September 3rd, 2019

ACADEMIC SENATE MEETING

MINUTES

Tuesday, September 3,^, 2019

SEVEN HILLS CONFERENCE CENTER

NOB HILL ROOM

2:00 – 3:00 p.m.

Attendance:

Absences:

Guests:

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: 2:09 p.m.

1. Approval of the Agenda for September 3, 2019

• Approved as submitted at 2:12pm

1. Approval of the Minutes for May 14, 2019

• Approved as submitted at 2:14pm
  • It should be noted that while the minutes from May 14, 2019 do not reflect the results of the election of the chair for APC, another election was conducted and resulted in Sen. Genie Stowers being elected to chair the committee.

1. Announcements from the Floor

• Sen. Stowers – on Friday 9/20 there is a Global Climate Strike – the call is for supports to not go to school or work and instead strike.  Perhaps instructors can be lenient about student’s who wish to participate.
  • Provost Summit – cannot condone cancelation of classes, but instead suggested that instructors can use the opportunity for a teachable moment.
• Sen. Yee-Melichar – faculty member Adam Burke is one of 19 system-wide 2019-2020 winners of the system-wide Faculty Innovation and Leadership Award.

1. Reports
   1. Chair Report

• Encourage all senators to share everything we discuss at Senate with colleagues in their departments
• We still have a few open seats on senate and on sub-committees

1. Provost Report

• Please come to the welcome back reception after plenary

1. Standing Committees
   1. Academic Policies Committee

• Upcoming discussions:
  • Calendar policy principles
  • Withdrawal policy
  •  

1. Curriculum Review and Approval Committee

• Upcoming discussions:
  • Revisiting the definition of substantive vs. non-substantive
  • Reviewing new and revised curriculum

1. Faculty Affairs Committee

• Upcoming discussions:
  • Tackling the normative workload document, published in 2004. Weill be reviewing and discussing how it might be formalized.

1. Student Affairs Committee

• Upcoming discussions:
  • Today bringing back the grievance policy – may need to return to 2^nd reading to make a change on the plenary floor

1. Strategic Issues Committee

• Upcoming discussions:
  • Changing the charge to SIC – on the floor today
  • Sheldon Gen coming to discuss a proposal or low interest housing loans for staff/faculty
  • Jeff Wilson will also be visiting the committee

Old Business

None

New Business

1. Recommendation from the Student Affairs Committee – Policy on a Student Grievance Code – consent item

• The motion was approved unanimously by the committee.
  • Sen. Wilczak – move to take item back to 2^nd reading - Seconded
    • Motion passed unanimously
  • Sen. Wilczak - Motion to amend Proposed change: After line 219 – add Item G to exclude grade appeals, with hyperlink to grade appeals policy – Seconded
    • Sen. Thomas – question about the difference between grade appeal and grievance.
    • Sen. Olsher – grade appeals are utilized when a grade has been assigned.
    • Sen. Thomas – concerned that students may not have appropriate protections from instructor misbehavior.
    • Sen. Wilczak – there is a separate committee for appeals.
    • Sen. Olsher – grad appeal is about changing or not changing a grade assigned. If students have additional issues they can be addressed through the grievance policy and process. This is also where a student Ombudsperson would be helpful
    • Sen. Thomas – still find it might cause confusion.
  • Revision passed with 4 Nays, 1 abstention

1. Recommendation from the Student Affairs Committee – Revision to #S19-242, Policy on Student Grievance Procedures – consent item

• The motion was approved unanimously by the committee.
  • Sen. Wilczak – move to take item back to 2^nd reading - Seconded
    • Motion passed unanimously
  • Sen. Wilczak – Motion to amend after line 56 add a new item G to exclude grade appeals, with hyperlink to grade appeals policy - Seconded
    • Motion passed unanimously
  • Revision was passed unanimously

1. Recommendation from the Strategic Issues Committee: Proposed Revision of the By-Laws of the SF State Academic Senate – Change in the Charge of the Strategic Issues Committee – first reading

• The motion was approved unanimously by the committee.
  • Sen. Mooney moved the item to the floor – reopened to make a minor title change, but also reviewed the rest of the document and make a few other changes.
    • Sen. Collins – what was the rationale to remove the language around service learning and civic engagement.
      • Sen. Thomas – perception that service learning is viewed as something that would be or should be handled by other committees that are more appropriate.
    • Sen. Yee-Melichar – would like to encourage the committee and senate to reconsider the deletion of the service learning aspect,
    • Sen. Hulick – if this committee does not cover service learning and civic engagement, where is it covered?
      • Chair Gerber – Internship policy is dealt with by EPC
    • Sen. Way – point of information – the internship policy does call for a report that is available now.
    • Sen. Goldman – the committee believes that it re-inserted
    • Sen. Collins – consider the role that civic engagement and service learning plays on our campus.
    • Sen. Way – if the service learning and civic engagement needs to be re-inserted, it should also be considered that the membership should include a representative from ICCE.

Presentations/Information Items

1. President Lynn Mahoney

• President Mahoney shared her gratefulness at being here and a few items that she intends to be at the top of her priority list.

1. Adjournment at 3:02pm

*** There will be a reception in the lobby of the Seven Hills Center immediately following the adjournment of the plenary meeting to recognize new Senators and new members of the Academic Affairs Council ***

Notes on agenda items

Agenda Item 5

This policy was passed in the Senate in spring 2019 but was not signed by the President due to a lack of clarity about what types of grievances the proposed committee would hear. The policy has been revised in section 3.2 to clarify the types of grievances that the committee will accept.

Agenda Item 6

The directions to students who wish to file a claim involving sexual harassment or discrimination has been updated.

Agenda Item 7

The Strategic Issues Committee (SIC) is recommending that their charge be changed to reflect the types of issues they have been addressing in the recent past as well as updating the title of the Vice Provost for Academic Resources.