Faculty update 3/21/12
To: All Faculty
From: Ben Ford, 2011-12 Chair of the Faculty
Re: Updates; Commencement!!; no drop-in lunch Friday
(All emails posted at www.sonoma.edu/senate/chair/ )
First, no drop-in lunch this Friday 3/23. I didn't realize when I scheduled these lunches that this one was on the Friday before Spring break, and in my polling of a sample of the usual suspects, I discovered that there were likely to be very few attendees.
Lunch schedule for the rest of the semester: All drop-in, bring-your-own-food, noon-1 p.m., in the Faculty Center, Schulz first floor; hosted by Provost Rogerson and me (* indicates that the President plans to attend):
Next, a few brief updates:
Budget in two parts:
1. Internal: The Provost has asked the (augmented) Senate Budget Subcommittee to try to devise "guiding principles" for budget decisions in Academic Affairs. That committee is trying to do this in the context of broader discussions we've been having all year about SSU's academic identity and role. Members of the committee have met with three schools' councils of department chairs so far, and will be using some of the remaining drop-in lunches to try to understand the ways in which our vision for SSU needs to guide budget decisions.
2. External: The State budget situation hasn't become any clearer since my last email, but the CSU has tried to begin to plan for currently-on-the-table possibilities. The Chancellor's office has announced a systemwide 16-unit cap with very few exceptions, closing of admissions for Spring 2013 with very few exceptions, and significant enrollment cuts for 2013-14 (these enrollment cuts are dependent on what happens with tax measures on the November 2012 ballot). Exactly how the "very few exceptions" will be is still being worked out, apparently
Green Music Center:
The GMC has had lots of action lately:
Commencement:
Commencement is fast approaching and our graduating students are clearly excited to be planning their futures after Sonoma State. As Chair of the Faculty, I encourage all members of the faculty to participate in Commencement on Saturday May 12. This is a very special day for our students, made much more special by their teachers' presence.
Let's give our students and their families and friends a strong showing of faculty sitting beside them. If possible please consider participating in both ceremonies because these students are all a product of our instruction regardless of whether they were in our respective Academic Schools, departments or classes. For faculty staying for both ceremonies, lunch is provided in the Commons.
The Morning Ceremony at 9:00 a.m. celebrates graduates of the:
· School of Science and Technology
· School of Social Sciences
The Afternoon Ceremony at 3:00 p.m. celebrates graduates of the:
· School of Arts and Humanities
· School of Business and Economics
· School of Education
Please make every effort to wear your academic regalia and show your respect to the 2012 graduating class. Regalia can be ordered through the bookstore (deadline April 2) - please email bkstrmgr@sonoma.edu for more information. Prices attached in a PDF.
For questions about Commencement please contact Andrea Rodriguez-Jereb at ext. 42018 or andrea.rodriguez-jereb@sonoma.edu.
I look forward to a wonderful day and hope you will be there as well.
From: Ben Ford, 2011-12 Chair of the Faculty
Re: Updates; Commencement!!; no drop-in lunch Friday
(All emails posted at www.sonoma.edu/senate/chair/ )
First, no drop-in lunch this Friday 3/23. I didn't realize when I scheduled these lunches that this one was on the Friday before Spring break, and in my polling of a sample of the usual suspects, I discovered that there were likely to be very few attendees.
Lunch schedule for the rest of the semester: All drop-in, bring-your-own-food, noon-1 p.m., in the Faculty Center, Schulz first floor; hosted by Provost Rogerson and me (* indicates that the President plans to attend):
- Tuesday, April 10 (topic: accessibility to educational materials, encompassing both disability questions and affordability)
- Monday, April 23*
- Monday, May 7 (topic: budget guided by SSU's mission - see below)
Next, a few brief updates:
Budget in two parts:
1. Internal: The Provost has asked the (augmented) Senate Budget Subcommittee to try to devise "guiding principles" for budget decisions in Academic Affairs. That committee is trying to do this in the context of broader discussions we've been having all year about SSU's academic identity and role. Members of the committee have met with three schools' councils of department chairs so far, and will be using some of the remaining drop-in lunches to try to understand the ways in which our vision for SSU needs to guide budget decisions.
2. External: The State budget situation hasn't become any clearer since my last email, but the CSU has tried to begin to plan for currently-on-the-table possibilities. The Chancellor's office has announced a systemwide 16-unit cap with very few exceptions, closing of admissions for Spring 2013 with very few exceptions, and significant enrollment cuts for 2013-14 (these enrollment cuts are dependent on what happens with tax measures on the November 2012 ballot). Exactly how the "very few exceptions" will be is still being worked out, apparently
Green Music Center:
The GMC has had lots of action lately:
- The GMC Board of Advisors had a generally positive response to the proposal from its University Affairs Subcommittee (consisting primarily of faculty members) to place an academic program (a substantially enhanced music and dance program) on the fundraising agenda for the Center. The University Affairs Subcommittee will meet again in early April to consider scaling up the proposal in response to comments from the full Board.
- The GMC Presents first season was announced. You can see it at gmc.sonoma.edu, and ticket packages will be available on Sunday 3/25 (no single concert tickets until June, I believe). Faculty and Staff receive a 20% discount (2 ticket max); students 50% (one ticket). Other GMC presenters are the Santa Rosa Symphony (santarosasymphony.com) and On-Campus Presents (a partnership of Associated Students Presents, Housing, and other campus presenting organizations).
- The President has announced plans to proceed with a search for an Artistic and Managing Director for the GMC. A call for faculty members of the search committee will come out very soon.
Commencement:
Commencement is fast approaching and our graduating students are clearly excited to be planning their futures after Sonoma State. As Chair of the Faculty, I encourage all members of the faculty to participate in Commencement on Saturday May 12. This is a very special day for our students, made much more special by their teachers' presence.
Let's give our students and their families and friends a strong showing of faculty sitting beside them. If possible please consider participating in both ceremonies because these students are all a product of our instruction regardless of whether they were in our respective Academic Schools, departments or classes. For faculty staying for both ceremonies, lunch is provided in the Commons.
The Morning Ceremony at 9:00 a.m. celebrates graduates of the:
· School of Science and Technology
· School of Social Sciences
The Afternoon Ceremony at 3:00 p.m. celebrates graduates of the:
· School of Arts and Humanities
· School of Business and Economics
· School of Education
Please make every effort to wear your academic regalia and show your respect to the 2012 graduating class. Regalia can be ordered through the bookstore (deadline April 2) - please email bkstrmgr@sonoma.edu for more information. Prices attached in a PDF.
For questions about Commencement please contact Andrea Rodriguez-Jereb at ext. 42018 or andrea.rodriguez-jereb@sonoma.edu.
I look forward to a wonderful day and hope you will be there as well.
Leave a comment