Minutes: February 8th, 2005

ACADEMIC SENATE
MEETING

MINUTES

for

TUESDAY,8 FEBRUARY  2004

Meeting
Attendance:

CALL TO ORDER: 2:13 p.m.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Chair Colvin made several
announcements:

• She is looking forward to
  a positive and productive semester with the Academic Senate.
• The March 8, 2005 Academic
  Senate meeting will be convened as a campus “town-hall” meeting from 2:00
  p.m. - 4:00 at a venue to be announced.  Vice President for Administration
  and Finance, Leroy Morishita, will report on the proposal to revise the
  campus master plan.
• Senator Avila has resigned
  her position in the Academic Senate.  The SAC elected Senator Fehrman to
  complete her term as chair.  The Senate Office is working on identifying a
  replacement to finish her Academic Senate term.
• The Academic Senate will
  be hosting a meeting of area California Community College representatives
  and campus faculty to discuss the Lower Division Transfer Project (LDTP)
  on February 25, 2005.  Department Chairs not already involved in the LDTP
  are encouraged to attend in order to gain perspective on what might be
  coming their way.  For more information contact the Senate Office.
• An Academic Freedom Forum
  is being convened at San Jose State University on February 11, 2005.  For
  more information, see www.sjsu.edu

CHAIR’S REPORT

Chair Colvin introduced a
resolution on honoring the planners of the Asilomar Faculty and Staff
Development Retreat January 2005.  Small tokens of appreciation were presented
to Vice Chair Williams and Executive Assistant Sposito.  The body recognized
the resolution by applause.

AGENDA ITEM #1—APPROVAL of
the AGENDA for FEBRUARY 8, 2005

Approved.

AGENDA ITEM #2—APPROVAL of
the

MINUTES for DECEMBER 14,
2004

Senator McKeon asked that
her votes be recorded.  She also asked that the roll call votes be included in
the minutes.  Chair Colvin reported that the roll call votes are included in
the online version of the minutes.  Senator Stowers also requested that her
votes be recorded.

The minutes were approved as
amended.

AGENDA ITEM #3—REPORT from
the EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE:  RE PATH to GRADUATION TASK FORCE

Senator Meredith reported
that the Provost had established a small taskforce to identify barriers to
graduation and make recommendations for improving campus graduation rates.  The
members include Caran Colvin, David Abella, Brett Smith, Jo Volkert, Helen Goldsmith,
and David Meredith.  The taskforce will report to the Provost and Academic
Senate with its recommendations.

AGENDA ITEM #4--REPORT from
STATEWIDE SENATORS: STATE OF THE CSU

Senators Gregory, Yee and
Williams reported on the January 2005 meeting of the Statewide Academic
Senate.  Resolutions on academic freedom have been passed by the statewide FAC,
including opposition to SB 5A.  Others issues being considered by FAC include:
barriers faced by international faculty, students and guest lecturers; faculty
workload issues related to ADA compliance and course materials; and the current
threat to CALPERS. Issues being considered by the statewide Academic Affairs
Committee (AAC) include: supplemental criteria for GE review; review of
advising requirements throughout the CSU and the role of advising in RTP; the
impact of athletic team participation on academics; and the possible
development of applied clinical doctorates.  The statewide AAC passed a
resolution supporting the benefits of community service and service learning,
but declined to require student participation for graduation.  Senators were
advised to take the threat against CALPERS seriously and to consult the media
as well as other sources for updates.

AGENDA ITEM #5—REPORT from
the CURRICULUM REVIEW & APPROVAL COMMITTEE:

GAY, LESBIAN, AND BISEXUAL
STUDIES MINOR TITLE CHANGE

Senator Boyle reported on
changing the name to more accurately reflect the current state of the field. 
The new name is Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Studies Minor.

AGENDA ITEM
#6—RECOMMENDATION from the EDUCATIONAL POLICIES COUNCIL: DISCONTINUANCE of the
MINOR in CALIFORNIA STUDIES, 1ST Reading

Meredith, Abella M/S/P

Senator Meredith introduced
the proposal on behalf of the EPC.  The EPC voted 14:5 in support of
discontinuance.  Senator Meredith indicated that representatives for the proposal
and rebuttal were present.

Associate Dean Dawn Terrell
from the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences presented a summary of the
proposal to discontinue the Minor in California Studies.

Associate Professor Lee
Davis, Director of the California Studies Program, presented the rebuttal. 
Also speaking on behalf of the rebuttal were: President of the California
Studies Student Association; Professor Richard Walker, Director of the
Institute on California Studies at U.C. Berkeley and Past President of the California
Studies Association; Laurie Pitman, SFSU donor and volunteer; Professor Roberto
Rivera, Acting Chair, Department of American Indian Studies; Professor Brenda Cochrane,
Director of the Labor Studies Program; and Professor Robert Cherny, Department
of History and Past Chair of the Academic Senate CSU.

Senators Steier, Abella, and
Gerson spoke against the proposal.  Senator Stowers spoke in support of the
proposal.  Senators Chen and Ulasewicz posed questions.  The item will return
in second reading on February 22, 2005.  Senators Ulasewicz, Chelberg, and Gerson
along with Professor Cherny remain on the speakers’ list.

The motion will return in
second reading.

Respectfully submitted by
Senator Gene Chelberg

AGENDA ITEM #7 —ADJOURNMENT
4:03 p.m.