August 11, 2020 Minutes

Council of Department Chairs

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

Attendees (8/11/20): Curtis Bennett, Barbara Taylor, Tangan Gao, Chris Brazier, Andreas Bill, Babette Benken, Christine Whitcraft, Dessie Underwood, Lisa Martin, Margaret Karteron, Rick Behl, Kris Slowinski, Will Murray (invitee, incoming Chair), Henry Wu, Maryanne Horton.

 

  1. Approve agenda (1:30)
  2. Approve minutes from August 4
  3. Announcements
    1. Operations
      1. Waiting on Faculty Affairs for updates on evaluation deadlines.
    2. ASM Update
      1. Lecturer/GA/TA appointments.
        1. Hiring for Fall is moving forward.
        2. Students should use the correct terms for their position in order to get paid. Otherwise the paperwork won’t match and pay will be delayed.
          1. E.g. Graduate students are not always Graduate Assistants, sometimes they’re hired as Student Assistants.
        3. Know the difference between SAs and ISAs; consider instructional duties vs. instructional support.
      2. PD money for CARES is stipend so it does not apply to the 125% faculty formula.
    3. Dean’s report
      1. FLC survey
        1. Babette, Barbara, and Lisa to set up a survey and send out to faculty leaders so that they can report their activity.
      2. Student Places on Campus
        1. University to make the Repopulation draft public that will help clarify details on where students are permitted to be on campus and for what reason.
        2. Recommend shortening the labs just a little bit to aid in the between classes cleaning process.
        3. We do not want students in our buildings any more than necessary.
        4. 20 computers in the lab in the USU; lots of Wi-Fi in and around the USU
        5. Zoom Rooms: Will not be finished or available until September 14.
          1. We will have the SAS Center set up for faculty to use as teaching rooms (6).
          2. Trying to set up a reservation system.
        6. Faculty cannot teach from their offices as of now. Everyone who can stay home, should stay home.
      3. Research Lab Update
        1. The Dean expressed concern about graduate students who are unable to access their labs.
        2. Working to potentially rotate more graduate students through labs at the beginning of the semester.
  4. Associate Deans
    1. Academic Programs
      1. 1st Two Weeks: Enrollment Management and Communication (Carole Duffis and Vanessa Hernandez time certain: 1:45-2:00)
        1. Concerns with students “crashing” classes.
        2. Enrollment will close at the end of the first week of classes (Aug. 28). Students will need departmental consent.
        3. Second week of instruction: Classes will be per permit only.
        4. Department Coordinators can email Vanessa the information for the courses they wish to add consent.
        5. Getting consent to add a class is now very similar to the “Change of Grade” process.
          1. The student will access the form from their student center and then the course instructor will receive the form to electronically sign. The form will go to the Department Chair for approval and then it will be sent to Enrollment Services. It will then take about 24 hours from process for the student to show up in the class on BeachBoard.
      2. Department Feedback for NSCI-190A
        1. Looking for information and feedback about interesting research talks that can be done at the freshmen level as well as dates/times for faculty panels.
        2. Please send names of interested faculty and research topics to Kris by the end of the week (8/14).
        3. Please send possible dates and times for faculty panels by the end of the week (8/14).
          1. Based on summer experience, 6:00 pm seems to work well.
      3. Survey on Student Needs (From Biology)
        1. Wait to hear from Pia before we send out survey.
    2. Research
      1. Keys
        1. Send Barbara names of students who need or will potentially need keys.
        2. Building restrictions still stand until we are informed otherwise.
      2. Master Planning Meeting for Microbiology Building
        1. Information has been posted to TEAMS for review before the meeting.
    3. Graduate Programs
      1. Communication with Students
        1. Students feel frustrated with the rate they are receiving information.
        2. Perception from faculty that we never communicate with graduate students.
        3. Discussion:
          1. How often should communicate with graduate students? Monthly newsletter?
          2. Policy changes, deadline reminders, common problems, best practices etc. should come from a central source.
          3. If you have faculty that seem concerned let them know that not all graduate students are in the same situation and to reach out to Babette with any concerns.
  5. Other Business
    1. Open University Student Procedures
      1. Students use their own portal via CPIE and then they can enroll normally if they meet the requirements.
      2. Kris will verify the exact procedure from CPIE.
      3. Concerns about timing and gap between enrollment and BeachBoard visibility.
  6. Adjourn

 

Upcoming Dates:
Aug. 17: Semester starts
Aug. 21: Convocation
Aug. 21: CNSM Annual Meeting (1:30-3:00)
Aug. 24: First day of classes

 


​Submitted by Allie Puz (Communications & PR Coordinator, CNSM)

Meeting Minutes were APPROVED on Tuesday, August 18, 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.