Academic Senate
Plenary Meeting Agenda
Tuesday 12 November 2024
Zoom
2:00 PM
2:00-2:05 PM: Open Floor Period: The Open Floor Period provides an informal opportunity for campus community members to raise questions or make comments directed to Senators, Senate officers or to university administrators. Please arrive promptly at 2:00 PM. Please limit comments to not more than three minutes per topic. Senators may make announcements under Item 3 below.
Webinar format. 2:01 Chair Wilson explained that we would hit limit if we did not use the Webinar format, which is new for us.
Trousdale – Intl coffee hour AUCIP Thurs 11/14 LIB 236 Noon-1 PM coffee and snacks
2:05 PM: Call to Order
- Approval of agenda
No objections received to Agenda
- Approval of minutes from previous plenary
Minutes approved as read at 2.05
- Senator announcements: Any senator can speak to no more than 3 minutes per topic. This is a good time for senators who are college representatives to share announcements from their respective colleges.
Sen. Segovia – Newsletter for COES https://ethnicstudies.sfsu.edu/november-2024-newsletter
- Reports
- Senate chair's report
Text of the chair’s report may be found at this link https://sfsu.instructure.com/courses/46794/modules/items/2891576
The Chair’s Report dealt with the Academic Program Discontinuance Policy, #S24-177 https://sfsu.policystat.com/policy/16405263/latest#autoid-4ewge
When the President declares financial exigency or emergency, as she did on 11/5/2025 in a meeting with the Executive Committee, policy requires the formation of an Institutional Review Committee, with 2 elected faculty representatives from each college, the Vice Provost for DUEAP, and the Dean of the Graduate School. Nominations (including self-nominations) for the committee may be made at this link: https://sfsu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eDaoV5QbVlTpmGGA number of Senators raised questions concerning details, and these were clarified to the extent possible.
Chair Wilson also brought up the possibility of Town Hall meetings, and would ask for feedback on potential formats later in the meeting.
- University president's report
2:22 start
The President clarified that her intent in having the announcement of financial emergency come from the Senate rather than her office was to emphasize the importance of shared governance. She explained that “financial exigency” does not exist in CSU parlance, and does not suspend any system or contract rules. The emergency as declared is only meaningful within the Program Discontinuance Policy, and triggers a broad, collaborative process.
At this moment, resizing should not require emergency measures; we are just serving fewer students. The emergency designation is triggered by the Governor’s proposal of a nearly 8% additional cut to the CSU budget. We cannot predict whether or not the cut will appear in subsequent budget revisions, but we are erring in the direction of being prepared to make rapid decisions if it does. We are not there yet. The Chancellor’s Office would revisit their multi-year plan to transfer funds from campuses that have lost enrollment to those that have gained if the governor’s cut holds. She emphasized that we are already on the way with the program adjustment process. No layoffs are planned. The goal would be to redeploy faculty to where there is need for additional instructional faculty, similar to the President’s experience teaching composition as a history professor in SUNY.
Open to Questions from Senators
2:32
One question concerned how we would meet a $32M reduction target while keeping [tenure-track] faculty employed. The Provost noted that we expect to be able to redeploy faculty, and that we typically have 40-50 tenure-track faculty departures each year.
The President said that letting programs die on the vine is not the best way to do this. The Provost also commented that colleges and departments are already thinking about redefining curriculum and other measures, and that faculty have been asking for the ability to talk across colleges about this.
Sen Erickson, who also serves as SF State’s CFA President, pointed out that the Union has been asking for clear financial accounting showing that faculty reduction is proportionate to reduction in students, preserving teaching and learning. Faculty have been the most cut (about 15%, compared with 8-11% for administration and staff. In the corporate world, he reminded us, there is a just transition plan for laid off workers to find new work. What we have is not adequate, and he would like to see a plan and commitment for that.
The President responded that lecturer faculty hiring is strictly driven by enrollment, which has now plummeted. She wishes we were not going through this. Tenure-track lines will be redirected to where enrollment is. Even a college that is down by 1/3 still needs a dean and associate dean. Sonoma is collapsing colleges. But we still have 21,000 students, and need administrative structure. We continue to made reductions.
- University provost's report
2:43
Transition to the Provost’s presentation was difficult to separate from the questions, but Provost Sueyoshi spoke of all the hard work going on in the colleges. The Provost’s Office is in the process of setting a dollar-target for program reductions under policy.
