Academic Assembly

GRANT CAMPUS ACADEMIC ASSEMBLY May 6, 2008 - 3:30 P.M. HSE Lecture Hall

Minutes

I. Call to Order

The meeting was called to order at 3:40 p.m. by temporary Chairperson of the Assembly, Jeff Kluewer.

II. Approval of Minutes: April 1, 2008 meeting

 One correction: on page 5, Dean McKay also stated that there will be a new biology lab  Minutes of 4/1/08 approved unanimously with one correction

III. Election Results:

1. Chairperson-elect of the Assembly: June Ohrnberger, four years in office

2. Secretary of the Assembly : Joy Mahabir, 1 year term

3. Executive Committee members :

Maria Alzugaray, 2 year term Ruth Kolk , 2 year term Alex Kasiukov, 1 year term

4. Class Size Committee: Carol Mauro, 2 year term

5. Strategic Planning Council

Ruth Kolk, 2 year term John Jerome, 2 year term

6. College Publications Board: Mike Jones, 1 year term

- 1 - IV. Executive Committee Items

1. Executive Committee Report

 John Pryputniewicz awarded the 2008 Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching.  Victoria Siegel won a teaching award and was recently honored at a formal SCC Foundation luncheon  Deborah Wolfson won the Governance Award for Academic Excellence and Service  Roslin Khan is improving. You may call her at 631-647-3919.  Volunteers are needed to serve on the 2009 Chancellor’s Award selection committee. First meeting will be on 9/26/08 and second meeting will be on 10/24/08.

2. College Curriculum Committee Resolutions

a. Resolution 2007/08 – 16 Adoption of PC55 / PSY205: Health Psychology by the Eastern Campus

Discussion: This course was originally taught at Grant, and instructor now teaches at the Eastern campus. Motion moved and seconded for adoption. Approved unanimously by Grant Campus Assembly.

b. Resolution 2007/08 – 17 Adoption of MA42 / MAT113: Technical Mathematics II Discussion: This class is required for students enrolled in the Manufacturing Technology program. Motion moved and seconded for adoption. Approved unanimously by Grant Campus Assembly.

3. Faculty Council of Community Colleges Resolution

a. Resolution 2007/08 – 18 Endorsing FCCC Resolution on SUNY Transfer Policy

Discussion: Art Lundahl  Seamless transfer from SUNY community colleges to SUNY four-year colleges has been a decade long problem  Four to five thousand students do not get 100% transfer of courses  Half of the students in the SUNY system start off in community colleges.  SUNY Chancellor created a task force of SUNY administration and faculty to look into transfer policy

- 2 -  FCCC proposed this resolution, and resolution is currently making rounds at 30 community colleges  The courses called for full articulation are all 100 and 200 level and general education course systemwide.  Question: Are all general education courses approved for transfer. Answer: Yes, because this builds upon the fact that students should not have to take gen ed course twice. For example, Freshman Composition (EG11) is equivalent to the freshman composition courses at all SUNY schools.  Question: Is the FCCC looking at other States? Answer: Yes.

Motion moved and seconded for adoption. Approved unanimously by Grant Campus Assembly.

V. Committee Reports

Campus Committees:

1. Academic Standards−Nancy Ellis: Next year’s agenda will focus on student advisement, the Writing to Learn program, the use of technology in the classroom.

2. Curriculum−Marc Fellenz: Please let the committee know if you have submissions for Fall 2008.

3. Computing−Lisa Angius: Committee is still assessing use of technology in the classroom, particularly issue of downloading videos.

4. Committee for Serving the Needs of People with Disabilities─Victoria Siegel: The committee is assessing all buildings on campus to see if they are accessible to people with disabilities. A video is being prepared for faculty to learn about serving the needs of students with disabilities.

5. Community Relations─Maria Alzugaray Rodriguez: The Speaker’s Bureau will continue in Fall and will be expanding to Senior Centers. Committee website is being improved. New chair of this committee is Anabel Darini.

6. Physical Development−Jeff Kluewer: This committee was given an updated charge by the EC, and there will be a short meeting of all those interested in this committee at the end of the Assembly meeting.

- 3 - 7. Scholarship─Mary Pat Takacs and Elida Buitron-Cashman (Co-Chairs): The book sale raised $1240. Both Mary and Ellie are on the Get There From Here Scholarship Committee.

