December 5th, 2017

OPEN FLOOR PERIOD:  2:00 - 2:10 p.m.

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 p.m.

ATTENDANCE:

Absences: Chekuri, Chris (exc); Collins, Robert (exc); Drennan, Marie (exc); Kakar, Venoo (exc); Barrera, Ana Maria (abs); Brown, Elizabeth (abs); Sev’aetasi, Loretta (abs); Wong, President (exc); Spencer, Dee (abs); Wong, Yutian (exc)

Visitors: Ann Sherman, Nish Malik, Joseph Romero, Mi-Sook Kim, Claude Bartholomew, Joy Lee, Tyler Trinidad, Brian Beatty, Aimee Barnes

• Joy Lee, a representative from the Housing Rights Committee spoke about the proposed rent increase in university-owned housing.

CALL TO ORDER: 2:10 p.m.

1. Approval of the Agenda for December 5, 2017
   • Agenda was approved with the removal of item #5 (the Committee on Committees report) and the removal of item #14 (the Proposed Student Health Advisory Committee policy). The remaining items were renumbered.
2. Approval of the Minutes for November 14, 2017
   • Minutes were approved with the revision of one typo (CCSA was changed to CSSA).
3. Announcements from the Floor
   • No announcements were made.
4. Reports
   1. Chair
      • Chair Gerber announced an upcoming breakfast meeting with President Wong and Provost Summit and University meeting next week and solicited possible questions or topics of conversation from the senators. She also announced that the opening meeting for the 2018 – 2019 academic year will be on Thursday, August 23, and solicited feedback for how to make the event more inclusive. She gave information about the International Faculty Partnership seminars and directed senators to the information and on-line application on the Senate ilearn site. She announced that the Housing resolution, which would have come back today in second reading, has been pulled following a productive meeting between ExComm and VP Ann Sherman and Executive Director Jenny Patino. The slide deck for this presentation is available on the ilearn site, and they will be invited to come and speak to a Senate plenary in the spring. Chair Gerber solicited questions for VP Sherman and Executive Director Patino.
      • Sen. Castillo asked for a brief update on what the administration is planning to do about increasing rents. Chair Gerber answered that several options were discussed with ExComm, and that it is unclear to us whether they plan to go ahead with the 5% increase or one of the other options.
      • Sen. Yee-Melichar thanked and gave credit to the people involved in expanding the opportunities for faculty and students to go to Ghana.
5. Standing Committees
   1. Strategic Issues Committee
      • Sen. Gen reported that SIC is continuing to work on the Administrative Search Pool policy and to look forward to setting the spring agenda.
   2. Academic Policies Committee
      • Sen. Wilson described a visit from the College of Business dean to help them think through the Large On-line Course Policy and reported that APC worked on revisions to the Syllabus policy and the Grade Appeals policy. Chair Gerber added that there will be small changes in the contact information for the DPRC that will be coming out soon.  
   3. Curriculum Review and Approval Committee
      • Sen. Stowers reported progress made toward the Field Trip policy and will be circulating a draft to stakeholders greatly impacted by the policy. Sen. Sinha
   4. Faculty Affairs Committee
      • Sen. Roehrman announced that FAC is bringing two items forward on the agenda today and looking forward to setting the spring agenda.
   5. Student Affairs Committee
      • Sen. Williams announced that the agenda item originally slated for today will appear in a future agenda.
6. Report from Norma Salcedo, AB 540 Dream Coordinator
   • Norma Salcedo gave a presentation about the Dream Resource Center, describing issues faced by undocumented and AB 540 students, explaining how faculty should respond if ICE comes onto campus, and outlining what resources are available for undocumented and AB 540 students.
   • Vice-Chair Albiniak asked about how faculty members can protect undocumented students during field trips. Norma Salcedo answered that this is a concern and that the work is ongoing to formulate a process.
   • Sen. Reyes asked about protocols, whether there is a number for students or professors to call, for legal protection. Norma Salcedo answered that there is not a number for SF State, but that there is one for San Francisco.
7. Report from Nish Malik, CIO and AVP of Information Technology Services
   • AVP Malik gave a presentation on the modernization of IT services on campus, describing successes with access and security increases while outlining future needs and changes.
8. Report from Brian Beatty, AVP of Academic Affairs Operations
   • AVP Beatty gave a presentation on the structure and functioning of Academic Technology, describing the various units within AT and how they serve the university community.
   • Sen. Wilson asked about the future of computer labs on campus. AVP Beatty answered that computer labs are less critical than before for providing access to computers for students, because more students have devices of their own, but that there will always be a need to give access to computers for students. There is also an increased need for teaching or discipline-specific labs, for use in teaching or research situations. AVP Malik advocated for colleges to ask students for support fees to support technology spending.
   • Sen. Foley asked about the SF State mobile app and suggested ways to use the app to provide access to resources for students. She also recommended getting input from students about what uses they had for the app. AVP Malik talked about the mobile advisory group on campus and the possibility of providing input directly through the app itself. He also said he would reach out to Associated Students.
   • Sen. Stowers asked whether AT and ITS would be merging and asked about changes to the Downtown Campus. AVP Beatty answered that they are supporting all academic classrooms, not only for some programs. He also answered that he had also heard the concept of “one IT” from the president. A consulting group came to campus and identified overlap between existing IT units, but they found that combining AT and ITS (DoIT) would not be a good choice at that time. He talked about ongoing consolidation efforts. AVP Malik answered that 18 out of 23 campuses have consolidated their IT, and talked about consolidating things like service desks and procurement at SF State.
   • Sen. Denetclaw asked whether there is an electronic notebook on ilearn. AVP Beatty answered that he didn’t know whether there is an interactive notebook feature. Chair Gerber answered that NSF does have something that could be used for that purpose.
   • Sen. Howard asked about a reference to “data warehouse” in the slide deck, and AVP Malik explained the reference.
   • Sen. Yu expressed approval for including research needs, especially qualitative research, in thinking about expanding IT services on campus. AVP Beatty answered that we need a comprehensive approach to IT research support.