- Associated Students president's report
2:46
Senator/President Foley told the Senate that more student representatives have been confirmed to Senate and other committees, including the University Corporation Board of Directors and the Technology Governance Committee. The Governing Gators program has been successful in enhancing this participation. In response to a question about why we are losing enrollment, Sen. Foley states that there is no single answer to the question, but confirmed that Enrollment Management is working hard at outreach to attract additional students.
- Standing committee reports
- Faculty Affairs Committee
Senator Brown provided a brief report, including an assigned time for lecturer faculty conducting service policy in second reading.
- Strategic Issues Committee (SIC)
Sen. Trousdale outlined the current controversy over the Academic Freedom Policy and there was some lively discussion. The response has included petitions, comments, and counterpoints from the Academic Freedom Committee (AFC). The SIC is returning the policy to the AFC, and other measures to address the disagreement are under discussion.
SIC is also discussing budget issues.
- Student Affairs Committee (temporally out of sequence).
Sen. Christensen stated that the resolutions on affirmed names and pronouns return in second reading, broadened in scope to include faculty, staff & administrators as well as students.
- Academic Policies Committee
Sen. Islami said that the EPC would present discontinuance proposals, and that the APC would present revisions to the grade appeals policy in second reading. The Calendar policy is first reading.
4.5.2. Campus Curriculum Committee
Sen. Harvey noted that the Campus Curriculum Committee has a consent item and three new proposals to discuss.
Presentation(s)
- Enrollment Updates and Projections: Katie Lynch, Senior AVP for Enrollment Management; Sutee Sujitparapitaya, Associate Provost for Institutional Analytics; & Lori Beth Way, Vice Provost of Academic Planning and Dean of Undergraduate Education (Time Approximate 2:40-3:00PM)
3:05 PM
We are expecting enrollment about 22.5% below the revised Chancellor’s Office Target.
Cost of living and cost of attendance are the most significant reasons students give for declining attendance. USF has seen a deeper decline than we have. The presenters outlined extensive efforts to understand the situation and drive enrollment with that information. Sen. Way said that faculty have a critical role in increasing retention.
Navigator: https://sfsu.app.box.com/s/3ehhrwjpyedguc6iet5bowkj28lejydj
Concentrated Efforts: https://sfsu.app.box.com/s/c618g7eqf715jfo9mptolmk6vq00niz9
A participant asked about Interdisciplinary or custom concentrations. https://bulletin.sfsu.edu/colleges/all-university/special-major/ Sen. Way said that we need to make this easier than in current Senate Policy. Other campuses make these custom majors much easier.
The same participant also mentioned potential satellite programs on the Peninsula, as we once did at Caada College, to reduce student travel needs, increasing international study abroad programs, making them more visible, and affordable.
A questioner pointed out that SJSU runs in-person and online programs for same degrees. Is that why students choose other campuses? Sr. AVP Lynch said that we look at many variables. We keep working to try and get it right. Students look for traditional campus life, the look and feel of the campus on a weekend, etc.
A question concerning in-person legislative activism with respect to CSU budget was deferred.
Senate Discussion: This is an opportunity for any senator to speak on the topic.
- Financial Emergency and Academic Program Discontinuance (Time Approximate 3:00-3:20PM)
TWENTY-MINUTE DISCUSSION
3:35
We switched to a different format for now. The goal of using the webinar style was to assure access, but the standard Zoom format works better for many aspects of senate business.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://sfsu.zoom.us/j/82422028408?pwd=Xonp0eC9svL08UwzRgomwuTVzHHA2u.1
Dropped from 125 to 83
With respect to faculty redeployment, Sen. Sueyoshi stated that as long as they have something to teach, they can stay. Faculty will hopefully choose what they can teach. Faculty Affairs is making a clearinghouse of opportunities.
There were comments about lack of transparency regarding cuts to programs and budget. Others concerned the extreme grief and mourning people experience on loss of their professional identity. Some of those lecturers are our own alumni. We should be doing more for our colleagues, and this should be a part of our discussion.
In response to a question on what the Institutional Review Committee (IRC) achieves that we are not already doing, and how it might reduce shared governance, Sen. Sueyoshi stated that it is not meant to be a hammer. The IRC is meant to give faculty the opportunity to define themselves and give input into program reductions. Faculty and the Senate have been asking for these conversations.
