Montclair State University
PCAffirmative Action 2004-05

Minutes
March 23 , 2005

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Present: E. Abreu, M. Coleman-Carter, M. Colon, A. Gutierrez, J; Hain, J. Harris, L. Jenkins, AJ Kelton, L. Lemley, D. Lorenzo, C. Matteis, C. Meneghin, B. Milton, O. Morales, T. Morris, H. Perez, D. Ragin, L. Rodriguez, O. Rodriguez-Sredinicki, J. Romaniello, R. Ross, L. Smith, N. Trivedi, Q. Vega & M. Zabourney.

Constituencies Not Represented: African American Caucus,Asian Student Group, CWA, Faculty, Local 1904, Physical Plant, SPECTRUMS & University Police.

At-Large Members Not Present: I. Barriera, T. Carey, J. Ficke & D. Lorenzo.

Guests: R. Obajinmi, President of the MSU NAACP Student Chapter and representatives from campus groups represented on the newly formed Women’s Caucus.

Welcome: The meeting was called to order at 12:15 p.m.

Minutes of February 16, 2005 Meeting:  Harris motioned to review the minutes, Kelton seconded.  Romaniello said she was at the last meeting.  Her name will be added to the list of members present

Guiterrez motioned to approve the minutes with this change, Coleman-Carter seconded.  The minutes, as amended, were approved.

Reading: Rodriguez and Harris facilitated a discussion of “Racial Bias in Hiring: Are Emily and Brendan More Employable than Lakisha and Jamal?” (Marianne Bertrand)

http://gsbwww.uchicago.edu/news/capideas/spring03/racialbias.html

and “Job Growth Rises, to Delight of Investors,” (Eduardo Porter, March 5, 2005, New York Times,  p. C1).

Meneghin reminded members to send suggestions for next month’s reading.

Committee Reports:

Education Committee: Harris reported that there was great participation on Affirmative Action Day and that the students came through. 

On the issue of graduate assistantships, he reported that his committee had met with staff from the Graduate Studies Office.  He stated that there will be a new method of allocating graduate assistantships and that his committee will need to factor this change into their plans.  The committee would like to see if there are ways to encourage MSU students of color to apply for graduate assistantships.  They would like to see how graduate assistants are hired by departments and raise the sensitivity of those hiring graduate assistants to the importance of diversity.

A discussion followed on how to attract more graduate students of color to MSU. Members made the following comments, observations and suggestions:

• Award stipends to students recommended by EOF departments from around the state.  Another member noted that the $5,000 stipend does not go very far. 
• The need for resources for students of color who show the potential to do well in graduate school but who would need additional tutoring to assure their success in graduate school. 
• The need for services on how to get into graduate schools, from early on in an undergraduate’s career, for those students whose family did not go to college.  She also noted the dilemma for MSU students with financial needs: they have to apply and be accepted for graduate studies at MSU before they can find out if they can get a graduate assistantship, but they can only attend MSU if they get the assistantship. 
• The Graduate Record Examination and other standardized test can be problematic for some students with disabilities and a recommendation that the the Graduate Studies Office rethink their GRE requirements. 
• MSU has to become better at teaching MSU students how to get into graduate school. 
• The use of the GRE’s for acceptance to graduate studies at MSU needs to addressed as a University wide issue.
• At the end of the discussion, Meneghin suggested that we invite K. O’Halloran, Interim Dean of Graduate Studies, to our next meeting.  Harris will reach out to her and inform us of her ability to attend the meeting.

Mentoring Committee

Coleman-Carter reported that the committee is looking into summarizing this year’s mentoring events.  The committee is considering partnering on mentoring issues with the Women’s Caucus and other women’s groups on-campus.

Recruitment and Retention Committee

Rodriguez-Srednicki reported that the committee is meeting with various constituencies on campus and is waiting for reports of those meetings.  Vega noted that GLFSA appreciated that the Committee is following up on the meeting held last year.

Hain announced that Pres. Cole had distributed the report of last year’s Recruitment and Retention Committee to members of her Executive staff for their comments so that she can provide a comprehensive response to the report.

Meneghin asked if committee reports could be ready by the second week of May so she could put the annual report together and share with members before the Advance.

Old Business:

Affirmative Action Day Program

Meneghin stated that this year’s program was quite successful.  The morning program was well attended.  The program was broadcast on the web and recorded.  The Flag Raising went well, despite the cold.  More student groups than anticipated participated in the program at the Student Center Ballroom.  The Brazile program was very well attended – 250 to 300 attendees – and D. Lorenzo deserves credit for her work on the keynote program. 

Meneghin discussed some proposed changes to next year’s program and asked PCAA members to think about them:

• Rather than having all the events on one day, have two major events in the year.  In the fall, hold a teleconferencing event at lunchtime.  In the spring, have the keynote program.  She asked when should we schedule the keynote program – in the afternoon or evening? 
• There was some discussion about the flag raising and lunch-time program.  A member suggested more publicity to attract more participation from student organizations.  Another member suggested having the flag raised before lunch and then a program at lunchtime (with lunch to attract more of an audience). 

New Business

Women’s Caucus

To accommodate the guests in attendance, we moved to the new business of the Women’s Caucus.  Abreu spoke on the mission of the Caucus, which is an umbrella organization of all women’s groups on campus.  This will allow these groups to maintain their identity while allowing the groups to work together.  C. Lange spoke on the background that led to the formation of the Caucus.  We will create a link to the Caucus on the PCAA web site and material on the Caucus will be incorporated into the MSU Human Resources Employee Handbook.

Montclair Chapter of the NAACP Image Awards

The PCAA is invited to participate in the NAACP (Montclair Chapter) Image Awards.  We will offer our support.

Old Business

Parking/Transportation Issues for Persons with Disabilities

The PCAA discussed what actions to take action on our proposed recommendations.  E. Cooper said that she will create a link on the main page of the Parking and Transportation Services web site with information on parking and transportation services for persons with a disability.  The PCAA is encouraged to provide suggestions on the information on the page.  Meneghin noted that she had a question about the desirability of requiring one week advanced notice of need for shuttle transportation and that some of the wording was not clear. 

Cooper did not think that the recommendation to provide a shuttle service within the core of the campus that would pick up persons with a disability on a regular schedule was going to be possible. Cooper thinks the process of handling requests to reach the core of the campus is working, while members of the PCAA noted that we have heard of complaints about this service.  A discussion on a survey to capture more data on this followed.  Hain stated that a recommendation could be made to the President to gather more data on this issue.

Smith said she will collate information she receives on the issue of transportation services to the core of the campus.  Meneghin reported that T. Mejido of Procurement Services is getting information on vehicles that are suitable for use within the core of the campus and on grants to purchase such vehicles. 

It was suggested that we wait until the next PCAA meeting to continue the discussion on the PCAA recommendations on parking and transportation services for persons with disabilities.

Meneghin thanked Smith for all her work on this issue.

New Business (continued)

Anti-Bias Response and the PCAA Advance

Meneghin stated that the Advance will be on May 25 at the Abbott and Costello Hall in the Village.  It will start at 8:30 a.m. and last until 4:30 p.m.  She said that the PCAA members will be asked to pilot protocols for faculty and staff responses to bias incidents on campus.  President Cole will be asked to attend and comment on what she thought of the PCAA’s work this year.

The meeting was adjourned at 2:00 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Luis Rodriguez