Baruch College Faculty Senate Plenary Meeting
Minutes of April 6, 2017
MINUTES
Senators Attending: M. Edwards (Law), W. Finke (ModLang), B. Fontana (Pol.Sci.), K. Frank (Eng), W. Gordon (Math), A. Grein (Mkt/Int’lBus), S. Gross (IS/S), S. Johnson (Psy), T. Martell (Eco/Fin), W. McClellan (Eng), R. McManus (Pol.Sci.), E. Minei (Comm), M. Ozbilgin (Acct), J. Peifer (Mgt.), L. Placido (Econ/Fin), L. Rath (Lib), R. Sawant (Mkt.), M. Seltzer (SPIA), M. Stark (SPIA), C. Tuthill (Lib), A.Vora (Eco/Fin), R.Wilkins (Comm), S. Wine (IS/S).
Senators Absent: E. Axelrod (Law), K. Bahar (FPA), D. Caplan (FPA), E. Chou (Eng), C. Christoforatou (ENG), S. Chugani (Mkt/Int’lBus), S. Dishart (Comm), R. Freedman (ZSB), L. Friedman (IS/S), K. Guest (Soc/Anth), C. Hessel (Eco/Fin), G. Jurkevich (ModLang), S. Korenman (SPIA), D. Luna (Mkt/Int’lBus), R. Merkin (Comm), G. Petersen (Soc./Anth), P. Sethi (Mgt), R. Radoicic (Math), S. Thomas (Acct), J. Weiser (Law), R. Zachary (Mgt),
Twenty-eight additional members of the faculty, staff and students noted their presence, making a total attendance of fifty-one.
The meeting was convened at 12:45 p.m. in VC 14-250 by Professor Samuel Johnson, Chair of the Baruch Faculty Senate.
I. Approval of Agenda: The agenda was approved by assent.
II. Approval of the Minutes: Minutes of Meeting of March 2, 2017 were approved by assent.
III. Report from the Chair:
Professor Samuel Johnson reports on the senate executive committee’s meeting with the President. Many topics were discussed and these included the proposed Confucius Institute at the college, the NY Inspector General’s continuing investigation into inappropriate use of state funds, continuing discussion on the acquisition and representation of diversity in the faculty body including how best to attract new hires from an increasingly competitive market of candidates of color, the use of discretionary funds at the college, the issue of summer workload, the status of a veterans coordinator and services for the disabled, and whether or not the college has the ability to conduct an internal audit on the grades awarded to students and whether or not grades have shown any irregularities. the role of the faculty senate on matters relevant to our authority vs a vis academic freedom and responsibility.
Professor Johnson also advances a motion to acknowledge the service of Alan Pearlman both to the faculty senate and to the PSC Union. A moment of silence is dedicated to his memory.
IV. Report from the President
President Wallerstein also uses the opportunity to remember the service of Alan Pearlman to the college and the university.
The President gives thanks to Dean Romero and his insightful toolbox presentation. The Board of Trustees is making the issue of diversity a high priority. In the news is the fact that the state has failed to pass a budget and is currently operating under an extender. There is an attempt to increase tuition to the sum of roughly $250 per student. The PSC contract has been settled and any failure to get a budget passed will mean a budget reduction much like the great recession in the not so distant past. The President remains optimistic. Part of the budget however, may include a 10% tax on the Baruch College Fund and this could seriously affect our fundraising abilities.
Faculty Recognition Day is on May 4th and this includes the President’s Excellence awards. Retiring members of the faculty are also being recognized. Commencement will be at the Barclay Centre in June at 9.30am.
Work on 17 Lex is under way and the Presidents Cabinet has been briefed on the details. This is phase 1 out of several phases to come. Also plaza work is underway.
Questions & Answers
There is a question about the status of the Student Center. A lease is soon to be signed. Professor Kevin Frank asks is the President is aware of any students having difficulties to graduate on time. A petition was passed into Professor Frank’s box that a number of students have complained that there are not enough classes to graduate. President is aware that there are some bottlenecks that do occur. Provost Christy suggest that some degree programs might need to be simplified and that data be provided to the chairs to help them schedule more effectively. Due to the Excelsior Scholarships we will also have to accommodate students that must take and pass 15 credits a semester. VP Goreman adds that data will be forthcoming.
V. Report from the Provost
Regarding upcoming events the Provost announces that faculty authors who had books published in 2016 will be recognized at an event in the Café of the Baruch College Bookstore on April 27 at 3pm. We will also recognize the winners of three small grants for faculty authors who have an active contract with a publisher, but have some final work that must be completed, such as editorial work, site visits or fact checking, prior to final submission.
