Faculty Council
Minutes of the Meeting of November 11, 1996
Chairperson Robert Deming called the meeting to order at 4:03 p.m. in room 105 of Fenton Hall. The agenda was approved as distributed
It was moved and seconded to approve the minutes of the October meeting.
Dr. Ken Lucey: I think the minutes do not adequately give the numbers that Steve Rees reported on his census figures last time. I'd like to see those corrected in the minutes.
Dr. Deming: Can we return to this question when Steve Rees is present [Jefferson Westwood reported that Mr. Rees was excused due to a Doctor's appointment.]
Dr. Deming: What would you like to do?
Dr. Lucey: I've logged my complaint, I'll leave it at that.
Motion to approve minutes passed.
President's Report (Dr. Dallas K. Beal):
Good afternoon. Over my years in this business I have had plenty of experience in making apologies. That's why I'm at my most eloquent when I'm making an apology. There was a question raised at the end of the last meeting about the reporting procedure for the employment of a CIO (Chief Information Officer). I think I did a disservice at the meeting and also following the meeting in consulting with some of you. That disservice was to Dave Hess. I want to make an apology for that. I made it appear that I had no information that had come up in my office that the advisory committees and had strongly recommended (in fact it was in bold type) that this position report to the President. And I left an Impression that was false -- that this sort of was the first time I'd heard of that concern.
About a week later or so I was going through the folder in my office where I put things that had been handed to me that I want to read carefully, and I started reading it and lo and behold there it was: Dave Hess at the time we had discussed this had handed me this and said you ought to look at it, but we kept on talking and I stuck it in the folder and did not find it. But clearly there was an indication there that there had been that expression of concern. I should have read it. I should have known about it. And the people who were concerned and talked to me about it said they were not questioning my right to make that decision, but asked if I was adequately counseled. The answer is yes, I was, and I want to make that extremely and abundantly clear. [To Dr. Hess:] You have my apologies sir.
An update on the presidential search. I know there's going to be a report on this later. But let me speak to you in a manner that may not be reported in the report on the search. The events of the past week have led me comment on this. And it has to do with the rising political activity associated with this search. I have to tell you that in my years since 1958 with the University, I have never been more depressed at what has taken place. So those who feel as I do I join with you on that. Having said that, I think it's extremely important that we stay on task, that we not allow the political activity that has been associated with one candidate to distract us from the job before us. And I'm speaking now to everyone not just of course the search committee; that's their business. I think it would be most unfortunate if we engaged ourselves in that kind of activity when we're ill- equipped to do it, and can only be the loser in the end. So I urge all of us to proceed on task, calmly with the candidates we have left, and put our faith where it has been with the search committee to come up with an appropriate decision for the future of the campus.
The Staymats consultation [on student recruitment] proceeds. [Dr. Beal called on Sharon Zablotney to make a report on this topic.]
Dean Zablotney: We have been meeting with and discussing these surveys and everything that is going to be performed this month and next month. We will be doing two of those on campus. One of them will be for current students. We will be serving about 80% of our entering freshmen class, and you as faculty may be involved in helping as we will administer those in your classes. It's about a ten to fifteen minute survey. Secondly, there will be a survey distributed to faculty and staff as well. Just as we're asking the students their image of Fredonia, and gathering some information on their perspective of what's occurring here at Fredonia, we would also like, as part of the marketing research package, to check the perceptions of the faculty and staff. So you may be receiving one of those in the mail next week. Hopefully you will complete it and return it to us so we have it as part of the complete marketing research package.
Dr. Beal: You've heard me mention at least a couple of other times the initiative to create a proposal that would reduce out of state tuition to the level of instate tuition. That notion has seemed to capture more and more fathers as it proceeded, which is fine. I want to tell you that we have moved to the point where we are preparing the proposal to go into the chancellor that would allow Fredonia to conduct a three year experiment on waving out of state tuition, for an area that ranges from southern Ontario around through eastern Ohio, and western Pennsylvania.
