Academic Senate Meeting Minutes

Steering Committee Chairperson Dr. Scott Litroff called the seventh regularly scheduled meeting of the Academic Senate to order at 3:15 PM.  The meeting was held in hybrid format, with attendees both in M136 and ZOOM.  Chairperson Litroff chaired the meeting from M-136. 

I.  Attendance 

53 votes were recorded at the time attendance was taken, 46 were in person and 7 online of the 61 members of the Academic Senate were present during the meeting. 

II. Approval of the Agenda 

Chairperson Litroff used unanimous consent to approve the agenda.  There were no objections. 

III: Consideration of the Minutes from May 13, 2025

Chairperson Litroff used unanimous consent to approve the minutes. There were no objections. 

IV: Communications 

1. President Christine Mangino 
   The Senate received President Mangino’s Report 
   
   • Thanked IT and all colleagues that are helping to get all the computers updated across the campus by the middle of October which is the deadline when the old computers will no longer be secure. 
   
   • President Mangino shared the preliminary fall to fall retention rates for those students that started last fall and continued this semester. When we began our strategic plan, the retention rate was 58.8% right after COVID. We were slowly working our way up, jumping to 64.5% last year which was a 3.5 % increase from the year before. This semester we are at 71.6% retention for our first-time, full-time freshmen. This is in response to all the work that faculty and staff are doing across the campus to help students succeed. Programs that are helping are the First Year Seminar, New Student Engagement Program, all of the wrap around services, and orientation. Another area that saw an improvement; 30% of freshman student would finish their first semester at QCC with a zero GPA putting them on probation, with no way to get to a 2.0 to graduate. It is now down to 9% for freshman students.  
   
   • Queensborough Community College was evaluated by CUNY Central yesterday and the data was shared as well all the really good work going on which includes the consistent vision for equity and for the culture of care for the campus and students, the amazing collaboration between the Bursar and Financial Aid, and all of the support we give to students as they struggle to pay tuition.  
   
   • Areas Needing Improvement: Number of people who have completed the cybersecurity training, electronics need to be on the same network, number of faculty participating in Navigate 360, pass rates on gateway math and English, and students struggle to get courses they need at the times they need 
   
   • Mark Chropufka in ACC is retiring and Amel has agreed to oversee the entire area.  
   
   • Persistent Plus  
   
   
   
2. Liaison to the University Faculty Senate – Dr. Emily Tai 
   
   • The next USF Plenary is taking place next Wednesday following Jonathan Cornicks emails and the weekly advisories from UFS Chair, Dr. John Verzani regarding what’s going on in higher education. Emily Tai encouraged faculty and staff to read them. 
   
   • Jonathan Cornick spoke about the FEC elections which will be held in spring of this year. A significant number of positions as most of the FEC will be leaving as well as openings on the UFS. October meetings will be focused on the need for more leadership and leadership as service and leading to career progression. Victoria __ will come to speak to faculty. Institutional memory is also a discussion, stressed the importance of participating in governance.  
   
   
3. Steering Committee
   Steering Committee Monthly Report 
   
   • Chairperson Litroff welcomed the incoming and continuing work of senators.
   
   • Welcome Barbara Rome as secretary and Phil Nelan as outgoing secretary 
   
   • Thank you to all those who have chosen to sit on standing committees 
   
   • Chairperson Litroff urged standing committees to submit annual reports 
   
   • Important deadlines: deadline December senate is the last senate meeting to submit curriculum changes to be adopted in the Fall 2026 catalog. 
   
   • Our Vice Chair Daniel Garbin will be conducting meetings with chairs and secretaries of standing committees. 
   
   

V: Monthly Reports 

• None submitted   

 VI: Unfinished Business 

• There was no unfinished business. 

VII: New Business 

• Memorial Service for Carol Schilling who worked in the math department for over 30 years passed away shortly after retiring last June. A memorial service will be held tomorrow Wednesday September 10th 12:30 -1:50 LB 129 to celebrate her life.  

• Members of the Self Study Report for Middle States Andrea Salis make up the executive co-chairs of the self-study. They are working with 92 faculty around the college to build the self-study report. It’s a way to show case all the amazing work that is done  

• When signing on to zoom please make sure you are signed in with your name. 

• Happy Birthday to Christine Mangino and also 5-year anniversary at the college 

• Renee Rhodd director of transfer center 11-3pm transfer center fair   

Meeting Adjourned at 3:52 PM 

Minutes respectfully submitted by Barbara Rome