Academic Senate Meeting Minutes

                                         Queensborough Community College

                                            The City University of New York

 

                                                               MINUTES

                                       of the April 18, 2023 Academic Senate

 

Steering Committee Chairperson Dr. Steven Dahlke called the first regularly scheduled meeting of the Academic Senate to order at 3:15 PM. The meeting was held in a hybrid format, with attendees both in M136 and on Zoom. Chairperson Dahlke chaired the meeting from M136. 

 

I. Attendance

52 votes were recorded at the time attendance was taken; 60 members of the Academic Senate were present during the meeting.

 

Absent: Alai, Azadeh; Birchfield, Belle; Byfield, Carlene; Diana, Emily; Georgilis, Shenaz; Kolios, Anthony; Li, Jeremy; Mayeli, Azita; McDonald, Alfred; Nguyen, Andrew; Parrinello, Emil; Quinonez, Silvia; Tariq, Hafiz; Tawde, Mangala; Prince, Kezia; Van Der Horn-Gibson, Jodi; Vasquez, Chenyl; Willis, Davia

 

II. Approval of the Agenda

Chairperson Dahlke used unanimous consent to approve the agenda. There were no objections.

 

III. Consideration of the Minutes from the March 14 meeting. 

Chairperson Dahlke used unanimous consent to approve the minutes. 

The minutes were approved, with the revision that Haishen Yao should be listed as present. 

 

IV. Communications from:

A.  President Christine Mangino

 

The Senate received President Mangino’s Report

 

President Mangino encouraged members of the QCC community to attend the upcoming Partners for Progress Gala, reminding that April 19th is the last day to purchase tickets at a discounted rate. With Spring 2023 graduation fast approaching, all are encouraged to attend. 

 

With Dr. Phyllis Curtis-Tweed selected as QCC’s next Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, her first official day in the position will be August 1, 2023. President Mangino will be in touch with various groups of colleagues before that start date. 

 

The required 3% budget cut for next academic year has been submitted, and there is high confidence it will be approved. The NYC Mayor proposed 4% cuts for all city offices, with 3% for all CUNY campuses. On April 19, Stephen Di Dio and President Mangino will speak at City Council to advocate with CUNY Central colleagues on behalf of CUNY to articulate what budget cuts mean for our campuses and our students. 

 

Enrollment is up for the Spring 2023 semester, and summer enrollment is looking positive as well. 

 

President Mangino received a petition about concerns related to repositioning of CLTs. We want to share our thoughts with each other. We are trying to save money and provide the best service for students. The moving of CLT’s does not include labs with specialty skills. The goal is to take 8 colleagues and move them so they can be cross-trained and deployed where the college’s needs are at any time. Another goal is to establish a technology services center. As of now, it is difficult to find where the IT Help Desk resides. Currently, students need to seek several offices depending on their needs. After this change, students will have a central location to go to. President Mangino expressed that she would be happy to answer any questions from the Senate. No questions were raised.

 

B.      UFS Report

 

Dr. Emil Tai described the two most recent meetings of UFS, occurring during the last week of March and first week of April. A shared digital history of UFS is available online, and Dr. Tai shared an overview with the Senate. There is a complete archive of CUNY as an institution as well. At the end of March, the Vice Chancellor came to speak about budget concerns. The real urgency is that, statewide, historically SUNY receives 60%, CUNY receives 40%. This year, CUNY didn’t receive any funds. However, the NYS Assembly and Senate expressed they do want CUNY to be adequately funded, and to look for other kinds of service. At the state level, the Governor issued a preliminary budget. At the City level, budget process doesn’t come to a close until June 2023. Dr. Tai urged members of the QCC community to be in touch with NYC and NYS representatives. Dr. Tai expressed that she would be happy to take questions. No questions were raised. 

 

C.   Steering Committee Monthly Report

 

Dr. Steven Dahlke referred to the list of Senators departing the Senate after the April 2023 meeting, thanking all for their service to the college. It was clarified that Dr. Philip Pecorino will be resigning his position in the Senate after the May 9 meeting, which is before his term ends.  

 

Dr. Dahlke asked Senators to please refer to the official Steering Committee Monthly Report for more information, and in the interest of utilizing the Senate’s time wisely we will proceed directly to the more than several actionable items on the agenda to allow ample time for discussion if needed. 

