The College Council Executive Committee met with President Lynch, the Provost, and the President's Chief of Staff on March 8th. We discussed many things including:
We had noted:
Concern has been expressed to members of the Executive Committee regarding the randomized COVID-19 testing being conducted by CUNY. In particular, we have been asked to follow up on these questions:
Is it known how the randomization is being carried out? (Some members of the community find it unlikely that such a high percentage of their immediate colleagues have been randomly chosen, were the randomization truly random.)
We heard there is no CSI role in the design or implementation and that it seems random.
As there is no choice, but to submit to the test, are there assurances that personal information, such as DNA samples, will not be sold or used for other purposes by the testing company?
The vendor responded that samples are are used only for testing and then destroyed
It appears that the chancellory will take a much less prescriptive approach to the balance of teaching modalities for the fall, leaving key decisions to the local campus administration. Presumably decisions regarding the work modalities for staff will also be left to the campuses to set policy. If this is the case, are there any in-place policies currently in review?
That though the balance of teaching modalities is not set by CUNY for the fall, the expectations on staff work schedules are still managed by CUNY with HR looking into remote work flexibilities. Both the Governor and the Mayor are eager to have in-person work.
We asked about faculty support issues:
We have been asked to inquire if all promised start-up funds for newly hired faculty over the past two years have been allocated.
All promised monies will be distributed, if they have not already. Though, as with many things, they have been some delays. There is a new budget model employed with RF monies, not tax-levy allocations to departments.
In reading the Middle States draft, we see that the COACHE committee recommended: "provide additional support and resources for pre-tenure faculty." Has there been any ability to make progress on this?
We were told of new presidential fellowships to award faculty in three areas. We heard that Cesar's Research Committee report at our February meetings was listened to.
We discussed budget and enrollment:
We had asked at a prior meeting about an accounting of the revenues and expenses related to our athletics program. Has there been progress on such a report?
We heard the president has asked the AD to engage in a tour of the campus including a cost/benefit analysis. We heard that the NCAA had visited recently (late February?) and the determination on our provisional Division II status was to be made soon.
The mid-year budget report shows the college with a 7% decline in projected tuition revenue (-5.293M) and 8% declines in FTE and headcount metrics. When pressed on enrollment woes at the CCs recently, the Chancellor mentioned several CUNY initiatives, including targeted advertising, and the potential benefits of part-time TAP. What efforts has the college made to target the associate-level student population on the island and what issues, as regards enrollment, are foreseen with this potential student population?
We heard of efforts to build pipelines to campuses in Brooklyn; attempts to enroll the 20% of Staten Island residents with some college but no degree; and a focus on retention. We heard of efforts to have more consistent messaging across campus units for enrollment.
We discussed the impact on enrollment of the vaccine mandate; we discussed intra-CUNY competition within the online offerings at CUNY (Lehman is now a competitor along with Baruch); we discussed efforts of SUNY to enroll students from the NYC metropolitan area.
We asked:
It has come to our attention that the workings of the IPC are not widely known to the college community, despite the opportunity each month for a report at the College Council. At a minimum, would it be possible to receive past minutes for distribution with the materials prior to each meeting?
And we received. (Thanks.)
We asked:
During the Middle States Town Hall, and at the most recent IPC meeting, concerns were expressed about a few "ad hoc" committees formed this past fall, notably on assessment, enrollment, and strategic plan review. We would like to discuss how these might be folded back into more established campus structures and practices.
The specific case of enrollment efforts at CSI was raised. We heard about a planned town hall on enrollment. It was said that we need a strategy of shared governance where faculty play an active role. (We then got asked, as faculty, to make phone calls...)