By Justin Muszynski
CCSU President Jack Miller spoke before a meeting of the faculty senate Monday to address concerns about the CSUS reorganization announced by Governor Dannel Malloy last week.
Miller said that the financing elements of the higher education restructuring will likely supersede organizational changes and reassured faculty that the newly created Board of Regents will probably have little effect on campus operations.
“No system is inherently going to work and no system is inherently going to fail,” Miller said. “The other side of it is the financing and that I think is the bigger issue for us.”
Faculty members used the platform to discuss other financial issues related to CCSU in the midst of a serious state budget crisis. Philosophy professor Parker English puts part of the onus on CCSU faculty and alumni. He feels that in the event a representative of CCSU comes into contact with an alumni to “think about suggesting to them that they make a contribution to the foundation.”
Miller also took the occasion to point out that his speculation is based on the same information provided to the general public and that details regarding the reorganization will unfold over time.
“I probably don’t know a whole lot more about this than any of you do,” Miller said. “It hasn’t been a very forthcoming process.”
Robert Wolff, associate professor of history, introduced the results of a recent survey distributed to 230 faculty members about CCSU’s general education program. The survey found that of the 230 members surveyed, 61.3 percent either agree or strongly agree that the general education program should be re-designed.
“Based on the results of this survey, the committee believes that there is indeed a need or desire to redesign the general education program at CCSU,” said Wolff, who is also chair of the faculty senate ad-hoc committee.
A proposal to refine the course catalog language regarding final grades in major requirements was also discussed. A resolution was passed that creates three categories of major requirement classes and mandates a C- or better in courses that are designated “major courses” or “additional major courses.”
The faculty senate meeting took place in a nearly full lecture hall in the Robert Vance Academic Center Monday afternoon. CSUS bylaws indicate that university faculty is responsible for academic policies at each institution. According to the senate website, “the powers of the faculty are delegated to the faculty senate, which represents the will of the faculty.”
