Montclair State University

Meeting Minutes - March 25, 2009

Attendance

E. Abreu, R. Brown, M.Cascarano, M. Coleman-Carter, M. Colon, S. Davage, D. Davis, A. Gomez, J. Hain, A. Jeffers, L. Jenkins,
K. Koennemann, M. Kruge, L. Lemley, A. MacMath, C. Meneghin, B. Milton, R. Misra, P. Morgan, A. Pamiloza, L. Smith, A. Straker-Banks, E. Strickland, J. Velasco, R. Williams, S. Yu

I. Welcome

C. Meneghin called meeting at 12:10pm.
No minutes to approve.

II. New Business

Affirmative Action day video is available at the library on reserve. It was a success primarily due to the large amount of students that attended and stayed for the entire presentation. A sub committee will be formed for recommendations for AA day 2010. This subcommittee will make recommendations at the May Advance/retreat. The subcommittee will be as follows: E. Abreau, M. Cascarano, A. Macmath, A. Gomez and T. Dean.

Accessibility:
The University has 5 new automatic doors on campus. North and South of University Hall, Library entrance North Entrance of College Hall, 2nd floor of the Parking Deck by the bus stop and the 4th floor. Judith Hain and Greg Bressler were acknowledged for their efforts in supporting their efforts. There is a slight problem with the internal doors of the Parking Deck, as they have not been completed. You can get into the lobby but not parking area. A proposal has been asked to be placed for next 3 locations on campus that need assessable doors.

III. Committee Reports

Mentoring:
E. Abreu reported that the survey has been updated and ready for last review before launch. It is more inclusive regarding language and accessibility.

IV. Discussion

Description of employees and students profile for diversity.
A dialogue was facilitated regarding date/information regarding the diversity of the university staff/administration and faculty. The committee was reminded that this is more a philosophical discussion regarding the major ethnic groups, trends, and representation. People of color and females are the perspective for this commission’s purpose and focus.

• Is the information ever subdivided by category of employment and job classification? Yes it can be viewed on B. Milton’s website
• Can older numbers be found to look at the trends? B. Milton can provide that information. What was given actually gives the answer for the different job classification.
• Does sexual orientation come into account for these numbers? B. Milton answered that the university is not required to accumulate this information.
• A conversation was had about the use of “people of color.” Is it about Race or Color? The government does not use the term “color.” How do we account for bi-racial folks? B. Milton informed the committee that a new system will be used that is being provided by the government to account for folks who are bi-racial.
• What is it about the data that needs to be discussed? For example: how we define the categories.
• It was noted that there are 3x in the category of “unknown.” A discussion was held that some people may choose not to disclose their bi-racial or any other type of background.
• A suggestion was made that the category be ethnicity/race as oppose to just ethnicity, especially since we are gathering information that is of such.
• As we look at the numbers we are going by State/Federal definitions.
  Although the university added almost 200 employees the % have stayed the same. As a result the if there was a problem a few years ago does that problem then still exists if the % are still the same?
• What are the things/considerations that someone takes into account when taking a job here and or staying here? Causes and effects.
• Salary, quality of life, cost of living, and location can be positive or negative. Consideration that faculty may take into account may include: one’s line of work will be supported and funding for research, travel, work load, tenure track method, climate of growth. Mission and direction of the University teaching vs. research.
• Physical accessibility.
• Staff may consider: professional development, tuition assistance for self and family, and schedule flexibility, job security. Medical benefits, Benefits package. Indicators for supportive environment for their needs, critical mass, campus philosophy, feed back from folks, fringe research etc what are those indicators?
• Competition: cost, faculty they will see, location, residence, commute, housing, cheaper tuition, fast track programming, hours, full time/part time.
• Who are the decision makers? Tuition refund.
• Class size. Image. Programming.
• Available pool of students, faculty and staff and specific focus why they would be coming to MSU. For example, specific disciplines that promote a larger pool of disciplines that traditionally don’t exist. What are the established goals? What do we have on paper as to what we have in action?
  
• PhD project-research!
  
• Critical Mass, am I the only one like me … the current diversity of that particular dept.

V. Other

SPECTRUMS will be having a LGBT Conference Saturday March 28th in University Hall Courtyard Lounge and will be sponsoring an Equality Prom on May 1st.

April 1st, Asian Pacific Heritage Month. 12 o’clock flag pole.

The Annual Peace Conference will be held on March 30th, 2009 in University Hall from 10am – 10pm, sponsored by the Center for Non Violence and Peace Initiatives.

Meeting Adjourned at 1:45pm

Respectfully submitted by J. Velasco