Minutes: March 3rd, 2009

ACADEMIC SENATE MEETING

MINUTES

TUESDAY, MARCH 3, 2009

SEVEN HILLS CONFERENCE CENTER, NOB
HILL ROOM

2:00 - 5:00 p.m.

CALL TO ORDER: 2:15
p.m.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

· March
is Women’s History month. The 2009 theme is, “Women Taking the Lead to Save our
Planet.”

· College
elections for Academic Senate and university committee appointments will begin
in early March. Immediately following the announcements of the college election
results, the all-university elections will be held.

· The
referendum to approve an amendment to the Faculty Constitution, to enlarge the
senate body by two members and increase the staff representation to three
members, was approved. There were 224.28 appointment-time-based “yes” and 49.6
“no” votes recorded from the 297 faculty who voted.

AGENDA ITEM #1—Approval of the Agenda for March 3, 2009.

The agenda was approved.

AGENDA ITEM #2—Approval of the Minutes for February 17,
2009.

The minutes of the February 17, 2009, Academic Senate
meeting were approved as amended.

AGENDA ITEM #3— Report from Joy Viveros, Academic Honors
and Fellowships Advisor: Introduction of the SF State Fellowship Office.

Joy Viveros, Ph.D., Academic Honors and Fellowships Advisor,
Undergraduate Advising Center, was introduced to the Senate. She reported on
the SF State Fellowship Office and the services provided to both undergraduate
and graduate students.

AGENDA ITEM #4— Report from Statewide Academic Senators:
Andrea Boyle; Jerald Shapiro; and Darlene Yee-Melichar.

Academic Senate California State University (ASCSU) Senators
Andrea Boyle and Darlene Yee-Melichar reported on recent resolutions approved
by ASCSU, a resolution in first reading, current systemwide committee
activities, and systemwide updates.

AGENDA ITEM #5— Recommendation from the Faculty Affairs
Committee: Adding Journal Editing as Professional Achievement and Growth,
Second Reading.

Senator Levy, on behalf of Faculty Affairs Committee, moved
that the Senate approve a revision to the Retention, Tenure, & Promotion
Policy (#S07-241), that journal editing be added to the list of possible
exhibits of professional achievement and growth.

The motion passed.

AGENDA ITEM #6— Recommendation from the Executive
Committee: Proposed Reapportionment for Academic Senate representatives,
2009-2010 Academic Year, Second Reading.

Senator Trautman, on behalf of the Executive Committee, moved
that the Senate approve an Academic Senate reapportionment that includes 9
at-large members and additional members to each college as follows: Behavioral
& Social Sciences, 3; Business, 3; Creative Arts, 3; Education, 2; Ethnic
Studies, 1; Health & Human Services, 3; Humanities, 5; and Science &
Engineering, 4.

The motion passed.

AGENDA ITEM #7— Recommendation from the Curriculum Review
and Approval Committee: Proposed Revisions to the Minor in Latin American Area
Studies, First Reading

Senator Shrivastava, on behalf of the Curriculum Review and
Approval Committee, moved that the Senate approve revisions to the Minor in
Latin American Area Studies, including a change of the name of the minor to
“Latin American Studies.” Senator Shrivastava yielded the floor to Abdiel
Oñate, Professor, History, and Director of the Latin American Area Studies
program, who described the revisions.

Questions and comments included:

• Why is
  the foreign language requirement changing from “intermediate level” to
  “basic” competency? How will the competency be demonstrated? The
  Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures could help develop
  instruments to assess foreign language competency.

• Should
  the list of faculty teaching courses in the minor program be included in
  the proposal?

• The
  foreign language requirements in several other minor programs offered by
  the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences were recently been reviewed
  by CRAC and the Academic Senate. Since the number of units in the minor is
  constrained, it is necessary to prioritize the desired requirements.

• Foreign
  language is not “extra”; it is an integral part of the minor.

The speaker’s list was exhausted.

AGENDA ITEM #8— Recommendation from the Curriculum Review
and Approval Committee: Proposed Revisions to the M.A. in Political Science,
First Reading

Senator Shrivastava, on behalf of the Curriculum Review and
Approval Committee, moved that the Senate approve revisions to the M.A. in
Political Science. Senator Shrivastava yielded the floor to James Martel,
Associate Professor and Chair, Political Science, who described the revisions.

Questions and comments included:

• Has
  the department considered alternatives to the GET or GRE to demonstrate
  entry-level writing proficiency?

• The
  department might want to reconsider the two methods proposed for
  demonstrating exit-level writing proficiency.

• The
  second purpose listed for PLSI 700 should be reworded (page 1, line 43).

The speaker’s list was exhausted.

AGENDA ITEM #9— Recommendation from the Student Affairs Committee:
Proposed Revisions to the Enrollment Management Committee Membership, First
Reading

Senator McCracken, on behalf of the Student Affairs
Committee, moved that the Senate approve revisions to Academic Senate Policy
#F02-222, Enrollment Management.

Questions and comments included:

• The
  change in membership could change the committee composition from a
  majority of faculty to a majority of administrators.

• Isn’t
  it better for the Vice President for Academic Affairs to appoint
  administrators to the committee, instead of listing specific
  administrative positions in the policy?

• Who
  will call the first meeting?

• Would
  the membership expansion cause the committee problems in reaching a
  quorum?

• Could
  some members from administrative positions be specified as non-voting
  members?

• Line
  33 should begin with a roman numeral “1” section identifier.

The speaker’s list was exhausted.

AGENDA ITEM #10— Recommendation from the Executive
Committee: Proposed Revisions to the Academic Search Policy, #S08-180, First
Reading.

Senator Rehling, on behalf of the Executive Committee, moved
that the Senate approve revisions to Academic Senate Policy #S08-180, Search
Committee for San Francisco State University Administrators.

Questions and comments included:

• The
  specification of timely opportunity to review candidate information is
  appreciated.

• Referring
  to item 4 on page 1 (lines 15-17) regarding the “unit” reporting to the
  search position, how will search committees for college deans be
  determined? The search committee for the dean of a college should
  specifically include department chairs, because chairs have specific,
  unique interactions with deans.

• The
  specification of timely opportunity to review candidate information is
  appreciated.

• The
  revision should be tabled until the search committee for a Provost / Vice
  President for Academic Affairs has concluded its task and reported to the
  Academic Senate..

• Some
  revisions are desired now. For example, the current policy does not afford
  students the opportunity to serve on administrative search committees.

The speaker’s list was exhausted.

AGENDA ITEM #11— Recommendation from the Faculty Affairs
Committee: Proposed Revisions to the University Tenure and Promotion
Policy—Program Directors Ineligible to Serve on UTPC, First Reading.

Senator Levy, on behalf of Faculty Affairs Committee, moved
that the Senate approve a revision to the Retention, Tenure, & Promotion
Policy (#S07-241), such that program directors who have responsibility for RTP
review would be ineligible to serve on the University Tenure and Promotions
Committee.

Senator Levy moved that the item be moved to second reading.

The motion passed.

The main motion, now in second reading, passed.

Chair Whalen declared the meeting adjourned at 3:56 p.m.