April 14, 2020 Minutes

Council of Department Chairs

Please note that these minutes reflect discussions that happened on the date of these minutes. Due to the COVID-19 situation, things are rapidly changing. For official policy, please wait for documents from the appropriate offices.

Attendees (4/14/20): Curtis Bennett, Barbara Taylor, Kris Slowinski, Tangan Gao, Chris Brazier, Henry Wu, Andreas Bill, Babette Benken, Christine Whitcraft, Dessie Underwood, Lisa Martin, Margaret Karteron, Rick Behl,
Guests: Natalie Canon, Lisa Rusali, Carole Duffis

  1. Approved agenda
  2. SOAR updates – (Carole Duffis Time Certain 1:31)
    1. SOAR will be 100% online.  We hope that will work for students.
    2. Students will receive schedules ahead of time
      1. Time to talk with advisor or peer mentor to help get registered for classes. 
    3. Kris presented a timeline on summer SOAR (https://web.csulb.edu/divisions/students/soar/workshop/freshman.htm)
    4. Message to students:  If you don’t finish ALEKS on time then we won’t use later score for placement
    5. Modules presented
      1. Chairs are asked to share information on departments with Carole Duffis
  3. Approve minutes:  It was decided to ask that the minutes be rewritten to reflect the ever-changing world and will be looked at next week.
  4. SEF presentations to students (Time Certain 1:41)
    1. Presentations made to students: Lisa Rusali and Natalie Cannon in attendances
    2. HVDI proposal presented to students
  5. CNSM – recognition of graduates in May
    1. Students would like to have something to recognize their graduation.
    2. Would we like to do a Zoom webinar on May 19th with a series of presentations?
    3. One possibility might be
      1. Pre-ceremony zoomed for departments
      2. Live streamed benediction (Webinar) (or you-tube for later posting_
      3. The feeling was we should do something, but maybe focus on the department
      4. Could arrange them so dean could make them all
      5. Possibly Instagram with students doing photos and short videos on what they got
      6. What about at the departments, students submit testimonials dressed up on “stuff”stream that etc.
      7. Would be nice if the university did everything…
      8. Dean said department could start planning and he would check on next dean’s council
  6. Planning F2020 – Faculty Learning Communities?
    1. Currently sounds like Chancellor’s Office may make the decision regarding Fall classes systemwide.
    2. Remote delivery might be first 12 weeks and 3 weeks of hands on face to face
    3. Other topics raised:
      1. Bigger question: How many students are having trouble getting access
      2. Worry about students in one of two situations:
        1. Haven’t heard from and are planning to drop (reasons won’t be gone in fall)
        2. Student makes it through and is underprepared for fall.
      3. Need help for summer labs too
    4. Dean asked chairs to Consult this week with faculty about priorities for planning for fall
      1. Support courses that can be full converted online
      2. Conversion of laboratories in ways consistent with national standards
      3. Offering help to people who have problems with technology
      4. Reflective teaching online
    5. It was pointed out that there will need to be more direction for some faculty learning communities
      1. There is a 5-week webinar from ATS for this summer
      2. Dean will approach ATS about getting some input.
    6. General consensus was that FLCs over the summer with small recognition of effort was important and dean will send out request to chairs.
  7. Other items:  We need feedback on SOAR timeline.  If insufficient feedback comes prior to Thursday noon, we will have a CDC meeting on Friday.
  8. Future meetings for this term will stay at this time as the Provost is having meetings with the deans every Tuesday and Thursday from 10:30-12:30.
  9. Meeting adjourned.

Submitted by Curtis Bennett (Dean)

Meeting Minutes were APPROVED on Tuesday, April 28, 2020

*Note: This reflects discussion on the date of the CDC meeting about policies, not actual policy. Faculty and staff should wait for official communication on each subject before acting.