EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MINUTES

October 23, 2006

 

Present:          McClory, Veregge, Bros, David, Meldal, Van Selst, Thames, Hebert, Phillips, Sigler, Lessow-Hurley, Lee, Najjar, Gutierrez

 

Absent:           Kassing

 

1.   The consent calendar was approved.

 

2.   The election calendar was approved.

 

3.  The Chair of the Senate requested a volunteer from the Executive Committee to serve on the Wang Award Committee.  Past Chair Veregge volunteered.

 

4.   The Executive Committee discussed the status of the Retention-Tenure-Promotion (RTP) policy.  The President has asked the Provost to take the policy to the Council of Deans for their input.  The Executive Committee discussed the possibility that the President may sign the policy, but give it a delayed implementation date. It was noted that there are four deans on the Academic Senate and the concern was raised that the deans not be consulted as a formal body with decision-making power in this regard. Chair Hurley suggested that it might be appropriate at some point in the future to make a presentation to the deans, some of whom are relatively new, and encourage the deans to make maximum use of their role in the Senate process.

 

5.   The Executive Committee discussed whether to have the Legislative Breakfast Briefing that has been held in February.  The attendance at this event has been declining in recent years.  The Executive Committee discussed alternative ways to make our outreach to legislators more effective, e.g., one-on-one outreach between campus experts and legislators at the state and local level.  Several members suggested having only 2 or 3 issues we would like our legislators to focus on, and to put this in writing, as opposed to the 10-14 issues in the Critical Issues document.  Another suggestion was to prepare specific recommendations for legislative action to share with legislators’ staffers, e.g., funding the mandated campus implementation of Coded Memo AA-41-2006, Access to Electronic and Information Technology for Persons with Disabilities. Vice Chair Thames, Statewide Senator Van Selst, and VP Najjar will continue the discussion, perhaps in consultation with other Senators, and bring a recommendation to the Executive Committee.

 

6.  The Executive Committee reviewed the nominees for the Interdisciplinary Task Force.  Three nominees were selected to serve on the Task Force.  Senator David will notify all nominees.

 

7.  The Executive Committee discussed Coded Memo AA-41-2006, Access to Electronic and Information Technology for Persons wit Disabilities. The Provost has been appointed as the Executive Sponsor and will oversee implementation of the requirements outlined in the memo. The Memo requires a phased in three-year plan.  The first year will consist of evaluation and planning, the second year the plan will be implemented, and the third year the plan as well as our progress will be assessed.  As a first step, the campus will identify the 20 most popular SJSU websites, which will be targeted for accessibility in the first year.  The Executive Committee discussed where the resources would come from to implement the plan.  Funds should be included in the budget for implementation.  The Executive Committee discussed the fact that federal funding could be withdrawn if we don't comply with this requirement.

 

8.  The Executive Committee discussed the plan to succeed Cornerstones. The Senate will work with the Provost to organize a campus-wide conversation early in the Spring semester that will consider the system’s plan in the context of our own strategic plan. This conversation will also provide input to our own planning process moving forward.

 

9.  The Executive Committee discussed the procedure for the discontinuation of joint EdD's in the College of Education.  According to university policy, before a degree is terminated the President must discuss with the Chancellor, and then a formal proposal is submitted by the College.  Students currently in the program must be allowed to finish, and no faculty are to be displaced.