April 5, 2022

ACADEMIC SENATE MEETING

Minutes

Tuesday, April 5, 2022

ZOOM MEETING

2:00 – 5:00 p.m.

Attendance:

 

 Absences:

 

Guests:

 

 

 

OPEN FLOOR PERIOD:  2:00 - 2:05 p.m.

CALL TO ORDER: 2:05 p.m.

1. Approval of the Agenda for April 5, 2022

Move to amend agenda adding Senate policy S22-264 regarding Online Education. Approved 41/1/4 Y/N/A.  2:07 p.m.

Move item.  Approved as amended 46/0/4 Y/N/A 2:08 p.m.

 

1. Approval of the Minutes for March 15, 2022

Approved. 2:09 p.m.

 

1. Announcements from the Floor

• Sen. Goldman: SF State is one of only three CSUs to have a Phi Beta Kappa chapter.  Need to document faculty, staff and administrators who are members of Phi Beta Kappa.  If so, then please contact Mike Goldman. Like to get members more involved with the SF State chapter.
• Email Phi Beta Kappa - pbk.sfsu.edu or, email Mike Goldman@sfsu.edu

 

1. Reports
   1. Chair Report

• Congratulations to Provost-select Amy Sueyoshi.  Thanks for the service of outgoing Provost Jennifer Summit.
• Senate elections are ongoing. 
• Soft launch of ‘PolicyStat’ software, also used by Statewide Senate.

https://sfsu.policystat.com/

• Save the date for in-person event of final Senate Tuesday May 10, 2022.
• https://sfsu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eX1t5tsOZ2pwZM2

1. President Report

• Provost search
  • Thanks to Ellen Hines for chairing and further thanks to the other members of the Provost search committee for their service.
  • Welcome Amy Sueyoshi as next Provost.
• Board of Trustees hired an independent law firm to investigate how Fresno handled their harassment policies as well as identify how they implemented best practices.  A second law firm will review systemwide harassment policies and best practice implementation.  Jolene Koester as interim to review policies and practices.  Retreat rights and letters of recommendation
• Update on strategic planning process:
  • Focus groups and workshops are finished. 
  • Mission, Values and Vision statements forthcoming. 
  • The former process included generating a long list of more than 90 items, divided into lots of sub-categories each with 15 things to do.
  • The current strategic planning process will not develop a to do list.  Instead, we will seek input and identify 4-6 priority areas.  The Mission statement is first, then Vision and Values. 
  • By the end of the semester, mid-May, the Mission, Vision and Values will be available.

 

1. Provost Report

• Congratulations to the next Provost Amy Sueyoshi. Will launch a transparent and consultative process to select a CoES interim dean.

 

• Tenure track hiring proposals are being prepared, however enrollment data are challenging. Reminder that retention is enrollment too.  Current interventions reflect a need to strengthen, stabilize and boost enrollment with a focus on student success plan, reducing DFW rates, implementing best-practice advising model, are maintaining processes that are student facing, such as a welcoming and supportive environment in classrooms and offices.  We need to create shared solutions.

 

• The work of being a teacher and caring educator is hard.  Begin every request of faculty with a hardy thank you.  Faculty participation in CEETL to learn more skills and help students is notable.

 

• Good weather is predicted for the Saturday April 9 Explore SF State: Admitted Student Day to welcome admitted students.  Comments and/or questions included:
  • How can we support students without resources? 
  • Devasting time currently for youth of college-going age.  So many struggles. 
  • Is more being invested in the first year but also, Student Life programs in terms of staffing? https://newstudentprograms.sfsu.edu/first-year-experience

 

• Six newly hired advisors have been approved to help students.  The Foundation Board approved advising center refresh.  Comments and/or questions included:
  • Are these six advisors to replace those we have lost in the UAC and college advising centers?
    • Provost Summit meant 5 new advising positions to be funded with the new on-going GI 2025 funding. These are in addition to filling the vacancies, which will take some time.
• Discussed concern about faculty and staff retention.  Need to look at succession planning.
  • If you did not attend the UBC committee meeting, then you may not have learned about the ‘challenging’ effects of enrollment drop on our campus budget.
  • https://adminfin.sfsu.edu/sites/default/files/documents/UBC%20Presentation%20March%2017%2C%202022_0.pdf

1. Standing Committees
   1. Academic Policies Committee

EPC has one item, the BRC policy in second reading. 

