March 1, 2022

 

ACADEMIC SENATE MEETING

Minutes

Tuesday, March 1, 2022

ZOOM MEETING 

2:00 – 5:00 p.m.

 

Attendance:

 

Absences: 

 

Guests: 

 

OPEN FLOOR PERIOD:  2:00 - 2:05 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.

 

CALL TO ORDER: 2:05 p.m.

1.   Approval of the Agenda for March 1, 2022

                       Approved as submitted.

2.   Approval of the Minutes from February 15, 2022

§  Sen. Yee-Melichar: bottom of page 2, last bullet: change first sentence “nominations are due for distinguished faculty.” to “NOMINATIONS ARE DUE FOR DISTINGUISHED FACUTLY AND STAFF ON MONDAY, MARCH 28 AT 9:00AM.”

                       Approved with editorial amendments: 2:06 p.m.

3.   Announcements from the Floor 2:07 p.m.

·      Sen. Way: Thanks for sitting through WASC presentations, and to all of the committees whose hard work made the draft possible. 

 

4.   Reports

4.1.               Chair Report

·      Senate election nomination period runs March 4 to March 25.  Voting period runs April 4 to April 14.  Elections are open to all university workers, and not limited by rank or role.

·      Acknowledging the various ways we may be experiencing or witnessing the horrors in Ukraine.  Geopolitical conflict can open all kinds of fault lines, so express support when and however possible.

 

4.2.               President Report

·      Urge everyone to walk on our vibrant and beautiful campus. 

·      Assure everyone that while a Chancellor is important, the CSU is not one person.  Our priorities have not changed.  We have acting Chancellor, the BOT will appoint an interim Chancellor and next Spring we will have a ‘seated’ Chancellor.  The Chancellor’s office continues to work with the State Legislators and the Governor on budget issues.

·      Will be meeting with Chair of systemwide budget committee to remind them CSU faculty need fair and competitive salary.  We need equity improvement.  We also need infrastructure.  At best our infrastructure is eroded or corroded and, at worst it is decaying.  Asking for $900 million.  

·      There is a current search for Provost. The spectacular pool of well-qualified candidates is narrowing down to 4 finalists.  We will record interviews and get feedback.

·      The Title IX director has entirely rebuilt that office and is in an ongoing process of institutional improvement.

o   Sen. Drennan: Professional organizations are calling for an investigation of what happened at CSU Fresno.  

§  Pres Mahoney: BOT is launching investigation of Title IX across the system in the form of a ‘program review’. We also have public records act requests.  Will learn a lot more and focus on fixing any errors that happened along the way.

o   Sen. Stein: Concerned about the issue of continuity of hiring agreements.  When there are new Presidents, Provosts, and/or Deans, there are risks that hiring agreements with prior leadership are not being honored by current leadership.

§  Pres. Mahoney: The one or two I know about have come to litigation.  If continuity is not honored from one leader to another then we are not acting in concert with our strategic planning.  Not a big believer in idiosyncratic hiring agreements.  Need to be careful about gross inequities and the formation of a caste system when we have special hiring agreements.  Need to come to greater consensus about fairness regarding hiring agreements.  

 

4.3.               Provost Report

·      Acknowledged Sutee regarding a report about T/TT hiring. 

·      The data in the report can be used to make process and criteria for hiring transparent and fair.  Enrollment projections will drive decisions.  Enrollment projections are volatile for SFSU and for so many campuses, and the current indications are concerning.  Accepted admissions are down 40% over this time last year.  Reaching out to students deciding to come to SF State is one strategy.  Because enrollment affects operations, will be scaling back on courses, and the number of classes.  Limited number of faculty searches will be authorized in July based on student enrollment need.  Always, prioritize student enrollment need, fulfilling the promise we have to our students. 

 

4.4.               Standing Committees

4.4.1.                  Faculty Affairs Committee

·      Sen. Rubin:  Leave with pay and difference in pay will be separated.  Leave with pay policy will be big committee with two representatives from each college, and representatives from the Lib and Coaches, and three at large representatives.

 

4.4.2.                  Strategic Issues Committee

·      Sen. Goldman: Current discussions about budget transparency amidst the budget-shattering enrollment deficit, currently standing at 11.8% or $20 million.  There are some savings from unfilled staff and or faculty positions to the tune of $9 million. Discussed salary discrepancies regarding competition for staff from nearby institutions.  Giselle Nunez, from strategic marketing, will present to SIC in the near future.

 

4.4.3.                  Student Affairs Committee

·      Sen. Ramirez: No new business for plenary. 

 

4.4.4.                  Academic Policies Committee

·      Sen. Sowers: Will discuss EPC meeting regarding changes to BRC the policy.  

 

4.4.5.                  Curriculum Review and Approval Committee

·      Sen. Drennan: Bringing a degree title change, HED to PH; Minor in Video Game Studies;  First reading, minor in Bilingual Spanish Lang Journalism.  Looking forward, reviewing programs in Child and Adolescent Development; Community Health and Social Services; and an MA in Educational Leadership.