OLD BUSINESS

1. Recommendation from the Curriculum Review and Approval Committee: Proposed Minor in Comic Studies (second reading)
   • Sen. Stowers moved the item and spoke in favor of it.
   • Sen. Small asked for clarification about one of the tables in the proposal.
   • Chair Gerber called for a vote.
   • The motion passed unanimously.
2. Recommendation from the Faculty Affairs Committee: Proposed Changes to the Retention, Tenure and Promotion Policy (second reading) - #F16-241
   • Sen. Roehrman moved the item and spoke in favor of it.
   • Sen. Stowers asked about the basis for disallowing FERP faculty from serving on UTPC or RTP committees. Sen. Roehrman cited issues with the availability of FERP faculty, because they are not active the entire academic year. Sen. Stowers countered that not all FERP faculty teach one semester on, one semester off. Sen. Roehrman responded that decisions about tenure and promotion should be made by people who are going to be members of the university in the long-term.
   • Sen. Howard cited language from the Collective Bargaining Agreement and gave context for how this policy has been followed in the past.
   • Sen. Stowers spoke against the motion and in favor of considering FERP faculty as a part of the institution.
   • Chair Gerber gave context that the originating impulse for this policy revision came from interactions with the president’s office.
   • Sen. Bloom asked for clarification about how to read the edits on the document.
   • Sen. Shapiro spoke against the motion and cited the shortage of tenured faculty to serve on RTP and UTPC committees.
   • Sen. Howard spoke for the motion and cited the president’s stated intention not to approve FERP faculty for RTP and UTPC committees.
   • Sen. Stowers asked if we could have the president here to talk about this matter before we voted.
   • Sen. Yee-Melichar expressed concerns about these revisions in relation to the loss of institutional knowledge if we disallow FERP faculty on these committees.
   • Sen. Steier spoke against the motion and cited his own experience as an example of positive service.
   • Sen. Wilson asked whether the policy change is based on a current or historical problem or a philosophical stance. Sen. Roehrman responded that it is based on both and that he is not dismissing the important contributions make to our campus. He noted again the president’s
   • Sen. Scott gave some context about issues with human resources and FERP faculty on RTP committees.
   • Sen. Stowers moved to table the motion. It was seconded by Sen. Shapiro. The motion was tabled for a future meeting, with one abstention.

NEW BUSINESS

1. Recommendation from the Curriculum Review and Approval Committee: Proposed Changes to the MS in Interdisciplinary Marine and Estuarine Sciences (first reading)
   • Sen. Stowers moved the item and spoke in favor of it.
   • Chair Gerber asked whether there were any other examples of a college-level program at the Master’s level. Sen. Stowers answered that the M.B.A. program follows this path.
   • Sen. Sinha asked about whether there were two proposals – to change the curriculum and change the name. Sen. Stowers answered that only the curricular proposal comes before CRAC and the Senate. Sen. Sinha also asked about the RIP TIDES program mentioned in the proposal and asked whether there could be a revision to expand “Science” professionals to “STEM” professionals, so that it could include engineering. He asked how many students are already involved in the program. Sen. Stowers answered that the program is not just for scientists, but also social scientists, and that they currently have 10 – 12 students. He made some recommendations for the program and agencies that could be useful to the program.
   • Sen. Hines confirmed that there were currently 12 students and 12 have applied this year.
   • Sen. Scott talked about current connections with outside agencies and how those connections inspired the name change for the program.
   • The item was referred back to CRAC.
2. Recommendation from the Curriculum Review and Approval Committee: Proposed Minor in Computing Applications (first reading)
   • Sen. Stowers moved the item and spoke in its favor.
   • The item was referred back to CRAC.
3. Recommendation from the Faculty Affairs Committee: Proposed Changes to the Hiring Policy for Tenure-Track Faculty (first reading) - #S03-158
   • Sen. Roehrman moved the item and spoke in its favor.
   • Chair Gerber reminded the Senate that today we are only looking at the proposed changes, but that if senators want to change other parts of the policy, they should address FAC. Chair Gerber also recommended that the committee could consider language that the “president or designee” would sign the offer letter.
   • Sen. Roehrman ceded his time to Dean Bunge to talk about the proposed changes. Dean Bunge noted that Senate policy does not fit current hiring practice, and spoke in favor of bringing policy into line with the current practice.
   • Chair Gerber asked when the change in practice occurred and why the Senate was not consulted when the change occurred. Dean Bunge answered that the change happened three years ago, and that perhaps the Senate ought to have been consulted.
   • Sen. Stowers argued that this is happening a lot, that practice changes and then the Senate is asked to change the policy. She recommended increased attention to the Senate policies.
   • Sen. Summit agreed that changes in general do need to be made in consultation with the Senate, but that in this case, the administration is trying to correct ambiguities that did not serve the interests of the faculty.
   • Sen. Scott spoke in favor of keeping the designation as the provost, rather than making it open, to reduce ambiguity.  
   • The item was referred back to FAC.
4. Adjournment
   • The meeting was adjourned at 4:33 P.M.