APC has the Online Education policy.

First reading, grad policy.

 

1. Curriculum Review and Approval Committee

Three degree title changes, CAD, Concentration to Ed Leadership.

Master’s degree in classics,

Migration Studies.

Library representation.

 

1. Faculty Affairs Committee

First reading Leave with Pay policy.

 

1. Strategic Issues Committee

Resolution to condemn failure of top-level administrators

Morale,

Public image

 

1. Student Affairs Committee

Future resolution for the Federal Government to cancel student debt.

 

OLD BUSINESS

 

1. Recommendation from the Curriculum Review and Approval Committee (CRAC): Proposed Degree Title Change: Bachelor of Arts in Child and Adolescent Development: Concentration in Community, Health and Social Services—second reading.

 

Approved, 48/1/1 Y/N/A

 

1. Recommendation from the Curriculum Review and Approval Committee (CRAC): Proposed Degree Title Change: Bachelor of Arts in Child and Adolescent Development: Concentration in Early Care and Education—second reading.

 

Approved, 53/0/0 Y/N/A

 

1. Recommendation from the Curriculum Review and Approval Committee (CRAC): Proposed Degree Title Change: Bachelor of Arts in Child and Adolescent Development: Concentration in Elementary Education Teaching Pre-Credential—second reading.

 

Approved, 51/0/2 Y/N/A

 

1. Recommendation from the Curriculum Review and Approval Committee (CRAC): Proposed Elevation: Master of Arts in Educational Administration and Leadership—second reading.

 

Approved, 48/0/1 Y/N/A

 

1. Recommendation from the Curriculum Review and Approval Committee (CRAC): Proposed Elevation: Master of Arts in Equity and Social Justice in Education—second reading.

 

Approved, 45/0/3 Y/N/A

 

1. Recommendation from Education Policies Council: Proposed Revisions F20-255: Requirements for Baccalaureate Degrees, Majors, Concentrations, Minors, and Certificates and Appendices—second reading.

 

Approved, 46/1/4 Y/N/A

 

1. Tabled item, Online Ed policy

Discussed amending the policy by replacing lines 343-348, with the following (from chat):

•        Through expertise in their field, faculty and departments are best suited for determining the content, pedagogy, and modality of individual courses offered in the degree programs. In planning for the next semester’s course schedule, deans provide their departments with the profile of course modalities needed by their college, based on University needs. This profile could be, for instance, seventy percent of all courses should be face-to-face or as detailed as General Education courses should be primarily face-to face or first-year courses should include a variety of modalities.

•        After receiving the information from the dean on the desired modality profile, each department, using the internal decision-making process that best aligns with their department standards, decides how to best meet that profile with their faculty, their training for various modalities, and course assignments as closely as possible. Decisions about the modality of individual courses should be made by departments in a collaborative process with appropriate administrators.

•        In case the Department/Department Chair and individual faculty member disagree about the modality of a given course/section, the Chair and faculty member will work with the Dean (or appropriate administrator) to resolve the disagreement, with the focus being enhancing effective student learning.

Amendment Approved, 45/0/1 Y/N/A

Policy Approved, 44/0/1 Y/N/A

 

NEW BUSINESS

1. Recommendation from Academic Policies Committee: Proposed New Policy S22-XXX Graduate Curriculum Policy—first reading.

