Steering Committee Chairperson Dr. Steven Dahlke called the first regularly scheduled meeting of the Academic Senate to order at 3:12 PM.

I. Attendance: 

55 votes were recorded at the time attendance was taken; 65 members of the Academic Senate were present during the meeting.

II. Approval of the Agenda:

A motion was made, seconded, and adopted 61-0-0 to approve the current agenda.

III. Consideration of minutes of the May 14, 2019 meeting of the Academic Senate: 

A motion was made, seconded, and adopted 64-0-0 to approve the May 14, 2019 minutes as presented [corrections to minutes include the correct spellings of Clara Wajngurt and Julia Rothenberg’s names and Jeffrey Jankowski’s rank as Professor, not Associate Professor] (Attachment A of the September 10, 2019 Agenda).

IV. Communications from:

1. Interim President Lynch

The Senate received Interim President Lynch's September 2019 Report. To see the full report visit the Academic Senate's website.

Interim President Lynch spoke to his report, highlighting the College’s enrollment and budget challenges. The College is working to address these challenges. The Interim President noted the College’s notable and impressive improvements in graduation rates, while recognizing our challenges with retention. The College community will need collaboration and consistency to address retention rates. This year will be all about the strategic plan and budgetary issues; the strategic plan will be a “10,000 foot plan” that develops long term strategies for enrollment and facilities. Interim President Lynch noted that there is no new information about search for a new President, but that he expects it to launch this fall.

2. University Faculty Senate Liason to the College 

Dr. Emily Tai reported about the University Faculty Senate meeting in May, when the UFS adopted amendments to charter that work to retain language about holding the administration to their responsibility to consult with faculty. Because of a teaching conflict, Dr. Tai will not stay on Executive Committee and there will be an emergency election to replace her on September 24, 2019.

3. Senate Steering Committee Report

The Senate received the Steering Committee report. For the full report, visit the Academic Senate website. 

The Steering Committee welcomed everyone back and greeted: two new chairs Dr. Kathleen Wentrack (Art and Design) and Dr. Bjorn Berkhout (Music), new CLT rep Laura Rachiele, and new SGE students: Ankush Gaba, Britney Vasconcellos, Nikola Baci, John Onisa, Eniola Aderonmu, Jaideo Singh, and Jacquelyn Apostolo.

Regarding the Steering Committee’s monthly report, Dr. Dahlke thanked Standing Committee Chairs and Secretaries who uploaded their reports to Cascade, which makes them readily viewable to interested parties and ADA compliant. While he is regretful that there were difficulties during the initial transition, Dr. Dahlke expressed hopefulness about the new system in the long term. He noted that the Steering Sub-Committee on Accessibility Issues on campus will now be a sub-committee of the Committee on Environment, Quality of Life, and Disability Committee and noted that the rest of the details are in the posted report.

V. Degrees—informational items 

The Steering Committee attached the list of June graduates (Attachment B) that the Academic Senate voted to approve at the May 14, 2019 meeting. This list is informational. The list of August graduates is pending and will likely appear on the October 15, 2019 agenda.

VI. Annual Reports of the Committees of the Academic Senate- informational

items

Dr. Dahlke noted that all of the Annual Reports of the Standing Committee are linked to on the current agenda. The Steering Committee thanks the following committees for submitting their reports: Committee on Committees; Committee on Academic Development/Elective Academic Programs; Committee on Budget Advisement; Committee on Bylaws; Committee on Computer Resources; Committee on Pre-College, Continuing Education & Workforce Development; Committee on Cultural and Archival Resources; Committee on Curriculum; Committee on eLearning; Committee on Environment, Quality of Life, and Disability Issues; Committee on Food Insecurity; Committee on Library; Committee on Student Activities; Committee on Vendor Services; Committee on Writing in the Disciplines/Writing Across the Curriculum (WID/WAC).

VII. Monthly Reports of the Committees of the Academic Senate

The Curriculum Committee's monthly report is an informational item.

VIII. Old Business

There is no current Old Business to address at the moment, but Dr. Dahlke updated senators that the policy on religious observances will come up again at the October 15, 2019 meeting.

IX. New Business

Dr. Dahlke made note of the Report on Senate Committee Resources Request made to the administration.

He called for any new business and there was none.

The meeting was adjourned at 3:29 PM

Respectfully Submitted,

Zivah Perel Katz

Secretary, Steering Committee of the Academic Senate