At the present time we're suggesting that we enrich our applicant pool by a maximum of 100 students a year from the region I just mentioned, and that these students demonstrate that they are at the upper 15% of their high school graduating class, or demonstrate special talent that allows them to be seriously considered for a type the scholarship that would be in the amount of the out of state tuition. So, if we find that the first Oboist of the Cleveland Symphony Orchestra is an applicant for the music department, they could be admitted under a "special talent" provision [even if they were not in the top 15% of their high school graduating class.] Just to be sure that you understand what that means. I hope the proposal will go in tomorrow to the Chancellor because there is a meeting on variable tuition which the Chancellor chairs and that meeting later this week, and want him to have our proposal in hand. I suspect that by the time the Chancellor and others are through with this proposal it will not look exactly as it did when we sent it in. But I wanted us to be up front -- to be the first campus to make this kind of a proposal. We'll deal with how they respond to it when it happens.
The Chancellor search is proceeding. They are still looking at lists of people and I had a report from the Interim Chancellor to that effect. So that is going on pace.
The Alcohol Review Board reviewed my request that they take a look at the current rules that would have given more flexibility to departments when they have little parties where they want to serve an alcoholic beverage. I was unanimously rejected in that proposal and I accept their conclusion, without comment.
[Dr. Beal called on Vice President Dimitri to report on the health fee that the trustees just approved.]
Mr. Dimitri: I think I reported at the last meeting that there was a resolution before the board of trustees which would give the Chief Administrative Officer the opportunity to determine whether this campus needs a mandatory health plan for each student enrolled. If you did not have comparable coverage, in order to register here at Fredonia you would have to purchase a plan that would evolve out of the process. Presently, we do have an optional plan. Students that come here, we don't ask them if they have comparable coverage, we just extend to them a policy that costs them $825 over twelve months of coverage. Very comprehensive, a very thorough policy. Right now we have 2% of the undergraduate population buying that policy, 120 students. That doesn't tell me that we have a serious problem of a lot of students here that are not insured or under-insured, but we don't know.
So what we will ask the Student Health Advisory Committee to do is survey our students to find out the extent of the problem, and then determine if Fredonia should have a mandatory policy for all students, that either you have comparable insurance, or you buy the one that's made available through the college. The student health advisory committee, I think last time someone asked me who the membership was. It's Monica Brown, Nancy Gugino, Susan Johnson, Laura Kitt, Susan Maloney, Peter Mooney (president of the student association), Karen Porpiglia, Dr. David Larson, and it's chaired by Laura Stonefoot. So if you have any questions or concerns you can get a hold of a Student Health Advisory Committee member. Any questions?
Jefferson Westwood: What was the cost currently of the optional plan?
Mr. Dimitri: $285 for twelve months of coverage.
President Beal: I thought I heard you say $825
Mike: Did I say $800? It's $285.
Dr. Beal: Thank you, Mike. I mentioned the November 14th hearing on the variable campus-based tuition. You should know that Dick Reddy is on that University-wide task force and I'm sure he will represent us very very well. If you have comments you'd like to send in get them to me the next day or so. There are some that I'm sending off tomorrow.
Just another word. The general education issue in the University seems to be alive and somewhat well. One of our trustees seems to know very much what she objects to but she doesn't know what she's going to propose. So I guess that's where that issue is at the present time, and we'll be kept up to date. I have some abiding concerns about that as you know and we will be watching it very carefully. Thank you Mr. Chairman.
Question from Dr. Jon Kraus: I thought that was a very reasonable proposal you made of the alcohol board that rejected it. Can you tell us if there was any reason for rejecting it?
Dallas Beal: Yes, it was about two pages long. And well done. Mike [Dimitri ] did a good job of that. I don't want to over generalize on this but I got the impression that the committee felt that this is sort of a leak in the dike, or whatever metaphor you want to use. We need to set as a faculty and staff a standard that is extremely high in this regard, given the problems student sometimes have with alcohol. And I think they felt it sort of set a bad example. I guess that's a fair summary of their basic position.
