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Faculty Senate Minutes February 27, 2020

February 27, 2020
Faculty Reception Room

Present: T. Moretti (Chair), D. DeFino (Secretary), M. Bard, A. Bishop, M. Draeger, A. Howerton-Fox, H. He, M. Hughes, J. Kaalund, A. Kelso, E. Mariola, M. Nadel, H. Park, S. Petrovic, A. Rosenfeld, A. Spiegel, M. Veyvoda
Excused: L. Ivanov, R. Jantzen, C. Martins, O. Soluade

T. Moretti called the meeting to order at 3:36pm. Quorum was met.

Approval of Minutes

Minutes for the 1/23/20 Faculty Senate meeting were approved via e-mail on 1/29/20

Announcements:

  • The Department of Media & Strategic Communication and the Black Student Union will co-host a screening of the Netflix series When They See Us on 3/2 from 6:30-9 pm in Romita Auditorium
  • An informational meeting for students and alumni interested in volunteering with Camp Viva (a one-week residential summer camp for families affected by HIV/AIDS) will be held in the LaPenta Student Union lobby on 3/11 from noon to 1:30

Information Item: MSCHE Self-Study Update

  • Chairs of the 8 Self-Study working groups with meet on 3/5 in the Charter Room to discuss next steps; D. Wheeler has appointed the following faculty to chair the working groups: Fr. G. Mulvey (Mission and Goals); A. Qayyum (Ethics and Integrity); K. Kristian (Design and Delivery of Student Experience); A. Rosenfeld (Support for Student Experience); TBD (Educational Effectiveness); A. Griifith (Resources and Improvement); S. Petrovich (Governance and Administration); I. Stabell (Compliance)
  • D. Wheeler invited N. Redcross (MSC) to chair the Educational Effectiveness working group, and is awaiting her response

Information Item: Meeting with Student Government Association

  • T. Moretti, D. Defino and E. Mariola reported on a very productive visit with SGA, where several matters were discussed, including: making office hours more flexible; the importance of timely response to e-mail communications; the benefits of increased student response rates to course evaluations; unique challenges faced by adjunct faculty and their impact on student/faculty engagement; and strategies for more active student engagement both and out of the classroom
    • M. Nadel suggested that faculty consider alternative models for course evaluation to increase participation
  • The Senate agreed that, if SGA is willing, these meetings should be made a regular annual or semi-annual occurance

Information Item: Study Abroad and Service Learning

  • Following a discussion at College Council and at the request of S. Carey, T. Moretti and D. DeFino drafted a memo to M. Callaghan outlining faculty concerns about the direction of Study Abroad and Service Learning, the lack of response from the Provost’s Office to a December 2018 report sent to that office by the Study Abroad/Service Learning Working Group, and the recent advertisement posted by the College for a Director of the Office of Global and Civic Engagement that seems to ignore the concerns and recommendations laid out in that report.  The Moretti/DeFino memo is currently under review

Information Item: Textbook Costs

  • A. Howerton-Fox and M. Veyvoda met with C. Winkler to discuss ways of turning the problem of rising textbook costs into an opportunity for student/faculty collaboration and entrepreneurial thinking. It was recommended that a problem-solving session be held to include a variety of students and faculty, with focus on identifying potentially unexplored cost-lowering measures, accessibility issues involving disability and ecominic disadvantage, and developing resources to subsidize purchases when there are no cheaper options

Information Item: Faculty Elections

  • T. Moretti will reach out to OIEP to create a ballot for spring elections.  A call for self-nominations will be sent out in the next two weeks

Information Item: Faculty Senate Awards

  • A call for self-nominations will be sent out in the next two weeks

Action Item: Faculty Senate Adjunct Faculty Award Criteria

  • The Senate voted unanimously to add the following eligibility requirements to the Adjunct Faculty Award: at least two terms of teaching over a two-year period; and the approval of the department chairs
  • Item closed

Action Item: Committee on Academic Affairs Working Group on Department Viability

  • The Senate unanimously agreed to seat the following self-nominees on the Working Group on Departmental Viability formed by CAA: G. Barry, A. Bishop, D. DeFino, C. Dougherty, M. Draeger, B. Sengupta, R. Weaver
  • Item closed

Action Item: CAA Membership

  • The Senate unanimously agreed to restore N. Vidal to her vacated position on CAA
  • Item closed

There being no other business, T. Moretti adjourned the Faculty Senate meeting at 5:15pm.  The next Senate meeting will be held on 4/2/20 at 3:30pm in the Faculty Reception Room.