Montclair
State University
PCAffirmative Action 2004-05
Minutes
April 19 , 2006
Present : T. Carey (At-Large), M. Coleman-Carter (At-Large), S. Collins (University Senate), M. Colon (Latino/a Caucus), S. Davage (CWA), D. Davis (Local 1904), A. Gutierrez (Latino/a Caucus) J. Hain (Ex-Officio), J. Harris (ADA Representative), L. Jenkins (At-Large), D. Keiser ((AFT Local 1904), AJ Kelton (At-Large), N. Kotadia (SGA), C. Lange (Women's Caucus), L. Lemley (IFPTE Local 195), D. Lorenzo (At-Large), C. Meneghin (Professional Staff), B. Milton (Ex-Officio), O. Morales (LASO), D. Ragin (University Senate), L. Rodriguez (At-Large), O. Rodriguez-Srednicki (At-Large), T. Ronquillo (Asian Student Group), S. Skalsky (Managerial), J. Slagle (SPECTRUMS), L. Smith (ADA Representative), & Q. Vega (At-Large).
Constituencies Not Represented: African American Caucus, Faculty, GLFSA, OASU, Physical Plant, Secretarial/Clerical, & University Police.
The meeting was called to order at 12:15 p.m.
Transportation and Parking Accessibility
Meneghin updated the PCAA on actions taken to the recommendations in the AY 2005 PCAA report on parking and transportation services for persons with disabilities and on other issues about the accessibility of the campus and its facilities for persons with disability.
• There has been a significant effort to improve responses to calls for transportation within the campus.
• There has been an improvement in the placement of information on parking and transportation services for persons with disabilities. This information is now much easier to find on the Transportation and Parking Services web site.
• There has been an increase in the presence and accessibility of web-based information on these services, including the creation of a web page for visitors to the campus.
• Communication of the policies and procedures for using transportation services could be improved. Visitors often are not aware of these services. Some at MSU are also not aware of these services. Meneghin suggested that more systematic and regular procedures for sharing information on these services with the MSU community and with visitors to the campus be developed. Sponsors of events open to the public or activities in which many attendees will be visitors to the University (such as admissions and commencement activities, dedications, lectures, concerts, theater performances, etc.) should be encouraged to provide information on transportation services for persons with a disability.
• The process for requesting transportation to and from parts of the University, via shuttles designed for use in the inner core of the University, when that request cannot be made in advance was explained (all the buses on routes around the outer core of the University are equipped with wheelchair lifts and are accessible to someone with a disability). On Monday to Friday, between 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., a person would call the Facilities Service Desk (x5444). Facilities would like to make this desk a 24/7 operation, but there are no expectation that this is doable at this time. After 10 p.m., a person would call University Police, who would contact an inner-core shuttle driver.
• The inner-core shuttle service is not a 24/7 service. It is available on Monday to Friday, from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. At other times, University Police would need to get a driver for the shuttle. This is often a driver who is available at the end of his or her regularly scheduled route. At this time, there are no plans to make the inner-core service a 24/7 service. There was a concern that this could lead to a situation in which a person with a disability would have to wait an excessively long time for a driver to become available.
• There is concern about the accessibility to the Conference Center for a person who has difficulty in walking or for a person in a wheelchair. There are no plans to provide a surface lot with parking for persons with disability close to the Conference Center in University Hall. Elaine Cooper, Director of Transportation and Parking Services, in response to a suggestion from Meneghin, explained to Meneghin that that there is concern that building such a lot would cause confusion for MSU faculty, staff and students who make the assumption that all surface lots are MSU use only.
• A discussion on the accessibility of University Hall followed and the role of the University's Americans with Disabilities Act [ADA] Compliance Officer. There are no paddle doors in the building (doors designed for use by a person in a wheelchair or by someone who struggles to open doors). Consequently, the Conference Center is not accessible for someone with such disabilities. Other buildings without paddle doors were identified, including the main entrance to College Hall, which received new doors recently. The current ADA Compliance Officer was not involved in discussions on the planning of University Hall. Since the departure of the previous Officer, there has been no ADA Compliance Officer involvement in planning for and upgrades to facilities.
• Meneghin asked PCAA support on the following recommendations:
• Recommend that the ADA Officer be involved in making sure all construction plans address the issue of the accessibility of a building to someone in a wheelchair.
• If there are no plans to have a 24/7 inner core shuttle service, then a much better campaign to alert users on the need to make pre-arrangements for this service is needed. A member noted that federal law requires the availability of the same services or reasonable accommodations for a person with a disability. Waiting one or one and one-half hours to find a driver for the inner core shuttle is not a reasonable accommodation. She suggested having someone on call for 24/7 inner core shuttle service. Meneghin asked Smith to provide her with the text of the federal law on this requirement. A discussion on what are reasonable accommodations and alternatives followed.
• Meneghin will compile information on the material the PCAA and she discussed today into a report, give it to the PCAA for review, and then submit the report. She said the report will focus on recommendations on what can be done to improve the accessibility of the campus and a time frame for implementation. Meneghin noted that the University has not yet dealt with the needs of a much more residential campus. Slagle noted that the SGA has called for improvements to the ramp that leads into the Student Center and for paddle doors into University Hall.