Dr. Karen Mills-Courts: And it sets a good example if Faculty Student Association caters [the party]?
Dr. Beal: That was a very perceptive comment. Well, there will be additional protections, I guess [because FSA] gets the license.
Comment from Dr. Malcolm Nelson: I'm pleased that the deferential tuition for out of state students is going [forward]. May I assume that a sturdy hockey defense-man from Minnesota would also have an opportunity [under the plan]?
Dr. Beal: I prefer my oboes, but I guess it's up to the admissions office to deal with that. I think we are talking about academic talent, though.
Chairperson's Report: (Dr. Robert Deming):
The Executive Committee is very pleased to report that Julie Henry of Education has agreed to stand for the position of College Senate Secretary. If anyone else is interested in standing for this position would you please contact a member of the Executive Committee before the December Faculty Council meeting, at which time we will have an election.
The Executive Committee, represented in this case by Jefferson Westwood the College Senate Secretary, is going forward with the opinion survey which Faculty Council agreed to last May. This will include two questions which are going to be circulated to all members of the campus. We are in the process now of making sure that Faculty Council, CSEA, Council 82, UUP, etc. all agree on the language of the opinion survey. That should be going out fairly quickly.
I wish that I could clarify the matter of the divisional representation on Faculty Council. But I can't because I've asked Steve to clarify it and go back to Vince Courtney and make sure that the census is accurate, so that the figures that were represented in last months minutes, they differ from the figures that I have from his report that came to be via e-mail. But in his absence there is nothing I can do about it. But I will stay on it. I have nothing further to report.
Vice Chairperson: No Report.
Faculty Senator: No Report due to illness of Julius Adams.
Presidential Search Committee (Jefferson Westwood):
The next and hopefully concluding meeting of the search committee will be this evening here in Fenton Hall. We would like to thank everybody who communicated with us their opinions on the candidates, either through electronic mail, or through hard copy. We did meet last Monday evening to discuss what to do in the wake of the withdrawal by the fourth candidate. And basically we decided to proceed on course with the evaluation and recommendation from the remaining pool of three. We did receive comments from approximately 100 members of the campus community, and the external community who were asked to visit with the candidates.
We will be forwarding a recommendation to the College Council which is scheduled to meet this Wednesday. They in turn will forward a recommendation to the Board of Trustees who are scheduled to meet next week. We anticipate an appointment at that meeting.
One thing I would like to clarify is that we as a campus have been given a green light to submit one and only one name if we choose to do so. The prerogative in that regard rests solely with the College Council. This is according to the most-recently revised search guidelines which six months ago the Board of Trustees and the Chancellor seemed to be willing to ignore, instead using their own set of rules which they were making up as they went along.
Interim Chancellor Ryan is now saying that they are sticking to those guidelines which allow the College Council to send one name if they see fit. Other than that I don't have anything to report. But I'd be happy to answer any questions, as could David [Burdette] who is also on the committee.
Dr. Malcolm Nelson: Was it Chancellor Ryan who gave that permission?
Mr. Westwood: Yes, to us.
Dr. Deming: I just remembered something [that belonged in my chairperson's report]: Effective immediately, I will become the chair of the Administrative Review Committee. And the Administrative Review Committee will begin its review process in January, and will not meet its earlier imposed deadline.
Governance Committee. No report due to excused absence of Steve Rees.
Academic Affairs (Joe Straight):
There are a couple of handouts. If you didn't get one they're down there on the table. One is a brief overview of the proposed Bachelor of Science degree in social work. The other one is a summary of the committee's activities so far this semester and the actions that we've taken.
I have two things to bring before you today. The first is this proposed Bachelor of Science degree in social work [as outlined on the handout]. The second is a recommendation from the Calendar Sub-Committee concerning our annual calendars for the next several years and for that part I'll turn it over to Mac Nelson who is the chair of the Calendar Sub-Committee.
