FACULTY SENATE MINUTES
February 15, 2005 (REVISED)
Dr. George Cronk, Chair of the Senate,
called the meeting to order at 3:58 p.m.
I.
REVIEW OF MINUTES:
The December 14, 2004, Faculty Senate Minutes were reviewed and approved
without objection.
II.
CHAIRPERSON'S REPORT (Dr.
Cronk):
1.
Dr. Cronk welcomed Professor Carol Chovanec to the Senate. She is temporarily replacing
Professor Kathy Campbell in the Spring 2005 semester, because she is teaching
during the Senate meeting hours.
2.
Dr. Cronk informed the Senate of an email notice from
the Library regarding an online tutorial program for online research.
Anyone interested can call Barbara Alper at
201-612-5350.
3.
Dr. Cronk has a copy of the "BCC Policy Manual
and Administrative Guidelines, Regulations, and Procedures"; anyone
interested can peruse this document in his office.
4.
Academic Calendars will be discussed today.
5.
One question on The BCC Middle States Faculty Survey
which we were asked to complete in November 2004 was: "Which group best
represents your professional interests?" The ranking of the results
were: #1. Chairpersons (49%), #2. Union (45%), #3. Divisional Deans (36.6%),
and #4. Faculty Senate (33%). Although the Senate rating was not poor, this may
show that we Senators should reach out more than we have in the past to our
constituents. Dr. Cronk recommended that Senators make regular formal reports
to their constituents in their division and department meetings and that
Senators also solicit input from their constituents on what matters or issues the
Senate should be considering.
6.
Program Review Guidelines. The
document, "Proposed Revisions to Program Review Guidelines," which is
on the Faculty Senate Page on the BCC Web Site, is an October 2002
"Draft" but is not official. The older 1990s version is the official
document, but it is very difficult to use. The Program Review Guidelines need
definite revision.
7.
Lack of Shared Governance. At the
February 2, 2005, Board of Trustees meeting, Dr. Winn requested a
re-structuring of the College. Dr. Cronk subsequently visited with Dr. Winn and
expressed his complaints and concern that there was no faculty consultation or
input prior to the Board action. Also approved at the same Board of Trustees
meeting was the deletion of the Med Lab Tech program as of June 2006. The
Administration did not inform or consult with the faculty on this ahead of time
nor did they send this action through the proper channels of the Curriculum
Committee and Senate. Some Senators
objected to the notice attached to our paycheck which indicated that four
non-teaching personnel positions were being eliminated. A Senator who is a member
of the Admissions Redesign Committee objected to the language of the letter,
which intimated that the Admissions Redesign Committee had participated in the
decision to terminate these four employees.
A motion was made to have the Chair of
the Senate appoint a committee to investigate the Administration's conduct in
regard to the items mentioned above. There was no second, and the maker
withdrew the motion.
A member of the Constitution Committee
stated that "The tap root of shared governance at the college is embodied
in the Constitution of the General Faculty, Article Two, Section 1: Function,
1.1, which states: "The Faculty Senate is the representative governing
body of the General Faculty. The Senate formulates resolutions and
recommendations, advises the President of the College, and participates in
decision-making on all matters related to the operation of the College . . . .
" This requires that the substance of the "sharing of
governance" by the Faculty Senate rises to the level of
"participation in decision-making on all matters."
A motion was made and seconded to
invite the President to the next regularly-scheduled meeting of the Senate
(March 15) or (if the President can't make that meeting) to a specially-called,
conveniently-scheduled Senate meeting to explain or debate her version of the
happenings of late (restructuring of the College and deleting the Med Lab Tech
program).
PASSED: 44 – 0 - 1.
8.
A more straightforward grid for scheduling is
needed. This will be discussed at a later date.
9.
Faculty concerns were discussed at our Executive
Meeting, particularly cancellation of classes. Many faculty complain that
too many classes are cancelled too early and without consideration of
individual discipline differences. A suggestion was made that we use the
student email addresses for timely notification when a class is cancelled
rather than US mail. The college requires every student to submit an email
address and provides the ability for the student to update the address via
WebAdvisor. A suggestion was also made that WebAdvisor be modified to show
cancelled and closed courses.
III.
COMMITTEE REPORTS:
Good and Welfare: Dr. Alan
Kaufman is making progress after his heart attack. Professor Jim Wiley is in
intensive care and not doing well.
IV.
OLD BUSINESS:
A.
Calendar
1.
Fall 2005: Motion made and seconded to accept.
PASSED: 34 – 2 – 3
2.
Spring 2006: Motion made and seconded to amend
by moving Spring Break from the week of March 19 to March 12.
Motion made and seconded to amend
the amendment by moving the start date to
FAILED: 2 – 33 -4
Vote on main amendment (move
Spring Break to March 12):
PASSED: 32 – 4 – 2
3.
Summer 2006: Motion was made to amend SS I
by moving the start date from May 17, 2006 to May 22, 2006, making the ending
date of SS I May 29, 2006.
Vote on amendment:
PASSED: 30 – 1 – 4.
Vote on main motion (Summer 2006) as
amended:
PASSED 29 – 2 – 2.
A motion was then made and seconded to
table the rest of the proposed calendars until the next meeting.
PASSED: Unanimous.
B.
Academic Integrity Statement (copy
attached)
PASSED: 34 – 0 – 0
V.
NEW BUSINESS:
SR#11-04/05 Course Deletions BUS-265, 266, 267, 268 Business Administration Courses
PASSED: 30 – 0 - 1
SR#15-04/05 Course Modification MAT-280 Calculus
I
PASSED: 33 – 0 - 0
SR#16-04/05 Curriculum
Modification AS.PS.JOUR Associate in Science Degree Journalism
PASSED: 31 – 0 - 0
A suggestion was made to notify Senators
in writing of their responsibility to be in attendance throughout the entire
meeting and to take being a Senator seriously.
The meeting was adjourned at 5:54 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Professor Marjorie Webster
Secretary
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