February 14th, 2023

ACADEMIC SENATE MEETING

MINUTES

Tuesday 14 February 2023

 

OPEN FLOOR PERIOD:  2:00 - 2:05 PM

The Open Floor Period provides an informal opportunity for campus community members to raise questions or make comments directed to Senate officers or to university administrators.  Please arrive promptly at 2:00 PM.

CALL TO ORDER: 2:05 PM

1. Approval of the Agenda for 14 February 2023: Approved
2. Approval of the Minutes for 31 January 2023: Approved
3. Announcements from the Floor
4. Reports
   1. Chair’s Report
   2. Provost’s Report:  Continue to build a fall schedule that meets student needs, Assoc Deans and Chairs working hard.  Faculty searches going well.  Searches still on for LCA and COES Deans.  25 applications so far for interim HSS Dean.   Budget meetings will happen exclusively over zoom as went well in the past.  Once a month, has lunch with a handful of students, arranged by Dean of Students Moore.  One of the students worked with a team to re-enroll 200 students!  Not enough information about all the services available here on campus.  Difficult financially to live here.  Financial aid is available that is not used.  Reddit page is used a lot by students.  Would like ideas from faculty about how to get the word out there to students. 
   3. Standing Committees
      1. Academic Policies Committee: Senator Takagi: online distance education for second reading today. 
      2. Curriculum Review and Approval Committee: Senator Harvey: 3 items related to distance education.  See New Business agenda items.
      3. Faculty Affairs Committee: Senator Rubin: working on template for departmental bylaws, nothing today.
      4. Strategic Issues Committee: Senator Trousdale: nothing today, working on policies on review and search committee composition for administrators.
      5. Student Affairs Committee: Senator Olsher:  nothing today: working on graduation policy, grading policy, renewal of 2020 resulution re diverse counseling faculty and a resolution for land acknowledgement for the university.

INFORMATIONAL ITEM

An informational item is a statement announcing the completion of a process, carried out in accordance with Senate policy, and requiring formal notification of the Senate at its conclusion.

There are no informational items today.

CONSENT ITEM

A consent item is one deemed by the Chair to be non-controversial, requiring no debate. Any Senator may call the item to the floor, in which case it is considered as new business in first reading. If no Senator calls it to the floor, it is considered approved. It may be read into the record.

5. Recommendation from the Executive Committee: Resolution in Honor and Memory of Professor Margaret Leahy, a consent item to be read into the record by Sen. Robert Keith Collins.
   • Read into the record

 

CONTINUING (OLD) BUSINESS

Continuing (Old) Business involves items returning to the Senate, usually in Second Reading. Items in Second Reading belong to the Senate as a whole rather than to an individual or committee. Comments should be confined to those for or against, or proposing specific amendments. Amendments and the final document are passed or not passed by majority vote.

 

6. Recommendation from the Academic Policies Committee: Online and Distance Education Policy, in second reading.

Senator Takagi moved to the floor and spoke to this: clarified and revised wording as suggested.  Contact hours and artificial intelligence issues need to be addressed by other committees.  Senator Stein: applaud the committee’s work.  2 amendments:  line 198, not striking out “tenure/tenure-track faculty are integral to any academic program” and retain prior language.  Seconded by Senator Gerber. Senator Gerber: really needs to be in here to support tenure density and hiring.   Amendment passes. 