Concerning the Bachelor of Science degree in Social Work, this will be a new program, a new degree offered at Fredonia. The committee looked at the prospectus which was sent in for this degree, and looked at the proposal for the degree. Basically what we have here is a situation where there is an accreditation body. I can't remember the group's exact name, but it is the body that accredits programs of this nature. They pretty much set very rigorous requirements (with not a lot of leeway in terms of what the program should look like) if you want to have an accredited program.
So the people that were developing this degree, specifically Dave Larson in the Sociology Department, they were not going to vary from this at all. ("If you want to have an accredited program, this is the kind of program we're going to propose.") So this shows up in terms of the required courses that Fredonia needs to offer and that sort of thing. You see on the second page that there are a number of courses that must be taught by a faculty member who has a Master's in Social Work degree, at least. It seemed to us that it was prudent to recommend a program that would meet the accreditation guidelines.
The committee also felt that those proposing this did a good job of making the case that this would be a popular degree. It would draw a number of students, it would be good for the region, it goes along well with a program that is offered at JCC which has a human services program. Students graduate with an AS degree and there are a number of them who wish to transfer to a four year program. So we felt we could draw well on those students.
The one thing that the committee asked about but didn't really make a decision on was the staffing requirements for the program. It would require some new faculty members. Initially I believe their plan was that if the program is approved, new students would be accepted starting next fall at the Junior level, partly by taking internal transfer students from our own program, and also possibly transfer students from places like JCC. And they would need to hire someone to be the person with the MSW degree. Then as the program grows, I think the plan was that the next year after that they would hire an additional faculty member with that set of credentials. Since Dr. Larson is not here, other members of the administration might be able to answer any questions you may have.
Dr. Mac Nelson: Just for my own curiosity I noticed in the background statement that students with a BSW can reduce their requirements in an MSW program by one year. I'm ignorant: how much is an MSW normally, how long does it take do you know?
Joe Straight: Two years, 60 hours
Dr. Nelson: So it cuts the MSW work in half.
Dr. Nancy Boynton: Do you know if the Human Biology course has a prerequisite?
Dr. Straight: I asked about that and I don't believe it does. That's one of the things I was checking myself. We always look for things like hidden prerequisites. We like people proposing programs to be up front about that kind of thing. I checked on it, I don't believe there's a prerequisite.
Dr. Jane Romal: I'm a bit confused. Is it two faculty people they need or one.
Dr. Straight: Initially one to get off the ground, that would be a person they would hire for next fall. And then as the program grows the next year they would hope to take in further students, and they would hire an additional person. According to the enrollment projections, eventually they would be hoping to have 50 Junior and 50 Senior majors after the program is fully implemented. There are number of these courses that can be taught by current faculty, assuming that the Department of Sociology offered some and the Department of Psychology offered some. Dr. Len Faulk, for example, in Political Science, has a Masters in social work. So there are some other faculty on the campus who can possibly contribute to this. But we're talking about two additional faculty to teach in this program.
President Beal: So what's the total number of hours required for the degree?
Dr. Straight: There are 12 credit hours of prerequisites and 52 credit hours in the core, within a 120 hour bachelor's framework.
Dr. Minda Rae Amiran: What was the basis on which they expected to have 100 majors? I'm not questioning it -- just asking.
Dr. Straight: I think the reasoning was that if anything they will have to limit enrollment to the program. I think they can get this many just from looking at the number of graduates from JCC for example. Also, there's the fact that some of the programs near us, Buffalo State is mentioned here has a waiting list, they have 209 majors and students on a waiting list. So the argument that was made and which we felt was well supported was that this would be a popular program and they would be able to get this number of majors. And unless they wanted to expand the program further they'd have to turn people away and keep it at that size.
Dean Zablotney: I believe they've also completed a needs assessment with JCC on their recent graduates, and the interest that those students would have in completing a Baccalaureate as well as our own interest in our currently-enrolled student which includes about 40 in our present concentration.
Dr. Amiran: It seems that there about 25 Hours of Internships under different names in the program and I realize that those are the requirements of the BSW program but I wondered do they think they can place 50 people a year or a 100 people a year? Has there been a study?
