Montclair State University
PCAA 2004-05

Minutes
September 15, 2004

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Present: E Abreu, I. Barriera, M. Brown, I. Caprio, T. Carey, R. I. Cartagena, C. Chakraborty, M. Coleman-Carter, M. Colon, C. Dobson, J. Ficke, A. Gutierrez, J. Hain, J. Harris, A. Holder, L. Jenkins, AJ Kelton, J. Landweber, L. Lemley, S. Lewis, D. Lorenzo, L. McInerney, C. Meneghin, D. Middlemas, B. Milton, O. Morales, H. Perez, D. Ragin, L. Rodriguez, O. Rodriguez-Srednicki, L. Rosario, L. Santiago, S. Simms, L. Smith, M. Sparks, & Q. Vega

Not Present: K. Dennis, J. Dennis, M. Drozjock, L. Gibson, P. Johnson, K. Key, M. Maclang, C. Matteis, R. Ross, N. Trivedi, & L. Wise

Guest: Dr. Cole

Announcements
- Meneghin, Vice Chair, announced that T. Jacobowitz, Chair of the PCAA, is on sick leave for the semester. The Executive Board plans to include Jacobowitz in its deliberations. In her absence, Meneghin will be Interim Chair.

- Brown, Corresponding Secretary, will send out the agenda and request for agenda items. PCAA members are encouraged to submit proposed agenda items to the Executive Board. Brown will also send out meeting minutes.

President Cole's Address to the PCAA
- Pres. Cole addressed the PCAA. She started out by describing her vision of the structure and function of the PCAA. The PCAA's role, as a Presidential commission, is to advise the President on affirmative action issues, a subject that is complex and important to the University. We advise the President, but ultimately we do this for the good of the University.

- The PCAA has its own structure and that is fine with Pres. Cole. She addressed two issues of structure. One was the role of Hain and Milton. First, they are significant and important sources of information for the PCAA. They provide or advise on processes for the PCAA to use to get information it needs to do its work. Second, Hain and Milton can take quick action steps. These steps do not always have to go to the President first. They can take independent action. Pres. Cole cited several examples of where Hain and Milton can take this action, such as acting on PCAA recommendations in changing the way affirmative action data is formatted or disseminated or on materials that go to new hires. Finally, Hain and Milton can provide the PCAA access to senior administrators by providing information to the PCAA or by helping arrange meetings with them.

The President elaborated on the role of Hain and Milton by referring to issues of parking for persons with disabilities mentioned in the PCAA annual report [to which the President replied]. If what the PCAA said in its report was true, then these are serious problems and the President would like the PCAA to bring these to her attention, but only if Hain and Milton cannot handle the problem. The President then added that MSU made changes over the summer to parking and transportation services for persons with disabilities and this should make the situation better. But, if it does not, then the PCAA should let the President know this.

- The President next discussed her role. She assumes that we will meet with her when needed. She will meet with us as needed, and she is leaving the determination of when and how often to meet with her up to the PCAA. In addition, she sees her role as receiving recommendations from the PCAA. She would like these recommendations to be concrete and include action steps.

- The President then discussed her view of affirmative action at MSU. She thinks the University has changed. We are no longer "seeking" to be diverse; we are diverse – in our students and employees. We are not the same campus as we were twenty years ago. Because of this, we have moved from "elementary" affirmative action to "advanced" affirmative action.

The President thinks there is a natural tension as we become increasingly diverse. Our recent hires not only identify themselves as African American, persons with disability, etc., but they also think of themselves in terms of their discipline or of their professional role. This creates a tension. The President wonders if we do the right thing to focus on traditional categories of affirmative action, and, if this the case, what are the uses of these support mechanisms.

The President thinks it better if people can identify themselves by their purpose for which they are at MSU, but we still need to have the policies, support mechanisms, etc. to make sure there are no obstacles to allow a person from doing well at MSU. This is "advanced" affirmative action and this makes the job of the PCAA more complex.

- The President then opened the floor to questions and comments from the PCAA. She was asked about sending out a letter to the campus about the importance of the PCAA and about the members of the PCAA and whom they represent. This letter will come out shortly. Meneghin said that monthly email will be sent to representatives asking them to contact their constituencies and that approved minutes will be sent on the AllUsers list. The President urged members to come to the PCAA as representatives of constituencies, but when we arrive at the table we act as members of the University community, as members of a group with a larger vision.

Meneghin shares the President's vision of "advanced" affirmative action, but also believes that the PCAA's role is not to put everyone into the "melting pot," but also to allow us to celebrate our identities with comfort and dignity. These experiences shape us, and they should be celebrated and acknowledged.

