University Senate Executive Committee
Monday October 6, 2014
2:45 PM
UNH 306
Joette Stefl-Mabry, Senate Chair
Minutes
Present:
Debrah Bernnard, Marc Cohen, Susanna Fessler, Cynthia Fox, Boris Goldfarb, Caitlin Janiszewski,
Michael Jaromin, Carol Jewell, Kajal Lahiri, R. Timothy Mulcahy, Abebe Rorissa, John Schmidt,
Joette Stefl-Mabry, Christine Wagner, Robert Yagelski
Guests:
Leanne Wirkkula
The meeting convened at 2:46 p.m.
APPROVAL OF SEC MINUTES
The minutes of September 15th were approved, with minor changes and 1 abstention.
The President was unable to attend as originally anticipated due to a conflicting appointment.
INTERIM PROVOST’S REPORT – R. TIMOTHY MULCAHY
Interim Provost Mulcahy noted it had been a productive and interesting couple of weeks meeting with deans and
direct reports in the Provost’s Office. He shared there would be two committees forming this coming year, related
to the President’s recent budget announcement.
The first committee will look at contingent and part time faculty issues including the appropriate proportion to full
time faculty, and fair compensation for the important role they play and contributions they make to our academic
mission. Also, prompted in part by discussions about the upcoming merit-based Discretionary Service Award, the
committee will consider improvements to the current system of evaluation and feedback for contingent faculty. The
Interim Provost looks forward to input and dialog, especially in advance of the budget making process, and looks
forward to working with the Senate.
The second committee will look at graduate student issues, especially stipend levels. The President has asked that a
comparison be made with the compensation packets other institutions offer, particularly other centers in the SUNY
system, in order to stay competitive and to continue to attract and retain the best students here.
He concluded by stating that these are big, important issues, yet great opportunities. The Provost will consult with
governance prior to and during the deliberations of both committees. Ideally they will provide recommendations for
consideration in the next round of budget deliberations. The administration welcomes governance involvement in
both opportunities.
UNIVERSITY SENATE CHAIR’S REPORT – JOETTE STEFL-MABRY
Nothing to report.
As a point of information, GOV Chair Cynthia Fox and past GOV Chair Joette Stefl-Mabry had requested to make
a report at the October 20th Senate meeting on the survey given last semester. The analysis of the results was assisted
in part by Bruce Szelest, Joel Bloom, and a grad student.
OTHER REPORTS
UFS (University Faculty Senator’s Report) –Danielle Leonard, J. Philippe Abraham & John Schmidt,
SUNY Senators
We are looking forward to the Fall Plenary Session of the UFS at SUNY-ESF in Syracuse on October 23-25th, and will have more to
report about the issues to be considered later.
We are also pleased to announce that the SUNY Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and the University Faculty Senate will be
hosting a conference entitled “Making Diversity Count: Ensuring Equity, Inclusion, Access and Impact” on November 12-13, 2014 at the
Albany Marriott Hotel, located at 189 Wolf Road, Albany, New York. This conference will leverage SUNY investments in student
success and diversity while exploring best practices in recruitment and retention of students, faculty and staff within the domain of higher
education.
We are thrilled to have Dr. Kerry Ann Rockquemore, President and CEO of the National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity,
and Dr. Daryl G. Smith, Senior Research Fellow and Professor Emerita of Education and Psychology at the Claremont Graduate
University, join us as our two keynote speakers at this conference. For more information on this event and to register to attend, please
visit our website at www.suny.edu/makingdiversitycount.
We hope you will be able to join us for this seminal conference as we collaborate and share best practices that will continue to help
SUNY grow in this critical dimension.
GSA (Graduate Student Association) – Caitlin Janiszewski, GSA President
The first GSA report consists of the vision statements from our strategic plan the primary goals developed by each of our respective
officers:
ADVOCACY VISION STATEMENT
In order to promote GSA advocacy, we hope to solidify relationships with key offices within the SUNY System. By continuing to foster
the relationships with offices such as the Office of Environmental Sustainability, the United University Professions, the Graduate Student
Employees Union, the SUNY Albany University Senate, the National Association of Graduate-Professional Students, and the SUNY
Student Assembly, we will shift the spotlight onto the GSA at both a system and national level.