Amendment 2:   New line on 199: Online education programs will not be approved without a university commitment to staffing the program to meet a 60% tenure density target. Seconded by Senator Harvey.  Senator Sueyoshi: there are a number of depts and colleges who do not have this density currently.  Senator Platas: distance education or fully online programs?  Senator Stein: defer to definitions earlier in the policy.  This language is for approval of future programs.  Perhaps this is not the time to expanding a program when we don’t have the faculty.  Senator Grutzik: Concerned about this, would hold programs back, is premature.  Would that rule current proposals out, this is about options to offer our students.  Senator Albiniak:  is this for distance or online programs?  Senator Stein: online programs.  Senator Hellman:  in favor, this is the spirit and to set the standard to support faculty tenure.  Tenure is academic freedom.  Senator Pasion: what is the current tenure density in programs and why 60%?  Senator Harvey: questioning the wording of the amendment.  Senator Yee-Melichar:  given the comments in the room and chat I would speak against this, especially considering the current budget shortfall.  Where does the 60% come from?  Why not speak to tenure density in other teaching/learning modes.  Senator Plata:  targeting one program/policy is problematic, though the intention is good.  Policies from the senate should be more generally applicable and refer to an overall policy on tenure density.  Senator Stein:  re why not all programs?  Something distinctive about online programs, there is a way in which the human dimensions work online vs in person, has a relationship to the stability/academic freedom of the faculty.  Will propose the same for other programs.  60% is the midpoint for our current tenure density and the state target.  Achievable and a higher rate that we currently have. Senator Yee-Melichar proposes to close debate.  Poll:  Yes 16  No  23 Abstensions 7  the amendment failed.

 

Additional comments on the policy itself: Senator Trogu: reinstate definition of distance education, lines 133-137. No second, amendment fails.

 

Senator Grutzik: this definition is better spelled out elsewhere

Senator Takagi:  started as an online education policy, distance education is the umbrella term that is more inclusive. 

Senator Platas: lines 79-83 has a definition of distance education.  Also the committee was talking about aligning the definition with federal definition.

Senator Goldman:  put this to a vote: Yes 31  No  3  Abstain 8.  The item passes. 

Senator Stein: online people anonymous, in person people not anonymous.

 

7. Recommendation from Executive Committee: Changes in bylaws to rename Curriculum Review and Approval Committee to Campus Curriculum Committee, and to increase membership in the Student Affairs Committee to include Dean of Division of Undergraduate Education and Academic Planning or designee (ex officio). A change in bylaws requires a 2/3 vote of members present; a quorum is required (50% plus one voting Senators must be present), returning in first reading.

 

Senators Harvey and Olsher spoke to these recommendations.  Senator Grutzik moved to move this second reading.  Senator Hines seconded.  Senator Harvey spoke in favor. 

Yes 37 No 2 Abstain 3 Second reading passes.

         Chair Goldman called for the vote:   Yes 35 No 1 Abstain 6  We have 2/3 majority and    new bylaws.

 

 

NEW BUSINESS

New Business items are brought by a Committee or individual to the Senate in First Reading, during which open discussion and debate may occur. We ordinarily limit each speaker to three minutes. Senators may yield their time to non-Senators if needed. The item is then returned to the Committee for further revision, to be brought back as Old Business in Second Reading.

8. Recommendation from the Campus Curriculum Committee: Certificate in Paralegal Studies (Distance Education Authorization), in first reading. Senator Harvey brought forward.  Senator Stein:  the program is spread around various programs in the University.  Senator Harvey: College of Professional & Global Education proposed this, is based on the request of the professionals in the community, and is distinct from stateside offerings. Senator Collins:  how was this focused on work/life balance for the students?  Is the program able to make this program more feasible and successful for students and faculty?  Senator D’Alois: faculty teaching in this program can be sourced from the community who are working full-time and remote teaching would be easier for them.  Senator Kleinrichert:  have we done research on whether this program will impact previous graduates?  Senator Harvey:  Been approved by the Bar for over 20 years, 11 instructors currently, might grow this and make it a national program.  Moved to second reading.
9. Recommendation from the Campus Curriculum Committee: BA in Anthropology (Distance Education Authorization), in first reading. Senator Harvey brought forward.  Purpose to extend the reach of the program.  Senator Collins: speaks in favor, might be nice to have a rationale on the work/life balance.  Is the dept seeing greater enrollment in distance vs in-person classes?  This is critical especially for smaller depts and could help our discussions re a culture shift.  Can this be a resource for students to return who were not able to complete their degrees?  Senator D’Alois: there is a cycle re the 75%, so hard to know how many classes would actually be online without it.  Moved to second reading.
10. Recommendation from the Campus Curriculum Committee: BA in Liberal Studies (Distance Education Authorization), in first reading.  Senator Harvey brought forward.  This is an interdisciplinary program.  Senator Hennessey: huge demand for training teachers and a teacher shortage.  Significant demand for more flexibility.  86% of students wanted at least some of their classes online.  Online classes fill faster as well.  Do often rely on classes from other departments. Majority of core classes are offered in various modalities and are flexible.  Program and faculty have various pedagogical approaches and have adapted the curriculum to meet challenges.  Senator Harvey: Assembly Bill 130 has to do with multi-modality teaching. Senator Grutzik:  in support and important to have this flexibility.  Senator Collins: in favor, SF State is contributing to cultural competence and DEI in the state.  Senator Harvey:  these proposals are being examined one at a time and have specific viewpoints, which we will be seeing more as time goes on.

