Minute - m12-02-08

ACADEMIC SENATE MEETING

MINUTES

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2008

SEVEN HILLS CONFERENCE CENTER, NOB
HILL ROOM

2:00 - 5:00 p.m.

CALL TO ORDER: 2:12 p.m.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

The Post-Promotion Increase Appeals Committee nomination
period has closed. There were five nominations and there are five positions, so
an election is not necessary. The committee members are Nathan Avani, Secondary
Education; Lorraine Dong, Asian American Studies; Shirley Girouard, Nursing; MA
Jaimes Guerrero, Women Studies; and Louise Rehling, Technical and Professional
Writing.

The early-registration deadline for the SF State Faculty and
Staff Retreat is Friday, December 5, 2008.

Completed nominations for the SF State Distinguished Faculty
Awards must be submitted to the Faculty Honors and Awards Committee, Office of
the Academic Senate, ADM 551, by Friday, December 5, 2008.

A town-hall meeting to discuss the SF State budget
reductions will be held from 3 to 5 p. m. on December 9 in the Nob
Hill Room of the Seven Hills Conference Center, immediately following the
Academic Senate meeting.

AGENDA ITEM #1—Approval of the Agenda for December 2,
2008

The agenda was approved by acclamation.

AGENDA ITEM #2—Approval of the Minutes for the November
4, 2008

The minutes as amended were approved by acclamation.

AGENDA ITEM #3— Recommendation from the Faculty Affairs
Committee: Proposed Revisions to the Retention, Tenure, & Promotion Policy,
Section 1.1: Committee Membership, Second Reading

Senator Levy, on behalf of the Faculty Affairs Committee,
moved that the Senate approve revisions to section 1.1, Committee Membership,
of the Retention, Tenure, and Promotion Policy, S07-241.

The motion passed.

AGENDA ITEM #4— Recommendation from the Curriculum Review
and Approval Committee: Proposed Revisions to the BA Program in Psychology,
Second Reading

Senator Holzman, on behalf of Curriculum Review and Approval
Committee, moved that the Senate approve revisions to the BA Program in
Psychology. Senator Holzman yielded the floor to Sacha Bunge, Professor and
Chair of Psychology, who described the revisions.

The motion passed.

AGENDA ITEM #5— Recommendation from the Executive
Committee: Proposed Resolution in Support of Professor Darlene Yee-Melichar as
SF State’s Nominee for Faculty Trustee, First Reading

Senator Boyle, on behalf of the Executive Committee, moved
that the Senate adopt a resolution in support of Professor Darlene Yee-Melichar
as SF State’s Nominee for Faculty Trustee.

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

The main motion, now in second reading, passed.

AGENDA ITEM #6— Recommendation from the Academic Policies
Committee: Proposed Amendment to the Faculty Constitution, Staff Membership
Increase on the Academic Senate, First Reading

Senator Dariotis, on behalf of the Academic Policies Committee,
moved that the Senate approve an amendment to the Faculty Constitution, to
increase staff membership on the Academic Senate.

Discussion items included the following:

• An
  increase in the number of staff serving on the Academic Senate would
  enhance the staff’s ability to participate in shared governance.

• Communication
  among the Senate chair, staff nominees, and their supervisors about Senate
  membership responsibilities and time commitments would facilitate staff
  participation.

• Increasing
  staff membership to three was recommended because there are currently
  three student members, and because each college currently has at least
  three members.

AGENDA ITEM #7— Recommendation from the Curriculum Review
and Approval Committee: Proposed New Digital Animation Certificate, First
Reading

Senator Holzman, on behalf of Curriculum Review and Approval
Committee, moved that the Senate approve a proposal to establish a new Digital
Animation Certificate to be offered by the College of Extended Learning (CEL).
Senator Holzman yielded the floor to Shelley Blockhus, Technology Director, CEL
Academic Programs, who described the certificate program.

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

The main motion, now in second reading, passed.

AGENDA ITEM #8— Recommendation from the Curriculum Review
and Approval Committee: Proposed Revisions to the Child & Adolescent
Developmental Dual Language Program, First Reading

Senator Holzman, on behalf of Curriculum Review and Approval
Committee, moved that the Senate approve a College of Extended Learning Special
Sessions BA Degree in Child and Adolescent Development (CAD) as one-time
request for a single cohort of 34 students who matriculated to SFSU as CAD
majors in Fall 2007.

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

Senator Avani called the question. The motion passed.

The main motion, now in second reading, passed.

AGENDA ITEM #9— Recommendation from the Academic Policies
Committee: Proposed Policy on Concentrations and Emphases, First Reading

Senator Dariotis, on behalf of the Academic Policies
Committee, moved that the Senate approve a new policy, Concentrations and
Emphases within Degree Programs.

Discussion items included the following:

• One
  goal of the policy is to provide clarity for students.

• The
  policy will ensure that degree program descriptions use consistent
  language that conforms to CSU standards.

• Concentrations
  are essentially unique degrees. They are included on student transcripts
  and have separate HEGIS codes.
  Concentration proposals must be reviewed by CRAC and approved by
  the Academic Senate.

• The
  terms “emphasis,” “focus,” “track,” “option,” “content area,” etc., are
  useful for planning and advising, but have no specific academic
  definition, and will not appear on student transcripts.

• The
  “common core” may be a suite of courses from which each student selects a
  set; it is not necessarily one set of required courses.

• It
  might not be necessary that all required courses in a concentration be
  offered at least once each academic year.

• If
  adopted, the policy could require revision of existing MA programs. The
  Graduate Council should be invited to review the policy.

• Treating
  concentrations “in all ways like a separate major” could affect evaluation
  of program viability.

• Limiting
  degree programs to the term “emphasis” to describe recommended sets of
  elective courses could be unnecessarily restrictive.

Senator Chelberg moved that the meeting be adjourned. The
motion passed.

Chair Whalen declared the meeting adjourned at 3:48 p. m.