February 20th, 2018

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: Bloom, Gilda (abs); Chekuri, Chris (exc); Green, Fred (exc); Kakar, Venoo (exc); Okhremtchouk, Irina

(exc); Sev’aetasi, Loretta (exc); Sinha, Dipendra (abs); Steier, Saul (exc); Van Velsor, Patricia (exc); Wong, President

(exc); Steier, Saul (exc); Wilson, Jackson (exc);  

Visitors: Christina Sabee, Mi-Sook Kim, Claude Bartholomew, Jamal Mazyck, Grace Yoo, Chris Trudell, Brian Beatty, Yim-Yu Wong, Sophie Clavier, Ariana Perez, Helen Ghebreyesus.

CALL TO ORDER: 2:10 p.m.

1. Approval of the Agenda for February 20, 2018
   • Agenda was approved with the removal of item #10.
2. Approval of the Minutes for February 6, 2018
   • Minutes were approved as submitted.
3. Announcements from the Floor
   • Chair Gerber announced that a documentary “Agents of Change” will be airing tonight on KQED, about the 1968 Student Strike. She discussed the continuing importance of social justice, equity, and inclusion as key values for the university. She challenged senators to strive to embody these values in today’s plenary meeting and called for increased participation and discussion of the issues before the body. She asked senators to write a goal on the back of their placards, a goal that embodies social justice, equity, and inclusion on this campus which can be achieved in the next two weeks and then to follow up in two weeks and write about their progress toward that goal.
   • Chair Gerber also announced that on April 4, an event called “Fund the Dream” will be happening in Sacramento. Participants will march in front of the governor’s mansion to protest the lack of sufficient funding for education.
4. Reports
   1. Chair
   2. Standing Committees
      1. Curriculum Review and Approval Committee
         • Sen. Stowers reported that CRAC approved two proposals for new concentrations which will come before the Senate today, as well as the Field Trip Policy, which will also come before the Senate today. They also listened to a presentation by representatives from the Experimental College.
      2. Faculty Affairs Committee
         • Sen. Roerhman announced that FAC has been working to keep the graduate tuition remission movement moving forward, and that the Provost’s Office is supporting a pilot of this program. FAC will be working toward a policy about this program.
      3. Student Affairs Committee
         • No report was given.
      4. Strategic Issues Committee
         • Sen. Gen reported that SIC did not have a quorum last week, but they talked about the Administrative Search Policy and plan to bring the policy forward to the plenary next meeting.
      5. Academic Policies Committee
         • No report was given.
5. Nancy Gerber, Foundations of Excellence Liaison - Report on the Foundations of Excellence First-Year Self-Study
   • Chair Gerber gave the concluding report for the Foundations of Excellence Task Force. She thanked and acknowledged participants in the Foundations of Excellence committees. She reviewed the findings of the committees for how we have been dealing with first-time freshmen, and talked about recommendations for improving the first-year experience. Senators were encouraged to provide feedback on a variety of topics involved in the first-year experience.  
6. Grace Yoo, First-Year Experience Faculty Director; and Chris Trudell, First-Year Experience Manager – Report on Activities of the First-Year Experience Committee (2:30 p.m. time certain)
   • Prof. Yoo and Chris Trudell updated the Senate on the activities of the First-Year Experience Committee. They gave data on retention of first-time freshmen and shared NSSE results to project why we might have issues with retaining first-time freshmen. SF State scored especially poorly on the category “Supportive Environment.” They reported on discussions within the First-Year Experience Committee about how to address these issues, including a First-Year Seminar and communications plan for first years and families of first-year students.
   • Sen. Tanner asked what role current students are playing in planning processes. Prof. Yoo answered that surveys are being sent out to solicit input from current first-year students about the first-year seminar. Sen. Tanner advocated for consistent student voices in the process. Chris Trudell discussed possibilities for the creation of a student-led First-Year Council. He also asked for ideas from senators about how to include students in the process.
   • Sen. Stowers asked whether there was a website for the First-Year Experience. The website is: ueap.sfsu.edu/fye
   • Sen. Shapiro discussed the collaboration between multiple units as key to the success of the initiative and pointed out the increased work involved in such a process. He asked how newer colleagues would be incentivized or recognized for their work in the process, particularly as a part of the RTP process. He asked especially how the Executive Committee of the Senate could contribute to this. Prof. Yoo pointed out how important research with students is as a high-impact practice and called for departments to work these contributions into their RTP process.
   • Sen. Dariotis asked about the experiences of students who come from marginalized communities and backgrounds. She related an experience of one of her students, and asked what we can do to help support these students. Prof. Yoo answered that faculty training and professional development should be a part of teaching assignments for faculty teaching first-year students. She described possible trainings through CEETL for faculty teaching first-year seminars, training which might become mandatory. Chair Gerber referred to the findings of the SAEM Equity and Inclusion white paper.
   • Sen. Hines pointed out that these sorts of discussions would be useful for all faculty and would benefit all students. She also talked about a hands-on marine lab out in Tiburon as a part of experiential learning and a possible first-year event. Prof. Yoo agreed about the importance of experiential learning and involvement with San Francisco.
   • Sen. Williams suggested that student organizations other than only Associated Students should be involved. Chris Trudell responded positively to the suggestion.
   • Sen. Denetclaw asked whether any individual colleges or departments are doing well. Prof. Yoo said that she did not have that data in front of her, but said that this data is publicly available.
   • Sen. Gen expressed surprise at the negative findings of the FoE committees and wished that more faculty members realized the severity of the situation. Prof. Yoo expressed a desire that reward structures on campus would reward faculty who worked to address these issues.
   • Sen. Mooney commented that these issues and values should also be incorporated into HR and employee training, so that staff are also a part of changing campus culture.
   • Sen. Yee-Melichar discussed the importance of transitions for students, not just for first-year students but throughout their academic career.
7. Laura Lisy-Wagner, Secretary - Committee on Committee Report (Consent Item)
   • Secretary Lisy-Wagner introduced the appendix for the Committee on Committees report, including the report from the University Tenure and Promotion Committee. She recommended that senators look at the appendix, because it summarizes the massive amount of work done by UTPC and calls for consistent funding for teaching relief for UTPC members. Chair Gerber also noted that ExComm is going to use the Committee on Committees report process to determine whether there are committees that are no longer effective.
8. Aimée Williams, Lead Health Educator, Health Promotion & Wellness – Report on Health Promotion & Wellness, and Food Insecurity and Homelessness at SF State
   • Sen. Williams gave a presentation about the activities of Health Promotion and Wellness on campus. In addition to the activities of students, including student intern and ambassadors, she talked about a series of workshops that HPW can give in classes. She also presented about issues with basic needs for students on campus. She drew on the recently-published CSU report about hunger and homelessness and described the link between fulfilling basic needs and student success. 41.6% of CSU students report levels of food insecurity. 10.9% of CSU students report experiencing homelessness at least once in the preceding twelve months. She described some initiatives that SF State is working on, including the Pop-Up Food Pantry, helping students sign up for CalFresh, EBT Farmers’ Market, and Restaurant Meals Program, the “Be a Good Neighbor, Feed a Gator” program, Cooking Classes with the Dietetics Program. Through SB 85, we received a grant to implement plans to increase access to basic needs for students. She asked faculty to refer students to the programs, support the programs through volunteering, donate to the SF Marin Food Bank, donate to the HOPE Crisis program, and collaborate on research with the programs.
   • Sen. Collins asked about the definition of homelessness, whether “couch-surfers” were counted. Sen. Williams answered that it depended on whose definition you were using, but that the CSU definition is broader than the government’s definition. Sen. Collins asked about ethnographic research and how it affects the data.
   • Sen. Dariotis asked about students who might have housing, but might experience hostility in their housing situation, and about students who have long commutes in order to secure housing. Sen. Dariotis also discussed faculty and staff housing insecurity.
   • Sen. Yee-Melichar talked about a system-wide CSU Basic Needs Initiative and AB 453, a bill about postsecondary students and hunger. She recommended that people lobby for the passage of AB 453.

