Minutes of the Academic
Senate Meeting
of October 23, 2001
Chair Vaughn called the Academic
Senate to order at 2:10 p.m.
Senate Members Present:
Alvarez, Alvin Avila, Guadalupe Bartscher, Patricia Blomberg, Judith Boyle, Andrea Collier, James Colvin, Caran Concolino, Christopher Consoli, Andres Daniels, Robert Duke, Jerry Edwards, James |
Fung, Robert Garcia, Oswaldo Garcia, Velia Gillotte, Helen Gerson, Deborah Gregory, Jan Harnly, Caroline Henry, Margaret Hom, Marlon Houlberg, Rick Hubler, Barbara Jerris, Scott |
Kassiola, Joel Langbort, Carol Levine, Josh Luft, Sandra McKeon, Midori Moallem, Minoo Oñate, Abdiel Raggio, Marcia Sayeed, Lutfus Scoble, Don Shrivastava, Vinay Smith, Miriam |
Steier, Saul Su, Yuli Terrell, Dawn Vaughn, Pamela Warren, Mary Anne Warren, Penelope Yip, Yewmun Bishop, Anna Newt-Scott, Ronda Wolf, Bruce |
Senate Members Absent: President Corrigan (exc.), Rob Strong (exc.); Thomas LaBelle (exc.); Karima Adisa-Thomas (abs); Marv Friedman (abs); Eunice Aaron (exc.); Bob Cherny (exc.); Vijay Ganji (abs.); Susan Higgins (abs.) Amy Nichols (exc.); Mitch Turitz (exc.) |
Guests: Gail Whitaker, William Sievert, Kara Hearn, Shelly Smith, Nicole Sumner, Jesse Drew, Lise Swensen, Lisa Jordan, Jason Velo, Aimée Z. Barnes, Horace Montgomery, Susan Connell, Michael Gregory, Jesse Drew, Nancy McDermid, Ken Monteiro, Arlene Campbell, Dominic Yu, Liza Mulvenne, Laura Brun, Praat P. Chatterjee |
Announcements and Reports
·
Chair’s Report
Emotions are running high at
this time, due in no small part to September 11, but also due to budget concerns
and the impasse in bargaining - again. The Senate and the CFA have different
roles to play in the lives of CSU Faculty, but we share our concern for faculty
welfare and for the preservation of faculty rights, faculty hiring and review,
appointment and review of academic administrators, business and fiscal matters,
campus development, academic and professional standards, and the mission and
goals of the University. Efforts to strengthen faculty rights ought to be
commended, and so I would like to compliment the SFSU, CFA, and its president,
Mitch Turitz, for the excellent TeachCSU on October 16 - well done!
In addition, I would like to
commend the fine letter of Professor Henry Reichman, Chair of the History
Department at CSU Hayward, and of our own Professor Jonathan Middlebrook,
English Department (published in Saturday’s SF Chronicle). Each takes to task
the CSU’s publicist Colleen Bentley-Adler for her “lies, damn lies, and statistics”
to quote Reichman, quoting Mark Twain. Professor Middlebrook’s comment about
bloat in the CSU central administration is worth reading for you- “every dollar
disproportionately allocated toward administrative bloat means students and
taxpayers are being cheated out of the teaching they assume they’ve paid for.
The 30 percent increase in administrative employment did not teach a single
student. Administrative bloat, by the way, hires directors of Public Affairs,
like Bentley-Adler, who then mislead the public on the important matter of
who gets paid what. Faculty and staff have no such hired guns. We write our
own letters, on our own time.”
So, well done, CFA, and well
done, Professors Reichman and Middlebrook. We all need to make our voices
heard, each in her or his-own way.
Agenda Item #1 - Approval of the Agenda
for October 23, 2001
The agenda was accepted with
the change M/S/P (Colvin, Gregory) to limit debate under agenda item
#8 to two minutes each
Agenda Item
#2 - Approval of Minutes for October 9, 2001
The minutes for October 9, 2001
will be presented at the next Senate meeting November 6, 2001.
Agenda Item # 3 - Resolution Honoring Judith Ott
Chair Vaughn asked that the Senate
approve a resolution in Honor of Judith Anne Ott.
