Minutes: April 28th, 2009

ACADEMIC SENATE MEETING

MINUTES

TUESDAY, April 28, 2009

SEVEN HILLS CONFERENCE CENTER, NOB
HILL ROOM

2:00 - 5:00 p.m.

CALL TO ORDER: 2:11 p.m.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Chair Whalen requests that standing committees submit their
end-of-year reports by May 15, 2009.

The election of staff representatives to the Academic Senate
ends today.

All-university faculty elections began April 27, 2009, and
continue through midnight, May 4, 2009.

Members of the 2009-2010 Academic Senate should submit their
preferences for standing-committee assignments to the Senate Office no later
than May 4, 2009.

Members of the 2009-2010 Academic Senate who wish to run for
the positions of Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary, At-Large member of the Executive
Committee, or Chair of any of the five standing committees, are encouraged to
submit position statements to the Senate Office. All position statements will
be posted on the Senate website before the May 12, 2009, organizational
meeting. Nominations for all positions will be accepted during the meeting, but
candidates will not be afforded time to speak to their candidacy.

AGENDA ITEM #1—Approval of the Agenda for April 28, 2009.

The agenda was approved as submitted.

AGENDA ITEM #2—Approval of the Minutes for April 14,
2009.

The minutes of the April 14, 2009, Academic Senate meeting
were approved as submitted.

AGENDA ITEM #3— Report from John Gemello, Provost, and
Leroy Morishita, Vice President of Administration and Finance: The Budget and
Campus Management Issues

John Gemello, Provost and Vice President for Academic
Affairs, and Leroy Morishita, Chief Financial Officer and Vice President for
Administration and Finance, reported on the budget and campus management issues.

There are currently 155 people appointed in Management
Personnel Plan (MPP) positions at SF State, an increase of 16 positions since
1988. Ten of the additional positions are in the Office of University
Development. These data can be compared to a 38% increase in MPP positions in
the CSU system over the same time period.

The cumulative fiscal impact to the CSU for the two budget
years, 2008/2009 and 2009/2010, is a $586,855,000 reduction. There could be an
$8 to $20 billion “problem” in the State’s 2009/2010 budget; it’s unknown how
that revenue shortfall would impact the CSU budget.

AGENDA ITEM #4—Recommendation from the Educational
Policies Council: Proposed Discontinuance of the MA in Social Science,
Concentration Interdisciplinary Studies, Second Reading

Senator Shrivastava, on behalf of the Educational Policies
Council, moved that the Senate approve the discontinuance of the Master of Arts
in Social Science: Concentration in Interdisciplinary Studies program.

The motion passed.

AGENDA ITEM #5—Recommendation from the Educational
Policies Council: Proposed Discontinuance of the Minor in Family and Consumer
Sciences, Second Reading

Senator Dariotis, on behalf of the Educational Policies
Council, moved that the Senate approve the discontinuance of the Minor in
Family and Consumer Sciences program.

The motion passed.

AGENDA ITEM #6—Recommendation from the Student Affairs
Committee: Proposed Revisions to the Religious Holidays Policy, #F00-212,
Second Reading.

Senator McCracken, on behalf of the Student Affairs
Committee, moved that the Senate approve revisions to the Religious Holidays
policy, #F00-212.

The motion passed.

AGENDA ITEM #7— Recommendation from the Academic Policies
Committee: Proposed Revisions to the Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement
(GWAR) Course Criteria, #S08-14, Second Reading.

Senator Dariotis, on behalf of the Academic Policies
Committee, moved that the Senate approve revisions to the Graduation Writing
Assessment Requirement (GWAR) Course Criteria, #S08-14.

Senator Rehling moved to replace “25” with “22” on line 14.
The motion failed.

Senator Rehling moved to delete “or course sequences” on
line 42 and to add a new sentence on line 43, “On an exception basis, CWEP may
approve GWAR course sequences that total three units, based on a strong
pedagogical rationale.” The motion failed.

The motion to revise the GWAR course criteria was approved.

AGENDA ITEM #8— Recommendation from the Academic Policies
Committee: Proposed Revisions to
the Written English Proficiency Policy, #S07-14, First Reading.

Senator Dariotis, on behalf of the Academic Policies
Committee, moved that the Senate approve revisions to the policy on Written
English Proficiency, #S07-14, specifically, revisions in the upper division
section of the policy.

