Academic Senate Meeting Minutes
September 10, 2024
Steering Committee Chairperson Dr. Scott Litroff 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 ZOOM. Chairperson Litroff chaired the meeting from M-136.
I. Attendance
Forty-two votes were recorded when attendance was taken, and 56members of the Academic Senate were present during the meeting.
Absent: Jeff Ballerini, Charles Chui Fu Chen, Lois Florman, Jennifer Gliere, Sasan Karimi, Zivah Perel Katz, Isabella Lizzul, Miguel Long, Joselyn Ojeda, Sabreen Qaisar, MD Mahburur Rahman, Laura Rachiele, Melida Sanchez, Celia Sporer, Isabel Torres, Gilmar Visoni, and Haishen Yao
II. Approval of the Agenda
Chairperson Litroff used unanimous consent to approve the agenda. There were no objections.
III: Consideration of the minutes from May 14, 2024 (Attachment A)
Chairperson Litroff used unanimous consent to approve the minutes. There was one amendment to the minutes – C. Julian Jiménez was present at the May 14, 2024, Academic Senate Meeting.
IV: Communications from:
President Mangino welcomed everyone back to a new semester. We need to keep all students enrolled. We are close to our goal for the number of students enrolled. Last year 276 students left before the census date. 111 students stepped out for outstanding balances and 18 of these students returned this year. We have the Promise Scholarship which helps students with outstanding balances. CUNY Tuesday will be used for money to support students. President Mangino asked faculty to assist students. One big issue was the Metro Cards, students can go to Accessibility Resource Center (ARC), and they can help students fill out paperwork to see if they qualify for a Metro card. President Mangino asked the faculty to support and guide them.
President Mangino was at CUNY Central there was a memorial for Clara Wajngurt Everyone spoke wonderfully about her and her service to the college.
Next Tuesday, at 1 PM, September 17th the Gardner Society is coming to QCC to hold their board meeting and meet with students.
Compliance training emails went out today and encouraged faculty to complete the two courses: Employee Sexual and Interpersonal Violence Prevention and Response Course (ESPARC) and Workplace Violence Prevention (WVP). At the end of the month, there is a Legislative Breakfast for all the elective officials in our area to thank them for their support. Linda Lee, our counselor member, worked hard to secure 5 million dollars to help us with heating and air conditioning issues across campus and that is eligible for matching funds from the state for next year. There are 3 million dollars earmarked for the child daycare center from the Federal Government.
Emails about elevators will only be sent out if an elevator is out.
There is funding from the City Council for one faculty member from each CUNY campus. For QCC there is self-funding for 10 faculty members to participate in full-day training for faculty at the Holocaust Center and then later, two days at Alabama, in the Equal Justice Institute and the Legacy Sites. There will be a speaker who will discuss and connect past and current present hate and how we connect lessons in the classroom. Applications are due by September 20th.
-
Communication from the Liaison to the University Faculty Senate - Dr. Emily Tai
The last meeting of the Faculty Senate was in May. There was a reelection of John Verzani as chair. Emily encouraged everyone to read the blog. Congratulations to Dr. Jonathan Cornick of our Math and Computer Science Departments who will be chairing the UFS Committee on Student Affairs.
Other areas discussed at the meeting included Metro cards and extending this benefit to all CUNY students. The Fair Fares Program is excellent. There is a 20-page application – including income, and a student’s domicile.
The University Faculty is carefully looking at the issues of free speech across CUNY and many ways the university could approach the issues of political dissent such as a designation of a specific area for students and adopting a university policy that would complement on the Henderson rules and avoid campus violence.
Two major policies were reviewed and adopted by the board of trustees of CUNY. First, cameras on while teaching online, instructors can require students to keep their cameras on, and academic integrity policy that includes the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI). There is support for AI to create lifelong learners, but awareness of cheating.
Dr. Liftoff welcomed all senators.
Any actionable items should be so two weeks before the Senate meeting so that materials may be reviewed and if needed if there are any clarifications to be made. The last opportunity for a department to consider a curriculum change would be October 22nd, so that the change could be considered for the October 29th Curriculum Committee meeting and brought for a vote at the November 12th Academic Senate Meeting for changes for the 2025 academic catalogue. Any items after the November 12th meeting would not be able to appear in the catalog until the following academic year.
One of the goals for this year in the Academic Senate is to focus on more student engagement. The goal is to give all students who want to participate opportunities to do so.
Dr. Litroff encouraged everyone to complete their annual reports. These reports help the Academic Senate to provide guidance and support.
V. Annual Reports from Standing Committees of the Academic Senate
- Awards and Scholarships Committee Report
- Committee on Assessment and Institutional Effectiveness Report
- Bylaws Committee Report
- Vendor Services Committee Report
- Committee on Pre-College Report
- Committee on Environment, Quality of Life, and Disability Issues Report
VI. New Business:
- Joint Statement for Dr. (Professor) Clara Wajngurt - Read by Patrick Wallach
- Library and CETL Fall 2024 Research/Publication Virtual Workshops - Presented by Christine Kim
- Special Committee on Artificial Intelligence - Actionable Item Vote
The Academic Senate had approved the formation of a special committee related to artificial intelligence of which there were 3 proposals and 2 were adopted by the Academic Senate (a policy for CETL and OAA to assist faculty to a better understanding of AI).
Dr. Phyllis Tweed spoke about the emergence of AI in education, and we need to equip our students on how to use AI. There will be a book club using Ethan Mollick’s book, Co-Intelligence: Living and Working with AI.
A motion was proposed to establish this Special AI Committee for the 2024-2025 academic year. There was no discussion and no objection to approving this motion. There was unanimous consent to approve this motion.
Meeting Adjourned at 4 PM
Philip Nelan, Secretary
