Steering Committee Report September 2020
Steering Committee extends a warm welcome to everyone as we return for another year of shared governance. We welcome Dr. Christine Mangino as sixth President of Queensborough Community College, and thank her for her active participation in shared governance, which she demonstrated by reaching out to governance leaders before her tenure began. We thank again Dr. Timothy Lynch, now returned to his post as provost, for his service as interim president.
Faculty governance leaders worked throughout the Summer with administration in an advisory group to offer feedback on the Campus Reopening Plan as it was being developed. The group is called Emergency Management Advisory Group (EMAG), and will continue to work throughout this semester and beyond as necessary to develop plans for phased reopening when conditions warrant. SC thanks Senior Vice President Sherri Newcomb for actively engaging FGLs in decision making processes. The reopening plan is found here on the college website. The plan was posted to the college website when CUNY approved it. The college homepage offers links to information on all aspects of QCC pandemic management in as thorough a manner as possible. If members of the campus community have questions not answered by these links, please contact SC through its Academic Steering Committee email address, and we will forward questions to administration and work with them to get answers. We are all learning together here, so any apparent lack of information likely arises from the unprecedented nature of this crisis.
SC thanks the Black Faculty and Staff Association (BFSA) for working with administration and FGLs to distribute its Solidarity Statement and Action Plan. It’s hard to think of anything more important than everyone working together to make equity on campus and beyond a reality. SC acknowledges concrete steps being taken by the administration, and encourages everyone to reach out to Black members of the faculty and staff to encourage equitable representation in faculty governance.
The Anti-Bullying Committee is continuing its work. The committee voted in May to distribute a survey to the campus community to assess need for action. It is planned that the survey will be distributed by September 1st. The committee will report results to the Senate and will make a final report at the December meeting.
During the Summer exchanges occurred on Faculty Dialogue and Community Dialogue email systems that caused offense. Senate action governs processes to handle such issues, and the trial period for Faculty Dialogue’s reinstatement as an opt-out system has concluded. Senate action will be required to continue Faculty Dialogue in its current form. Community Dialogue is not governed by Senate action, so no process to handle concerning exchanges is in place. More discussion is needed before presenting a proposal to the Senate and any necessary proposals will be made as soon as possible.
Nassau Community College Academic Senate Executive Committee recently sent a message to their college community calling for empathic connection among faculty and students, and among colleagues -- recognizing the stress we are all under, and encouraging compassion in all interactions and decision making. This is a good reminder for all of us.
We are grateful that we get to work with all of you, and wish everyone a meaningful semester, in which we serve our students and each other to the best of our ability.
Academic Senate Steering Committee (AcademicSenateSteeringCommittee@qcc.cuny.edu)
Dr. Steven Dahlke, Chair SDahlke@qcc.cuny.edu
