Committee on Academic Standing

Chair: Katie Hauser, Art History
The primary functions of the CAS are to interpret and apply—"administer"—established academic policies.

In practice this means that the committee determines, for example, whether or not a student can add or drop or withdraw from a course after a deadline. It also considers academic disqualification cases, situations in which a student applies for a leave, and various other circumstances that contravene “rules,” including applications for study abroad when the student does not meet the GPA minimum requirement.

CAS Website

Student Representatives: None Currently

One (1) Open Willingness-to-Serve Student Rep Position

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Campus Environment Committee (CEC): Now the Intuitional Policies and Planning Committee (IPPC) Campus Sustainability Subcommittee (CSS)

Submitted by Riley Neugebauer, Campus Sustainability Coordinator

Old function of the Committee: To review and recommend environmental policies and procedures in such areas as land management, construction, waste management, purchasing, recycling, energy use, and water and air quality.

In the process to being changed to: To research, review, recommend, and help support the implementation of sustainability policies and procedures in such areas as waste and recycling, academics, transportation, green building, food systems, climate and energy, landscape and ecosystem management, community, diversity and equity, and communication and assessment.  This includes assisting in the coordination of sustainability strategic planning and its assessment and updates.  The subcommittee may create working groups to assist with this process.  Secondarily, to coordinate strategic event planning and collaborative efforts between departments around these topics. (Awaiting faculty approval.)

There will be a need for two (2) student representatives: One (1) SGA Senator and one (1) Willingness-to-Serve Student Rep Position

Committee on Educational Policies and Planning (CEPP)

Chair: Michael Arnush, Classics

CEPP has been grappling with two big policy changes: The Culture-Centered Inquiry Requirement (CCI; see SGA Senate Summaries) and a revision of the Dean’s Card (tool through which students rate professors at the end of each semester). In regards to the CCI, CEPP has proposed that the college expands the definition of, and thus the number of courses fulfilling, the Cultural Diversity component of the Culture-Centered Inquiry requirement. This means that the current Cultural Diversity and the Non-western courses will become one requirement (the "CCI" requirement). For the Dean’s Card revisions, proposed changes in the document will help students to more clearly express their opinions about professors and classes.

CEPP Website (includes CEPP's agenda for the year and other documents related to CEPP)

Student Representatives: SGA VP for Academic Affairs Ben Bechand '14, WTS Student Rep Emily Kowal '13

Zero (0) Open Willingness-to-Serve Rep Positions

Intuitional Policies and Planning Committee (IPPC), Subcommittee Student Affairs

Co-Chairs: Dean of Student Affairs Rochelle Calhoun and SGA President Matt Walsh

A subcommittee of Institutional Policy and Planning Committee (IPPC). Meets with members of the President's Cabinet, among others, to discuss issues central to student affairs.

Student Representatives: SGA VP for Residential Affairs Jess Sonnenfeld '14, Senator Talia Arnow '13

Zero (0) Open Willingness-to-Serve Rep Positions

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Honor Code Committee

Chair: Brittany Dingler, Honor Code Commissioner

From Chair Dingler: "It has come to my attention upon discussion with the past Honor Code Commissioner that there have been instances in which some professors will simply "take it into their own hands" when one of their students violates the academic sphere of the Honor Code (such as cheating on a test or plagiarizing a written assignment). Additionally, it was found in a recent study on our campus that more than 60% of the sampled student body has admitted to cheating or plagiarizing at some point during their time at Skidmore. Therefore, although I understand that professors who deal with infractions outside of the Integrity Board do so out of concern for the student rather than a lack of respect for the Honor Code, this discretion should not be theirs in the first place. All Skidmore professors work hard to provide the best education to each student by designing syllabi that will push us all to our maximum academic potential.  It should not be their additional responsibility to evaluate each submitted assignment for its integrity or "originality" - this is simply a pressure that is not part of the job description.

As a result, the Honor Code Commission is proposing to make it mandatory for professors from all academic departments to use an already existing program called Safe-Assign through which all student work will be submitted. With each assignment, the professor will also receive a "match report" that evaluates the originality of the students work as compared with past and current work of Skidmore students, all internet resources, journal articles, and students of peer institutions that also use this program. After taking discussing initiative with academic council, it is clear that more research needs to be done about what the exact protocol will be when a professor receives reports that have determined the assignment contains a significant percentage of unoriginal work (plagiarized, uncited, etc.). Most likely, HCC will work to have papers that are given a match report of over 40% (meaning that 40% of the assignment "overlaps" with other sources) automatically sent to the Associate Dean of Academic Policy and Advising. We realize there are many fine lines that need to be solidified, such as what professors who don't use Blackboard (as Safe-Assign is a Blackboard program) will be required to do for their assignments. Also, we will continue to work with Academic Council and begin to bring department heads into the conversation to determine exactly what kind of assignments must be submitted, as we understand that it would be unrealistic (and likely unfeasible) for work like art projects to be electronically submitted and scanned. Much more research needs to be done and many more discussions will be held to ensure this protocol is not solidified until maximum student and faculty input is incorporated and discussed.