In addition to expanding present relationships, we will look at laying the foundation for cooperation with other organizations on campus,
such as University Auxiliary Services, Graduate Studies, ITLAL, Career Services, Financial Services, and Library Services, to name a
few.
Critical to the advocacy agenda is the re-conceptualization and re-building of the Multicultural and Affirmative Action Chair position. We
hope to revitalize this position, while nurturing our network all in efforts to support values which have historically been central for student
governments.
One of the mechanisms on campus that may help us achieve these goals include critical participation on the Community/Public
Engagement committee since it is one of the four stakes in the ground proposed by President Jones.
Finally, this year the GSA seeks to build its institutional memory and its structural capabilities to end its long period of isolation. We are
the graduate student government of a state University and we are only a few miles from the central governance of this system. It is not just
our location, but the vision and mission of our new President that requires we prepare ourselves to facilitate our own inclusion in a much
broader sense. We need to have a meaningful role in steering the future of this institution within the community and within the SUNY
system and even on a national level through our new partners the NAGPS. The primary goal this year is to facilitate this institutional
memory and develop the mechanisms we need to sustain a strong student government which can continually build and exercise its voice.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT VISION STATEMENT
The GSA’s professional development strategic plan will consist of three pillars: 1. academic and non-academic professional development
events, 2. consolidating and communicating university professional development resources, and 3. outreach to both internal and external
networks to improve professional development opportunities. There are many mechanisms through which we will work on graduate
student professional development.
For professional development events, we will work on sponsoring events such as a GSA Research Conference, CV and Resume
Workshops for academic and non-academic jobs and internships, and possibly a panel to discuss how to apply your degree to nonacademic jobs. We also intend creating a professional development resources page for graduate students to more easily find professional
development opportunities by consolidating many university and community networks and resources in addition to creating more. And
finally, we will also be reaching out into the community to improve databases of professional development opportunities.
President’s Agenda:
AdvocacyGoal # 1: Solidify and/or build our relationships with key entities on campus.
Goal # 2: Get out the vote– to get at least 10% of the graduate student population to vote in our elections next year.
Goal # 3: Establish the garner respect for GSA’s critical position in the University Community, Capital Region and the SUNY System.
Professional DevelopmentGoal # 1: Develop a hybrid academic / non-academic professional development model which empowers students to accommodate the
shifting job market.
Vice President’s Agenda:
AdvocacyGoal #1: Improve RGSO relationship with faculty.
Professional DevelopmentGoal #1: RGSO reform. Goal #2: Develop a hybrid academic / non-academic professional development model which empowers students
to accommodate the shifting job market. ServiceGoal #1: Contribute to our efforts to better communicate with our student body.
Treasurer’s Agenda:
Advocacy / Professional DevelopmentGoal #1: Develop sound fiscal policy for the GSA.
Goal # 2: Increase the efficiency of our financial operations.
Goal # 3: Assess the strategic plan.
MCAA Agenda:
AdvocacyGoal #1: Comprehensive reform the MCAA position.
Goal # 2: Outreach and programming to support GSA marketing efforts and promote issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion throughout
all aspects of GSA operations.
Programming Agenda:
Advocacy / Professional Development / Service Agenda –
Goal # 1: Market the existence of the GSA.
Goal # 2: Retention of student participation in the GSA.
Goal # 3: Support the GSA advocacy agenda.
Grants Agenda:
Professional DevelopmentGoal #1: Continue to develop the GSA Grants Program.
SA (Student Association) –Marc Cohen, Student Association Representative
Dippikill
Completed
 Planning and Tabling for the Great Danetopia
In process
 I have been working with James to place an order for new Dippikill merchandise
 I am finalizing my office hours
 I am planning my Block Party Tabling Event
Upcoming
 I plan on contacting several student group E-boards about the prospect of having a Dippikill Retreat
 I plan to follow up with the International Affairs Director about planning a student welcoming event for this semester and
potentially the beginning of next semester
 I will be planning out dates for my tabling events for the rest of the semester
Community Engagement and Outreach
Mississippi Day
 September 13, 2014
 Finding 25 UAlbany student volunteers
 Two shifts (10:00am - 1:00pm / 1:00pm - 5:00pm)

Currently coordinating with Panama, Co-Community Service Chair for Alpha Phi Omega- should have list by the end of this
week
September Service Day
 Date and Time are TBD- will be finalized by tonight
 Contacting 4-6 local external organization (Habitat for Humanity, Ronald McDonald House, etc.) for the purposed of solidifying
a common date where UAlbany students can go and serve the community collectively.
