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College Council Minutes March 25, 2020

Wednesday, 3/25/20, 3:30 p.m.
Via Zoom

Present: T. Moretti, D. DeFino, A. Howerton-Fox, A. Kelso, E. Mariola, M. Nadel, H. Park, M. Saint-Louis, M. Wyden, S. Carey, D. Wheeler, R. Highfield, J. Stabile, Z. Altinay, A. Camara, T. Delgado, J. Haber, E. Hamerman, E. Procario-Foley, C. Winkler, M. Varner, M. Callaghan, D. Hopkins, M. Reilley, R. Rubbo, A. Schettini-Lynch, J. Steele
Excused: J. Meyer, A. Stackhouse

T. Moretti called the meeting to order at 3:31. Quorum was met.

Approval of Minutes

Minutes for the 2/12/19 meeting of the College Council were approved via e-mail on 3/11/20

Announcements:

  • The Education Department is looking for volunteers to connect with K-12 students during the COVID-19 lockdown; interested parties should contact A. Howerton-Fox

Information Item: President’s Report

  • Thanks to faculty and staff for their work over the last few weeks in response to the COVID-19 pandemic
  • The college is working to set up a platform to solicit student suggestions for potential alternative approaches to end-of-term events
  • The introduction of a pass/fail grading option for all Spring 2020 courses is meant to address our radically different learning dynamic; in addition to helping students focus on the content of their courses, this approach ensures that student GPAs can improve, but cannot fall
  • As the College considers the budget implications of the pandemic, our approach will be holistic and focused on minimizing impacts on the lives of our students and overall operations
  • Iona’s endowment is faring far better than most, due to the prudent and insightful investment strategy of our Board of Trustees and the financial management of our CFO and her team
  • The College continues to send thoughts and prayers to outgoing men’s basketball coach, Tim Cleuss, who will stay on in an advisory capacity.  We welcome hall of fame coach Rick Pitino, who comes to Iona focused on cultivating players’ academics and character
  • The Enrollment Management team continues to approach these challenging and uncertain times with creative strategies for attracting and connecting with potential students.  Faculty and staff are urged to help in these efforts if called upon
  • Faculty development remains a top priority and we will push forward with major initiatives

Information Item: Provost’s Report

  • The primary focus this week has been getting things started again and assisting students with the on-line transition; next week our focus will shift to sustained student success and summer and fall registration
  • All courses will be delivered online through the end of the Spring 20 semester; Summer 20 and Fall 20 have not been determined
  • Decisions regarding Commencement and Honors Convocation are evolving
  • For student and faculty support resources, please refer to the College website, department chairs, and deans
  • Concerns about student success (such as students not showing up for class sessions) should be reported through the Student Tracker located at the end of the trail of icons on the Iona Single Sign-on
  • Thanks to Tony Iodice and Jill Gross who are staffing up so many of the training sessions, and to the entire IT team for their phenomenal technical support
  • The College is currently looking into incidents of unauthorized persons entering virtual classrooms (aka: “Zoombombing”)
  • A second student progress report will be due on 4/3; no “I” grade option will be available
  • More details on the Pass/Fail course grade option will be disseminated this week
  • Campus in place events are being canceled, postponed or re-directed to alternate platforms; if you have an event on 25-Live please update it accordingly or remove it
  • MSCHE updates: the 3/31 Liaison visit will be rescheduled; the full site visit anticipated for Fall 2021 is TBD; the MSCHE accrediting vote for Spring 2022 is TBD
  • The deadline for the faculty development RFP has been moved to 5/1
  • PPPBs will be rescheduled for later this semester
  • Faculty are encouraged to participate in Faculty Gathering Webinars, which are being scheduled for Fridays at 3:30pm

Information Item: Core Curriculum Committee Report

  • CCC met on 2/20 and 3/5
  • After surveying general faculty, and receiving unanimous approvals from SBET, UGC, Hynes Curriculum Committee, and CAA, CCC presents its proposal to convert COL 150 from a four- to three-credit course to College Council today for a vote
  • CCC is currently reviewing the 356 responses it received to its student survey
  • CCC has completed a schedule of 31 Columba Cornerstone Learning Communities for FS20 and has scheduled 1 free-standing COL150 for transfer students only

Information Item: Hynes Institute Report

  • Hynes Curriculum Committee approved proposals for a BA in Entrepreneurial Leadership and BBA in Entrepreneurship; both proposals have since been presented to SBET and UGC, and approved by CAA
  • In response to the pandemic, the Hynes Institute has instituted daily (Mo-Fr) virtual coworking hours, online student mentoring, virtual student workshops, as well as Entrepreneur Talks (E-Talks)
  • The Iona Innovation Challenge also moved to an online format; 19 out of 26 student teams submitted their second milestone on 3/22
  • Our Lunch & Learn seminars have been moved online; the first virtual seminar was held on 3/25 by our Entrepreneur-in-Residence, Danny Potocki ’13