• Discussion about how new policy supersedes old policies including S83-105, then put together with S06-238, as well as pulls material from University Bulletin that has never been paid out in policy.  Comments and/or questions included:

• Not clear where interdisciplinary work fits in the policy.
  • We used to have an interdisciplinary committee that could be revived because it has not been active over the past couple of years.
  • University Interdisciplinary Committee:
  • University Interdisciplinary Council (UIC)
• Lines 184-185 members of committee, inclusion of industry, but not non-governmental organization and government representatives is puzzling.
  • APC chair stated this was an oversight.
• Remove links on policy.  Check back in second reading.

 

1. Recommendation from Faculty Affairs: Proposed Sabbatical and Difference in Pay Leaves Policy to replace  S20-18 Revision to Leaves with Pay Policy – first reading.

 

New policy: Brings into compliance with CBA.  Comments and/or questions included:

• Need to make clear how reviewers have a standard for comparison.
• Minimize technical descriptions, so make the instructions more general.
• Good job of considering CBA as well as workload.  Be transparent about how much weight is placed on each item.
• Be a little more specific for applicants procedures.

Returned to committee. 

 

1. Recommendation from Strategic Issues Committee: Proposed Resolution to Condemn the Failure of Top-Level Administrators to Take Appropriate Action on Misconduct—first reading (time approximate: 3:30).  Comments and/or questions included:

 

• Largest interest was in bringing thoughtful processes to future actions, along with expressing outrage.
• Concern about retreat rights, which are tied up with the termination agreement.  Any withdrawal of retreat rights in the future seems fine.  Removing retreat rights retroactively may abrogate legal hiring agreements. 
• Make point to legislature that there is great concern across the CSU system, both in terms of fiscal as well as ethical responsibility. 

 

Approved first reading, 38/2/6 Y/N/A

Moved to second reading:

Approved, 38/1/8 Y/N/A

 

1. Recommendation from Curriculum Review and Approval (CRAC): Proposed Revisions to the Doctor of Physical Therapy—first reading.  Comments and/or questions included: Reminder this is a joint program with UCSF.

 

1. Recommendation from Curriculum Review and Approval (CRAC): Proposed Revisions to the Bachelor of Arts in Music—first reading.  No comments and/or questions.

 

PRESENTATIONS

1.  Mary Beth Love, Professor and Executive Director, and Savi Malik, Director of Curriculum and Faculty Development, “Metro College Success Program” (time approximate: 2:30-2:45).  Presentation on Senate iLearn site.  Summary points:

• Two-year cohorts most likely to get to graduation.  Scaffolded curriculum.  Skill building to make up for skill debt.
• Contract grading introduced as best practices.
• Cost of about $400 per student per year.  The cost to train a nurse or a sociologist is higher than that.
• Last year is the first time we turned students away.
• Research has found that the largest impact is in pedagogy. Faculty who utilize inclusive pedagogy and practices (as Metro faculty do) make an amazing difference in so many ways.

1. Alvin Alvarez, Dean of the College of Health and Social Sciences, and Reggie Parson, Assistant Vice President and Chief of Policy, “Public Safety Advisory Committee” (time approximate: 2:45-3:00pm) Presentation on Senate iLearn site.  Summary points:

 

• Communities who have been historically, painfully and continually targeted have many needs.  The Public Safety Advisory Committee (PSAC) has been in existence for years, however not fully recognized full potential, so PSAC now has improved representation and, has implemented best practices in relationship building.
  • Whereas students are equally represented, they are not equitably represented, so expanded to 4 student reps. 
  • Outreach identifies where there is minimal experience of campus safety operations using teams of two who can facilitate conversations. 
  • Listening circles create long-term, not one-time relationships.
  • Clery reports continue and can be found here Clery Information.

1. Adjournment no later than 5:00pm

 

POST-PLENARY FLOOR PERIOD: until 5:00pm (if time allows)

The Post-Plenary Floor Period provides an informal opportunity for senators and guests to meet, exchange information, or follow up on items or questions emerging from the meeting.