 Creating a flyer for the event to distribute at the SA Block Party
 Consider renting UAlbany Shuttles for Transportation
 Consider paying for Breakfast
Gender and Sexuality Concerns
National Coming Out Reception and Festivities
 Reception on October 23rd at 8:00pm
 Performance artist Lady Dane has been booked
 Plan to have other people share their coming out stories
 Will have food, refreshments, activities and giveaways
National Diversity Month/LGBTQ History Month (October)
 Working with Multicultural Affairs on planning events
 More details to follow
Luncheon with Sue Rankin (November)
 Speaker Sue Rankin- one of the creators of the campus climate index
 Will be discussing diversity on campus and what can be done to uphold our mission in supporting diversity includes our queer
students in particular
 More details to follow
Communications
Press and Medic Contacts
 Department has obtained direct numbers to contact for future press releases and event information
 Contacts include the Times Union and local news stations
SA Daily
 Establishment of Monthly SA Newsletter
 First edition to be released shortly
Academic Affairs
Albany Police Appreciation Night
 Saturday October 4th at 6:00pm at the Football stadium
 Please come out to the game to show support for the officers of the department.
 DWI awareness Event
 Planning on tying into Alcohol Awareness Week in October
 More details to follow
Programming
Block Party
 September 7 at 12:00
 Putting together last minutes things
Fall Concert
 Looking into the possibility of having concert
 Potentially November 22
Additional events:
 Unity Festival for Gender and Sexuality Concerns, October 19th at 2 p.m. Colonial Quad
 Multicultural Affairs will hold NCBI and safe space training this month
 Legislative Affairs, and co-sponsor Student Involvement will hold a ‘UAlbany You Register, You Vote’ event
Wednesday, October 8th. Administrators including Kathy Sheehan will attend. Over 100 new students
registered before the deadline.
Community Engagement, October 12th Pine Hills Cleanup from 12 – 3 p.m. at Ridgefield Park. SA’s new
Communications Department will work to send out press releases on this and other events for which students
should be lauded to counteract tough, discouraging press posted by the Times Union in the past on such
positive efforts.
 Department of Academics and Advocacy held a well-received Albany Police Department appreciation day,
with a pre-reception and tickets to game.
SA Representative Cohen encouraged the SEC to please let students know they are doing a good job.

COUNCIL/COMMITTEE CHAIRS’ REPORTS:
CAA (Council on Academic Assessment) – Deborah Bernnard, Chair
Nothing to report. Our first meeting is Tuesday, Sept. 30.
CAA examined its charge and discussed suggestions for changes. Teaching faculty volunteers are still needed.
CAFFECoR (Committee on Academic Freedom, Freedom of Expression, and Community Responsibility) –
Carol Jewell, Chair
Date: September 26, 2014
I.
Informational
CAFFECoR had its first meeting of the 2014-2015 academic year on September 24, 2014. We talked about the change to our
charge, but are still unclear as to what we are expected to do. The current charge found in the Senate Handbook suggested
CAFFECoR is still supposed to establish policies and procedures re: academic freedom and ethics. This seems
contradictory. Senate should review what they really want from CAFFECoR & perhaps reconsider what was taken away in 2013
and its impact on the campus. It’s hard for the Committee to function if unclear what it’s to do/what breadth it has.
We would like to know the official, legal, University at Albany policy defining the following terms: academic freedom, freedom
of expression, and community responsibility, since there are a variety of ways to define those phrases. Previously, the UA
community had a clear (or clearer) understanding of these, via the Principles for a Just Community, but
the Principles for a Just Community were removed from several places on the UA website, although they still appear at others.
We would like the official, legal, University at Albany policy governing free speech, so that we can decide if we should discuss
issues restricting it. As an example, it would be good to have these policies so that we can discuss the use of social media in
academic settings, and the possible problems therein.