Dr. Zablotney: The feasibility study was completed and they surveyed the Social Service agencies in Chautauqua County and surrounding areas, I believe, and have letters and support from those. This is all part of the documentation that was submitted.
Dr. Nancy Gee: I'm curious. You said that other faculty from other departments could support this program. Logistically how would that work? How would somebody from Psychology do that, for example?
Dr. Straight: Well let's see. If memory serves correctly, take the required course in Human behavior and the Social Environment. I believe Tom Rywick might have mentioned that he had faculty in his department that could teach such a course. There is a course in Political Science, PS 328, Social Welfare Systems and Policy, which could be taught by, say, Len Faulk. So that was the sense.
Dr. Gee: So does this mean that such a professor would teach this other course instead of teaching a psychology course that semester?
Dr. Straight: Right. Or, there might be a course that was cross listed in both Psychology and Sociology. Maybe with some minor revisions or modifications, some of our exiting courses would satisfy the requirements of the accredited body. Cross listing could help satisfy those requirements.
Dr. Gee: I was also wondering: why isn't a class like Intro to Counseling or Abnormal Psych on the list as well? It seems those two courses would be very appropriate.
Dr. Straight: Notice that in the program there are nine hours of electives. I think those courses could probably be taken as part of the electives. This is off the top of my head. I would have to check my files to give a more complete answer.
Dr. Jon Kraus: Do I understand correctly then that both of those faculty members you hire (one this year one next year) will be necessary for the program?
Dr. Straight: Yes
Dr. Jane Romal: What would those two people teach? It seams to me that you only need one to do what's listed here.
Dr. Straight: Please look at those courses that are marked with an asterisk on the second page -- three courses in social work, and practical methods. I think we are going to need some multiple sections of some of these, just because of the number of students. And then there's the field instruction, and field seminar courses as well.
Dean Sharon Zablotney: I think two people will be needed as I understand it. The [real] question is would we need two full time people, due to our ability to perhaps cover some of the courses with present staff such as Len Faulk and others. I believe we are saying there must be the equivalent of two full time people, but whether they are full time faculty or part time faculty -- that is yet to be determined.
Vice President David Hess: I think this program is an excellent example of putting in new programs at the same time we're facing budgetary problems and we have been facing budgetary problems over the last couple of years. I don't think we can afford to stand still. We can't go with a tremendous number of new programs; we have to be selective and put in programs that are viable for the students and provide for their needs. I think this is an excellent example of a new program development which takes into account other areas of the college and does have some implications for staffing but not any terrific amount. (We're not talking about five or six lines here.) I think we must go forward and this is a good example of moving forward with caution.
The motion to approve the Bachelor of Science degree in Social Work passed on a voice vote.
Report of the Calendar Sub-Committee: [Dr. Malcolm Nelson made reference in hand-outs which had been distributed showing the four suggested changes and also copies of the current calendar guidelines which were available. Council proceeded to discuss the four recommendations in order, more or less. As a recommendation of a standing Sub-Committee, the recommendation required no second.]
Dr. Nelson: There are three changes highlighted at the top but halfway down under "thus we recommend" the fourth one would be required only if we amend the starting for the spring semester. Because we will occasionally (perhaps one year in five or six) begin before Martin Luther King Day. And therefore would be necessary to take that day off. If we don't approve number three, then number four is moot. I think the thing for you to look at would be those first three stipulations near the top and then the rationale for each. In particular we probably ought to take up number one. Do you wish to reduce the Thanksgiving Holiday vacation period from the full week off Monday through Friday to just Wednesday through Friday?
Dr. Karen Mills-Courts: Just a comment, I've discovered that when we give kids half a week off they take a full week off, so you might want to question whether or not this is truly relevant.
Dr. Nelson: It's a problem, but there are other problems we think this might meet. Very few other schools (none that we know of immediately) do a full week here. If you need the extra days and your giving exams, well they just have to be there. I recognize the truth of what you say.
