Steering Committee

Annual Report of the Steering Committee of the Academic Senate

Academic Year 2018-2019

Membership 2018-2019

Chair, Dr. Joel Kuszai

Vice Chair, Dr. Steven Dahlke

Secretary, Dr. Jannette Urciuoli

Membership 2019 – 2020

Chair, Dr. Steven Dahlke

Vice Chair, Dr. Jannette Urciuoli

Secretary, Dr. Zivah Perel Katz

The Academic Senate approved the following changes to policy in academic year 2018:

Grade Change Policy/Fresh Start Policy

Thanks to Registrar Pat Canale and Provost Sandra Palmer and Chair of the Committee on Course and Standing Daniel Armstrong, Linda K. Evangelou (Assistant Dean for New Student Enrollment Services), Elpha Chantelle Farrier (Admissions representative), and Michael Verdino (Director of Academy Advisement) for preparing the policy.

The Committee on Environment, Quality of Life, and Disability Issues prepared a resolution calling for a Child Care Center to be created on campus. Thanks to Sara Danzi Engoron for preparing the resolution for vote.

The following resolutions were presented to the Senate and remain under discussion:

Religious Observances Resolution, brought by the Faculty Executive Committee

Email Accessibility Resolution, brought by the Faculty Executive Committee

The following changes to Standing Committees of the Academic senate were undertaken:

A Steering Committee subcommittee on Accessibility issues was established to explore the charges of a possible EQLD subcommittee.

Thanks to faculty participating in this effort: Zivah Perel Katz, Angela Ridinger-Dotterman, Mark Carpenay, Jody Resko, Nicole McClam, Leslie Ward, Margot Edlin, Sara Danzi-Engoron, Christina Matheson, Tammi Rothman, and Jannette Urciuoli.

The Committee on Ceremonial Occasions was abolished.

The Committee on Food Insecurity requested that aspects of Food Pantry operational support be shifted from committee membership to Student Affairs Office under Vice President Brian Kerr.

A change to the Bylaws Charges of eLearning Committee was made to reflect academic freedom of departments in selecting instructional materials and processes.

The following change to governance at QCC was made per Middle States site visit recommendation:

Alter Governance Plan and Bylaws so that Steering Committee chair presides over Senate meetings.

Finally, per Middle States recommendation, SC has begun the process of implementing assessment of faculty governance at QCC, and continuing assessment of effectiveness of Standing Committees.

The Steering Committee undertook the following actions:

Educate faculty and Standing Committee officers in making all public documents ADA compliant.

Thanks to Jannette Urciuoli, David Moretti, and Carlos Herrera (Assistant Director for Services for Students with Disability) for work in this effort, and in disseminating through several faculty workshops the following information:

• Resources: CUNY Assistive Technology Services (CATS.cuny.edu)

• Media accessibility project, Map resources, Document accessibility, and lastly Microsoft word
• 718-281-5014
• Accessibility training

• Blackboard home page

The Steering Committee thanked in academic year 2018 former college president Dr. Diane Call for her outstanding service to QCC.

The Steering Committee thanks the FEC for collaborating with SC in bringing items to the Senate floor for consideration.

The Steering Committee thanks President Tim Lynch for his accessible and effective work with faculty governance in academic year 2018, notably in inviting Steering Committee officers to tour the new building on Cloverdale Avenue, assisting the Senate in needed governance changes, and increasing the hours of faculty access to campus facilities.

The Steering Committee offers heartfelt thanks to Dr. Joel Kuszai, who served on SC for several years and ended his service at the end of academic year 2018.

Respectfully submitted,

Steven Dahlke, Chair

August 31, 2019