Minutes: December 3rd, 2002

of December

3rd, 2002

Chair

Robert Cherny called the Academic Senate to order at 2:10

p.m.

Senate Members Present: 

Aaron,

Eunice

Avila,

Guadalupe

Bartscher,

Patricia

Bernstein,

Marian

Bernard-Powers,

Jane

Blando,

John

Blomberg, Judith

Chen, Yu-Charn

Cherny,

Robert

Consoli, Andres

Corrigan,

Robert A.

Daniels,

Robert

Edwards,

James

Fielden,

Ned

Fung,

Robert

Garcia,

Oswaldo

Garcia,

Velia

Gerson, Deborah

Gill, Sam

Gonzalez, Dan

Gregory,

Jan

Houlberg,

Rick

Jerris,

Scott

Johnson-Brennan,

Karen

Kassiola, Joel

Klironomos, Martha

Luft, Sandra

McKeon, Midori

Meredith,

David

Morishita,

Leroy

Nichols,

Amy

Noble,

Nancy

Otero,

Aina J.

Pong,

Wenshen

Raggio,

Marcia

Short,

Larry

Smith,

Brett

Smith,

Miriam

Steier,

Saul

Stowers,

Genie

Strong,

Rob

Terrell,

Dawn

Turitz, Mitch

Warren,

Penelope

Whalen,

Maureen

Williams,

Robert

Wolfe,

Bruce

Yang,

Nini

Senate Members Absent:   Newt-Scott, Ronda (abs),  Carrington, Christopher (abs), Collier, James

(exc), Colvin, Caran (exc),c)

Guests:  Sheldon Axler, Dan

Buttlaire, William Christmas, Suzanne Demetrenko,   Elise

Earthman, Ann Hallum, Sung Hu, Alan Jung,

ShyShenq Liou, James Newton, Marilyn Verhey,

Gail Whitaker

CALL TO ORDER 2:10

p.m.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Senate Chair Robert Cherny indicated that it is often difficult

to see all Senators who are seeking recognition. Cherny asked that Senators hold nameplates up high until they are

are visually noted.

Cherny thanked the SFSU Conference center

for providing each Senator a holiday treat of a poinsettia plant to take home

with them.

Senator Mitch Turitz reminded Senators that the bookstore

is holding a special appreciation for faculty and staff 4-6 this afternoon

with a 20% discount on most items.

CHAIR’S

REPORT

The senate

chair did not give a report in order for the senate to have more time for

discussion.

AGENDA ITEM #1—APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA FOR December 3, 2002

m/s/p (Houlberg, Terrell) to approve the agenda

AGENDA ITEM #2—APPROVAL

OF THE MINUTES FOR November 19, 2002

m/s/p (Houlberg, Terrell) to approve the minutes as corrected

AGENDA ITEM #3—ELECTION

OF A MEMBER AT LARGE OF THE SENATE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Rick Houlberg has had to resign from the Executive Committee due

to departmental obligations.

Senate Chair Cherny thanked Senator Houlberg for all his work

this past semester as a member of the Senates’ Executive Committee. He announced

that the senate election committee would now take nominations from the floor.

The newly elected Member at Large should be able to attend the Senate Executive

Committee meetings held every Tuesday from 12 to 2 PM.

Senator Robert Williams, Department of Counseling, was elected by acclamation

AGENDA ITEM #4-RECOMMENDATION

FROM THE ACADEMIC POLICIES COMMITTEE:  CHANGES IN THE UNIVERSITY POLICY ON WRITTEN

ENGLISH PROFICIENCY (S93-114), 2ndREADING

The Academic Policies Committee recommends the changes in the University

Policy on Written English Proficiency (S93-14). The

entire policy can by found at #s93-014

Senator Gregory indicated her support for the changes to the policy.

The changes will allow students to meet the requirement in a timely fashion.

Voting on the changes to the policy - passed unanimously.

AGENDA ITEM #5—RECOMMENDATION

FROM THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE:  UNIVERSITY

POLICY ON ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT. 2nd reading

Senate Chair Robert

Cherny introduced the resolution

with the unanimously recommendation of the Senate Executive Committee. He

indicated a couple of minor changes since the last senate meeting. The two

important changes are in the composition of the committee. First, the committee

has been reduced by two members. The new composition will include two student

representatives rather than three and three faculty representatives rather

than four. This is an attempt to make it easier for the committee to find

a convenient meeting time and to hold discussions. Secondly, the two Vice

Presidents have been replaced by two members appointed by the Vice President

of Academic Affairs.  It is anticipated

that these will usually be the Dean of Graduate Studies and the Dean of Undergraduate

Studies. Senator Williams ask for clarification on the appointment of the deans

to the committee. Senator Chair Cherny indicated that the change was at the request of the

Vice President of Academic Affairs.

Voting on the proposed policy - passed unanimously.

AGENDA ITEM #6—RECOMMENDATION

FROM THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE:  RESOLUTION

AFFIRMING THE ROLE OF FACULTY IN DEVELOPMENT AND HOUSING OF ACADEMIC PROGRAMS,

2nd reading

Senate Chair Robert

Cherny introduced the resolution

with the unanimously recommendation of the Senate Executive Committee. The

resolution supports the role of faculty in the development and housing of academic programs.

Voting on the proposed resolution - passed unanimously.

 AGENDA ITEM #7—RECOMMENDATION FROM

THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE:  RESOLUTION

SUPPORTING REDEFINITION OF THE FACULTY WORKLOAD AND CREATING A TASKFORCE TO

PLAN IMPLEMENTATION, 2nd reading

Senate Chair Robert

Cherny introduced the resolution

with the unanimously recommendation of the Senate Executive Committee. The

resolution supports redefinition of the faculty workload and creating a taskforce

to plan implementation.

