My Iona
News
All News
Events
All Events

University Council Minutes, November 30, 2022

3:30 p.m., via Zoom

Present:  D. DeFino, D. Brophy, B. Gaines, A. Kelso, E. Mariola, M. Veyvoda, L. Derenzis, A. Saccoman, A. Connolly, K. Geslak, , S. Carey, T. Mulligan, J. Stabile, A. Aggarwal, J. Carroll, M. Gioiosa, J. Haber, L. Poupis, , K. Dhanwada, E. Procario-Foley, N. Kane, M. Newell, C. Winkler
Excused: C. Andruk, M. Bard, , M. Callaghan, A. Howerton-Fox, E. Muller, N. Naqvi, L. Richardson, B. Sanner, M. Volza

D. DeFino called the meeting to order at 3:34. Quorum was met.

Approval of Minutes

Minutes from the 11/9/22 University Council meeting were approved via e-mail on 11/22/22

Announcements: None

Information Item: President’s Report

  • Thanks to L. Derenzis for his work in IT for more than 22 years.  He is heading to Marist, and we appreciate him and wish him well
  • Thanks to S. D’Alphonso, student campus ministers, and all of the student clubs and departments who came together to support Thanksgiving Basket Drive. The Bastone family supplied 30 baskets for our community partners when we were 30 baskets short.
  • We moved forward new academic programs in the NYPI School of Health Sciences in nursing education and healthcare organizational leadership
  • We have announced two major 7 figure gifts to Iona and another will be announced shortly
  • Two new D1 coaches have been hired to lead the launch of Women’s Acrobatics and Tumbling, and Men’s Lacrosse
  • Continued to drive student engagement with hundreds of student social and academic events scheduled throughout the semester
  • Realized increases in prospective student applications and campus visits
  • Met with the faculty and staff of the LaPenta School of Business to discuss major strategic updates and graduate enrollment
  • In January, M. Callaghan will spearhead new strategies to build graduate enrollment including through partnerships

Information Item: Provost’s Report

  • Accreditations in Occupational Therapy and Marriage and Family Therapy has been completed
  • Curriculog is expected to be up and running by February 2023

Information Item: Core Curriculum Report

  • CCCC met on 10/20, 11/3, and 11/17
  • Faculty recruitment for Columba Cornerstone Learning Communities is progressing.  There are 32 Cornerstone sections covered by 28 faculty.  More connecting learning communities are needed
  • Assessment Core Signature Assignment Uploads for the Fall semester were opened on 11/8.  Emails were sent to students and faculty in all core course sections, including the upper-level courses that are designated as OI or WI
  • Only 19 faculty have volunteered for Fall assessment which will take place entirely virtually in January and early February.  We need approximately 40 volunteers

Information Item: Reports from Constituent Assemblies

Faculty Senate

  • The Senate met on 11/3
  • The Senate is preparing the Workload Town Hall report with recommendations
  • On behalf of the Senate, we appreciate L. Derenzis’ service and wish him well

Staff and Administrative Council

  • Br. Bray nominations will be going out in January
  • A committee has been assembled to address some possible changes in the Constitution
  • A committee has been created to replace the chair

Student Government Association

  • SGA is finalizing at twofold streamlined governance structure for more relevant club data on engagement and activity and will create minimum requirements that clubs and organizations must complete in order to remain an active club on campus
  • SGA has implemented monthly town hall meetings so that all clubs and organizations can meet the requirement to regularly attend a legislative meeting
  • SGA is revising committees to create a funding board for better oversight, a leadership development committee to keep track of club progress, and a constitutions and oversight committee to track club standing data
  • The constitution is being rewritten and all standing club constitutions are being updated to align with the changes; SGA plans to finalize these advancements by the end of the Fall semester

Information item: Reports from the Standing Committee

Committee on Rank, Tenure and Awards

  • RTA is currently reviewing clinical faculty contracts
  • RTA is in discussions with SHS regarding scholarly expectations
  • RTA will be reviewing 17 tenure cases and 7 contract renewals

Committee on Academic Affairs

  • CAA met on 11/29
  • The following voting items were approved: revisions to Advanced Certificates in HR & Org Behavior; revisions to Bachelors and Masters in HR & Org Behavior; revisions to business minors
  • The following voting item was not approved: Neuroscience major
  • CAA gave an update on the work of the incomplete policy subcommittee. Subcommittee members will finish meeting with faculty to get input on data the subcommittee has collected and get recommendations on creating an incomplete policy.