Information Item: Reports from Constituent Assemblies

Faculty Senate

  • The Senate met on 2/27 and did the following
  • Seated the Committee on Academic Affairs Working Group on Department Viability
  • Prepared for the committee election and appointment period that began in late March

Staff and Administrative Council

  • SAC is currently preparing for elections

Student Government Association

  • SGA met on 3/5 for its “Meet the Candidates” event
  • On 3/13 election results were calculated, and nominees notified of the results; all positions were filled
  • The executive board and legislature will continue to meet on a bi-weekly basis for the remainder of the semester via Zoom
  • SGA will be starting the senator elections process this year and is working to move some of the spring civic engagement events to social media campaigns  

Information item: Reports from the Standing Committees

Committee on Academic Affairs

  • CAA met on 3/10
  • A proposal to change COL 150 from 4 credits to 3 credits was unanimously approved
  • A proposal for a BA in Entrepreneurial Leadership was unanimously approved
  • A proposal for a BBA in Entrepreneurship was unanimously approved
  • A discussion of a new course cross-listing policy was tabled
  • The question was raised as to college policy under current conditions regarding faculty and student attendance at conferences; policy is fluid and decided case by case
  • Several points of information were presented, including: the approval of a BA/MA in Sports Communication; a reduction of credits in the CS minor; a name change for MFT 740; and the approval of PSY 998 and PSY 999

Committee on Budget

  • Budget is currently organizing a virtual committee meeting schedule

Committee on Human Resources and Compensation

  • HR&C met on 3/6
  • The Committee reviewed a draft of the transition guide explaining the proposed revisions to the 403(b) plan. The changes are to enhance the plan, provide fee transparency and reduce costs. The intent was to move forward with the changes this spring; however, given the recent events the College has proposed holding the changes until the fall.
  • The Committee discussed notifying the community about closure of the summer camp. It was determined that information was needed about any summer camps that may still be on.
  • The Committee started consideration of changes to the Bereavement Policy.

Committee on Rank, Tenure, and Awards

  • No report

Committee on Libraries and Information Technology

  • The committee met on 2/13/20, and discussed the following
  • Spring student and faculty workshops·
  • The LibQual survey, which began the week of 2/17
  • IT Strategic Plan
  • Data Security and Privacy Training
  • Upcoming maintenance: 3/19 at 10:30 p.m. to F3/20 at 5:30 a.m.

Committee on Institutional Advancement

  • With the move to on-line, Advancement will need to reconsider whether or not to go forward with Giving Gaels Day
  • Virtual Advancement meetings will be scheduled as needed moving forward

Committee on Student Life

  • No report

Committee on Athletics

  • Athletics met on 2/26
  • M. Glovaski summarized the data collection progress to identify scheduling challenges student athletes are having with the Core; he expects more data after the registrations period starts 
  • M. Glovaski reported on spring sports
  • Iona University Athletics held the third annual Women’s Leadership Dinner
  • M. Glovaski reported on Athletic Department’s involvement with Celebrating 50 Years of Women
  • The Athletics Department invited the members of the 1979-1980 Men’s Basketball team to highlight one of Iona’s historic achievements

Committee on Diversity

  • COD has not met since the last Council meeting
  • The committee co-chairs are currently working to reschedule the Diversity speaker to the fall term

Committee on Enrollment Management

  • The committee has not yet met, but the Office of Enrollment Management has been busy working on fall recruitment

Committee for Environmental Sustainability

  • The committee met on 2/27 and discussed the following
  • A Declaration of Support for the 5th anniversary of Laudato Si (proposed and tabled)
  • Options for posting committee information
  • Chartwell’s growing its own herbs with grow lights in the cafeteria
  • Challenges regarding waste and recycling on campus, especially at campus events
  •  The IC Green Garden dedication on 4/2
  • Food Service concerns of various kinds, particularly in relation to sustainability and recycling in the dining facilities and possible sponsorship of Iona’s on-campus garden
  • The establishment of a Tranquility Garden on campus
  • Several environmental-themese events being organized by the Inauguration Planning Committee
  • Possible grant opportunities for on-campus electric vehicle (EV) charging stations

Action Item: Cancellation of Spring 2020 Council Meeting

  • The Council voted unanimously to cancel its 4/1 meeting
  • Item closed

Action Item: Credit Change to COL 150

  • The Council voted unanimously to endorse the change in credit load for COL 150 from 4 credits to 3
  • Item closed

There being no other business, T. Moretti adjourned the College Council meeting at 4:50pm. The next Council meeting will be held on 4/29/20 at 3:30pm via Zoom