Similarly, we are unsure if CAFFECoR, in its capacity as an advisory body, is allowed to put forth bills to the SEC, and then to
the Senate. We have found conflicting information regarding CAFFECoR making recommendations versus actually creating
bills.
There are no student members of this Committee. We are unsure if we need to discuss student issues of academic freedom,
freedom of expression, and community responsibility, however those terms are defined, or if these are covered by other Senate
Councils.
We are unsure if we are to confine our discussions to the University at Albany only, or if we should include regional, national,
and international matters which may affect academia.
II.
Reports of Actions
N/A
III.
Recommendations for Actions
Jewell said she would research past CAFFECoR meeting minutes, for insight into issues discussed in the past.
Jewell will schedule a meeting for October.
Chair Jewell reported there had been several conversations about questions regarding the charge, on which they
got clarification. They would meet again Wednesday, October 8th and would be discussing 2 articles about issues
of academic freedom and freedom of expression in regards to social media. GOV Chair Fox noted this report
reminded that GOV needs to look at the Faculty handbook. Also, any updates or documents Councils and
Committees wish to post on the website should be forwarded to Staff Support Elisa Lopez.
CERS (Committee on Ethics in Research and Scholarship) – Susanna Fessler, Chair
Nothing to report.
COR (Council on Research) – Kajal Lahiri, Chair
Nothing to report. The first meeting is on Sept. 29.
COR had met the past week for the first time. Volunteers are needed for the subcommittees.
CPCA (Council on Promotions and Continuing Appointments) – Sanjay Putrevu, Chair
The next CPCA meeting is Oct. 1.
GAC (Graduate Academic Council) – Abebe Rorissa, Chair
We had a planning meeting and an initial/general GAC meeting on Tuesday, 9/9. At the initial GAC meeting, the GAC’s three standing
committees (Curriculum and Instruction; Admissions and Academic Standing; Educational Policy and Procedure) were formed and their
chairs elected. The GAC also has three student members. Each of them will serve on a standing committee.
The GAC and its standing committees will each meet at least once every month during the Fall semester (GAC meeting dates: 10/21,
11/18, & 12/9). We anticipate a fairly full agenda - new/revised graduate programs, student cases (mostly grievances), policy revision,
etc.
We need a few more volunteers to serve as members of the standing committees: two more from the teaching faculty for the Committee
on Educational Policy and Procedure, preferably not from Biology or Criminal Justice. We encourage teaching faculty interested in
serving on the standing committees to contact Jonathan Bartow (jbartow@albany.edu).
The GAC will consider updates from standing committees and a proposal for a graduate certificate program in Homeland Security, Cyber
Security and Emergency Management (HCE) at its October 21 meeting.
In next meeting going to review 1 proposal
GAC needs 1 faculty member. They had voted on their committee memberships via e-mail. In the next meeting they
would review a proposal, and 1 of the standing committees is looking at student grievances on which he would
report next time.
GOV (Governance Council) – Cynthia Fox, Chair
GOV had its first meeting on September 22. There are many new members (50%), and much of our time was spent reviewing recent and
on-going GOV activities and discussing the roles and responsibilities of the two subcommittees we will be forming over the next few
weeks (i.e., the Committee on Assessment of Government and Consultation and the Committee on Liaison and Elections). Our work for
the year will be shaped by the results of the Survey of Governance and Consultation that was administered last spring; we anticipate that
the Survey Report will be ready for us to look at our next meeting on October 15.
GOV also discussed a request received from Diana Mancini, Co-Chair of the President’s Advisory Committee on Campus Safety (ACCS)
that we recommend a list of six teaching faculty from which three will be invited to serve a one-year term. Our discussion has continued
over email and we are currently voting on the final list.
Finally, GOV had a preliminary discussion of the question of whether individuals should be allowed to participate on more than one
Senate Council or Committee.
GOV voted via e-mail and submitted recommendations for the President’s Advisory Committee on Campus Safety.
LISC (Council on Libraries, Information Systems, and Computing) – Boris Goldfarb, Chair
LISC will meet on Wednesday, October 8. The chairs and the membership of the two committees will be finalized at the meeting.
There was a discussion on LISC’s charge and on suggested changes. LISC would meet at the end of the month.
