November 1, 2022 Minutes

Council of Department Chairs

In Attendance: Curtis Bennett, Barbara Taylor, Kris Slowinski, Christine Whitcraft, Jesse Dillon, Prashanth Jaikumar, Jim Kiesl, Lijuan Li, Henry Wu, Will Murray, Lora Stevens, Margaret Karteron

NOTE: 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.

  1. Approve agenda (10:00)
  2. Approve minutes from Oct. 18
  3. Announcements
    1. Operations Update
      1. RTP is being processed to the College Committee
      2. Working on scholarships – expand merit beyond GPA
      3. RSCA awards – still don’t have full committees; should soon.  Deadlines coming up.
      4. Sabbatical leave committee call coming up.  (Decisions from the college committee to the dean due around Dec. 12).  Chairs will fill out an impact statement form
    2. ASM Update
      1. Pay stubs – university doesn’t send them out.  Available from the online portal.  New people have to contact payroll the first time.
      2. Deposits from university – Henry/Dean’s office don’t know what the deposits are, particularly as there are always deductions based on taxes, and we don’t see net amounts.  We can possibly work from gross amounts.
      3. Volunteers can still get parking.  If they have a volunteer appointment, please contact Margaret
      4. When Lecturers use Gmail vs CSULB email, it will sometimes go to our (Henry’s, Curt’s, etc.) junk email accounts.
      5. Support for travel for non-CSULB students is not allowable unless it is a G-fund. 
      6. Questions:
        1. SPSL email – COVID related leave.  It ends Dec. 31st.  In place of sick leave and employee should contact to Faculty Affairs.
        2. Update on vehicles – purchasing has not yet responded to this request.  We think that the money rollover should not be a problem.
        3. When faculty are writing to purchasing, faculty should be aware that purchasing does not care about the funding source (the exception was HEERF).   Please copy Henry and Barbara on emails to purchasing.
      7. Purchasing/Accounts Payable/Receiving do not communicate with each other.  Talking to one department about the other will be fruitless.
    3. Dean’s Report
      1. Absence Policy Reminder – Email will be going out to chairs to forward to faculty and TAs. 
  4. Associate Deans
    1. Academic Programs
      1. Lecturer evaluations: In category of 1-semester lecturers (only evaluated if you need in spring).  Please send Kris the list of people who will not be reappointed in the spring.  Otherwise this may create some unhappiness.   Please err on the side of people who won’t be reappointed.
      2. CO (safety) visit went well
    2. Research Programs
      1. Reminder that any input on faculty concerns with gaps in support from ORED needed by next Wednesday.
        1. Be careful about confusing Research Foundation and ORED.
          1. ORED – pre-award and post-award
            1. Cannot sign for 49er foundation
          2. Research Foundation
            1. Human Resources (hiring, personnel)
            2. Accounting is handled by stateside
          3. 49er funds live in 49er Foundation
      2. BBS has renewed their interest in single doors with fobs.
  5. Open Discussion
    1. Discussion on resources for students struggling with anxiety, ADHD, etc.  (CAPS, CARES, BMAC) and how the instructor can manage these situations:
      1. Recommendations for faculty/chairs
        1. Document what has been done to help the student.
        2. One example – Faculty worked with student to come up with strategies to help.
        3. Class blurting strategy – limit number of questions
      2. It was recommended that we provide formal training for faculty on managing stressed students and de-escalation.

Upcoming Dates:

Nov. 4: Mini-Grant Summer Stipend (MGSS) applications due in InfoReady
Nov. 14: RSCA/Faculty Small Grant applications due in InfoReady
Nov. 21-23: No classes – Campus Open
Nov. 24-25: Thanksgiving Break
Dec. 9: End of semester party
Dec. 12-17: Final Exams
Dec. 12(?): Chairs Dinner
Dec. 23: Last day of the semester

Meeting Minutes were APPROVED on Tuesday, November 8, 2022

*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.