Steering Committee Report May 2023

We thank the three CCCRC nominees, whom the Senate elected last month: Arthur Adair, Melissa Dennihy, and Franca Ferrari-Bridgers. CUNY will select one of those nominees to serve a two-year term. -

A senator whose term ends in 2025 mistakenly ran for re-election this year and was elected. If there is no objection, we will void that election, they will serve out their term, and the other nominees will move up a step in the results. Daniel Garbin is therefore elected to a full term.

We welcome newly elected senators Parisa Assassi, Assistant Professor, Health, Physical Education, and Dance; Lorraine Cupelli, Associate Professor, Nursing; Sarbani Ghoshal, Assistant Professor, Biology; John Talbird, Professor, English; and Vikki, Terille, Assistant Professor, Library. Thank you for your service to shared governance.

Committee on Committees needs at least one nominee to run for one remaining available position for a three-year term beginning immediately. Thank you to the Math Department for the nominees you have already submitted. The following departments may still forward nominees, as CoC must have no more than one member from any one department: Art and Design, Communication, Theatre and Media Production, Engineering, English, Foreign Languages, History, Library, Music, Physics, and Student Affairs. We invite chairs of those departments to send nominees’ names to Steering Committee, or you may make a nomination from the floor at the May 9^th Senate meeting.

At the May meeting, there will be elections from among senators for the Senate Officer positions of Senate Technology Officer and Parliamentarian. Finding no nominee for STO last year, Steering Committee undertook to appoint any interested person to the position per Senate consent. No nominee was found, so SC divided the duties among its three members. SC is capable and willing to continue with those duties next year, but encourages any senator to step forward as nominee at the May meeting. STO runs Senate voting procedures and assists with yearly Senate seat elections.

Last year, Rezan Akpinar stepped up to the role of Parliamentarian. She was always willing and available to answer any question, and we are grateful to her for her cheerful service. In the event that Rezan will not be running again, we will need also a nominee for that position. Any senator may put their name forward from the floor at the May meeting.

Also at the May meeting will be an election from among senators for all three Steering Committee members, as SC members serve one-year terms. Zivah Perel Katz, however, is ending her long service after the May meeting so there will need to be a nominee for the position of secretary, as Steven Dahlke and Scott Litroff will run for re-election. However, chairs of any department may bring a nomination to the floor at the May meeting for all three positions, and we encourage nominees to come forward. Diversity and fresh faces are important to shared governance.

Seeing Zivah leave our committee is an occasion to look back at our time working together with not a little emotion, as it was last year when Jannette Urciuoli stepped down. Working closely together brings bonding, cements dedication and builds friendship. Thank you, Zivah. We will miss you.

There are senators who attend few meetings, and give no notification of absences. We ask everyone to take their role seriously, as so many already do. We also must reinforce the need for senators to attend meetings remotely only under extraordinary circumstances and with four-days’ notice per state law. We thank those who have put effort into the transition to in-person governance.

We celebrate this Spring’s candidates for graduation – it is our happy task to vote to approve their candidacy. We invite everyone to celebrate their achievement by attending Commencement on Friday morning, June 2^nd. Also, join Steering Committee and many of your fellow colleagues at Partners for Progress celebration on Wednesday, May 24^th at 6:00 PM at Terrace on the Park. Go to the college homepage to purchase your ticket.

We also commemorate in May the upcoming retirements of our colleagues Bill Faulkner and Sandra Palmer. We thank you for your service and are grateful for having known and worked with you. The support you give our college is noticed and appreciated and you will be missed.

Thank you for another positive year of working together. I know we are all weary – let friendship and shared commitment carry us forward into a new academic year and beyond.

Academic Senate Steering Committee (AcademicSenateSteeringCommittee@qcc.cuny.edu)

Dr. Steven Dahlke, Chair SDahlke@qcc.cuny.edu

Dr. Zivah Perel Katz, Vice-Chair Zkatz@qcc.cuny.edu

Dr. Scott Litroff, Secretary SLitroff@qcc.cuny.edu