating the campus’s orientation to social justice, Developing strategic plans, broadening communication about the campus budget, and others.

Associate Dean DeWitt shared a slide listing recommendations made by the WSCUC Reaffirmation and Accreditation review committee. These included developing a financial sustainability plan, Establishing a consistent approach to assessing student learning and defining students success, incorporating expectations about how evidence of learning is used for program improvement, disaggregating direct assessments of student learning, and completing a campus climate survey of students.

Vice Provost Way moved to outline the stakes of the points made above, and the timeline they envision for next steps. For more information, see documents at wasc.sfsu.edu.

Chair Goldman Offered thanks to Associate Dean DeWitt, Vice Provost Way and their team. Chair Goldman moved to then the floor for questions or comments.

No questions were raised.

Chair Goldman Noted that assessment was cited as a major area for improvement but wondered where the budget figure into this.

Vice Provost Way: responded that President Mahony’s remarks to the review committee about how we are facing these budget challenges – she offered detailed evidence about how this is being addressed by the campus. This seemed to have shifted any focus away from budget and onto assessment.

Provost Sueyoshi moved to raise a follow up question: what does assessment look like? For one, to look at student artifacts, such as student papers, looking at reading and writing, and as faculty talk about how students are doing with these, documenting those conversations and then documenting what can be done to improve those points. Are there ways to create infrastructure and training to help faculty to do this work?

Discussion is had on this point.

Chair Goldman Reminded everyone that there will now be a reception and that this is sponsored by the Office of the Provost.

 

 

Chair Goldman adjourned the meeting at 3:47 PM

Ryan Gurney

Secretary

 

Attendance

 

 

 

The meeting will be followed, from about 4:00 PM-5:30 PM, with a welcome reception sponsored by the Office of the Provost, welcoming new Senators, Deans Nwankwo and Yoo, Interim Dean Clay, and Interim Vice Provost Kim. The event will be at Seven Hills, and the campus community is welcome.

POST-PLENARY FLOOR PERIOD

Not planned today because of the reception, this is ordinarily an informal opportunity for senators and guests to meet, exchange information, or follow up on items or questions emerging from the meeting. It will ordinarily run for thirty minutes from the end of formal business, but not beyond 5:00 PM, if people remain online or in the room.