Montclair State University
PCAffirmative Action 2004-05

Minutes
April 20 , 2005

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Present: E. Abreu, M. Brown, T. Carey, A. Gutierrez, J; Hain, J. Harris, L. Jenkins, K. Key, L. Lemley, D. Lorenzo, C. Matteis, C. Meneghin, B. Milton, C. Onore, L. Rodriguez, O. Rodriguez-Sredinicki, L. Smith, N. Trivedi, Q. Vega & M. Zabourney.

Constituencies Not Represented: Asian Student Group, CWA, Faculty, GLFSA, LASO, OSAU, Physical Plant, SGA, SPECTRUMS, University Police & University Senate.

At-Large Members Not Present: I. Barriera, M. Coleman-Carter, J. Ficke, & AJ Kelton.

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

Minutes of March 23, 2005 Meeting

Lemley motioned to review the minutes, Gutierrez seconded.  Gutierrez said that Meneghin’s name was misspelled in one of the paragraphs.  Her name will be corrected. 

Brown motioned to approve the minutes with the correction, Key seconded.  The minutes, as amended, were approved.

Reading

Milton facilitated a discussion of “Author Challenges Whites to Acknowledge Privilege.”

http://www.diversityinc.com/public/12895print.cfm

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

Committee Reports

Education Committee

Harris reported that he has gathered data on graduate student enrollment nationally and at selected New Jersey schools.  His committee has not yet met with K. O’Halloran, the Interim Dean of Graduate Studies, because of the recent change of policy in the way graduate assistantships are awarded and assigned.  A discussion followed on the potential impact of the procedure for choosing faculty mentors for graduate assistants and the awarding of graduate assistantships (pre or post-admission) on the diversity of graduate assistants.  A PCAA member noted that an emphasis on research assistants could have a negative impact on applied fields.  Meneghin suggested we invite K. O’Halloran to a meeting to talk about the new policy and on ways to assess any unintended consequences of the new policy on the diversity of graduate enrollment at the University.

Mentoring Committee

Abreu reported for Coleman-Carter.  She said that many women from the University participated in programs at the ACEnet regional conference.

Recruitment and Retention Committee

Vega reported that the committee is meeting with various constituencies on campus and is gathering reports of those meetings.  Vega noted that the groups appreciated the Committee following up on the meetings held last year.  He said they have approached all the constituencies groups, except for the newly formed Women’s Caucus, but not all groups have responded.  The Committee is summarizing those meetings for their report to the PCAA.

Old Business

Annual Report

Meneghin asked committees to send their report within the next two or three weeks.  She will compile the reports and add other information.  She wants to get the report to the PCAA before the Advance so it can be reviewed at the Advance.

Advance

Members discussed how much time to allot to the anti-bias response training which the PCAA is piloting.  The training will be from 10 a.m. to 12 noon.  It can continue from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. if needed.

The agenda items for the day are:

• Meet with President Cole
• Election of officers
• Setting a day/time to meet next year
• Working on PCAA and Committee objectives for the upcoming year
• Reviewing the draft set of recommendations on parking and transportation services for persons with disabilities

Election of New Officers

Brown, Smith and Lorenzo volunteered to serve on the Nominations Committee.  Nominations for the positions of Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, Recording Secretary and Corresponding Secretary are to be sent to M. Brown.  Please make sure a person nominated is willing to serve.  Members new to the PCAA for next year can be nominated.  The Fiscal Agent position is by appointment.

New Business/Other

Harris announced that the NJ state chapter of the NAACP is having a “Women in the NAACP” conference on May 21 in New Brunswick at the Hyatt Regency.

Smith announced that the Wheelchair Basketball Game will be on May 2.  She encouraged PCAA members to participate.

Abreu announced that the World’s Fair will be on April 28.

The Women of MSU honored C. Meneghin for her work.   

Harris announced that on November 18, 2005, Montclair State will be hosting the fifth annual diversity in higher education conference.

On Sept. 15, 2005, Montclair State will be hosting a town hall meeting on gay marriage and civil union.in New Jersey.

Meneghin said that she will add links to the PCAA web site to these events.  Members involved with these events should send her information about the event.

The meeting was adjourned at 1:45 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Luis Rodriguez