Montclair State University PCAA 2001-02
Minutes
October 11, 2001
Present: T. Jacobowitz, B. Terry, M. Brown, J. Baldwin-LeClair N. Firoz, L. Wise. E. Abreu, L. McInerney, I. Barriera, B. Milton, J. Harris M. Coleman-Carter, D. Mengara, R. Aldridge (alt), I. Caprio (alt), V. Roberson (alt), L. Rodriguez, C. Meneghin, J. Hain, M. Cunningham, P. Kirby, C. Ortiz
Absent: R. Young, J. Rivera, M. Kasimir, N. Rourke, D. Estrada, S. Shah, N. Connolly, D. Chyssovergis, J. Ficke, H. Gera R. Sharps, S. Kight, K. Dennis, T. Hutchins
I. Call to Order
I. A. Call To Order
Chairperson T. Jacobowitz called the meeting to order at 12:10. In addition
to the cookies and coffee from food service, we thank C. Meneghin's
children for baking cookies for our meeting.
B. Minutes
Minutes from the September meeting were approved with corrections to
section V. d. The changes appear on the website minutes.
II. Reading "Professors at the Color Line"
Student bodies at colleges and universities in the US are diverse,
faculties are not. While student bodies are 56% women, 11% Black, 8%
Hispanic, and 6% Asian, faculty are 36% women, 4.9% AA, and 2.6 Hispanic.
Asian faculty percentages mirror Asian student representation at 5.6%.
In discussing this New York Times article from September 11, L. Rodriguez
thought that the availability of professors of color is not the real
issue, because they are in the pipeline. Institutions need to find ways
to attract and maintain them once hired. C. Meneghin posed the question
of what are minority and women's perceptions about applying for faculty
positions.
B. Milton provides the Commission with MSU statistics on women and faculty
of color. Of MSU's 426 faculty mebembers 39% are female; 22% are people
of color (25 are Black). J. Harris indicated that President Cole and
Provost Lynde responded positively to Black faculty concerns that they
were receiving disparate treatment and isolation. The response was an
increase in hiring Black faculty last year and the formulation of an
incentive program.
V.P. Hain indicated that the data didn't always support Black faculty
perceptions about disparate treatment regarding promotions. We need
to work on making perceptions and data match. To combat the faculty
isolation problem, B. Terry, and T. Jacobowitz suggested faculty mentoring
faculty of different race and ethnicity department-by-department. This
would help to bridge culture issues and understand how different people
interpret codes differently. VP Hain informed the Commission that the
University is hiring an organizational development specialist who can
assist us in this area. Chairperson Jacobowitz asked the Recruitment
and Retention Committee to draft a motion about faculty mentoring for
presentation at the next meeting.
III. Committee Reports
A. Status on Minorities
B. Terry
The committee met on October 4. They discussed computer access for the
Physical Plant Department. There is not central site or room yet for
computers and a resource center. B. Terry said that J. Dennis indicated
that all PPD employees don't want e-mail access, but those who wish
it will get access. To increase communications which include PPD, it
was suggested that we use TV monitors for announcements like in Dickson
Hall.
Next the committee reaffirmed the need to gather data on where people
of color are concentrated at MSU. They also want to ascertain what recruitment
strategies departments with higher concentrations of AA and Latino faculty
use. Faculty recruitment entails networking that should start long before
positions become open.
B. Status of Women
M. Coleman-Carter
Dr. Vincent Tinto, our keynote speaker for University Day, can give
her committee ideas that may be transferred to retaining women employees.
Human Resources and the Committee on the Status of Women will offer
workshops to classified workers (mostly women) on Strategies for Building
Relationships and Educational Opportunities for MSU Employees.
C. Recruitment and Retention
R. Sharps
No Report
IV. Old Business
A. Status of Computer Access and Training for Physical Plant Employees
Discussed in the Status of Minorities Report.
B. NCCJ Diversity Issues in Higher Education Conference November 2 at
Rutgers University B. Milton made a last call for Commission member
registrants.
V. New Business
A. President's Announcement about PCAA
C. Meneghin contacted President Cole requesting that Dr. Cole make a
campus announcement about the PCAA, identify membership, encourage constituents
to contact representatives about concerns, and direct everyone to our
website and links on affirmative action.
B. Term Explanation
B. Milton distributed the current PCAA membership List of Members 2001-2003.
C. Educating Campus about Issues Reflective of Recent and On-going Events
Chairperson Jacobowitz wrote Dr. Ronald Takai requesting his availability
as a speaker for our Affirmative Action Day. She thought he could bring
an interesting perspective on multiculturalism and discrimination, but
he is not available on February 21. We have to plan a provocative program
that will have university-wide appeal . The program committee for Affirmative
Action Day is C. Meneghin, B. Milton, J. Harris, M. Cunningham, C. Ortiz,
and E. Abreu.
D. Chairperson Jacobowitz extended an invitation for Commission members
to participate in the Center of Pedagogy's Advance on January 9-10 in
the Student Center Ballrooms.
E. Other
M. Cunningham asked the PCAA to co-sponsor an event with Global Education
that discusses Islam The primary speaker will be Yaser ElMenshawy. Global
Education would provide the speaker honorarium.
E. Abreu has also been working with the Muslim Student Organization
and Women's Studies who have also been discussing similar programming.
B. Milton moved that the PCAA co-sponsor the event with Global Education
to educate the campus on Islam in conjunction with the Muslim Student
Organization and Women's Studies. Seconded by E. Abreu, the motion carried.
With several different groups planning similar activities, this is another
example of a need for coordination through an Office of Diversity. The
executive board will make another motion to the PCAA.
The next general meeting is November 8, 2001.
Submitted,
Michael Brown Recording Secretary