FACULTY SENATE MINUTES January 23, 2025

January 23, 2025, 3:30p.m. (Zoom)

Present: A. Rosenfeld (Chair), D. DeFino (Secretary), M. Bard, D. Brophy, C. Carlson, K. Engemann, B. Gaines, J. Haber, M. Higgins, M. Hughes, L. Ivanov, Y. Kang, N. Kyaw, S. Petrovic, A. Qayyum

Excused: G. Grimaldi, J. Klein
A. Rosenfeld called the meeting to order at 3:34pm. Quorum was met

Approval of Minutes

Minutes for the Faculty Senate meeting of 12/5/24 were approved via e-mail on 1/15/25

Announcements

None

Update: Constitutions

Revisions to the Faculty Senate Constitution were unaminously approved by the general faculty via ballot; M. Callaghan will advise on any comments or suggestions made by Governance Committee of the Board of Trustees following their meeting on 1/24

Discussion Item: LaPenta School of Business Dean’s Search

The Senate discussed the Provost’s 12/13/24 response to its 12/6/24 response regarding her proposal to forego a national search and directly appoint J. DeMelis as Dean of LSB; in its 12/6 missive, the Senate stated that it did not object to an internal hire, and lauded the work the interim Dean had been doing, but outlined significant concerns about appointing a permanent Dean with clinical faculty ranking and no terminal degree; the Senate discussed concerns about the decision of the administration to go ahead with the hire, and will draft a response to the Provost

Discussion Item: Faculty Survey

The Senate discussed a proposal from the Provost to collaborate with the Senate on survey questions that might identify data more useful to the administration in addressing faculty concerns; an ad hoc committee was formed and will meet with the Provost’s Office as soon as a time can be arranged; approved members of that committee are: D. Brophy, D. DeFino, J. Haber and A. Rosenfeld

Discussion Item: Senate Agenda Items for Spring 2025

The Senate identified several issues that it hopes to address over the following term: collaborating with Facilities on faculty infrastructure concerns (for example, classroom issues such as temperature and noise levels); surveying the potential staffing impacts of the new workload policy on individual departments and programs; and the formation of a futurist committee to consider problems and opportunities not currently on our radar

Discussion Item: HY Course Training

Following several complaints about the Quality Matters training for faculty teaching hybrid courses, the Senate discussed potential alternatives that might operate directly out of the Gabelli Center, focused on issues unique to Iona and individual disciplines; A. Rosenfeld will take up this question with J. Mustich.

There being no other business, A. Rosenfeld adjourned the Faculty Senate meeting at 5:13 pm. The next Senate meeting will be held on 2/20/25 at 3:30pm via Zoom.