Senator Rehling moved to add on line 78, before the sentence
beginning with the phrase, “Such review,” the new sentence, “This review and
evaluation will take place every year until five years after full
implementation of WID coursework to fulfill the GWAR, that is, after phasing
out the JEPET.” The motion failed.

Senator Kohn moved to delete “will be identified” on line 24
and to add “Departments will indicate” at the beginning of the sentence on line
24. The motion passed.

Senator Salama moved to replace “who are” with “enrolled in”
on line 65. The motion failed.

Senator Li moved to replace “before” with “by the time that”
on line 55. The motion passed.

Senator Kohn moved to replace “are” with “were” on line 36.
The motion passed.

Senator Salama moved to replace “who are” with “with” on line 65. The motion passed.

Senator Kohn moved to replace “are” with “were” on line 41.
The motion passed.

The motion to approve revisions to policy #S07-14, as
amended, passed.

AGENDA ITEM #9— Recommendation from the Curriculum Review
and Approval Committee: Proposed Revisions to the MS in Biomedical Science:
Name Change from Biomedical Laboratory Science to Biomedical Science; Two New
Concentrations: Biotechnology & Stem Cell Science, First Reading

Senator Shrivastava, on behalf of the Curriculum Review and
Approval Committee, moved that the Senate approve a revision of the Master of
Science in Biomedical Laboratory Science degree program into two degree
programs, Master of Science in Biomedical Science: Concentration in
Biotechnology, and Master of Science in Biomedical Science: Concentration in
Stem Cell Science. Senator Shrivastava yielded the floor to Lily Chen,
Associate Professor, Biology, who described the revisions.

Discussion items and questions included the following:

• One
  concentration has a 33-unit minimum; the other concentration has a 30-unit
  minimum. Should we be concerned about the difference?

• Page
  1, line 22, states that the new program would apply to new students, but
  page 9, lines 19-20, states that current students would have to choose one
  of the new concentrations. Current students should be allowed to complete
  the degree program to which they were admitted.

• The
  proposed Bulletin copy states that the written English proficiency “level
  one” requirement will be satisfied by passing an essay test “at the
  beginning of the first semester’s enrollment,” but there is a movement to
  perform the level one assessment prior to a student’s admission to a
  graduate program.

• The written
  English proficiency requirements are better articulated on page 10; the
  proposed Bulletin copy will be revised.

• If
  approved, this motion would be a de-facto discontinuance of the existing
  MS Biomedical Laboratory Science degree program.

• Has
  biology discussed the inclusion of BUS 788 in this program with the
  College of Business? The College of Business applauds the inclusion of
  this course, but is concerned about the increased enrollment demand.

The speaker’s list was exhausted.

AGENDA ITEM #10— Recommendation from the Curriculum
Review and Approval Committee: Proposed Revisions to the MS in Geographic
Information Science: New Degree for Fast-track Addition to Master Plan, First
Reading

Senator Shrivastava, on behalf of Curriculum Review and Approval
Committee, moved that the Senate approve a “fast-track” proposal to add a new
Master of Science in Geographic Information Science to the master plan and to
approve the degree program. Senator Shrivastava yielded the floor to Ellen
Hines, Associate Professor, Geography and Human Environmental Studies, and
Jerry Davis, Professor, Geography and Human Environmental Studies, who
described the new degree program and student demand for the program.

Discussion items and questions included the following:

• This
  request is for approval of the master plan projection, to add the degree
  program to SF State’s offerings, and for approval of the degree program’s
  curriculum.

• There
  is great demand for this new program. President Obama has identified
  Geographic Information Science as one of the new growth careers. No other
  northern California CSU offers a similar program.

• Contrary
  to the statement on page 9, line 171, of the curriculum proposal, neither
  TPW 400 nor SCI 560 is a remedial course. Both are inappropriate for the
  stated intention of helping students who do not meet level one writing
  proficiency.

The speaker’s list was exhausted.

AGENDA ITEM #11— Recommendation from the Student Affairs
Committee: Proposed Revision to the Withdrawal Policy, #S98-196, First Reading.

Senator McCracken, on behalf of Student Affairs Committee,
moved that the Senate approve revisions to the Withdrawal policy, #S98-196.

Discussion items and questions included the following:

• Most
  of the proposed revisions are necessary to implement the requirements of
  Executive Order 1037.

• Reducing
  the drop period to two weeks will decrease the “shopping around” period at
  the beginning of each semester, and ensure the maximum use of limited
  resources.