WHEREAS, Judith Anne Ott
has served San Francisco State University loyally and unstintingly since 1964;
and Whereas, during that time she has seen this campus grow from San Francisco
State College (15,600 students) to San Francisco State University (27,700
students), an increase of 78 percent; and WHEREAS, during that time she has
also seen the Bulletin grow from three slim volumes to its current
impressive and shelf-bending size, to its cyber-version, and beyond; and WHEREAS,
she retains in her incomparable memory everything about every major or minor
program ever offered at this University, including all prerequisites for now-defunct
programs; and
WHEREAS, she demonstrates extraordinary
efficiency in all she undertakes; and WHEREAS, the Curriculum Review and Approval
Committee of the Academic Senate would have long since lost its bearings without
her unerring sense of direction and purpose; and WHEREAS, she has decided
to retire from San Francisco State University after thirty-seven years of
distinguished service; and WHEREAS, her retirement will leave a void on this
campus which cannot easily be filled; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that
Judith Anne Ott receive, on behalf of generations of faculty, the thanks of
the entire Academic Senate and of all who have served, are serving, and will
serve in the Senate and on its Curriculum Review and Approval Committee; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that Judith Anne Ott be enrolled among the legendary
figures of San Francisco State University and be memorialized in its tales
of remarkable feats; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Academic Senate
urge the Office of Academic Affairs to retire her nameplate and have it enshrined
in a place of honor in Academic Affairs; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that
Judith Anne Ott be made an honorary member of the Academic Senate in perpetuum
and be awarded the title domina curriculorum emerita.
The resolution was adopted by acclamation.
Agenda Item #4 - Proposed Changes to Existing Segment II
Policy
These policy changes are the
product of deliberations among faculty on the Segment II Area Committees and
the GE Council over the past year. Minor changes have been made in response
to APC concerns. The revision and renewal of Segment II will begin this year.
Chair Marlon Hom
reported that both the Senate Executive Committee and the Academic Policy
Committee have reviewed the recommendations by the General Education Council
for minor changes to GE Segment II. The three minor changes are: (1) the addition
of a fifth category -Category E: Language other than English; (2) minor language
changes in the summary section of the policy; and (3) a revision of the guidelines
for submission courses upon review by college deans.
M/S/P (Duke, Wolf) moved to
second reading
Bruce Wolf asked if this is an addition to Segment
II requirement or just another category for students to choose from? Jerry
Combs responded that it adds another option but it does not change the
number of units required.
M/S/P (Duke, Houlberg) to close
debate
Voting on the item passed unanimously.
Agenda Item #5 - Proposed Revisions to the Bachelor of Arts
Degree in Journalism
The Department of Journalism
seeks to formalize as a sequence a group of existing courses many majors have
already taken in preparation for careers in Online News. The Department further
seeks to add a requirement that all majors take at least one course in visual
journalism. These changes respond to a profession in transition, with the
aim of keeping graduates competitive. The proposed revisions also include
the reduction in the number of units required for graduation to 120, in keeping
with recent CSU adjustments. There is no change to the Journalism minor.
The Department of Journalism foresees no likely shifts in FTE or resources
in consequence of the proposed changes.
Andrea Boyle (speaking for Amy Nichols, chair of CRAC)
reported that the Department of Journalism is seeking to formalize a sequence
of courses that prepares students for online journalism news. The proposed
revision also includes a reduction in the number of units required to 120
for the degree. No new resources are necessary. Gail Whitacker reminded
the Senate that a formalized sequence of courses is not the equivalent of
a program. A sequence of courses is used for advising.
M/S/P (Houlberg, Gillotte)
to second reading
Rick Houlberg advised
that the department of Broadcast, Electronic and Communication Arts had worked
with the department of Journalism and were in full support of their request.
M/S/P (Terrell, Steier) to
close debate
Voting on the item, passed unanimously.
Agenda Item #6 - Proposed Revisions to the Minor in Ethical
Issues in Science and Technology
Andrea Boyle reported that during the 1998-99 academic
year; the NEXA Program began an evaluation of the minor, which it offers jointly
with the Department of Philosophy. Student interest and inquiries to NEXA
and to faculty have increased. In addition to documenting the continuing
availability of listed courses, the intentions were to investigate and perhaps
add new courses, especially those covering the recent discoveries and research
in science and technology. NEXA 440, “Ethical Issues in Science and Technology,”
has been taught since spring 1999; it is particularly appropriate as an addition
to the core. The proposed changes to the program requirements are necessary
for updating, continued relevance and category coherence.