Chair Goldman:  We will be asking for feedback on changes going forward.  Please email them to me.  Thanks to the 7 Hills staff and caterers, and Mirna for running everything so smoothly.  They are giving us gifts to welcome us back.  We’ll have enough next time.  Happy Valentines Day!

Provost Sueyoshi:  both pieces of chocolate are delicious! 

PRESENTATIONS

There are no presentations scheduled today.

Adjournment: Time approximate 4:11 PM

ATTENDANCE

 

CHAT

 

14:01:23 From  T Albiniak (he/him/his)  to  Everyone:

          Just as a housekeeping note to all: if your camera is off, you will not be visible on the screen in the plenary

14:01:44 From  T Albiniak (he/him/his)  to  Everyone:

          If your camera is on, you will appear on screen

14:05:05 From  Senator Brad Erickson (he/him)  to  Everyone:

          Welcome! Please preface your name with “Senator” or “Guest.” Thank you.

14:06:30 From  T Albiniak (he/him/his)  to  Everyone:

          Just a note: if your camera is off, you will not show up on the zoom screen in the plenary; turning it on will make you visible.

14:09:06 From  Senator Gabriela Segovia-McGahan (AA/S)  to  Everyone:

          Happy Valentine's Day, All!

 

14:38:50 From  T Albiniak (he/him/his)  to  Everyone:

          I am keeping a speakers list- you can still use the raised hand function if you ‘d like to place yourself on the speaker’s list

14:41:49 From  Senator Roberta D'Alois  to  Everyone:

          yes!

14:42:04 From  Senator Darlene Yee-Melichar  to  Everyone:

          Perhaps type the amendment in chat?

14:42:04 From  T Albiniak (he/him/his)  to  Everyone:

          Remove the strike through on line 198 -

14:42:25 From  T Albiniak (he/him/his)  to  Everyone:

          Tenure/tenure track faculty are essential to the integrity of any academic program

14:42:34 From  Senator David Hellman  to  Everyone:

          Thank you

14:45:26 From  T Albiniak (he/him/his)  to  Everyone:

          Point of information - please UN-check the yes button

 

14:46:02 From  T Albiniak (he/him/his)  to  Everyone:

          Online education degree programs would not be approved without a university commitment to staffing the program to meet a 60% tenure density target

14:46:49 From  T Albiniak (he/him/his)  to  Everyone:

          199 : Online education degree programs will not be approved without a university commitment to staffing the program to meet a 60% tenure density target

14:46:58 From  T Albiniak (he/him/his)  to  Everyone:

          Under debate: still needs a second

 

14:48:47 From  T Albiniak (he/him/his)  to  Everyone:

          Speakers list:

14:48:48 From  T Albiniak (he/him/his)  to  Everyone:

          Platas

14:48:54 From  T Albiniak (he/him/his)  to  Everyone:

          Grutzik

14:48:56 From  Guest Carleen Mandolfo (she, her)  to  Everyone:

          With all due respect, the university doesn’t have control over state allotments.  And the enrollment situation is real and impacts this situation significantly.

 

14:49:38 From  T Albiniak (he/him/his)  to  Everyone:

          Hellman

14:50:57 From  Senator Lori Beth Way  to  Everyone:

          The question from Senator Plates though is whether this pertains to online or distance education program. Can we have that as a point of information?