Joyce Stevens: Actually there is an argument which supports the idea of taking several shortish vacations rather than one long one. It is psychologically far superior. Research proves it and it is more restful.
Motion to approve recommendation number one, to reduce the Thanksgiving holiday from one full week to three days Wednesday to Friday passed.
[Discussion proceed to recommendation number two: to schedule spring break every year just after mid-term.]
Dr. Nelson: The rational for recommendation two is essentially that this provides some needed consistency and continuity. Many of you, from what you have said, don't think it's a good idea to be moving around desperately chasing Easter, and we tried that for a long time. But Easter proved to be too moveable a feast, particularly last year. We are told the dorms were about to explode before we finally got the break which was at the end of the first week of April. And although we lose something if we accept this I think we gain something as well. Any comments or questions on this? A lot of faculty people have spoken to me about wanting to do this.
Dr. Joseph Straight: There were rumors that maybe the schools were considering a similar kind of move. They were realizing the same problem, they had this long way to go from after Christmas to Easter.
The motion to approve recommendation number two, to schedule spring break every year just after mid-term, passed.
[Discussion proceed to recommendation number three: to allow spring term to begin, on occasion, before Martin Luther King Day.]
Dr. Nelson: I had hoped that the registrar would be here. She is obviously inundated with course changes and so forth, today. I know that she feels that we shorten this break at our peril because there is so much very important work to be done (when many of us are off) by people in student services, academic affairs, and elsewhere in the administration -- getting things settled and done before the second term begins. But sometimes, depending on when the first semester ends, she would be able to turn it over a little bit more quickly. A good many good things flow from beginning earlier, I have listed there and you can read.
Dr. Joyce Stevens: I hate to use Newt Gingrichs' favorite word but I think the idea of going back earlier in January is grotesque and nearly bizarre. The only way I preserve my sanity is over the January break I seek out palm trees and sand. And I would hate to give that up.
Dr. Karen Mills-Courts: Don't we also save quite a bit of money by shutting down?
Vice President David Burdette: We do shut down the week between Christmas and New Year's, and we do save quite a bit, between electric and heat. But remember after January Second, dorm students start coming back. For instance, athletes start coming back so we have to heat the dorms and light them. And the campus is going during the day from January third through the start of the semester, so we're not saving much money except during the one week. From an energy point of view, there's really no energy reason why we shouldn't start earlier.
[There was some additional discussion at this point on impact of schedule on Biology Department.]
Dr. Carl Ferraro: I really think there's something to be said to have an opportunity to collect your marbles. Also, junior faculty members take this time to take a couple of weeks were they can just sit back without other things to do and work on publications and so on, I think that's a very serious matter.
Dr. Nelson: May I simply tell you that if we gained a week there we would in effect place it at spring break, and there would be a two week or slightly over two week spring break as opposed to just a week or a week and a day. So it isn't a dead loss. It's a shift.
Dr. Mills-Courts: Well Joyce Stevens is certainly right about refreshing ability of short vacations, but short vacations do nothing for research.
Dr. Nancy Boynton: I think that over two weeks for spring break sort of ensures that our students are going to forget everything we've done.
Dr. Nelson: Some of the reasons this proposal has been advocated come from people in the athletic program and the people who have to feed athletes -- they eat a lot. [These people] would rather have school in session as early as possible in January, and those who travel south for athletic purposes, also would rather have a very long spring vacation. Now we don't run the school for the athletic programs any more than we run it for the office of Field Experiences, but it is something to think about.
Dr. Boynton: We all have a lot of reasons why we want to do things. But I would hope we make decisions based on what we think is academically the most defensible.
Dr. Jon Kraus: My understanding is one of the reasons why the grades have to be in so early, this year I believe on December 26th, was the time the Registrar and other administrators needed to go through those to make determinations about required withdrawals and other matters of academic standing. There's a whole process, which takes several weeks. How is it that this is going to be shrunk?. Are we going to have to have our final grades due in November or something?
Dr. Nelson: Well, one of the things you did by accepting the first recommendation is make it rather easier to finish the first semester well before the December 22nd date that we now sometimes finish at. If you could get three or four days there, then you might not need as much time in January.
