Committee on Committees Report
Student Affairs Committee
2008-2009
By: Bridget McCracken, Chair
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Student Affairs Committee was very active AY 2008/09 with full participation
by its committee members. Important policy revisions were brought forward by
SAC including the Religious Holiday Policy, Withdrawal Policy and the
Enrollment Management Committee Policy. Resolutions which were brought
forward by SAC included ones in support of Emergency Preparedness Week and
of SF State Voter Registration Campaign. SAC heard reports on emergency
preparedness and safety, sound amplification, Welcome Days and the Student
Complaints and Concerns Web Site. SAC began important work on the issues of
textbook affordability, public and alternative transportation and revision to the
SAC charge. These issues must be continued by SAC in AY 2009/10 as well as
the issues of ASI Recreation and Wellness Center, shared governance and
student involvement, Counseling and Psychological Services, syllabi: plagiarism
and emergency awareness statement, Smoking Policy and enforcement,
Resolution for Kirk Gaston, students dealing with CA budget crisis.
STUDENT AFFAIRS COMMITTEE CHARGE
The responsibility of the Student Affairs Committee (SAC) is to define and
recommend to the appropriate body institutional policy as it affects students,
including but not limited to the following areas: student life services; advising and
counseling; testing and student learning; Student Union; financial aid; foreign
students and other special groups; health services; housing; student government;
student conduct and student justice. SAC shall also concern itself with
instructionally related University activities such as intercollegiate athletics,
publications and Creative Arts productions.
1. SAC has a primary responsibility to bring before the Academic Senate, the
Associated Students, or the Administration, wherever appropriate, policy
matters in the area of student life. It will be responsible for defining,
recommending and periodically reviewing policy in the realm of student life
in order to provide additional direction to those charged with administering
institutional policy.
2. SAC will receive recommendations and opinions from other established
bodies and committees on possible institutional policy regarding student
affairs.
In carrying out the above policies, the Committee will be guided by the following
principles as reaffirmed by the Academic Senate (May 9, 1967):
 At San Francisco State University, students are respected as adults and
citizens of the community and as such have all the rights and
responsibilities of adults and citizens to participate in University and
community affairs. These rights and responsibilities are to be guarded and
fulfilled.
 If students as citizens act under the rights which are theirs, they must also
accept the legal and ethical responsibilities which accompany these rights.
 The University, by its very nature, is a publicly supported institution
designed to assist the student in developing as an adult and as a citizen,
but which by law and good judgment cannot involve itself in partisan or
other activities which might hinder its effectiveness as an institution of
higher education serving people of all faiths, creeds, and political beliefs.
 The University cannot assume legal or financial responsibility for any
person, whether faculty, student, or staff, who is not acting as its agent. In
no student activity are students acting as agents of the University unless
expressly stipulated by the University authority.
 All policies set out and activities carried on in the area of student affairs
will be accomplished in a spirit of contributing to the larger intellectual
aims of the University community.
 All institutional policies governing student affairs now in existence will be
honored by the Committee unless specific Committee action is taken to
the contrary.
Membership:
 A minimum of seven members of the Academic Senate
 Associate Vice President for Student Affairs
 Five students, one each representing freshmen, sophomores, juniors,
seniors, graduates - Student committee members shall be elected by the
Associated Students Legislature
ROSTER AND MEETING TIMES
Name
Unit Department
Bridget McCracken BSS Public Administration
Adam Burke
N/A Holistic Health
Kate Hellenga
BSS Psychology
Pamela LePage
EDU Special Education
Francis Neely
BSS Political Science
Leigh Jin
BUS Information Systems
Derethia DuVal
N/A Counseling&Psyc Services
Gene Chelberg
SA
Student Affairs
Asta Sveinsdottir HUM Philosophy
Arlene Bugayong SA
Student Affairs
VACANT
ASI Associated Students
VACANT
ASI Associated Students
VACANT
ASI Associated Students
VACANT
ASI Associated Students
Designation
Academic Senate Rep
Academic Senate Rep
Academic Senate Rep
Academic Senate Rep
Academic Senate Rep
Academic Senate Rep
Academic Senate Rep
Academic Senate Rep
Academic Senate Rep
Academic Senate Rep
Graduate
Freshman Rep.