14:51:30 From  T Albiniak (he/him/his)  to  Everyone:

          @Senator Way - will ask next

14:51:37 From  T Albiniak (he/him/his)  to  Everyone:

          Pasion

14:51:40 From  T Albiniak (he/him/his)  to  Everyone:

          Harvey

14:53:03 From  T Albiniak (he/him/his)  to  Everyone:

          Yee-Melichar

14:53:08 From  T Albiniak (he/him/his)  to  Everyone:

          Platas

14:53:21 From  Senator Lori Beth Way  to  Everyone:

          For the body - we only have fully online extended education programs. An online program means 100% delivered via fully online courses.

14:54:00 From  Senator Lori Beth Way  to  Everyone:

          In other words, we only have fully online programs in CPaGE/CEL

14:56:20 From  Senator David Hellman  to  Everyone:

          Can’t you amend an amendment?

14:56:41 From  T Albiniak (he/him/his)  to  Everyone:

          Only after it has passed

14:57:30 From  T Albiniak (he/him/his)  to  Everyone:

          Two more speakers: Platas and Sueyoshi

15:05:48 From  Senator David Hellman  to  Everyone:

          I kind of like people having to show their hands. Everyone that is. It also seems unfair to make in-person attendees show their votes vs those of us online. Just sayin’

15:06:25 From  Senator Ellen Hines  to  Everyone:

          I requested the poll as I want numbers in the minutes. thanks for your suggestion David

15:06:28 From  T Albiniak (he/him/his)  to  Everyone:

          For record - 15 yes; No 23; Abstain 7

15:07:52 From  T Albiniak (he/him/his)  to  Everyone:

          Totally yes votes = 16 for the record

15:07:58 From  Senator Anne Linton  to  Everyone:

          Yes, but it’s not the same.

15:08:19 From  Senator Gabriela Segovia-McGahan (AA/S)  to  Everyone:

          It depends on how people choose "Gallery" versus "Speaker".

15:09:05 From  Senator Lori Beth Way  to  Everyone:

          We just needed to be told that. We didn’t know.

15:13:25 From  T Albiniak (he/him/his)  to  Everyone:

          133-37 - Re-instate the lines

 

15:14:19 From  T Albiniak (he/him/his)  to  Everyone:

          • Distance education courses include hybrid with less than 50% of meetings in-person, HyFlex, asynchronous, bichronous, synchronous and face-to-face courses that are recorded so that students can view the session remotely either synchronously or asynchronously.  Courses that use lecture capture and that expect students’ participation in person are not considered distance education.

15:15:23 From  T Albiniak (he/him/his)  to  Everyone:

          No second - amendment fails

15:20:46 From  T Albiniak (he/him/his)  to  Everyone:

          31 - yes; 3 No; 8 abstain

15:23:02 From  Rick Harvey  to  Everyone:

          “Resource Components That Drive Operations at SF State”

          https://facaffairs.sfsu.edu/service-and-leadership-resources

          https://senate.sfsu.edu/committee-information

         

          https://senate.sfsu.edu/academic-program-review-committee-aprc-0

          S13-133

         

          https://senate.sfsu.edu/baccalaureate-requirements-committee-brc

          s22-155

         

          https://senate.sfsu.edu/enrollment-management-committee-emc

          S09-222

         

          https://senate.sfsu.edu/curriculum-review-approval-committee-crac

          by-laws

         

         

          There are several other 4-letter combinations that we considered, partly because the Academic Program Review Committee responsible for quality assurance commendations and quality improvement recommendations

         

          There are several other 4-letter combinations that we considered, one of which was

         

          CPRC for Curriculum & Program Review Committee. 

         

          Curriculum Review Process Committee

         

          Administrative Committee for Department Curriculum AC/DC

         

         

          We shifted conversations to CCC - Campus Curriculum Committee

          CCC - Curriculum Consultation Committee

 

16:11:49 From  Senator Roberta D'Alois  to  Everyone:

          thanks everyone!