In summary, changes are in four
categories: course deletion, course title modification, course addition, and
category modification.
M/S/P (Gregory, Houlberg) move to second reading.
M/S/P (Steier, Gregory) to
close debate
Voting on the item, passed
unanimously
Agenda Item #7 - Proposed Calendar for Summer 2002
Marlin Hom, Chair of the Academic Policy Committee,
recommended to the Senate changes to the Summer Session Calendar recommended
by the Summer Semester Review and Assessment Committee. The proposed change
will create two five-week sessions and one ten-week session. The written proposal
with rationale was provided to all senators. Rick Houlberg asked how
was the short five-week session derived and were any faculty polled. Hom
and Gail Whitaker, Vice President Academic Affair, responded that the
five and ten-week came from the Senate’s Summer Session Committee and from
a polling of department chairs and deans. Pamela Vaughn added that
the Academic Senate sent out a survey to all units on campus including faculty
to assess satisfaction with the new summers session. The department chairs
were asked to poll their faculty and to pass that information on to the Summer
Semester Review and Assessment Committee. Jan Gregory indicated that
students taking composition and writing courses during the summer might find
it very difficulty to learn new skills and to integrate them and bring about
a genuine change in writing ability. Hom reminded the Senate that the
new summer session includes an eight-week session that could be used for writing
composition classes. Vaughn reminded senators that the proposed calendar
is for Summer 2002 only.
M/S/P (Terrell, Shrivastava)
to second reading
M/S/P (Duke, Shrivastava) to
close debate
Voting on the item, passed
unanimously
Agenda Item
#8 - Proposed Discontinuance o the Master of Arts Degree in Creative Arts:
Concentration in Interdisciplinary Arts and Concentration in Creativity and
Arts Education
The Academic Senate first
reviewed this item in Spring 2001 during the May 8, 2001 and May 15, 2001
meetings. The proposal returns in first reading, for further consideration.
The College of Creative Arts submits for consideration a formal recommendation
for discontinuance of the academic programs of the InterArts Center (IAC),
through a phase-out process over two years. The primary reason for discontinuance
is to consolidate programs in the College and to save money. The IAC academic
programs to be discontinued are the two graduate programs, and some of the
undergraduate courses.
Chair Vaughn reminded everybody that since so many want
to speak on this issue that the senate has approved to limit each speaker
to 2 minutes.
William Sievent,
speaking against the discontinuance of the IAC programs, focused his concern
on procedural problems in the recommendation and the value of these programs.
IAC mission has always been about criticizing what is going on in society.
The loss of these programs will diminish the opportunities for students and
especially working class people to experience the activeness nature of the
program. Kara Hearn, IAC Student speaking against the discontinuance
of the IAC programs, argued that the closing of the program to new admission
this fall has dramatically reduced student enrollment and limited the offering
of IAC classes. In her own case one of her IAC classes was change to an independent
study class due to the fact that she was the only student. Shelly Smith,
IAC student speaking against the discontinuance of the IAC programs, noted
that the IAC program has graduated 20 masters student a year. The students
are making an invaluable contribution to the arts community for very little
academic cost to the university. Nicole Sumner, IAC Alumni speaking
against the discontinuance of the IAC programs. As a former teacher in the
public school found IAC programs invaluable in integrating community theory
and practice. Like to see the university working together, working to support
common programs. Bruce Wolf, speaking against the discontinuance of
the IAC programs raised the concerned that a full discussion, that included
student, did not take place. There have been many questions about procedures
not being followed. Questions the procedure of tacking resources from one
program (IAC) to feed another. The loss of IAC will diminish the cope of our
academic programs and reduce the image of SFSU. Anna Bishop, speaking
against the discontinuance of the IAC programs, noted that the Associated
Students strongly supports the programs remaining.
M/S/P (Duke, Houlberg) move to second reading.
Rene Garcia, IAC student speaking against the discontinuance
of the IAC programs. IAC is a low cost high-level education. IAC develops
skills for the art community that allows the students to go out into the world
to make a difference. Jesse Drew, IAC Faculty and Associate Dean of
the SF Art Institute and speaking against the discontinuance of the IAC programs.