Sophomore Rep.
Junior Rep.
VACANT
ASI
Associated Students
Senior Rep.
The Student Affairs Committee meet every other Tuesday from 2:15pm—5:00pm
in SSB 401.
SAC ACTIVITIES OF AY 2008/09
 Resolution in Support of Voter Registration Campaign Fall 2008
SAC worked with Adam Calmenson, Program Coordinator, Institute for Civic and
Community Engagement on a resolution in support of SF State’s Voter
Registration Campaign which was passed September 23, 2008. SAC Chair
organized the downtown campus registration table and supported the tables on
the main campus.
 Emergency Preparedness and Safety
SAC worked with Chief of Police Kirk Gaston and Gayle Orr-Smith, Emergency
Preparedness Coordinator, University Police Department and Dr. Penny Saffold,
VP of Student Affairs on the issue of Emergency Preparedness and Campus
Safety. SF State hosted its annual Emergency Preparedness Week in the Fall
and Spring which included an active shooter drill and pandemic flu scenario. In
the Fall, the Senate heard a report from Chief of Police Kirk Gaston and Gayle
Orr-Smith, Emergency Preparedness Coordinator, University Police Department
on October 7, 2008 in regard to Emergency Preparedness Week October 20-24,
2008. SAC authored resolution in support all future emergency preparedness
weeks which passed before the Senate on April 14, 2009. SAC looks forward to
working with the Chief and Emergency Preparedness Coordinator on future
efforts.
 Sound Amplification
SAC heard a report form Joey Greenwell, Director, Office of Student Programs
and Leadership and Penny Saffold, VP of Student Affairs regarding the changes
to the Time, Place and Manner Policy. This issue will continue to be evaluated
by Student Affairs. It is recommended that SAC ask Greenwell to report on any
updates in 2009/10. The Office of Student Programs and Leadership
Development (OSPLD) has worked in collaboration with the Cesar Chavez
Student Center (CCSC), Associated Students Inc. Performing Arts (ASIPA), and
the Office of Environmental Health and Occupational Safety (EHOS), to conduct
basic sound level testing in Malcolm X Plaza and surrounding areas. Such
testing was conducted in an attempt to continue supporting student organization
and department outdoor events while also addressing faculty concerns regarding
the amplification of sound and disturbance to the classroom. The results were
provided to the Division of Student Affairs with a decision being made to continue
providing amplification at events that are reserved in Malcolm X Plaza, Monday
through Friday from 12 noon – 2 PM. Amplified sound levels are not to exceed 75
decibels 25 feet from the sound source. All amplified sound must continue to be
conducted through the CCSC sound system.

Religious Holiday Policy
SAC in consultation with Jo Volkert, AVP, Enrollment Management revised the
Religious Holiday Policy. The SF State community recognizes and takes pride in
the diversity of religious and spiritual backgrounds of its student body. The
University strives to make every reasonable effort to give its students the
opportunity to observe their recognized religious holidays. In order to observe
days of religious significance, students may occasionally be absent from class.
This is in accordance with Section 89320 of the Education Code which states
that the University, including Faculty, must ". . . permit any student who is eligible
to undergo the test or examination to do so, without penalty, at a time when the
activity would not violate the student's religious creed." This policy was originally
passed in 2000 and calls for the Student Affairs Committee to review the policy
after three years. The office of Human Relations no longer exists and therefore
can not send out notification to Deans and Chairs. The current practice of a
memo sent out by the Office of Academic Affairs is reflected in this revision. The
Mandatory Periodic Review of Academic Senate Policies Policy #S08-247 allows
for a periodic review of Senate policy, therefore the mandated review was
eliminated. The policy revision passed on April 28, 2009. It is recommend that
the Senate follows up to ensure that the bulletin undergraduate and graduate
student handbooks are revised and work with Faculty Affairs and Student Affairs
to help to promote the enforcement of the policy.