• Meneghin then discussed the comments from PCAA members that she received about accessibility problems on campus. The problem of elevator repair was an issue raised by several members. Meneghin investigated this issue and found that there is no on-site person at the University who can fix an elevator. An outside contractor is called in to deal with repairs. University Police do have keys to open some doors of a stalled elevator, but the keys will not work if the elevator is stalled between floors and University Police do have the authority to smash open a door in the case of a medical emergency. But, in other situations, a person stuck on an elevator stuck between floors may have wait a very long time for the repair person to arrive. Members noted that some elevators lack emergency lighting that works during power outages.
Minutes of the March 22, 2006 Meeting
Kelton motioned to approve the minutes; Harris seconded. The minutes were approved as submitted.
Committee Reports
Recruitment and Retention Committee: Vega reported that at its last meeting, the Committee had a discussion on two issues: the concern of the African American Caucus that the number of African American students has remained the same over a period of years, even though total enrollment has increased, and the concern of the Latino/a Caucus that the number of full-time Latino/a faculty has decreased over the past five years. The Committee is looking into both these issues and trying to gather data on these issues. The Committee is currently grappling with the issue of the best data to use in its assessment.
There followed a discussion of what data to use to understand the issue of the number of full-time Latino/a faculty. In its January meeting, the PCAA had been given a report that showed a decline in the last five years in the number of full-time Latino/a faculty. In a February meeting with President Cole and Vice Presidents Hain, Lynde and Pennington, the Latino/a Caucus Executive Board was given another report that showed the number of Latino/a faculty to have remained the same from 1996 to 2005. [At the PCAA meeting, Hain said that the numbers on Latino/a faculty given to the Latino/a Caucus Executive Board in its meeting with President Cole included one-year appointments (for visiting scholars). The intention was to show the extent of Latino/a faculty presence on campus, not to say that the full-time and one-year appointments are equivalent.]
To talk about the issue of the number of full-time Latino/a faculty at the University, and to discuss other issues with the Caucus, Vice Presidents Hain and Lynde, and Associate Vice President Ficke asked to meet with the Latino/a Caucus (one of several meetings with the Caucus). At the meeting, Vice President Hain gave the Caucus a list of Latino/a faculty who were hired or who left the University over the last ten years (1996 to 2005). Hain hopes this will help provide for better discussion about what is happening with the recruitment and retention of Latino/a faculty. The Caucus has not yet had a chance to analyze the list. Hain stated that she thought the meeting with the Caucus a very constructive one and mentioned other topics discussed at this meeting:
• To create situations in which a Latino or Latina leaving the University feels most comfortable, informally involve the Latino/a Caucus in the exit interview process.
• To try to find effective ways to connect new Latino/a faculty with the Caucus.
• Work with the Latino/a Caucus to facilitate the representation of Latinos/as on search committees.
• Ask appointing administrators to share the current employee profile by gender and ethnicity with the search committee.
There are plans to have additional meetings with the Caucus and its Executive Board to follow up on the items discussed at the meeting. In addition, there are plans to hold a meeting with the Caucus focusing on Physical Plant staff.
Chair's Comment
Meneghin spoke of her concern that members of the campus community have less time to participate in community aspects of university life. As the University grows and its staff is stretched to do more with less time, the ability to participate in committees and campus activities decreases. Yet as we grow, the need for participation, by a diverse cross section of faculty and staff, in such community building committees as the PCAA and its constituency groups is paramount to the health and strength of the University community.
Mentoring Committee: Coleman-Carter reported on the mentoring questionnaire, to be distributed to faculty and staff, the Committee is developing.
The goals of the questionnaire are to:
• Find out what is known about mentoring and of general interest in mentoring.
• Gauge perception to whether faculty and staff have been mentored or if they are currently being mentored.
• Develop a general sense of knowledge of how/where to access mentoring programs.
• Create a small group of volunteers for focus groups to discuss more specifically mentoring experiences and challenges.
Process to outcomes
• The questionnaire will be used as a vehicle to gauge general campus knowledge, involvement and needs regarding mentoring.
• Focus groups will provide more detail on the experiences, challenges, and needs that faculty and staff may have around issues of mentoring.
• The information obtained from the focus groups will help the Committee determine the next step in he long-term goal of raising awareness of, and access to, mentoring opportunities at MSU.
Expected Outcomes
• Provide a vehicle to educate the campus about mentoring.
• Provide a clear sense of interests and needs regarding mentoring.
• Identify pre-existing programs and initiatives that would answer stated needs and interests.
The Committee also passed out a timeline for the mentoring questionnaire project.
Kelton encouraged PCAA members to test out the questionnaire. Beta testing will last from April 19 to May 3. The Committee will present data on the beta testing at the Advance.
Kelton stated that the questionnaire is anonymous. Use of the MSU netID is to gain access to the questionnaire only.
At each critical juncture, the Committee will file a report.
Coleman-Carter thanked the members of the Mentoring Committee and of the Executive Committee for their help on this project.
Education Committee: No report.
Meneghin asked the committee chairs to submit their reports to her by the middle of May. This will give her time to prepare the PCAA annual report.
Advance
Meneghin discussed the plans for the Advance. It will be on May 31 at the Abbott and Costello Center in the Village. Rick Brown will lead us through the "Game of Life." Meneghin encouraged members who are not returning to attend. We will
Reading
Morales led a discussion of "Compromise on immigration bill uncertain" and
"Latinos Plan 'Work Out' Monday in Support of Immigrants."
Nominations
Meneghin asked for members for the Nominations Committee. Nominations should be sent to Michael Brown.
The meeting adjourned at 2:00 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Luis Rodriguez
PCAA Recording Secretary
Montclair State University
Montclair, N.J. 07043, USA
(973) 655-4000
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