Dr. Straight: Even if we gain time in December, the proposed guidelines would allow second semester to start as early as January 10th, and I don't think that's enough time. [Time is needed for research, preparing papers for presentations, preparing course materials, getting copies made, and other tasks.]
Dr. Kraus: In terms of preparations for classes, the greater the contraction of time, the less new material people are going to be producing and the less new literature, the less new works that would be integrated in courses.
Dr. Robert Deming [Speaking not as chair]: I disagree. I have already started my preparation for my courses in the second semester because I could not possibly get that work done in two weeks or three weeks.
[Dr. Amiran asked for clarification as to the exact rule being proposed.]
Dr. Nelson replied: There is no absolute rule. When the calendar committee gets together and sets things out a few years ahead of time, we might recommend that once in a while it could be done.
[Andrea Domst explained how the calendar would work out in some future years if the proposal were to be approved.]
Vice President Dimitri: I think someone suggested than any time saved by starting earlier in January would be added into spring break, but in reality you are asking students to get out here quicker. Graduation would be May 15 to May 12th. That's almost a week earlier than it is at the present time.
Dr. Nelson. No, that's not true Mike. The dates for 1999-2000 in the original was supposed to be May 13th. We haven't changed the day of graduation.
President Beal: Mac, did you do a calculation of the number of days that exist now between the time the last exam is given and registration? And concerning the maximum and minimum number of days that would exist under this proposal, and are they reasonably close?
Dr. Nelson: They're comparable, I have not got the numbers in my head.
Dr. Amiran: I'm a little distressed that we seem to be preparing to vote on two different things at once with the same vote. One is to start earlier in January, and one is to have a two week Spring Break. It seems to be two different issues. I'm not certain why we want to start earlier in January.
Dr. Ferraro: I too feel that a two week spring break is too long. I teach two large sections of Freshman and Sophomores, and to take them out of rhythm for two full weeks (especially when I observe the kinds of things I do when they're gone for a week) is just ill-advised, in my judgment.
The motion (number three) to approve the proposal to start second semester on occasion before Martin Luther King Day, failed.
Dr. Nelson announced that since the third proposal did not pass, the fourth proposal was moot.
Dr. Jane Romal moved reconsideration of proposal number one (to change Thanksgiving break from five days off to three days off.) Second.
Dr. Mills-Courts: In my discipline at least this is a time period in which students do a lot of gathering together for the end of the semester. There are a lot of papers written over this time period. There is a lot of preparation for what always is those last two weeks of school. I think that's one of the reasons for leaving it the length that it is. The other one is that those few students we have who travel far away, deeply appreciate this time period. It's hard to get home the day before thanksgiving; it's a bad time to travel.
Dr. Ferraro: I would like to support that. The reality that we live in is that, if passed, on the Tuesday of Thanksgiving week, many of us will have classes that are only half full.
Dr. Robert Klassen: That same argument could be made about these short breaks like October break: if you give them Wednesday through Friday, then they're all going to leave on the previous Friday. The whole calendar could be upset because a few students decide they're going to take off. I don't think you can establish a calendar with that in mind. There are always going to be some students taking advantage of any system. Another thing I'd like to point out that many of you aren't particularly concerned with, but in terms of the kinds of productions we do [in Theatre Arts], and the same goes for the School of Music and the Dance department: calendars are hell on us anyway. And when you start having longer holidays it cuts out the previous weekend for doing anything. And everything is compressed into the very short periods of time when can do any kind of work like that. As it is, our students for example by and large never go away during the October break, or now next year I understand they're having a March break. Our students don't get to go because they have to stay and work over those periods of time because of where we have to schedule things in. So I think everybody has their problems. And I think you have to do what is best for the students, not for what's best for us and our research, and things like that. We need to keep the students in mind.
Dr. Harry Jacobson: I've found that the momentum is broken by Thanksgiving break. There is not enough time before exams to regain that. So I think for academic reasons I would go against this [returning to a five day break].