Skidmore Honor Code.

Student Representatives: SGA VP for Academic Affairs Ben Bechand '14, Senator Emily Paull '13

Three (3) Open Willingness-to-Serve Student Rep Positions

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Bias Response Group

Chair: Dean of Student Affairs Rochelle Calhoun

The Bias Response Group grew out of Skidmore's determination to foster a safe and inclusive climate on campus. The group is charged with keeping our campus free from discrimination and harassment by:

• Creating community responsibility and involvement
• Building an environment of mutual respect through education and dialogue
• Fostering an understanding of bias and its effects
• Responding to bias incidents and hate crimes on campus

We remind all members of our community that it is our collective responsibility to make Skidmore a place where all people and points of view are truly respected.

The committee is chaired by Rochelle Calhoun and meets every other Wednesday. It is currently planning on having open meetings with the community throughout the year.

Student Representatives: SGA VP for Diversity Affairs Jovany Andujar

One (1) Open Willingness-to-Serve Student Rep Position

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Curriculum Committee

This committee reviews curricular matters, especially individual course proposals and major and minor requirements, including the implementation of policies concerning all-college requirements. The committee may also consider curriculum questions brought before it by the faculty, students, and administration, and general recommendations concerning immediate and long-range curricular matters. Questions and requests should be forwarded to the chair.

The following course will be added into the schedule next semester:

Intro to Chinese Language and Literature

Advanced Child Development

Education Policy, Politics, and Law in the U.S.

Teaching English in China

Experimental Biochemistry Laboratory

Human Biology and Medical Decisions: Food, Disease, Sex, Sleep

Topics in Foreign Literature and Culture: Britain’s Love Affair with Italy (now meets Humanities requirement)

Contemporary German Cinema

The Arts of South Asia

Special Topics in Physics

Student Representatives: Senator Britt Dorfmann '14

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Tuesday, October 9^th

 

• Senate discussed Resolution 23-04: A Resolution to Gain Student Government Association (SGA) Senate Endorsement of the Policy on the Development and Modification of College Policies. Senate had several critiques of and questions about the document, and as such, chose not to endorse it at that time.
• Senate discussed the possibility of developing a “My Culture is not a Costume” campaign surrounding culturally insensitive Halloween costumes. This will be discussed further in the all-college Bias Response Group. For more information, or to provide suggestions, please contact VP for Diversity Affairs This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

 

Tuesday, October 16^th

 

• Senate welcomed Barbara Black, the chair of the Faculty Executive Committee, as a step in the development of a positive and productive relationship between Senate and the faculty.
• Senate discussed the Committee on Educational Policy and Planning's (CEPP's) proposal for a new Cultured-Centered Inquiry curriculum requirement, which would replace the current Cultural Diversity and non-Western culture requirements.
• Senate voted on Supplemental 23-xx: Allocating Funding from Program Support to the Pride Alliance to send five club members to the Transcending Boundaries conference in Springfield, MA. Resolution passed unanimously.
• Senate voted on Supplemental 23-xx: Allocating Funding from Program Support to the Running Club to support the club's influx of new members, which were not budgeted for in the spring. Resolution passed unanimously.
• Senate voted on Resolution 23-xx: A Resolution to Amend the Skidmore AIDS Benefit Charter to change the name to Skidmore AIDSBenefit, reflect changes in the scale of the club's theater productions, and include initiatives like Musical Theater Fridays and art shows.

 

 

On Saturday, October 15^th, the Spectrum Dance took place at Falstaffs. Spectrum is hosted by the Pride Alliance each year. It is an event that allows students to express their gender and sexual identity in a safe and exciting environment. There’s loud music, gender-neutral bathrooms, and an “exhibition booth” which allows people to make their sexuality visible during the dance.

 

Each year the dance takes on a different theme. This year's theme featured comic book super heroes alongside the tagline, “Reveal Your True Identity.” The concept behind this year’s theme was simple: in day-to-day life people hide certain parts of their identity and Spectrum gives students the ability to take off their masks.

 

Earlier this month, the Skidmore Urban Experience, known to students as “SUE,” hosted its first trip of the year to New York City. The SUE program typically plans two trips a semester, one to Boston and one to New York City.

In the past, the Skidmore Urban Experience has just provided students with the opportunity to visit Boston and New York as a low cost and means for door-to door transportation. However, this year, the program is working on providing specific events and activities centered around diversity for students to attend while on the trips. In the trip to NYC earlier this month, students attended the Brooklyn Museum in addition to the time they had to explore the City.

As the SUE program has been a success over and over again, the group plans on offering another trip later this semester. A second trip will likely be offered in the first couple weeks of November – more information to follow soon!