IAC programs are profoundly important for the art community. He is extremely
grateful to IAC and SFSU for his academic and teaching skills. He is strongly
against the discontinuance of IAC programs. Chris Novak, IAC Alumni,
speaking against the discontinuance of IAC programs, completed his undergraduate
work at the Art Institute and found the graduate program of IAC invaluable.
Bruce Wolf, speaking against the discontinuance of IAC programs, asserted
that we must be careful how we mediate our programs. Keith Morrison,
Dean Creative Art, speaking in favor of the discontinuance of the IAC programs,
noted that before coming to SF state he was the dean of the SF Art Institute.
Came to SFSU because it is a better place, appreciate that IAC was here and
tried to keep it. However, IAC enrolls about 20 new students while other departments
in the college have much greater demand. The College offers many interdisciplinary
arts courses and 40% of the IAC curriculum will be maintained. We have an
interarts certificate program. Mary Ann Warren, Ask for a clear picture
on what will happen if we vote against the discontinuance of the IAC programs.
Keith Morrison stated that if the Senate votes against the discontinuance
then the recommendation would have to go to the Provost since there is no
money in the College to support IAC. Money would have come from some place
else. Dore Bowen, speaking against the IAC program discontinuance.
Believes that IAC has been mismanaged and to say that there is no money is
not accurate. Ronda Newt-Scott, Associate Students President, speaking
against the discontinuance of IAC programs, reminded the senators that students
and faculty must work together and the programs in IAC are something that
the students want to keep. He warned faculty not to forget that you might
need help from the student body during this time of contract negotiation.
Dawn Terrell indicated that the argument being made are very impressive,
however, how can plans be realistic to continue a programs given the lack
of funds. The reality is funds are not available to continue the program.
One important questions is how do the important teaching IAC has offered continue?
Marcia Raggio, pointed out that the document provided indicate that
Dean Morrison assures the Senate that the nature of the IAC teaching can be
pursued in the Art department. Lisa Swenson, IAC Faculty, speaking
against the IAC program discontinuance. Asked the Senate to vote against the
discontinuance and in good faith we will go back to our community to find
the resources needed to maintain IAC’s programs. Nicole Sumner, IAC
Alumni speaking against the discontinuance of the IAC programs. Stated that
in the past IAC was fully funded. Over the years funds have been cut and lecturer
faculty have replaced permanent faculty. The programs were eroded from the
inside by mismanagement. Jan Gregory, asked if it is true that the
recommendation from the Senate will go to the Provost? Chair Vaughn
responded by reading from senate policy that did not address the action that
would take place after a vote by the Senate. Marlon Hom, in clarification
outlined that the discontinuance of IAC’s programs were approved by EPC, (consisting
of APC and CRAC), and the Graduate Council. At each level of the review guests
were invited to speak to both sides of the issue. IAC programs as presently
constituted without tenure track faculty does not meet the requirement of
the California Education Code in that graduate education must be in the hands
of the tenured and tenure track faculty. Chris Novak, IAC Alumni speaking
against the discontinuance of the IAC programs pointed to the disregard for
procedure by the individuals who put the discontinuance request together.
That closing enrollment to IAC this prior to action by the Senate is a violation
of proper procedure. Requested that the Senate to give us a chance to put
the programs back together, to overcome the mismanagement and to find the
funding. Chair Vaughn pointed out that the university often suspends
enrollments when department or programs are in crises and that is has been
a practice for a number of years. Kara Hearn, IAC Student speaking
against the discontinuance of the IAC programs pointed out the money was found
to paint the art building doors and plan a new color scheme for the building
so why can’t it be found for IAC programs?
M/S/P (Bartscher, Terrell)
to close debate
Bruce Wolf requested an answer to Gregory question concerning what
happens if senate rejects the discontinuance of the IAC masters programs.
Bartscher indicated that a vote on discontinuance is similar to the
creation of a program. The Senate vote will go to Provost/Vice President for
Academic Affairs and the President.
Voting, 29 to 21 in favor of
discontinuance
Adjourn at 3:49 PM
Respectfully submitted,
Jim Edwards
Secretary to the Faculty