Committee on Budget

  • The committee met on 10/26, 11/2, 11/16
  • The committee discussed and voted on: undergraduate tuition and fee rates; room and board rates; graduate tuition for the School of Arts and Sciences, School of Business, and School of Health Sciences
  • The next meeting will be in the Spring semester

Committee on Human Resources and Compensation

  • The committee met 10/28 and 11/18
  • On 10/28 the committee reviewed a new health plan option. 
  • On 11/18 the committee discussed potential changes to tuition
  • The committee endorsed the following policies: exit interview, office telephone, 2023-24 holiday schedule
  • The committee discussed the following policies which will be revisited: references and return of property

Committee  on Libraries and Information Technology

  • The committee met on 10/31 and 11/28
  • At the 10/31 meeting, the committee voted to approve changes to the Information Security and Data Privacy Policy
  • At both meetings, WIFI connectivity issues on campus were discussed.  Student representatives are seeking specific details on the locations where students are having trouble accessing WIFI, and IT is prepared to install new equipment to those locations to improve connectivity.
  • At the 11/28 meeting J. Steele updated us that IT will be working at the Bronxville campus this winter break to prepare for the opening of the new building in January.  Tech support will still be available at the New Rochelle Campus
  • Library hours for the end of the semester are posted on the library website

Committee on Institutional Advancement

  • L. Doherty summarized Alumni and Family weekend: 275 alumni were registered from the classes of 1953-2022 and 155 parents
  • The affinity reunions were a great success
  • Nearly 40 alumni returned to the class of 1997’s 25th reunion which was the highest attended 25th reunion on record
  • Advancement is working to solicit attendees of the weekend through a post-event email correspondence
  • Plans for next year: officially combine the 50th, 55th and 60th reunions; create a specific young alumni event; enhance information gathering methods to better measure the success of events and find out who is engaged with the institution

Committee on Student Life

  • The confirmed enrollment for Fall 2022 is 809 freshman students
  • The Archdiocese of New York held its annual “Spirituality Day” at Iona. 2,800 principals, teachers, and staff from 175 Catholic schools attended with Cardinal Dolan
  • The Counseling Center is able to accommodate requests for “walk-in” sessions.  They strive to offer same day appointments upon request
  • The Office of Residential Life presented National Coming Out week activities, and over 500 students participated in the event
  • October was Domestic Violence Awareness Month.  The Bell Tower at LaPenta School of Business was lighted in purple to support this movement
  • SGA is finalizing at twofold streamlined governance structure for more relevant club data on engagement and activity and will create minimum requirements that clubs and organizations must complete in order to remain an active club on campus
  • SGA is revising committees to create a funding board for better oversight, a leadership development committee to keep track of club progress, and a constitutions and oversight committee to track club standing data

Committee for Athletics

  • Men’s cross country won their 32nd in a row MAAC conference title
  • Men’s soccer had a strong performance but lost to Quinnipiac in the MAAC championship game
  • Women’s volleyball qualified to compete in the MAAC championship game
  • Two new coaching hires: Chad Surman for Men’s Lacrosse and Jacquie Eshelman for Women’s Tumbling and Acrobatics

Committee on Diversity

  • Committee met on 10/31
  • Committee is partnering with DEIB

Committee on Enrollment Management

No report

Committee on Environmental Sustainability

No report

Discussion Item: General Assembly

The Chair reported that there may have been too much information for one meeting and suggested that only one presentation should be scheduled per meeting to allow for more discussion time.

Old Business: None

New Business

It was noted that the criteria for Incomplete grades is unclear.  CAA is exploring the time limit for completion.  Student plan to complete assignments should be uploaded to Gael 360.

There being no other business, D. DeFino adjourned the University Council meeting at 4:29 p.m. The next meeting of the Council will be held on 2/8/23.