Academic Affairs Committee Meeting Minutes ---- February 3, 2004

Attendance: David Blankenship, Jason Carter, Lisa Chase, Ben Endres, Wilma Feliciano, Glenn Geher, Russell Hilliard, Yoav Kaddar, Debra Miller, Yoni Schwartz. Chih-Yang Tsai, Greg Wirszyla

Guests: Bruce Sillner and Beth Vargas (International Programs)

I. The minutes from the 1/28/04 meeting were approved as written with a correction to the spelling of Ben Endres’s name.

II. There were no announcements

III. Academic Calendar: Discussion on the inclusion of non-Judeo/Christian holidays

Bruce Sillner (Dean of International programs) and Beth Vargas (Director of International Student Programs) handed out a chart of religious/cultural holidays that are relevant to New Paltz’s international student population. International Programs has data on nationality of international students (whom are to be distinguished from permanent resident and immigrant students). Data on religious affiliation are not available, but estimates can be made based upon the dominant religion of the countries from which our international come. Asian students (approx. 100) comprise the largest segment at 25%. They acknowledged that it is very rare to receive complaints from students regarding the lack of inclusion of their holidays in the academic calendar. However, Bruce, Beth, and other committee members recognized the merit to having such holidays receiving public acknowledgment by being listed in some manner. Deb Miller also circulated a single copy of a longer list of holidays for a web source.

Suggested additions to the hand-out were to refer to the Chinese New Year as the Lunar New Year given that it is celebrated by other Asian cultures. Inclusion of Eastern Orthodox holidays, such as Easter was also recommended.

There was discussion as to whether such holidays would be:

a) proposed under the current “asterisk policy” (as seen with Black Solidarity Day, Veteran’s Day) or,

b) Included under some new general advisory staement to faculty as how the accommodate student needs on such days, or,

c) Simply listed in some manner as a means to furthering cultural awareness, showing respect, and educating the college community.

Over ------>

The question was raised as to whether anything more needs be done given that our society is Judeo/Christian and that the percentage of those observing other holidays is thought to be small.

There was agreement that more campus input should be sought from such organizations as The Student Association, College Activities, the Center for Peace and Social Justice, and the SA-funded groups that are religiously/culturally oriented. Invitations will be issued for the 2/17/04 meeting.

The previous academic calendar proposals passed by the committee in Decmenber 2003 will be considered by the Senate on 2/6/04, and by the full faculty/staff on 2/13/04.

IV. SEI sub-Committee: It was agreed that a sub-committee would be formed as the next step in considering changes to SEI’s. The sub-committee chair will be Greg Wirszyla and Ben Endres volunteered to serve as a member. Two or three additional members are needed. Clarity on the by-laws will be sought as to whether they can be recruited from outside the current committee membership. Greg provided a hand-out on the ERes sources that have been compiled on the SEI topic. The Greenwald article on validity was recommended in particular. Glenn Geher has volunteered to do reliability and validity analyses.

Submitted by,

Lisa Chase

Secretary pro tempore