Academic Senate Committee on WID/WAC 5/13/22

The Academic Senate Committee on WID/WAC met on 5/13/22, 10:00am, Zoom

Committee Members in Attendance:

1. Christi Saindon, Chair, Communication, Theatre, & Media Production (2023)
2. Rommel Robertson, Social Sciences (2022)
3. Carla McIntosh, Academy Advisement (2023)
4. Angela Ridinger-Dotterman, English (2024) *replacement member
5. Raul Luiz Armendariz, Physics (2024)
6. Adam Luedtke, Social Sciences (2025)
7. David Pham, Mathematics & Computer Science (2025)

Liaisons in Attendance:

1. Melissa Dennihy, English, WI Co-Coordinator
2. Monica Rossi-Miller, Foreign Languages & Literature, WI Co-Coordinator
3. Arthur Corradetti, Liaison to Office of Academic Affairs

Business:

The meeting was called to order at 10:03am

1. 1. Discussion and Approval of Agenda
   2. Gratitude for responses to the February 20th email “meeting”Completed student waiver requests
      1. Discussion about scheduling meetings in the future.
         1. If Zoom meetings are possible in the future, Friday’s may be easiest.
         2. Create a Doodle Poll to find the best day/time for all committee members.
   3. WI Co-Coordinators Training Update for 2021-2022 Academic Year, Melissa & Monica
      1. Newly trained faculty numbers/list: 5 this year completed training; 2 are pending
         1. Christi has added names to the complete Excel sheet of WI-trained employees.
      2. Any training updates regarding requirements or adjustments to WI requirements/courses.
         1. Faculty involvement has decreased; some faculty join but drop out.
            1. WI Co-Coordinators believe this is due to workload associated with the WI training
               1. QCC training is not consistent with other CUNY campuses.
            2. Might also be due to requirement to submit student writing samples.
               1. Student writing samples are challenging to collect when faculty are not teaching a writing course.
               2. Co-Coordinators will temporarily remove this requirement from training to determine if that helps recruitment/attrition.
            3. Palmer approved WI Foreign Language courses

1. Activity since last meeting:
   1. Completed student waiver requests
      1. None received
      2. Received three (3) requests for the waiver request form, but none were submitted.
      3. Discussion about adding the waiver request form to the website.Students can contact the WIDWAC chair to request waiver; committee is hesitant to add it to the website, for concern that it will become more commonplace, where it should be made clear that a waiver is rare.
   2. Chair Bjorn Berkhout reached out regarding WI misunderstanding/mis-entry in a MUS 101 course.
      1. The course was listed in some places as WI and in others as not WI. The faculty member was not planning to teach it as WI, but because in CUNYFirst, it was listed as WI in CUNYFirst (ergo awarding credit to all students enrolled), they elected to teach it as WI.
      2. Though the department chairs were notified of the issue, this discussion with Prof. Berkhout is mostly a notification that we might have challenges from students in other courses and disciplines, if WI designation was misplaced elsewhere; the suggestion is that this might be related to the switchover to the new course entry system ‘CourseDog,’ so hopefully it will be resolved once the system is used more.
   3. Faculty recertifications in process
      1. Requests
         1. 93 requested, Oct 12, 2021
            1. Palmer informed the Department Chairs of low participation, encouraging greater participation.
         2. Given low participation, Christi resent the original request Feb 21, 2022.
            1. 3 declines
            2. 3 inquiries about requirements, with stated intent to submit for recertification (but not submitted)
            3. 3 submissions for recertification
               1. 1 suggested revision (not approved)
            4. 1 approved
            5. 1 pending review
            6. Note: Christi elected to not send out additional requests, with hopes that the encouragement from the Office of Academic Affairs would bring in more submissions for our review.
            7.  Discussion:
               1. Email invitation should come from administration (OAA) rather than WIDWAC chair.
               2. Include description of the requirements in the email.
               3. HIP Co-Coordinators will create a refresher course/series to assist faculty who want to ensure they are up-to-date.
               4. Form descriptions (for acceptance, revision, etc.) need to be revised.
                  1. Christi will do this and provide the form to faculty for review at the beginning of the Fall 2022 semester.
   4. Website updates
      1. WIDWAC Annual Report will need to be added by August 1, 2022.
      2. WIDWAC Committee Guide needs to be created and added to the website.
         1. The Committee Guide will help to ensure smooth transition from year to year/chair to chair.
            1. Christi, as a continuing member, can continue this labor in the coming academic year, in consultation with the 2022-2023 WIDWAC Chair.
         2. Membership, Chair, & Secretary will need to be updated after the vote

5. New business
   1. Annual Report review & revisions
      1. Please feel welcome to comment on the document hyperlinked above; Christi will make changes.
   2. Welcome new members!
   3. Voting for AY 22-23 Chair & Secretary (formal)
      1. Note: Only members for the 2022-2023 academic year can vote.
      2. Website, voted by acclamation: Carla McIntosh
      3. Secretary, voted by acclamation: Adam Luedtke
      4. Chair, nominees: James Nichols & Christi Saindon
      5. Other new business: none

6. Adjournment at 11:26am

Respectfully submitted,

Christi Saindon, Chair
Committee on WID/WAC, Secretary

Minutes typed on 5/13/22