Sacramento State’s Faculty Senate reconvened for the first time this semester addressing the impending faculty strike and a proposed Duplicate Graduate Degrees Policy.

The Thursday meeting in the University Union began with a message from Margarita Berta-Avila, vice president of the Sacramento chapter of the California Faculty Association. Berta-Avila informed the Senate that the fact finding phase of negotiations with the California State University administration has ended.

“What we ask is that we stand together in solidarity as faculty,” Berta-Avila said.

Berta-Avila said that faculty who feel uncomfortable joining them on the picket line in the event of a strike should instead plan to stay home that day.

The senate meeting had a full agenda for the start of the semester, including updating Sac State’s field trip policy and establishing a Duplicate Graduate Degrees Policy.

Anthony Maalouf, a student representative from Sac State’s Transportation Advisory Committee, encouraged all faculty present to tell their students to take a survey about the parking on campus.

“As soon as you can, please get the word out,” Maalouf said. “We want to hear from as many students as possible.”

An updated field trips policy went through its first reading in the Senate. Much like the internship policy update last semester, the new field trip policy would require site assessment, either in person or remotely, before a location could be deemed safe enough for students to visit.

Interim Provost Ming-Tung “Mike” Lee spoke on the importance of a field trip policy and getting it in effect quickly, mentioning a past geology field trip during which a piece of equipment caught fire.

A proposed Duplicate Graduate Degrees Policy went through its first reading. If established, the policy would deny admission to grad school any students who already held a graduate degree with a similar curriculum.

Sac State’s Faculty Senate will meet again in the Union on Thursday, Feb. 11 to discuss these issues and more.

Faculty Senate reconvened for the first time this semester in the University Union.

The senate meeting began with a message from Margarita Berta-Avila, vice president of the Sacramento chapter of the California Faculty Association. Berta-Avila informed the senate that the fact-finding phase of negotiations with the California State University administration has ended.

“What we ask is that we stand together in solidarity as faculty,” Berta-Avila said.

She went on to say that faculty who feel uncomfortable joining them on the picket line in the event of a strike should instead plan to stay home that day.

Other major topics discussed at Thursday’s Faculty Senate meeting included updating Sac State’s field trip policy and establishing a Duplicate Graduate Degrees Policy.

Updated at 3:31pm February 8, 2016 to reflect additional information