• This
  policy change should significantly reduce the number of unfilled seats in
  classes that result from students dropping a class at the end of the
  fourth week, when it’s too late for another student to add the class.

• The
  revised Bulletin copy should help students and faculty understand the drop
  and withdrawal policy and procedures.

• What
  will be the impact of the Labor Day Holiday on Monday-only classes? (cf.
  lines 13 and 14)

• Lines
  54-56 should be revised to better articulate the restriction on an
  instructor-initiated withdrawal if the student has already withdrawn from
  the class two times.

• The
  Bulletin copy, lines 112-113, does not include the phrase “serious and
  compelling”; this omission could send the wrong message to students.

• Students
  enrolled in once-a-week and online classes often don’t know about the drop
  policy and procedure. Those courses, and other experimental courses,
  should have longer drop periods.

• What
  will be the impact on courses that have unusual schedules, e.g., courses
  that meet only once a month and have their first meeting on September 11?

• The
  two-week drop period could have an especially troubling impact on
  community service learning courses.

• Section
  C should be revised to clarify that not only must the cause for the
  withdrawal be beyond the student’s control, it must be something that
  happened after the twelfth week.

AGENDA ITEM #12— Recommendation from the Academic
Policies Committee: Proposed Academic Calendar for Summer 2010, First Reading.

Senator Dariotis, on behalf of the Academic Policies
Committee, moved that the Senate approve the Summer 2010 academic calendar.

Senator Holzman moved that the motion be moved to second
reading. The motion passed.

The motion to approve the Summer 2010 academic calendar, now
in second reading, passed.

AGENDA ITEM #13— Recommendation from the Academic
Policies Committee: Proposed Revisions to the Written English Proficiency
Policy, Graduate Writing Requirements, #S07-14, First Reading.

Senator Dariotis, on behalf of the Academic Policies
Committee, moved that the Senate approve revisions to the policy on written
English proficiency, #S07-14, specifically, revisions to the graduate writing
requirements.

Discussion items and questions included the following:

• The
  perspective in the policy has been revised from the student to the
  program. That is, the program must identify how students will satisfy
  level one and level two requirements; the program must develop rubrics for
  assessing student proficiency; and, if the program admits students who
  have not met the level one requirement, it must develop a support plan to
  help those students.

• With
  reference to students whose first language is not English: Is a writing
  and editing course designed for non-native speakers of English equivalent
  to a discipline-specific writing course? (cf. lines 94-97)

• Lines
  99-102 should be revised, as you can’t advise someone “with” something.
  The policy should explicitly state that if external resources are not
  available, the department must provide the resources necessary for the
  student to acquire the expected writing skills.

• Can
  departments use higher standards than specified in the policy?

The speaker’s list was exhausted.

AGENDA ITEM #14— Recommendation from the Executive
Committee: Proposed Revisions to the Academic Senate Bylaws—Approval of the
Minutes of the Last Meeting of the Outgoing Senate and the First Minutes of the
New Senate, First Reading.

Senator Trautman, on behalf of the Executive Committee,
moved that the Senate approve revisions to the Academic Senate Bylaws,
specifically to authorize the Executive Committee to approve minutes when
Robert’s Rules of Order specify that it is inappropriate for the full Senate to
do so, and to establish the Executive Committee as the Summer Committee.

Senator Holzman moved that the motion be moved to second
reading. The motion passed.

Senate Rehling moved to replace “emergency” with “as needed”
on line 45. The motion failed.

The motion to revise the Bylaws, now in second reading,
passed.

AGENDA ITEM #15— Recommendation from the Executive
Committee: Proposed Academic Senate Meeting Calendar AY 2009-2010, First
Reading.

Senator Levy, on behalf of the Executive Committee, moved
that the Senate approve the proposed Academic Senate meeting calendar for
academic year 2009-2010.

Senator Robertson moved that the motion be moved to second
reading. The motion passed.

The motion to approve the meeting calendar, now in second
reading, passed.

AGENDA ITEM #16— Recommendation from the Executive
Committee: Proposed Resolution Commending Jan Andreasen for Distinguished
Service to the San Francisco State University and the Campus Community, First
Reading

Senator McCracken, on behalf of the Executive Committee,
moved that the Senate approve a resolution commending Jan Andreasen for
Distinguished Service to the San Francisco State University and the Campus
Community.

The resolution was approved by acclamation.

Chair Whalen declared the meeting adjourned at 4:46 p.m.