Past Chair Goldman confirmed that there were conversations earlier, in order to keep the process transparent and avoid “de facto” programs resulting from actions such as the cancellation of elective courses in a major. The IRC should ensure broad discussion and transparency.
In response to a question on dollar amount and timeline, the Provost responded that Academic Resources would recommend a dollar amount, and it would not be the entire $17M cut to Academic Affairs. The IRC would make recommendations on the timeline.
In response to a question about how we save money, the Provost responded that our decisions not to replace faculty who retire can add up very quickly.
There was a comment that we are not looking at what departments contribute in the way of general education (total FTES by department). The Provost confirmed that it is, in fact, about more than just low degree-conferring majors.
A vote was taken to determine preference between all-University and College town hall meetings, and there a desire for both.
- All-University town halls
- 51 yes
- 0 no
- 2 abstain
- College town halls
- 46 yes
- 1 no
- 4 abstain
Informational Items: An informational item is a statement announcing the completion of a process, carried out in accordance with Senate policy, and requiring formal notification of the Senate at its conclusion.
There were no informational items.
Consent Items: A consent item is one deemed by the initiating committee and the Executive Committee to be non-controversial, requiring no debate. Any Senator may request to debate the item, in which case it is considered as new business in first reading. If there is no request to debate, the Chair will declare debate closed and the motion adopted by “General Consent.” It may be read into the record, or we may move directly to the next agenda items.
88 participants @4:19 PM
Executive Committee
7. Academic Calendar
Campus Curriculum Committee
8. Substantive Decrease in Units: BA in Broadcast and Electronic Communication Arts
Consent items 7 and 8 were not discussed and were deemed to have been approved by general consent.
Continuing Business: Continuing (once called Old) Business involves items returning to the Senate, usually in Second Reading, but occasionally still in First Reading. Items in Second Reading belong to the Senate as a whole rather than to an individual or committee. Comments on Second Reading items should be confined to those for or against or proposing specific amendments. We ordinarily limit each speaker to three minutes. Senators may yield their time to non-Senators if needed. Amendments and the final document are passed or not passed by majority vote.
Second Reading
Student Affairs Committee
9. Resolution in Support of Affirmed Pronouns
4:23 Quorum confirmed by Vice Chair Holshuh
Sen Elsy Hernandez – summarized the resolution.
No comments from Senators, and called for vote
39 yes, 0 no, 2 abstain
Passed
10. Resolution in Support of Affirmed Names
Sen Christensen presented this resolution. There were no other speakers
Vote
4:28
37 yes, 0 no, 2 abstain
Passed
Faculty Affairs Committee
11. Assigned Time for Temporary Faculty Unit Employees Performing Institutional Service
Sen Tanya Hollis presented, and said that this assures lecturer compensation for services. CFA and Senate as primary supported activities. 1,391.7 WTU’s are already assigned time to lecturer faculty (25% of all assigned time). This shifts a small portion to be assigned by a committee instead of deans. Sen Erickson spoke in favor.
4:33 – 67 participants – VC Holschuh confirmed quorum
43 out of 34 required
Vote
34 yes, 0 no, 3 abstain
Passed
Academic Policies Council
12. Grade Appeals Policy (PDF)
Sen Islami explained that this policy states that grades cannot be decreased in the processed. Student members of the cannot be in the same college as the appeal. There are also minor wording corrections.
Vote
4:39 PM
32 yes, 0 no, 2 abstain
Passed
Vice Chair Holschuh noted that we were close to loss of quorum at 4:40 with 62 total present. Before we undertook any new business, we were below quorum and had to adjourn at 4:45 PM.
- New Business: New Business items are brought by a committee or individual to the Senate in First Reading, during which open discussion and debate may occur. We ordinarily limit each speaker to three minutes. Senators may yield their time to non-Senators if needed. The item is then returned to the Committee for further revision, to be brought back as Continuing Business in Second Reading.
There was an attempt initiated by Sen. Harvey to amend the agenda to shift item #16 to become item #13 @ 4:44. The vote to amend the agenda did not have quorum. The senate plenary adjourned at 4:45 PM without moving any items in first reading (listed below for reference).
Campus Curriculum Committee
13. New Certificate: Multilingual and International Tourism Competencies
14. New Certificate: Multilingual and International Business Competencies
15. Name Change: Master of Arts in Cinema and Media Studies
Educational Policies Council
16. Graduation Requirements for Baccalaureate Students (PDF)
Academic Policies Committee
17. Academic Calendar Policy (PDF)