The Faculty Senate held their first meeting of the spring semester on Thursday, Feb. 12.
“We help make policies for our students,” said Terri Lisagor, secretary of Faculty senate. “It’s all about open communication.”
Lisagor expressed that President Dianne Harrison and Provost Harry Hellenbrand connect CSUN with what is happening throughout the CSU system, along with the statewide senators who make the faculty senate more critical and global.
Among the announcements was the topic of donating meal train sign-ups for the Faculty Senate President, Shane Frehlich, who is currently on medical leave. He is being temporarily succeeded by the Vice President of the Faculty Senate, Adam Swenson.
“The policy we pass governs everything from what has to be on a syllabus, to the rules governing who qualifies for tenure and promotion,” said Swenson. “What really matters is what happens.”
Up for discussion was the topic of the Educational Policies Committee (EPC), Larry Becker, the chair of EPC discussed the copyright policy, which was only available in the president’s office until recently, and is now online. The discussion geared towards specific changes of and meanings behind them within the sections of the policy. The changes made involved the Matador Bookstore, which is no longer responsible for copyright laws.
The other issue was financial policies of professors in each department and issues of copyright with the adoption of works produced by faculty.
The consideration of specific county acceptance for local admission of future incoming freshman students and transfer students for the 2016-2017 school year was also discussed. Due to the large impaction of Tier 1 – freshman students, CSUN would be looking to cut out students from Ventura County and a small part of Los Angeles in the CSU LA area.
This proposal is to be sent to the Chancellor by March 16. Transfer students are not as impactful as freshmen and the consideration shows that they will be accepted throughout Ventura, Los Angeles and Orange County.
“The policy we get briefed is really important too,” said Swenson. “Today’s discussion of impaction affects what high school and community college students will be able to come to CSUN. Our administration is very good about listening to and incorporating faculty feedback, so the discussion matters a lot.”
After the proposal, faculty nominations took place for faculty elections. Positions that faculty were nominated in include: faculty officers, statewide academic senator, senators-at-large and any recommendations for standing committee representatives.
Harrison came to give her monthly report on what is happening in CSU system and on campus, such as the recent meeting at CSU Long Beach. The meeting discussed collaborative research proposals on the CSU students success efforts, working on issues that are of interest in L.A., and talks of community outreach and community engagement.
“It’s a good way to keep informed and to keep an good open relationship with our faculty,” said President Harrison. “The faculty are responsible for the curriculum, how the academic programs work, they approve courses, they approve any academic requirements, so they have a huge role in a student’s life because they make the policies.”
Left to follow was Provost Harry Hellenbrand’s report, Statewide Senator Sandra Chong’s statewide academic senate CSU report and Nate Thomas’ California Faculty Association (CFA) report.
As a member of the committee, President of the Associated Students Tiffany Zaich said that students can take away the valuable information given on the impaction and all that President Harrison had to say on student creativity and the next workforce.