The Provost is working on improved processes to support faculty compliance with mandates such as on-time final grade submissions, certification of class rosters, and early alerts regarding academic performance of first year students. There are significant performance measures and penalties that prompt us to improve compliance with these regulations.
Changes in public perceptions of full-time student status, degree applicable courses, and time required to complete a degree are becoming embedded in new programs like the Excelsior Scholarship Program. We must be ready to offer sufficient spaces in degree applicable courses for students to enroll in 15 credits per semester. One way to assist students is to streamline curricula and provide fewer complex choice alternatives or subfield requirements. A solid undergraduate curriculum should not be overly specialized.
The college is proceeding with the three-year appointments of eligible adjunct faculty who successfully complete Comprehensive Review, and for who we believe sufficient work will be available each term during the next three years. Departments should submit their worksheets and individual Comprehensive Review reports to the Provost before May 1. Eligible faculty will receive appointment letters by May 15.
We continue to work with CUNY, seeking their support in representing the need for on-load teaching assignments in a set of ‘cohort degree programs’ that have required instruction during the summer semester. If CUNY agrees, they will seek an agreement with the PSC. The provost supports the Senate resolution that seeks authorization for year round operations with on-load teaching assignments. The provost will continue to address this larger issue with CUNY while the Faculty do the same via their PSC representatives. We recognize that the current contract provision was in the interest of faculty in the past, but the changing landscape of graduate programs and some undergraduate programs may merit reconsideration of the element of the contract.
We continue to work on multiple efforts to enhance diversity at Baruch. One element is developing our current faculty and academic staff, with mentoring that prepares them for promotion. The second is insuring that our pools for all open positions are diverse. The third effort is on which the provost challenges our faculty to address: encouraging our talented and diverse undergraduates to pursue doctoral degrees and university level teaching. We must impact the supply of well-qualified, diverse candidates, not only our wish to identify and hire them.
Questions and Answers
Professor Warren offers remarks about roster certification and suggest that chairs be notified those faculty who have not certified their classes. Memos to those faculty can then be sent out. A faculty member from the Dept of Management advances the idea of an undergraduate work study program. Graduate center has cut funding also for the doctoral funding in the department and so they are looking for additional funding sources. Professor Edwards asks if there is any update on requesting the ability to include summer instruction. It will require a modification to the contract and only for certain for certain programs. It will not include the entire college offerings. Professor Michael Seltzer reminds us that there was unanimous decision on the resolution to also include other faculty from other programs.
Professor Sam Johnson offers a follow up on the question of students of color and their desire to pursue PhD’s and a career in academia. From 1986 to 1991 freshman surveys indicated that 10% said they wanted to pursue a PhD. While its old data it is informative and that we should be providing opportunities for these students to pursue advanced degrees. There are scholarships available for graduate study here at the college and it is not that we don’t have the resources to serve these students. Rather we should continue to move this particular agenda item forward.
VI. Report from Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students Art King
VP Art King provides us with an update on student veteran’s issues. Two years ago a task force was established. We met with a number of student veterans of which there are 155 on our campus. Two recommendations came out concerns have been addressed: (1) a veteran’s coordinator and (2) a designated space for student veterans. We have been designated a vet-friendly campus where we wil have a designated coordinator and that veterans are graduating on time . The coordinators position will begin next fall. We worked with Cuny to have the position funded and we hope to grow this student body.
VII. Remarks to the Faculty Senate under Old Business:
None
VIII. Remarks to the Faculty Senate under New Business:
Professor Stanley Wine is voted in as the Alternate University Faculty Senate representative.
Professor Lewin questions the underutilization and failure to recruit faculty who represent diversity in an existing pool of applicants. President Wallerstein recognizes the problem and has taken active measures to address it. The provost also notes that many faculty come and stay for more than 30yrs and while not wanting to diminish the issue it takes a while for the issue of diversity to be reflected in our faulty ranks. Professor Johnson also notes that we are coming to the end of the hiring season and that we shall get a report from the Chief Diversity Officer this coming fall. This new data will reflect the operationalization of current practices at the college. He also notes that not enough senior faculty are mentoring junior faculty and we must think broadly about how we can cultivate this. We must make it a priority and put strategies in place to retain of faculty of color. Professor Martell reminds us that even when the best possible offer was made and with the best intent sometimes we lose faculty of color to other universities. We may have to pay what their external price demands. Professor Kevin Frank remarks that issue is being taken very seriously with the administration and we must consider carefully how best to think about our resources. Professor Shula Gross says that every year she has 5-6 graduate students that go onto PhD’s and that perhaps it is time to develop our own PhD programs.
IX. Announcements:
None
The meeting adjourned at 2. 15 pm
Respectfully Submitted
Richard Wilkins
Baruch Faculty Senate Secretary
4