Minutes: February 26th, 2008

ACADEMIC SENATE MEETING

MINUTES

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2008

SEVEN HILLS CONFERENCE CENTER, NOB

HILL ROOM

2:00 - 5:00 p.m.

CALL TO ORDER: 2:12 p.m.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Chair Kohn described visits he made with President Corrigan

and the leaders of two campus unions, Ramón Castellblanch (California Faculty

Association) and Russell Kilday-Hicks (CSU Employees Union), to the

district offices of three local legislators: Mark Leno, Fiona Ma and Gene

Mullins, to discuss the budget crisis and University funding.

AGENDA

ITEM #1—Approval of the Agenda for February 26, 2008

The

agenda was approved by unanimous voice.

AGENDA

ITEM #2—Approval of the Minutes for the February 12, 2007

The

minutes were approved by unanimous voice.

AGENDA ITEM #3—Report from Linda Buckley, AVP of

Academic Planning and Educational Effectiveness—CUSP Committee Reports Graduate

Programs—report to be heard no later than 2:15 p.m.

Dr. Buckley reported on the results of two task forces on

CUSP goals: one on graduate programs and one on equity and social justice.

Copies of the task force reports will soon be available on the Academic Senate

website. Dr. Buckley described the campus focus on equity and social justice as

the "signature value" of San Francisco State. She said that four

recommendations from the Post Baccalaureate Progress Report and five

recommendations from the Social Justice and Equity Progress Report had been

approved by the President's Cabinet for implementation.

From the report of the Task Force on Post Baccalaureate Education:

1. Seek financial support for

graduate students, including fee waivers, subsidized housing and child care,

and increase the number of available scholarships and fellowships. (This

effort has begun with the newly formed provost's scholarships for graduate

students. Work in this area will continue with involvement from ORSP and

Advancement.)

2. Increase

outreach efforts to attract and retain students from underrepresented

groups. (The Division of Graduate Studies has increased its recruitment

efforts and has revised its website to function more as an outreach tool.)

3. Conduct a study of the student

support services needed by graduate students. (The Division of Graduate

Studies is conducting and on-line survey to assess the needs of graduate

students.)

4. Work to ensure the use of the

sixth cycle of program review to affirm the quality and sustainability of SF

State graduate programs. (The Office of Academic Planning and Educational

Effectiveness will be responsible for gathering and publicizing 6th cycle data

on program quality.)

From the report of the Task Force on Assessment of CUSP II Goal 1, Social

Justice and Equity:

1. A task force should be formed to

determine how to bring together and coordinate the various campus functions and

activities regarding social justice and equity. (The President referred

this back to the Social Justice committee and asked them to come forward with a

recommendation.)

2. An academic requirement should be

instituted that would prepare students to analyze and understand issues of

equity and social justice. (This recommendation has been referred to the

Graduation Requirements Task Force.)

3. An event hosted by Academic

Affairs should be staged each (such as a mini-conference or symposium) in which

faculty can showcase research and projects that are related to issues of social

justice. (This recommendation will be referred to the office or person

that is the outcome from recommendation #1 above.)

Announcement

from President Corrigan

President

Corrigan announced a Town Hall meeting on the budget that will be held on March

17, 12:00-1:30 in Knuth Hall jointly sponsored by the administration and CFA

and CSUEU. Campus administrators will discuss the current situation, and

methods for lobbying government officials will be presented.

AGENDA

ITEM #4—Recommendation from the Executive Committee: Proposed Revision to

Academic Senate Bylaws, Section IIC, 1^st Reading

The

recommendation was moved by Senator Meredith. After a short discussion, Senator

Steier moved to consider the item in second reading. The Secretary failed to

note who seconded Senator Steier's motion. The motion to move to second reading

passed on a unanimous voice vote.

Senator

Fielden then moved three changes:

1. on line 7, add a comma after
   
   "occur"
2. on line 8 change
   
   "goes" to "go"
3. on line 11 change "to
   
   either declaration by any member" to "by any member to either
   
   declaration"

The motion was seconded by Senator Salama and passed by

unanimous voice vote.

Senator Sheldon moved to add the phrase "with any concerns from the

body" to line 13 following "Executive Committee". The motion

failed to attract a second.

The main motion then passed by unanimous voice vote.

AGENDA

ITEM #5—Recommendation from the Faculty Affairs Committee: Proposed Revisions

to the Syllabus Policy, 1^st Reading

The

proposal was moved by Senator Ulasewicz for the Faculty Affairs Committee.

After some discussion, Senator Chelberg moved the item to second reading, with

a second by Senator Van Dam. The move to second reading passed on a unanimous

voice vote.

Discussion

then paused for item 7, which had reached its time certain.

AGENDA

ITEM #7—Recommendation from the Curriculum Review and Approval Committee:

Proposed Revisions to the MFA Degree Requirements for Creative Writing, 1^st

Reading—proposal to be heard no later than 3:00p.m.

Senator

Linder moved this item for the Curriculum Review and Approval Committee.

Professor Chernoff (Creative Writing) and Professor Conboy (Theatre Arts) made

presentations in support of the proposal. Senator Steier moved the item to

second reading, with a second from Senator Ulasewicz. The move to second

reading passed on unanimous voice vote, after which the main motion passed on

unanimous voice vote.

AGENDA

ITEM #8—Recommendation from the Curriculum Review and Approval Committee:

Proposed Name Change of the MS Degree in Applied Geosciences, 1^st

Reading—proposal to be heard no later than 3:15p.m.

Senator

Linder moved this item for the Curriculum Review and Approval Committee.

Professor Grove (Geosciences) made a presentation in support of the proposal.

Senator Chelberg moved the item to second reading, with a second from Senator

Steier. The move to second reading passed on unanimous voice vote, after which

the main motion passed on unanimous voice vote.

AGENDA

ITEM #5—Recommendation from the Faculty Affairs Committee: Proposed Revisions

to the Syllabus Policy, (Continued)

The

Senate continued discussion in second reading. Senator Sheldon moved to amend

line 5 by adding the phrase: "office hours, "after "office

number,". Senator Van Dam seconded. The amendment passed by voice vote.

The

discussion of the proposal was vigorous, and an attempt by Senator Chelberg to

call the question failed 20-11. A later call of the question by Senator Bloom

passed 28-3. The policy then passed on a voice vote with one abstention.

AGENDA

ITEM #6—Recommendation from the Executive Committee: Proposed Academic Senate

2008-2009 Meeting Schedule—Proposal to be heard no later than 3:45 p.m. 1^st

Reading

Chair

Kohn asked if the body wished to consider this item in second reading, as there

was some urgency in starting the selection of next year's new Senators. The

move to second reading passed on a unanimous voice vote. The meeting schedule

then passed by a unanimous voice vote.

AGENDA

ITEM #9—Adjournment—3:46