OLD BUSINESS

1. Recommendation from the Academic Policies Committee: Proposed Revision to the Withdrawal from Courses Policy (first reading)
   • Sen. Small moved the item and spoke in its favor. The revisions to the policy governed courses taught using an asynchronous on-line learning mode. The new revisions dropped the word “successfully” from the policy revisions so that students in asynchronous on-line courses would not experience unfair requirements.
   • Sen. Collins moved the item to second reading, seconded by Vice-Chair Albiniak. The motion passed unanimously.
   • The Chair called for a vote, and the motion passed unanimously.

NEW BUSINESS

1. Recommendation from the Curriculum Review and Approval Committee: Proposed B.S. in Apparel Design and Merchandising: Concentration in Design (first reading)
   • Sen. Stowers moved the item and spoke in its favor.
   • The item was returned to CRAC for discussion and will return at the next plenary.
2. Recommendation from the Curriculum Review and Approval Committee: Proposed B.S. in Apparel Design and Merchandising: Concentration in Merchandising (first reading)
   • Sen. Stowers moved the item and spoke in its favor.
   • The item was returned to CRAC for discussion and will return at the next plenary.
3. Recommendation from the Curriculum Review and Approval Committee: Proposed Student Field Trip Policy (first reading)
   • Sen. Stowers moved the item and spoke in its favor. She outlined the different types of field trips and the necessary precautions and actions for the various types of field trips.
   • Vice-Chair Albiniak thanked CRAC for their work and asked the committee to think about how these forms could be digitized.
   • Sen. Scott volunteered to be added to the committee that governs these questions.
   • Sen. Tanner asked about line 66: “if a field trip is not required for a grade, then no waivers are required.” She asked why requiring a trip for a grade meant that there was sufficient risk to demand a waiver.
   • Sen. Yee-Melichar asked about committee membership, and wondered whether University Counsel should be included or at least take a look at the policy.
   • Sen. Way discussed issues with resources and having an administrative unit be in charge of doing these visits.
   • Sen. Platas asked whether internships would be covered under the Field Trip Policy. Sen Stowers answered that there is a separate policy governing internships.
   • This item was returned to CRAC for discussion and will return at the next plenary.
4. Adjournment
   • The meeting was adjourned at 4:14 PM.