 Enrollment Management Charge
SAC in collaboration with the Enrollment Management Committee; Jo Volkert,
AVP, Enrollment Management and Shawn Whalen, Chair of the Academic
Senate revised the Charge to the Enrollment Management Committee.
Enrollment Management Committee is responsible for providing advice on all
aspects of enrollment management and making recommendations to the
Academic Senate. Issues of recruitment, enrollment, retention and graduation
are of an increasing importance to SF State. The revisions to the Enrollment
Management Committee allowed for addition of key administrators who work on
these issues while maintaining the faculty majority on the committee. The
revision also adds retention and facilitating graduation to the committee’s
portfolio of responsibilities. The policy revision passed on April 14, 2009.
 Welcome Days
Joey Greenwell, Director, Office of Student Programs and Leadership reported to
SAC on Welcome Days. SF State Welcome Days is a two-day event to welcome
the incoming freshmen class and their families to the campus community. The
next SF State Welcome Days will be held Thursday and Friday, August 20 and
21, 2009, on the main campus. This is a mandatory event for all freshmen living
on campus and strongly suggested for those living off campus. Student and
parent sessions will be provided on August 20, 2009, with the second day being
focused on residential students. Greenwell made a report to the Senate
regarding Welcome Days on March 17, 2009.
 Withdrawal Policy
SAC revised the Withdrawal Policy in consultation with Suzanne Dmytrenko,
University Registrar; Jo Volkert, AVP, Enrollment Management and Ray
Troutman, Secretary, Academic Senate. CSU Executive Order 1037, “Grading
Symbols, Minimum Standards Governing the Assignment of Grades, Policies on
the Repetition of Courses, Policies on Academic Renewal, and Grade Appeals,”
issued September 8, 2008, and effective August 1, 2009, includes policies on
grading symbols, minimum standards governing the assignment of grades,
academic renewal, and grade appeals; modifications to the policies on course
withdrawals; and new policies on the repetition of courses. Executive Order 1037
consolidates and supersedes policies in Executive Order Nos. 792 (Grading
Symbols, Assignment of Grades, and Grade Appeals), 320 (Assignment of
Grades and Grade Appeals), and 213 (Academic Renewal). Chancellor Reed
writes that “the new executive order is designed to facilitate a student's
graduation through changes in policies on course withdrawals and course
repeats.”
MEMORANDUM AA-2009-04, “Clarification of Executive Order 1037 -Grading
Symbols, Minimum Standards Governing the Assignment of Grades, Policies on
the Repetition of Courses, Polices on Academic Renewal, and Grade Appeals,”
from Lorie Roth, Assistant Vice Chancellor, and James Blackburn, Director of
Enrollment Management Services, to CSU Presidents, states that “Campuses
must implement the requirements of Executive Order 1037 no later than the
beginning of the Fall 2009 term”; that “Unless campus policy indicates otherwise,
the limit on withdrawals (Section A-6a) does apply to coursework taken in
matriculated as well as coursework completed via "self- support," e.g., extended
education, Open University, special session, etc.”
SF State had to revise the course withdrawal policy to implement the
requirements of Executive Order 1037. Specifically, the policy had to be revised
to limit undergraduate students to withdraw from a maximum of 24 semester
units of courses taken at SF States; to limit withdrawal during the final twenty
percent of instruction to cases “where the cause of withdrawal is due to
circumstances clearly beyond the student's control and the assignment of an
Incomplete is not practicable”; and to identify a statement on the grading symbol
“W” that must appear in the bulletin.
To promote careful planning of academic schedules, to facilitate successful
academic performance, and to increase enrollment opportunities for all students,
the time period to “drop” a course, i.e., withdraw from a course without restriction
or penalty, will be decreased to the first two weeks of each semester. SF State
desires the limits on course withdrawals to apply only to courses taken in
matriculated status.