[After conferring with the parliamentarian, Chairperson Deming proceeded to a re-vote on the motion to reduce the Thanksgiving holiday from one full week to three days.] Motion passed, 13 to 11 by a show of hands.
Dr. Deming: The motion as stated is still approved.
Planning and Budget: (Jon Kraus): No Report.
Professional Services: No Report.
Student Affairs: Dr. Deming: Does the Student Affairs yet have an elected chair?
Mr. Dimitri: They do not have an elected chair. But I believe Susan Maloney has agreed to speak on behalf of the committee, but she's not here today. New Business:
Question from Jan McVicker: Today at the candidate meeting with faculty for the director of Multi-Cultural Affairs and director of Affirmative action, it was mentioned that the candidate had been told we have 9% minority student population, and I wondered if I could get some confirmation on that.
Mr. Dimitri: It's not true. To my knowledge, I think it's 4%.
Dr. McVicker: Then I wonder why we're giving false information to candidates.
Dr. Deming: Was this information printed?
Dr. McVicker: Not that I know of.
Dr. Deming: Someone actually said we have 9%? You didn't hear it yourself?
Dr. McVicker: It wasn't stated at that meeting. It was information given to candidate prior to the discussion, apparently.
Dr. Deming: Who is running this search?
Mr. Dimitri: Laura Henning is the chairperson. I don't know where the source would be.
Dr. McVicker: I don't know who the source was either. I was simply asking if that was true that we have a 9% minority student population. It's not true, is it?
Dr. Deming: It's not true, according to Mike Dimitri.
Dr. McVicker. Thank you, I just wanted clarification.
Dr. Deming: Mr. Dimitri, will you please follow up on that?
Mr. Dimitri: Yes
Meeting adjourned at 5:05 p.m.
Attendance:
Professional Staff/Management Confidential:
[x] Sylvia Clarke
[x] Fabrizio Daloisio
[ ] Susan Maloney
[x] Kevin Michki
[ ] Timothy Murphy
[ ] William Ortega
[x] Martha Smith
[x] Charlene Wiles
[x] Vivian Garcia Conover
[x] Thomas Malinoski
[x] Lisa Marrano
[ ] Jerome Moss
[ ] Patrick Rocheleau
[x] Terry Tzitzis
Arts, Education, and Humanities:
[x] Minda Rae Amiran
[x] Robert Deming
[x] Carl Farraro
[x] Rose Klassen
[x] David Ludlam
[ ] Lawrence Maheady
[x] Malcolm Nelson
[x] Robert Klassen
[x] Stephen E. Rees
[ ] Candice Brown
[x] Janet Fairbairn
[x] Harry Jacobson
[x] Kenneth Lucey
[x] Ringo Ma
[x] Karen Mills-Courts
[x] George Sebouhian
Natural and Social Sciences:
[x] Nancy Boynton
[x] Jon Kraus
[ ] Kenneth Mantai
[ ] Tom Pencek
[x] Amin Sarkar
[ ] Mario Vassallo
[x] Nancy Gee
[x] Gary Lash
[ ] Peter Mattocks
[ ] Greg Prechtl
[x] Brenda Joyce Stephens
[ ] Deborah Welch
Ex Officio Members:
[ ] Julius Adams (Faculty Senator)
[ ] Jean Malinoski (Interim VP, Development)
[ ] Peter Mooney (SA President)
[x] Jefferson Westwood (College Senate Secretary)
[x] Jane Romal (Vice-Chair, FC)
[x] David Burdette (VP, Administration)
[x] L. Michael Dimitri (VP, Student Affairs)
[x] David Hess (VP, Academic Affairs)
[x] Dallas K. Beal (Interim President)
[x] Stephen Rees (Chair, Governance Committee)
[x] Sharon Zablotney (Dean of the Faculty)
Guests:
Jan McVicker
Julie Henry
Joseph Straight
Andrea Domst
Gregory F. Harper
Respectfully submitted,
Jefferson Westwood, Secretary