OLD BUSINESS

5.   Recommendation from Curriculum Review and Approval Committee (CRAC): Proposed Degree Title Change from the Bachelor of Science in Health Education to Bachelor of Science in Public Health—second reading (un-marked version) 

Moved to floor 2:38 p.m.  Not received any further feedback.  

o   Comments in favor or against: Sen. Harvey: strong support; Sen. Yee-Melichar in favor of degree title change, reflects intent on multi-dimensional levels.  Thank faculty for effort.; Sen. Le shows breadth and depth of curriculum, particularly in health equity.

Call vote 2:41 p.m.  Approved 52/0/0

 

6.   Recommendation from Curriculum Review and Approval Committee (CRAC): Proposed Minor in Video Game Studies—second reading  

Moved to floor 2:43 p.m.  

o   No comments. 

Call vote 2:44 p.m. Approved 46/1/5

o   Guest Weinberger: I’d just like to offer deep gratitude to many on the Video Game Studies consortium who helped make this possible, including Rob Thomas, Dawn-Elissa Fischer, Cyrus Ginwala, Deans Lori Beth Way and Jane Dewitt, Dean Harris, Dean Susan Shimaoff, and Provost Summit.

NEW BUSINESS

7.   Recommendation from Curriculum Review and Approval Committee (CRAC): Proposed Minor in Bilingual Journalism—first reading

o   Comments: Point of information-- Why called Bilingual Journalism vs a Bilingual ‘Spanish’ language journalism program?

§  Senator Clemens to Everyone (2:48 PM).  The official title in the proposal is Minor in Bilingual Spanish Journalism

8.   Recommendation from Educational Policies Council (EPC): Proposal for Revision to F20-255: Requirements for Baccalaureate Degrees, Majors, Concentrations, Minors, and Certificates and Appendices—first reading

Moved to floor 3:31 p.m.

·      Sen. Way spoke to the item: AB1460 requires an ethnic studies course before graduation.  General Ed Area F, requires upper or lower division Ethnic Studies course taken in any language.  AB1460 effectively reduced lower division Area D History from 9 to 6 units.  Note that students still have to take US and Cal Gov’t, however not as GE courses.  

o   Sen. Stein: Struggling to understand requirements because the policy is terribly complicated.  Was there consulting with Govt, History, Political Sciences, and or course Ethnic Studies programs?  

§  Sen. Way: Political Science and, Women and Gender Studies are most affected programs.  Both have endorsed the policy as the best way forward.  

o   Comments in favor or against: Sen. Stowers: Must commend the BRC for all of the consultation.  Sen. Harvey: Collaboration between all involved in the process is appreciated.  Sen. Le: Thanks for working with complicated issues.  Make the best situation for our students, for the AB1460 mandates, and for working in consultation with lots of programs.

PRESENTATIONS

9.   Griselda Lara, Dream Resource Coordinator and Christian Lozano Cuellar, Director of Student Equity & Interfaith Programs with Luis De La Paz Fernandez, Executive Assistant in the Office of President, “Dream Resource Center Update,” (time approximate 2:45-3:00 pm)

See posted presentation.

o   Point of information: This March 25th Dream Resource Center training is during Spring Break.

10.  Stephen Chen, Director of Counseling & Psychological Service, “CAPS Update,” (time approximate 3:00-3:15pm).  Another guest, Leslie Jaeyoun Shin, also a counselor and director clinical coordination, co-presented.  

See posted presentation.

o   Comments and questions included: Vice Chair Wilson: Because of rise in mental health issues during period of remote instruction, what should we be looking for as faculty that raises to the point of handing off to CAPS?  Sen. Harvey: What can we do to extend, project, expand best practices for helping students? Sen. D’Alois: Appreciate a ‘tip sheet’ for times when a student says something like ‘my life is so horrible I want to die,’ what do we as faculty do with that kind of response? Sen. Narkewicz: Who do we contact after hours, 6-7pm if a student is in a crisis situation. Sen. Woo: Pre-COVID, if faculty felt it was dire enough, then  we could walk the students to CAPS for an appt, of course after we have exhausted and encouraged them to contact CAPS directly. Is this something that you are still going to honor?  

§  Guest Chen: Students need connection and compassion. Some students have never been on campus because of remote instruction, so they don’t know how to interact now with others during in-person classes so watch for students detaching, not attending.  Reminder that some students say they are fine, and 30 seconds later they are spilling their guts.  

§  Guest Shin: Include in weekly faculty meetings discussions of how to guide students to the right places.  Make sure to recommend students talk to someone, and we can help guide to the right place.  Also, whether we continue mask mandates, some want masks off and some want them on so allow for individual differences.  

o   Sen. Yee-Melichar: Recently approved statewide resolutions for all campuses to meet or expand mental health services based on 1 counselor per 1500 students.  Does SFSU meet that guideline? 

o    Sen Sinha: Is hunger an issue these days.  Is it worse than before?  What should students do when food insecure?

§  Guest Chelberg: Thanks for lobbying.  100% GI student mental health dollars being used.  There are now three (3) professional mental health counselor living on campus.

§  Guest Chen: HPW has resources around food security and other needs.  Cal Fresh and Gator Groceries.  Wrap around resources.  

§  Guest Shin: for basic needs refer to https://basicneeds.sfsu.edu/  and for Counseling & Psychological Services refer to https://psyservs.sfsu.edu/

11.  Adjournment no later than 5:00pm

Adjourned 3:31 p.m.

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.