The policy revision was passed by the Senate on May 12, 2009. It is
recommended that the Senate ensure that the bulletin and undergraduate and
graduate student handbooks be revised and work with the Registrar, Academic
Affairs, Faculty Affairs and Student Affairs to help to promote the enforcement of
the policy.
Policies reviewed during the revision of the course withdrawal policy:
SF State Academic Senate Policy S87-148, Academic Renewal
SF State Academic Senate Policy S98-196, Withdrawal from Courses (revised)
SF State Academic Senate Policy S96-197, Retroactive Withdrawal (revised)
SF State Academic Senate Policy F95-195, Incomplete Grade
SF State Academic Senate Policy S87-148, Academic Renewal
SAC ACTIVITIES OF AY 2009/10
 Textbook Affordability
SAC in consultation with Rob Strong and Wendy Johnson, SF State Bookstore;
Mira Foster, Library, and Kevin Kelly, Academic Technology drafted a resolution
on the affordability of textbooks. This was heard in first reading and did not
return in second reading. It is recommend that SAC work on this issue and bring
forward a resolution in Fall in time for Spring text book orders being due. There
are many efforts across the CSU and nation on this issue. It is important to
consult the Bookstore, Library and AT as well as the Academic Freedom
Committee.
 Public and Alternative Transportation
SAC consulted Jason Porth, Associate Director, Community Relations,
Governmental Relations and Wendy Bloom, Campus Planner on the issue of
public and alternative transportation. SAC drafted a resolution but it was not
heard in the Senate. It is recommended that SAC work on this issue in the Fall
and bring forward a resolution in timing for the opening of the bike path between
campus and Stonestown.

SAC Charge
SAC worked on revising its charge. SAC drafted a revision that was not brought
before the Senate. It is recommended in Fall 2009, SAC continues its work on
this issue. The Student Affairs Committee was created in 1962 and was revised
in 1967. The Academic Senate in 1967 felt that due to the environment on SF
State’s campus it was important to detail the responsibilities of students as
citizens of the campus community. This environment no longer exists at SF
State. The Student Affairs Committee reviewed the other 22 Academic Senates
across the system and found no other Student Affairs Committee or similar
committee who had such language in its charged.
 ASI Recreation and Wellness Center
There will be a Student Advisory Referendum, on a local mandatory student fee
October 19-21, 2009. The proposal is collaboration between Associated
Students, Inc., Campus Recreation Department and the Cesar Chavez Student
Center. If passed the Student Center Body Fee would be increased for the
purpose of constructing and operating a Student and Wellness Center. Faculty,
Staff and Alumni would be able to use the Center with a fee as well. It is
recommended that SAC explore writing a resolution in support of the
Referendum. This would need to be at the top of SAC’s agenda to come before
the Senate in time for the Referendum.
 Shared Governance and Student Involvement
SAC continued to face difficulty in getting student representation on the
committee and despite the addition of Vice President of Student Affairs officer of
Associated Students and making direct appeals to ASI. SAC is gravely
concerned about the lack of student participation in the Student Affairs
Committee and suggests that the committee make rectifying this problem its first
priority in 2009-2010. It is recommended that SAC write a letter to Deans and
Chairs requesting their assistance in promoting student involvement with shared
governance. Dean and Chairs could identify students who would actively
participate in campus committees. These students would need to be approved
by Associated Students Inc. before they are authorized to serve on committees, if
it is an ASI appointment.
 Counseling and Psychological Services
SAC must continue to help to promote student use of the counseling and
psychological services which ties into campus safety as well as helping students
deal with the budget crisis. Whether it is in a classroom or office setting, faculty
and staff are often the first to have contact with students that are experiencing
emotional or psychological distress. The Counseling and Psychological Services
Center provide services to the general campus community which focuses on
“faculty and staff helping students”: SAC recommends that each College and
their departments as well as the various administrative units on campus offer
these workshops and consultations for their faculty and staff.
