University Senate Executive Committee
Monday, April 27, 2015
11:30 AM
UNH 300
Joette Stefl-Mabry, Senate Chair
Minutes
Present:
Marc Cohen, Susanna Fessler, Cynthia Fox, Yenisel Gulatee, Caitlin Janiszewski, Carol Jewel,
Kajal Lahiri, David McCaffrey, Abebe Rorissa, John Schmidt, Joette Stefl-Mabry, James Stellar,
Robert Yagelski
Guests:
Ann Marie Murray, Sue Faerman, Leanne Wirkkula, James Stellar
The meeting convened at 11:30 a.m.
UNIVERSITY SENATE CHAIR’S REPORT –Joette Stefl-Mabry
Chair Stefl-Mabry announced that the Provost had called an emergency meeting of the SEC regarding the name
change for the College of Computing and Information.
PROVOST’S REPORT – James Stellar
As part of the Provost’s report, Ann Marie Murray and Sue Faerman provided an overview of the program
development and consultation process to this point. Ann Marie Murray had been approached by Interim Provost
Mulcahy regarding how the new Engineering program would fit into the University at Albany. Rather than creating
a college of engineering and applied science it was thought by the President and his advisors to agree to instead
rename the College of Computing and Information to the College of Engineering Applied Science. In summary,
the matter of the name change had gone through SUNY, had the unanimous support of the UAC, Interim Provost,
President and executive team, and included input by experts in the field, including from Cornell. Sue Faerman
explained that the process had taken two tracks in its development in 2013-14. In February 2014 Ann Marie
Murray came on board, and meetings were held every few weeks with the Dean's Council, including chairs. Every
effort had been made to keep the faculty informed. Last fall they came to UPPC bringing all the information on
funding and the intent to create an Engineering department within the college. On March 19th they visited the SEC
meeting.
The Provost was interested in bringing the matter to the SEC to entertain questions and to determine if formal
consultation requirements had been met. Provost Stellar explained that the renaming allows for broader degree
information under that umbrella to address traditional and changing fields of information, so that perhaps down the
road if other programs are added we will not need to change the college title again. The backbone of the
department will continue to be Library Science. We see this change as connecting to other departments’ purposes
to make an organizational structure as effective as possible. The substance will stay the same.
NEW BUSINESS
A motion was introduced stating that the SEC was in agreement that the Provost had done due diligence regarding
formal consultation on the name change for the College of Computing and Information. In the subsequent
discussion on the merits of the motion it was pointed out that a vote in favor would be overriding GOV's
determination on April 13th, recommending that in order to satisfy formal consultation the proposal for the
renaming of CCI should go to GAC, UAC then to the Senate as a bill. At GOV’s April 20th meeting, the matter
was further discussed, as requested by the SEC, and a second motion was made for a bill to be sent to the Senate
regarding the renaming of CCI. In that second motion, GOV had reaffirmed its interpretation that formal
consultation had not been followed. The SEC then debated about how to interpret the Bylaws regarding the process
of formal consultation.
The motion was restated that the SEC agreed that Provost Stellar, in speaking with the SEC for a final time today,
had done due diligence regarding formal consultation, and therefore it did not need to go forward to the Senate as a
bill. The motion had the following voting results: Approved 4; Opposed 5; Abstained 2
A new motion was made that the issue of the name change for the College of Computing and Information be
brought before the Senate for a vote that afternoon, and placed on the agenda in the form of a bill. Such discussion
and review prior to the adoption of this bill would constitute formal consultation. The motion had the following
voting results: 5 approved; 3 opposed; 2 abstained
Provost Stellar offered to lead the discussion on the Senate floor as Ann Marie Murray and Sue Faerman had
scheduling conflicts and had not anticipated participating in the Senate meeting. SA Representative Cohen
formally apologized to the Provost and deans, voicing that in his opinion this discussion was one of process over
substance. He added he was sorry for having taken up their time and asked that his comments be part of the record.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 12:28 p.m.
Respectfully submitted by
Elisa Lopez, Recorder