 

V.  Monthly Reports

A.  CCCRC Nomination Poll  

 

The three highest-polling candidates will serve as the Academic Senate’s CCCRC Nominees. The poll results are listed below: 

 

1. Franca Ferrari-Bridgers: 31
2. Arthur Adair: 30
3. Melissa Dennihy: 27
4. Rezan Akpinar: 25
5. Leah Anderst: 16
6. Robert McAlear: 12

 

B. Committee on Bylaws, Attachment B

 

The actionable item passed with   51 - 1 - 4

 

Against: Armendariz, Raul 

 

Abstain: Gurtas, Yusuf; Lieberman, David; Stark, Julian; Yao, Haishen

 

C. Committee on Committees, Attachment C

 

The actionable item passed with  52 - 0 - 1

 

Abstain: Armendariz, Raul 

 

Two typos within the document were found and corrected during the meeting. 

 

Questions were raised about instances wherein faculty are participating in more than one committee. The rationale provided is that there are less junior faculty as well as less overall faculty who requested to be placed on committees, and this measure was done in pursuit of adequately and fairly filling all necessary positions. 

 

D. Committee on Curriculum, Attachment D

 

Attachment D contained two actionable items for New Courses and Course Revisions, respectively. 

 

Actionable Item 1 (New Courses) passed with  52 - 0 - 0

 

Actionable Item 2 (Course Revisions) passed with  52 - 0 - 0

 

E. Committee on Pre-College, Attachment E

 

The actionable item passed with   51 - 0 - 1

 

Abstain: Armendariz, Raul 

 

VI.  Unfinished Business

 

Dr. Ronald Van Cleef announced that on April 19 at noon in room S-111 the History Department will host a talk about Dr. Van Cleef’s recently-published book on the origins of the gay liberation movement in West Germany. 

 

VII. New Business

A.   FEC Proposals, Attachments F, G, and H

 

Actionable Item Attachment F passed with 41 - 7 - 5

 

Against: Dahlke, Steven; Jiménez, Julian C.; Katz, Zivah Perel; Litroff, Scott; Mitra, Brian; Schiebe, Mark; Yao, Haishen; 

 

Abstain: Colalillo, Georgina; Di Dio, Stephen; Ferrari-Bridgers, Franca; Gurtas, Yusuf; Smith, Kerri-Ann

 

In discussion, concerns were expressed during pre-vote discussion on the lack of specificity of consequences for students not achieving certification, as well as he cost of implementing such measures and the possible forms the training may take. Michael Pullin asserted that the endeavor would be relatively low cost and funded with a Title V grant. Dr. Pecorino asserted that, as the student certification proposal was in the planning stages, senators’ concerns would be seriously considered moving forward should the measure pass. 

 

Actionable item G passed with 46 - 2 - 2

 

Against: Gurtas, Yusuf; Lieberman, David

 

Abstain: Di Dio, Stephen; Yao, Haishen

 

In discussion, the concern was raised as to how faculty can observe an asynchronous course? Dr. Pecorino responded that in the absence of real-time meetings, observations be conducted via the course materials and methods in which those materials are presented in the course.

 

 

Actionable Item H passed with 42 - 6 - 2

 

Against: Hall, Jr., Clarence Jefferson; Jiménez, C. Julian; Mitra, Brian; Saindon, Christina; Tayson, Richard; Van Cleef, Ronald; 

 

Abstain: Di Dio, Stephen; Honey, Larisa 

 

In discussion, senators asked which courses constitute fully online? Dr. Pecorino responded that only online synchronous and online asynchronous constituted fully online courses. Dr. Pecorino added that the intended purpose of the proposal was to ensure faculty are teaching on campus a minimum of 50% of their course load, allowing for possible exceptions to be granted. 

 

 

B.  Other New Business: 

 

1. Kathleen Wentrack invited colleagues to the Art and Design Exhibition taking place on April 19 from 4-6pm in the Art Gallery. 

 

    2.  Philip Pecorino announced the PSC chapter will hold a meeting on welfare fund 

          benefits. 

 

    3.  Kerri-Ann Smith announced a workshop with Lesley Wang, a writing coach. 

         registration link will be emailed for April 28 event. 

 

     4. Bjorn Berkhout announced an Asian Heritage Month music concert for April 19, 

        Sponsored by the Music Department, Asian Faculty/Staff Association KHC, and 

        Student Activities. The event will take place at 12:30pm in the QPAC. 

 

 

Meeting Adjourned at 4:34pm 

 

Scott Litroff, Secretary 

Academic Senate Steering Committee