Voting on the proposed resolution - passed unanimously.

AGENDA ITEM #8—RECOMMENDATION

FROM THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE:  RESOLUTION

CALLING FOR RECONSIDERATION OF THE TRUSTEES’ PROPOSED BUDGET FOR 2003-04,

2nd reading.

Senate Chair Robert

Cherny introduced the resolution

with the unanimously recommendation of the Senate Executive Committee. The

resolution calls for reconsideration of the trustees’ proposed budget for

2003-04.  The Executive Committee approved

a similar resolution on November 12 and faxed it to the Trustees, then

meeting in Long Beach that same day; a copy can be found at: budget0203

Voting on the proposed resolution - passed unanimously.

AGENDA ITEM #9—JOINT RECOMMENDATION FROM THE ACADEMIC POLICIES COMMITTEE

AND STUDENT AFFAIRS COMMITTEE:  POLICY

ON LIMITING ENROLLMENT FOR STUDENTS ON PROBATION, 1st and 2nd

reading

Midori McKeon, chair of the Academic Policies Committee, announced

that her committee and the Student Affairs Committee met jointly and recommends

the attached policy on limiting enrollment for students on probation.

m/s (McKeon, Gerson) to approve

Midori McKeon, chair of the Senate’s Academic Policies Committee

presented the following in support of approval of Agenda Item #9.

The Academic Policies Committee and the Student Affairs Committee

jointly recommend a policy on limiting the number of units taken by undergraduate

students on academic probation.

A draft of the policy was originally brought to the APC and the SAC

on March 12, 2002, by Jo Volkert, Assistant Vice President for

Enrollment Planning and Management, Registrar Suzanne Dmytrenko, and Helen

Goldsmith, Acting Associate Dean of Undergraduate Studies, on behalf of

the Registration Advisory Committee, which consists of representatives from

all eight colleges.  The Registration

Advisory Committee had been presented with the practice of the College of Business to limit Business students

on probation to registration in 13 units, a practice that started in Fall 2001.  Representatives

of the other colleges on the Registration Advisory Committee expressed interest

in extending the unit limitation to all undergraduate students on probation,

which prompted the committee’s drafting of the policy. 

Because of additional statistical data made available to the APC and

the SAC in Fall 2002, which strongly suggested the

necessity of the policy, and through careful deliberations at the joint committee

meetings this semester, the committees were able to finalize the proposed

policy.

If approved, this policy will work in conjunction with the existing

Policy on Academic Advising (Academic Senate Policy #S95-191).  The latter policy stipulates advisement for

students at “5 pivotal points,” including pivotal point #3, which is described

as follows: “if and when the student experiences academic difficulty, including

probation and possibility of disqualification.” 

Under this current policy on academic advising, students on probation

are required to meet with and receive advisement from their program advisor,

department chair, and college dean on specific courses to take and the total

number of units for the semester.  Statistical

data show, however, many students on probation do not honor the advisement

received and keep taking more units than approved by their advisors and thus

tend to remain on probation.

The new policy will help students in two ways: (1) Students who are

struggling academically are not tempted to take heavier course loads than

they can handle; (2) Other students who are not in academic difficulty have

better access to higher demand courses.

The

registration system can be coded to limit students on probation from registering

in more than a specified number of units.  Adopting this policy will provide colleges with

a way to enforce unit limits that advisors may have been only able to recommend

in the past. If students have legitimate reasons and needs for taking more

than 13 units, they can do so with the approval of the department chair and

the college dean.  Associated Students,

Inc. has passed a resolution on November 6, 2002, in support of the policy.

Registrar Suzanne Dmytrenko was available for answering questions from the floor.

Senator Gerson, chair of the Student Affairs Committee, indicated

that after extensive committee discussion and with lots of student input the

committee consensus is that the new policy will be a service to our students.

Senator Williams noted that the policy

states 13 and asked if that means enrollment limit is 13 units per semester?

Secondly, will the new policy apply to new students or all students? Senator McKeon indicated that the

proposed policy limits the enrollment to 13 units per semester and that it

would affect both new and current students. Senate Chair Cherny accepted the friendly amendment

of Senator Williams to insert the words “semester units” after 13. Senator Wolfe pointed out that

advising varies and that just requiring mandatory advising may not improve

student’s performance. His concern is that for students who seek advising

does that mean advising from their department? Senator McKeon asserted that the role of curricular advising rest

with the departments. Senate Chair Cherny reminded senators that we are discussing the policy

before the Senate and not the entire policy on university advising. Senator Houlberg indicated his support

for the policy. He strongly supported the mandatory advising requirement as

it is written in the policy. He had some reservation on the rationale for

the policy.

m/s/p (Meredith, Terrell) to second reading

Voting on the policy - passed unanimously.

AGENDA ITEM #10 - PROPOSED ACADEMIC SENATE MEETING SCHEDULE FOR SPRING 2003:

1st and 2nd readings

Senator Dawn Terrell, Member at Large of the Executive

Committee moved that the Senate approve the spring meeting schedule. She indicated

that the first committee meeting date of January 28th would depend

on the need of each committee’s agenda. 

m/s (Terrell, Colvin) to approve the spring

semester calendar

Senate Chair Robert

Cherny indicated that the

individual committee chairs would notify committee members concerning meeting

on January 28th.

m/s/p (Houlberg, Johnson Brennan) to second

reading

Senator Steier asked if the 28th was the first day of classes

for the spring semester?

Cherny indicated that the semester will start on the 27th

AGENDA ITEM #11--

ADJOURNMENT 

m/s/p (Colvin, Terrell) to adjourn

Senate adjourned at   2:41   P.M.

Respectfully Submitted

James Edwards,

Secretary to the Faculty

Meeting Date (Archive)