November 1, 2016

 

ACADEMIC SENATE MEETING

MINUTES

Tuesday, November 1, 2016

SEVEN HILLS CONFERENCE CENTER

NOB HILL ROOM

2:00 – 5:00 p.m.

 

 

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.

CALL TO ORDER: 2:10 p.m.

ATTENDANCE:

Absences: Collins, Robert K. (exc); Deloso, Shannon (abs); de Barro, Jose (exc); Kakar, Venoo (exc); Gen, Sheldon (exc); Nizzardini, Richard (abs); Steier, Saul (exc); Yee-Melichar, Darlene (exc); President Wong (exc)

 

Visitors: Bartholomew, Claude; Beatty, Brian

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

• Sen. Williams: From Health Promotion and Wellness, which is a new unit focused on Health for the campus.  We are a team of 10. We can come to your classroom to present on health and wellness.  We have an internship program. We have therapy dogs. There will be a march this Thursday about Hunger and Homelessness.  A survey will be sent to students, which contains 10 questions about hunger and homelessness; faculty are asked to urge students to complete the survey.
• Sen. Gerber:  We had an excellent launch of the Foundations for Excellence program yesterday.  This is a consultant group lead by Dr. John Gardener devoted to assessing and improving the first year experience for college students.  Any faculty interested in access to the digital platform please contact Sen. Gerber.  Faculty can still sign up for any of the 9 committees.  Two committees still need co-chairs.

AGENDA ITEM #1—Approval of the Minutes for October 18, 2016

• Sen. Mooney: The last two points on Item #9 belong to Item #10.
• Approved as amended.

 

AGENDA ITEM #2—Approval of the Agenda for November 1, 2016

• Amend to move Item #7 to follow Item #4 as new Item #5.
• Amend to strike Item #8 from the agenda.
• Approved as amended.

 

AGENDA ITEM #3—Chair’s Report

• Congratulations to Sen. Gerber and Rohelio Manor for a very successful launch of the Foundations of Excellence yesterday.  Dr. John Gardner was an engaging speaker.  The question was asked about how to make students love the university.  We can expand this to what do we need to do to make faculty and staff love to come to work at SFSU.

 

AGENDA ITEM #4— Faculty Retreat Update: Vice Chair Hackenberg

• Vice Chair Hackenberg urges all faculty to attend and to propose something for the Faculty Retreat scheduled for January 19.   The Theme of this year’s faculty retreat is Communities. Programming still will include affinity groups and workshops for full 70-minute sessions.  New this year will be a GIFTS event where short (5 minute) ideas about teaching will be shared and Academic Speed Dating where faculty learn about research interests and identify possible collaborators.  Also new this year will be a focus on wellness and ideas for wellness workshops and exercises are needed.  The book reception will be expanded to include major creative works.  Another new aspect of the retreat is recognition of the diversity of faculty creative and community works and faculty are urged to submit their professional works.   The call for participation went out last Thursday.  The deadline for submission is Friday Dec. 11.  Faculty will get reminders.  Please inform your colleagues and your departments.

 

AGENDA ITEM #6— Guest: Jason Wu, Chief of Police [time certain: 2:30]

• AVP for Campus Safely and Chief of Police Jason Wu gave a presentation.

 

AGENDA ITEM #7—Teaching and Learning Commons Report: Secretary Lewis

• Secretary Lewis gave a report on the status of the Teaching and Learning Commons.

 

AGENDA ITEM #5 —Information Item from Curriculum Review and Approval Committee: Guidelines for Substantive vs. Non-Substantive Curricular Changes

• Sen. Rosegard reviewed guidelines for procedures for review of substantive versus non-substantive curricular changes. 

 

AGENDA ITEM #8 —Recommendation from the Faculty Affairs Committee:  Proposed changes to the Retention, Tenure and Promotion policy (first reading)

• This item has been struck.

 

AGENDA ITEM #9 —Recommendation from the Student Affairs Committee:  Proposed changes to the Student Affairs Committee charge (first reading)

• Sen. Schwartz summarized the proposed changes. 
• Sen. Gerber:  Changes are a great addition to the SAC charge.
• Sen. Gerber: Moved to second reading.  Approved.
• Move to vote to approve.  Motion approved with no opposition.

 

AGENDA ITEM #10—Standing Committee Reports

Academic Policies Committee

• Sen. Gerber:  We are working on changes to the course repeat policy and a resolution for course scheduling.

Curriculum Review and Approval Committee

• Sen. Rosegard is absent.  No report.

Faculty Affairs Committee

• Sen. Sabee:  We are considering changes to RTP policy after comments from the last plenary.  We are also working on GTA tuition remission.

Strategic Issues Committee

• We met with Robert Nava last week.  In the next two days the first volume of the budget book for campus will be posted on the Senate website.  Once it is posted faculty are asked to review it and send questions to Sen. Mooney in time to be considered by SIC at its Jan 31 meeting.  SIC is considering developing a Frequently Asked Questions page so need questions from the entire SFSU community.

Student Affairs Committee

• Sen. Schwartz:  We heard from the Dream coordinator for campus and their work for AB540 students. They need a Dream resource center and SAC may be developing a resolution in support of this need.  

 

AGENDA ITEM #11— Adjournment—no later than 5:00pm

 

• Adjourned at 3:20.