December 2019
Steering Committee wishes to remind everyone that a component of the resumption of former QCC email policy was made operative on Monday, November 4th, 2019. Faculty are referred to an email of November 4th providing notification of the return of an opt-out Faculty Dialogue distribution list. Access to every department distribution list has not yet been restored. QCC administration has requested a report on the legal viability of such a system from CUNY Central offices, and as of November 25th is awaiting a response. SC will promptly report any updates.
Per Middle States recommendation, SC has begun the process of assessment of governance at QCC. The process is in development, but the following aspects are solidified: that assessment will occur in three-year cycles and that assessment will encompass one theme per year. Assessment is in process for this academic year comprising the theme of Senate Standing Committee Effectiveness. SC has created templates for submission of committee annual reports. Templates include fields for listing committee charges for the year and reporting on progress in realizing these goals. SC will track committee effectiveness by compiling data from the reports and posting them to the SC website. Additionally SC will continuously solicit input from committee leadership. SC is hosting a Standing Committee Mixer in Oakland Dining Room on December 3rd and is giving committee leadership and future potential leadership a chance to learn about activities of other committees, brainstorm on ways to improve, and discuss current committee effectiveness. SC will document all input and report on actions taken. Other major themes to be assessed include website effectiveness, bylaws effectiveness, and Senate effectiveness. Bylaws and Senate effectiveness will likely be assessed in the same year. Assessment is a process to be undertaken by all, and should be transparent and ongoing. SC is also considering focus groups and carefully crafted surveys as part of assessment. As always, everyone is encouraged to contact SC at any time with any and all input you may have on the assessment process and any other issue. SC thanks Interim President Lynch and Elaine Ioannou for their support in making the mixer happen and Dean Arthur Corradetti and Ian Beckford for their counsel on assessment.
In the October Curriculum Monthly Report a course was numbered incorrectly: CH 121 was shown as CH 122. We thank Senator Sasan Karimi, chair of the Department of Chemistry for bringing the error to our attention. Thanks also go to Olga Salamanca of OAA for correcting this error, for sending all curriculum changes on to CUNY and for working diligently to verify that reports are sent that are error free.
At the November, 2019 Senate meeting, the matter of an “Anti-Bullying” statement and/or policy was referred to committee. Tentative membership is as follows: Steven Dahlke, SC; Phil Pecorino, FEC; Clara Wajngurt, PSC/CUNY; Liza Larios, HR; and Sandra Palmer, OAA. We will also consult and/or encourage input from representatives from SGA and other campus unions. It is planned that the committee will have its initial meeting in December, and a report will be made to the Senate at its May, 2020 meeting. SC thanks all committee members for their participation.
This has been a good semester of shared governance, mindful assessment, and positive moving forward. Thank you to everyone at QCC for your part in making that happen, and enjoy a peaceful holiday season.
Academic Senate Steering Committee (AcademicSenateSteeringCommittee@qcc.cuny.edu)
Dr. Steven Dahlke, Chair SDahlke@qcc.cuny.edu
Dr. Jannette Urciuoli, Vice-Chair JUrciuoli@qcc.cuny.edu
Dr. Zivah Perel Katz, Secretary Zkatz@qcc.cuny.edu
