Academic Senate Meeting Minutes
December 12, 2023
Steering Committee Chairperson Dr. Steven Dahlke called the fourth regularly scheduled meeting of the Academic Senate to order at 3:10 PM. The meeting was held in a hybrid format, with attendees both in M136 and Zoom. Chairperson Dahlke chaired the meeting from M-136.
I. Attendance
45 votes were recorded at the time attendance was taken, and 62 members of the Academic Senate were present during the meeting.
Absent: Andrea Alfaro, Nadia, Baquaei, Alisa Cercone, Daniel Garbin, Shenaz Georgilis, Yusef Gurtas, Jonathan Janeke, Laura Rachiele. Azita Mayeli, Andrew Nguyen, Nickolas Pirovolikos, Julian Stark, Magala Tawde, James Timbilla, Ashley Tobar, and Abdul Wahab
II. Approval of the Agenda
Chairperson Dahlke used unanimous consent to approve the agenda. There were no objections.
III. Consideration of the Minutes from November 14th Meeting
Chairperson Dahlke used unanimous consent to approve the minutes. There were no objections.
IV. Communications from:
A. President Christine Mangino
The Senate received President Mangino’s Report.
President Mangino discussed a pathway to an inclusive economy project with the MTA electrical pre-apprenticeship program for out-of-school youth. Funding is available for this program. $125,000 was given to students this past year if they had a balance in their tuition, which paid some of their outstanding tuition balance and registered them for the next semester.
There will be a holiday celebration on Monday, December 18, between 2 PM and 4 PM in the 5th-floor hallway of the Administration Building.
President Mangino thanked Artie Corradetti and those who worked on the Aspen application. QCC was one of the 150 community colleges that was asked to apply to compete for the top 10 spots that will be announced next year. Also, on our computers, the dashboard has been updated for this upcoming year's enrollment numbers. Please encourage students to register before they leave for the break.
President Mangino wished everyone a wonderful and peaceful last couple of weeks of the semester and thanked everyone for the work that they do.
B. Communication from the Liaison to the University Senate – Emily Tai
The new Vice Chancellor of Fiscal Affairs, Sherif Soliman, attended the December UFS December meeting. Before COVID, CUNY had a structural deficit of 117 million dollars; now, it has a 91-million-dollar deficit. The state has yet to finance some of the personnel costs accrued for maintaining facilities. In addition, the city is trying to eliminate the financial gap.
There was a discussion of academic freedom, and the University Senate is asking for a freedom of expression policy. There were earlier discussions on academic freedom, but they were tabled. There was also a discussion of the transfer process, which focused on the 6 subjects that were part of the alignment between the 2-year and 4-year colleges. There is a transfer website to see how courses are being considered and who participates in some of these committees. Faculty can reach out to the committee members if they have any concerns.
The UFS is trying to work through its budget advisory committee to partner with colleagues in the State University of New York about budget concerns. Additionally, there is work in progress to send a joint letter to the governor to express the combined investment in the academic future of public higher education in the state of New York.
C. Steering Committee Monthly Report
4 committees need to submit annual reports for 2022-2023. Dr. Dahlke thanked everyone for responding to the webpage effectiveness survey. Please remind students to complete their student evaluations.
V. Year-End Reports
Academic Development/Elective Academic ReportStudent Activities Report
VI. Monthly Reports
Committee on Curriculum Report (Attachment B) – vote to be takenApprove new course TH 113/Theatre and Social Change?
There was a correction to the document name. It should be Communication, Theatre, and Media Production.
The vote was unanimously approved: 48-0-0
Approval of restoring Business 301 as a major requirement?
The vote was unanimously approved: 52-0-0
Course Deletion: Music 241-History of Western Music 18th and 19th Centuries
The vote: Yes: 54
No: 1 (C. Julian Jiménez)
Abstain: 3 (Carolina Chaves-O'Flynn, Jennifer Giliere, and Jodi Vanderhorn-Gibson)
Approval of Program Revisions: Theatre, Management, and Music
There was a discussion on equity and access about students being kept out of programs, as QCC is an open-enrollment school. All students will still have access, but the revision is to determine a student’s level of musicianship and properly advise them. Students will be placed in the correct musicianship level.
The vote was unanimously approved: 53-0-0
Approval of course revisions: Music and Health and Physical Education (HPED)?
The vote:
Yes: 55
No: 0
Abstain: 2 (C. Julian Jiménez and Benjamin Wade)
VII: Unfinished Business
Special Committee on Pedagogical Response to Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Approve Adoption of Artificial Intelligence Statement?
There was a discussion on the deadline date for adopting the Artificial Intelligence statement. There was a concern that a statement is needed now as students are presently using AI. Other areas of concern are ways that AI can be used and when AI cannot be used. Each area of study may have its own acceptable and non-acceptable uses of AI.
There was a motion to postpone this amendment. The vote (by hand): 40-5-3
Approve Statement on Guidance from Office of Academic Affairs on Artificial Intelligence?
The vote:
Yes: 54
No: 0
Abstain: 3 (Raul Armendariz, Lorraine Cupelli, Jodi Vanderhorn-Gibson)
Approve Statement on Professional Development Engagement on Artificial Intelligence?
The vote:
Yes: 51
No:0
Abstain: 3 (Lorraine Cupelli, C. Julian Jiménez, Carolina Chaves-O’Flynn)
Approve Writing Intensive High Impact Practices Taskforce on Artificial Intelligence?
The vote:
Yes: 48
No: 0
Abstain: 2 (Carolina Chaves-O'Flynn, Christina Saindon)
VII: New Business
- Lorraine Cupelli sent a flyer inviting departments and faculty to an interdisciplinary event called A Spring Student Celebration Fair. The ideas were prompted by the number of students who utilized the food pantry and other barriers (housing, food, socio-economic first generation) that students face. Faculty will have the opportunity to highlight student-driven projects that touch on the barriers that students experience and pathways to success. The fair will be held on April 17 from 12 PM to 2 PM in the Quad, as well as some indoor areas. All proposals are due February 1, 2024.
- Heather Huggins from Communication, Theatre, and Media Production discussed programs supporting QCC's LGBTQIA+ consortium and creating programs for the spring semester with much support from many sponsors and departments. There will be a series of 3 programs over the spring semesters. A flyer with information will be sent out.
- Sara Danzi Engoron discussed the 10th Annual Faculty Retreat – Artificial Intelligence in Academia, which will be held on March 1, 2024, from 9 AM to 3 PM at the Queensborough Community College Student Union (Upper Level). This event is open to all.
- 2023 Assessment of Governance Results -
Dr. Dahlke discussed that the webpage has the effectiveness assessment about what was recorded and the analysis of what will be done to make webpages work more efficiently.
Meeting Adjourned at 4:40 PM
Philip Nelan, Secretary