 Syllabi: Plagiarism and Emergency Awareness Statement
It is recommended that faculty make a statement about plagiarism and
emergency preparedness on course syllabi. It is important to work with the
Academic Freedom Committee on this issue.
 Smoking Policy and Enforcement
Shelia McClear is the Chair of the Smoking Policy Task force. They met once
AY 08/09. It is important that this issue is continually worked on. SAC chair has
received lots of complaints about smoking in front of the library “bubbles”.
 Resolution for Kirk Gaston
Chief Gaston will be retiring in December 2009. It is recommended that SAC
write a resolution commending Chief Gaston’s years of service to SF State.
Senator McCracken is happy to help with the drafting of this resolution.
 Dealing with CA Budget Crisis
It is recommended that SAC continue it efforts to monitor the CA budget crisis
and how it relates to SF State students. In 2009-2010, issues of student fees,
finical aid and scholarships, access and social justice, communication strategies,
and impact on the Career Center will be very important.
IDEAS FOR SAC CHAIR
 Invite President and Provost to a SAC meeting
 Ask President if SAC Chair can attend his brown bag lunches with ASI
 Keep timeline of when items will be finished in SAC, forwarded to Ex Com,
forwarded to the Senate
 Rotate minutes. Have the assign who is doing them at what meeting
 Lunch with Penny, Gene, Bridget and Kate over the summer
 Assign Designees for Committees
o Enrollment Management
o Student Organization Hearing Panel
o Student Fee Advisory Committee
 Use of DIVA or ILEARN for committee work
 Invite Shawn to SAC to answer questions about Senate flow
 Invite Ellen Griffin to SAC to guide members in how to speak with the
Press
OTHER ITEMS OF NOTE FOR AY 2008/09
The SAC Chair wrote a resolution Commending Jan Andreasen’s Years of
Service to San Francisco State University. The resolution was framed and
presented to Jan at the Senate meeting on April 29, 2009. The resolution came
from Ex Com.
The SAC Chair wrote a resolution in Support of International Education Week.
The resolution was heard on November 4, 2008. It is recommended that future
resolutions of this nature be written to support the event in perpetuity. It is not
necessary for the Senate to write a resolution of support for an annual activity.
The Senate heard a report on the seating of the new University Sustainability
Committee from Carlos Davidson and Leroy Morishita on November 4, 2008.
The SAC Chair worked with Morishita and a faculty collation on the creation of
this committee. It is recommended that the Senate hear a report from the
committee on its activities for AY 2009/10.
The Senate heard a report from Bridget McCracken and Eugene Chelberg
regarding the Student Complaints and Concerns Web Site on April 14, 2009.
This website is a resource for faculty, staff and students. "Problem Solving
Steps" offers advice on how to figure out exactly what to do when a student has a
concern. "Problem Solving Pathways" shows who's the right person to talk to
first (and, if necessary, who's next), depending on the kind of problem that a
student needs to solve. This site is the culmination of the work of SAC AY
2007/08. The website is http://www.sfsu.edu/~vpsa/complaints/index.html It is
recommended the Senate continue to promote this excellent resource to the
campus community.
The SAC Chair worked with APC and ExCom on a constitutional amendment
which increases staff participation on the Senate from one to three
representatives. This item passed the Senate on December 9, 2008. It required
a vote from the body of the faculty. The amendment passed. The election was
held and three staff members will serve on the Senate AY 2009/10. It is
recommended that the Staff Election process become a Senate policy and is
done so in consultation with a representative body from the Staff, Human
Resources and Division of Information Technology. It is also recommended that
similar to the Faculty Pool for Search Committee, a Staff Pool for Committees is
created. It is challenging to place staff on committee. There is a need for staff to
participate in shared governance but there is no mechanism for staff to bring
themselves forward to participate. A staff pool would solve this issue.