Pres. Cole said that when she walks into a meeting at MSU she is surprised when she does not see a diverse group and this surprise happens less and less. Harris was pleased at Pres. Cole's commitment to diversity and is surprised that there is still conversation on campus that there is no commitment to diversity. He encouraged public recognition of people who take risks in bringing up affirmative action issues that need to be addressed. There still is a fear of retaliation although there is no evidence of retaliation. The President replied that we can never get everyone to believe in her commitment to affirmative action and there are some who don't want the University to have this commitment.

Minutes of May 25, 2004 Advance
- The Committee reviewed the minutes from the May advance. Corrections to spelling of attendees' name and affiliation and to the list of those present were made. The numbering of Roman numerals needs to corrected. Perez asked that the GLFSA part of "Caucus Input" (VI in the old and incorrect numerals; really should be IV) be amended to include a statement that an issue for GLFSA is that it tends to be faculty dominated and does not get much input from other staff. The PCAA should encourage GLBT professional and support staff to be more involved.

Harris made a motion that the minutes as amended by approved. Lemley seconded. The minutes, as amended, were approved.

PCAA Web Site
- Meneghin showed members the PCAA web site and where agenda, approved minutes, and other materials can be found. M. Brown will email for review draft minutes of meetings.
Planning for the Year Ahead

- Meneghin reported on Executive Board plans for the upcoming year:
  - In reference to the concern raised at the Advance about an atmosphere where PCAA members do not feel free to speak openly at meetings. Meneghin stated that everyone is encouraged to provide input. She will facilitate meetings to make sure members have the opportunity to speak and are encouraged to do so.
  - We are encouraging members to recommend readings for the group. Recommendations should be sent to the Executive Committee. We encourage readings that are available in electronic format.
  - Each constituent group representative should make sure that at least one member is present at each meeting, and that more than one member can attend a meeting.
  - One goal this year is to promote dialog with the Vice Presidents and other higher level administrators. The PCAA is going to invite the VPs to come to a PCAA meeting to have a "dialog" with us. Hain will help in arranging this.

- Meneghin then reviewed the key issues discussed at the Advance:
  - Feeling of being uncomfortable at meeting: we want everyone to feel safe at PCAA meetings. You should see the Executive Committee if you feel there is a concern in this area.
  - Committee structure: The structure was changed last year to reflect committees designed around issues rather than identities. This seemed to work well last year, but the Executive Committee wants to hear from members about concerns about the current committee structure.

- Meneghin introduced members of the Executive Committee, including Jenkins who is the PCAA fiscal agent. She said that chairs and co-chairs of committees will be members of the Executive Board.

- The past chairs of last year's committees described their committees and their goals and projects last year.
  - Mentoring and Professional Development (Coleman-Carter): Gathered information on existing campus mentoring programs (such as the New Faculty program; informal and one-on-one mentoring) and external mentoring programs. The Committee's desire is to develop mentoring programs at MSU for different constituencies.
  - Education (Harris): Plans activities and programs about issues that relate to affirmative action. Plans the Affirmative Action Day and recommends areas of focus for the PCAA, such as revisiting the language we use in talking about affirmative action.
  - Recruitment and Retention (Rodriguez): Last year, the Committee met with different groups on campus to get feedback on ways to improve recruitment and retention of a diversified workforce at MSU and wrote on a report on its meetings.

- Meneghin then asked the members to join a committee. The group was to talk about its plans for the upcoming year and report back to the PCAA.

- Jenkins suggested that committees spread responsibility by having co-chairs, recording secretaries, etc. and for each initiative of a committee to have a person responsible for it. This allows committees to achieve more by having different individuals spearhead an initiative.

- Meneghin asked chairs and co-chairs to submit short written summaries of their reports at PCAA meetings.

- Meneghin asked that each committee send names of its members to Milton.

- Education Committee Report
  - Harris elected chair and gave the following report, recommendations and suggestions:

• The Committee will have its first meeting on Sept. 30 at 10 a.m.
  
• It will look into having information tables, especially with information for students, about the PCAA and affirmative action at MSU.
       - The Committee recommended getting a button to announce and promote affirmative action.
      - The Committee suggested we make better use of student leaders.
  
• It recommended having campus conversation about diversity versus unity.
  
• The Committee recommended that we look at the issue of affinity that people have towards in their own group and its affect on integration into the MSU community.

• Assessment of campus mentoring needs
  
• What to look for in a mentor and in a mentee.