8. Campus Life—Erikka Mendez: The following people helped the Campus Life Committee over the past year and should be thanked for all their support: Al Heraghty, Padma Seshadri, Mary Ann Borrello; Meryl Rogers, Elida Buitron-Cashman, Lydia Kloiber, Toni-Anne Nhotsoubanh, Thomas Tartaglia, Timothy O’Shea, Jonathan Hollowell, Hope Sasway, Michaelann Tostanoski, David Gray, Alex Kasiukov, Maria Reitano, Leonora Smook and Donald Ferruzzi. Lou Roccanova and Hope Sasway will be the new co-chairs of this committee in Fall 2008.

9. Nature Preserve−Jeff Epstein: Please document usage of the Nature Preserve. Call Betty Koller to reserve space. Call to report trail walks. Lou Roccanova reported that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will do a survey of Nature Preserve section B.

10. FOCUS−Alex Kasiukov: Kevin McCoy will present “Civil Liberties: State of the Union” on 5/12/08, 11-12:15pm, Room F104. Topic centers on what our civil liberties are and how we can defend them.

College-wide Committees:

1. Developmental Studies Advisory Board─Deborah Wolfson: Minutes from the last meeting are posted on the governance website.

VI. Old Business: None

VII. New Business: None

- 4 - VIII. Campus Report

Grant Campus Executive Dean Shaun McKay

 Thanks to Jeff Kluewer and the entire Executive Committee of the Assembly for stepping up after Roslin’s accident.  When the Grant library was first built, we had 3,400 students. We now have approximately 8,240 students and only two library rooms for group sessions. We need to communicate our needs for building spaces to elected officials. It is vital for the faculty and citizens of Suffolk County to communicate with elected officials before the June 10 vote on capital projects.  Six students from Grant went to speak to the legislators earlier this semester, and they should be highly commended for their leadership roles and articulate presentations.  There was no increase from the State for our operating budget, and 2008-9 operating budget will not fund key commitments made by SCCC to SUNY and Middle States.  There will be no new faculty positions. We have asked for additional staff and support, and we now have to find creative ways to supplement.  We are moving forward on the following: Biology lab, Photo-imaging lab, Math lab  There will be new lighting on campus in the Fall. Joe Fraccalvieri and his team have tried to have the campus aesthetically pleasing and physically sound. We cannot apply pesticides to campus grounds, hence the mass growth of dandelions.  Greener Grant week was held in April. Over 100 students and faculty participated. Students will speak at Board of Trustees meeting on 5/15 on greening of the campus and sustainability issues.  Thanks for another great year. Graduation will be on 6/1/08.

IX. College Report

President Pippins

 We recently got the lowest percentage increase in the history of this institution; the County and State shares are not increasing.  The draft handout, “Commitments Narrative and Charts for Budget Message” will demonstrate the primary impact of the budget. The goal of 70:30 ratio of full-time faculty to adjuncts will be affected since we will have to reduce hiring next year. The last page of the draft gives a comprehensive range of services and support. We have been able to expand our scholarship offerings to students, and want to initiate emergency loans and fundraising events.  Retention is important and with the 4,100 full-time first year students, we want to initiate programs to improve retention. An OS15 Advisory Committee will address this and we want faculty to generate ideas to improve retention. Jeff Kluewer recently sent a memo about an idea he had for retention and he should distribute it to the Assembly.  We had 169 applications for the Get There From Here Scholarship, and 142 completed applications that will be considered.

- 5 - Executive Vice President George Gatta

 County Executive has taken the new learning resource center out of the capital program  Kevin Peterman will send information so that faculty can communicate with legislators  We requested 2.5 million for the Emergency Notification System, but will receive 1.1 million.  Students and faculty will join with businesses to talk to legislators to advocate for SCCC funding.

X. Good of the Assembly

 Mary Pat Takacs: Please put an extra textbook on reserve for students.  Bettye Easley: Thanks to faculty who helped with Career Week. Special thanks to Jeff and Alyssa.  Anabel Darini: 5/10 is Pi day. We need volunteers to help judge essays and poems. Judging takes place today after Assembly meeting.  John Jerome: Kathy Benjamin is retiring to Oregon. We are meeting on 5/13, 4:00pm at the Solar Café. Dinner and gift is $35.00 per person.  Elida Buitron-Cashman: Thanks to the Art Dept. for helping out with International Children’s Day.  Mike Jones: There will be a Math symposium on 11/15. Please think about submitting proposals for presentations.  Kevin Peterman: E-mails will be going out next week. Please follow directions to send letters to legislators.  Dean McKay: Promotion applications- deadline is 6/15/08  Jeff Kluewer: Retention proposal will be sent to all faculty  Don Ferruzzi: Faculty won volleyball game on 4/8/08- Score 45:22

XI. Adjournment

Meeting was adjourned at 5:30pm

Minutes recorded by Joy Mahabir

NEXT MEETING: Fall 2008 Semester