Meanwhile, there would be a couple events at the Library: Preservation Department naming ceremony that
Friday; an end of month celebration of Open Access Week, during which the Library will unveil its institutional
repository. Attendance was encouraged.
UAC (Undergraduate Academic Council) –Robert Yagelski, Chair
The Undergraduate Academic Council held its initial meeting of the 2014-2015 academic year on Thursday, September 11 th. At that
meeting, the UAC committees were organized for the academic year, and the chair presented members with an initial agenda of items to
be taken up by the Council. The Council also approved a request by the Department of Public Administration and Policy to change the
name of its Public Policy and Administration major to Public Policy and Management.
The UAC met again on Thursday, September 18th to resume work on the General Education competencies plans that was begun by the
Council during the 2013-2014 academic year. Under the new General Education curriculum, all programs were to submit by fall semester,
2013 plans for meeting the four general education competencies (advanced writing, critical inquiry, oral discourse, and information
literacy). Seventeen such plans were reviewed and approved by UAC before the end of the 2013-2014 academic year; twenty-two plans
were reviewed and returned to the appropriate departments for revision and remain to be approved. Three other plans were submitted but
remain to be reviewed. On 9/18/2014, the UAC reviewed and approved the competencies plan for the Environmental Sciences major,
which was forwarded to the Associate Dean for General Education. The UAC will resume its review of the competencies plans at its next
scheduled meeting on October 9th.
ULC (University Life Council) – Michael Jaromin, Chair
The ULC will hold its first meeting on October 14th.
At ULC’s first meeting they would continue discussions with the Office of Diversity and Inclusion on this year’s
UA Access.
UPPC (University Planning and Policy Council) – Christine Wagner, Chair
UPPC met on 9/11/14. Interim Provost, Dr. Timothy Mulcahy, introduced himself to the members of UPPC. Sue Phillips provided an
update on the transition of CNSE to SUNY IT. UPPC approved an initial proposal for a new undergraduate major in Human Development
from the School of Education and an initial proposal for a new undergraduate major in Computer Engineering from the College of
Computing and Information.
UPPC would meet that coming Thursday and would be reviewing an initial proposal for a concentration in Data
Analytics, part of the Computer Science and Applied Mathematics major. There would also be a meeting with
representatives from Jeanette Altaribba’s Office of Undergraduate Studies, Bob Yagelski from UAC and UPPC
Chair Wagner to review the process by which undergraduate pre-proposals and letters of intent go through GOV
and Councils. The intent is to clear up any confusion and improve communication.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
Review of Council Charges
Discussion ensued with respect to Senate Councils and Committees, as well as GSA and SA, on items including
 how to measure effectiveness / self-assessment
 importance of resolutions and recommendations as important indicators of concern
o as influential advisory role, though not legally binding
o despite a lack of mechanisms or authority for compliance, which lies with President, Deans, SUNY, etc.
 consider requesting that the liaison for whoever is enforcing make a report so that there is
communication with the Senate once recommendations have been reviewed
 how best to align charges with the Charter
o aligning work with the Charter versus suggesting amendments
o importance of careful reflection and consultation prior to making any changes to the Charter
o Senate Chair Stefl-Mabry stressed that recommendations need to come from you as Council Chairs.
 Potential legal issues within the Charter that would be a huge undertaking to address
Chair Stefl-Mabry requested that Council and Committee Chairs each present to the University community a 1-slide
equivalent mini presentation on the work they and the members do. All SEC members agreed to present, potentially
at the University and student Senate meetings.
NEW BUSINESS
As immediate past Senate and current UPPC Chair Christine Wagner will be on sabbatical next semester, then
chairing the Psychology Department, SEC needs to consider the procedure for her replacement. Per the Charter
X.2.2. The chair of the Council shall be the Past Chair of the Senate, or if unavailable, shall be elected
from among the Senators.
There would be a special election of the UPPC Interim Chair under GOV. The process was to be further considered
by GOV in consultation with Carolyn McDonald who drafted the Charter language.
A motion was made and unanimously approved that GOV discuss the replacement of the UPPC chair.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 4:27 p.m.
Respectfully submitted by
Elisa Lopez, Recorder