University Senate Executive Committee
Monday October 7, 2013
2:45 PM
UNH 306
Christine Wagner, Senate Chair
Minutes
Present:
Deborah Bernnard, Nick Butler, Susanna Fessler, Richard Fogarty, Elizabeth Gaffney, Yenisel
Gulatee, Caitlin Janiszewski, Michael Jaromin, Robert Jones, Andi Lyons, Carolyn MacDonald,
John Monfasani, Susan Phillips, Sanjay Putrevu, John Schmidt, Joette Stefl-Mabry, Ronald
Toseland, Christine Wagner
The meeting convened at 2:48 pm
APPROVAL OF SEC MINUTES
The minutes of September 16 were approved with no abstentions.
PRESIDENT’S REPORT – ROBERT JONES
President Jones thanked everyone for their role in his inauguration and during the weeklong celebration. He said
the inauguration itself was a formality but all of the associated events were an opportunity to highlight the
excellence and accomplishments of the university. The inauguration’s impact reached beyond the local
community and was broadcast widely around the country. The ceremony was an opportunity for President Jones
to put stakes in the ground about where to go in the future. The president said the events brought the community
together and he was pleased with the success of the week.
President Jones talked more about the stakes in the ground which provide a perspective on where we are today and
where to go in the future. He said the four stakes identified in his speech do not encompass everything that needs
to be accomplished at the university. Instead they are ideas that would intersect with our strategic plans for
framing core issues that require work, such as expanding our portfolio and degree programs that will move us to
next level of excellence and recruiting more international and out-of-state students. The president discussed
community engagement and inclusive excellence as being important to him, along with growing our resources
including increasing our research productivity and building our endowment. President Jones said he was excited
about the future.
President Jones provided an update regarding CNSE. Chancellor Zimpher convened a meeting to discuss next
steps which will focus largely on the operational details of CNSE becoming a degree granting entity, with
UAlbany providing the necessary services and support to make that happen. In part, the details would look at the
appropriate structure that needs to be in place and the costs associated with UAlbany delivering the services
necessary. President Jones said it is not clear yet what the new structure will look like but it would be one of two
models. One model could involve fewer resources from UAlbany, or UAlbany could continue doing business the
way it has been while being compensated for it.
President Jones believes the process should engage members of governance, unions and students. He is waiting for
responses from people recommended for a Campus Advisory Committee (CAC) and about 80% have responded.
Distinguished Teaching Professor and Collins Fellow Professor James Acker from the School of Criminal Justice
has agreed to serve as chair of the committee. The role of the CAC is to interface with the provost and the
implementation team. The president expects the CAC will convene in the next couple of weeks.
President Jones was pleased to report that the university has received a commitment of a large gift in the amount
$1.5 million from J. Spencer and Patricia Standish. The gift will support an endowed professorship and
entrepreneurship in the School of Business. The president said the Standishes have been very generous in their
commitment to the university. He added that if we remain diligent in telling our story we could expect to see more
of this type of activity. President Jones asked if anyone had questions.
CPCA Chair Putrevu said the council has had discussions about how to handle CNSE cases they have received.
Both President Jones and Provost Phillips reiterated the position that we continue to conduct business as we
normally would until the Board of Trustees declares that CNSE is a separate, degree granting entity. GOV Chair
Stefl-Mabry discussed the concerns raised by the GSA president in GOV’s meeting earlier today that students from
CNSE may asked to resign from governance as has the faculty. Chair Wagner said that from our perspective they
are still part of the Senate.
PROVOST’S REPORT – SUSAN PHILLIPS
Provost Phillips reported that CCI Dean Peter Bloniarz has been appointed by the governor to serve as the
Executive Director and Senior Policy Analyst for the Cyber Security Advisory Board. Sue Faerman will assume
the role of interim dean for CCI. Professor Faerman is a member of the informational doctoral program and part
of the CCI community.
The provost reported that consideration of the Start-Up New York program is beginning by mapping out
connections to the university’s academic mission. Start-Up New York will provide opportunities for job creation,
opportunities for business to grow jobs and to maintain residence on SUNY campuses tax-free for a ten year
period. The same tax-free provision will be provided to employees of those businesses. Details of our plan have
been discussed with UPPC and will eventually be brought to the full Senate. There are several parts of the plan
which need to be developed including its link to UAlbany’s academic mission, what space will be used and what
process to employ for tracking and approving businesses that will come to campus. Additionally, consideration
will be given about engaging our faculty, students and unions, and what kind of approval process will be used.
The provost has engaged the deans to discuss how business will be integrated with research and teaching on
UAlbany’s campus. The program is slated to begin on January 1, 2014.
SENATE CHAIR’S REPORT – CHRISTINE WAGNER
President Jones, as part of the formal consultation process, met with the Senate Executive Committee on 6/13/13 and 7/17/13 to discuss
the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering’s pursuit to become an independent, free-standing degree-granting structure within the
SUNY System. In a memo (8/29/13) to Chair and Vice-Chair of the Senate, President Jones asked the University Senate to recommend
fifteen (15) individuals to serve on a campus advisory committee that will assist the President, and UAlbany representatives on the SUNY
Implementation Team, in considering issues associated with this transition. In accordance with Article II.5.5 of the Faculty Bylaws, the
Senate Chair asked GOV to recommend individuals for the campus advisory committee. The recommended names were provided to
President Jones on 9/13/13. The Senate Executive Committee recommended that GOV form a subcommittee to review internal Senate
issues that may arise following the separation of CNSE.
UUP has raised the issue that the composition of CPCA, as defined by the Senate Charter, may be in conflict with Article 33.1.c of the
UUP Contract. Consequently, the Senate Officers met with UUP local chapter president, Jim Collins, on 5/29/13 and again with Jim
Collins and current local chapter president, Bret Benjamin, on 9/12/13.
Chair Wagner reported that all senators and council members were approved at the last Senate meeting. The undergraduate
student senators will be presented for approval at the next Senate meeting. All of the councils are in compliance with the
resignation of the CSNE senators.
LISC Chair Gaffney inquired about the vacant seat on LISC due to the leave of the senator from the Music Department.
Chair Wagner said the Music Department does not have a replacement senator but expects to put forward someone after
CAS conducts and election for an at-large senator.
Chair Wagner reported that the amendment for dissolution of CAFFECoR was circulated to the full Senate and will be voted
on at the October 21 Senate meeting.
CAA Chair Bernnard said the council is attempting to populate its subcommittees and requested additional names. Chair
Wagner said the omnibus list from this past spring would be reviewed to provide names for subcommittees.
UFS (University Faculty Senator’s Report) –Danielle Leonard, J. Philippe Abraham & John Schmidt,
SUNY Senators
The SUNY Faculty Senators are looking forward to attending the Fall Plenary which will take place October 24-26 at SUNY
Maritime. We are also pleased to announce that the University at Albany will host the 166 th Winter Plenary January 23-25, 2014
GSO (Graduate Student Organization) – Caitlin Janiszewski, GSO President
GSO long term strategic plan: One component is to address council and committee attendance:
-polling system
- committee coordinator
-committee highlights
-buy reps polos
-GSA-Faculty Senate guide which includes sections of charter descriptions of councils, etc.
Senator Janiszewski reported that the GSA has elected a new lead senator who will serve on CAA. GSA will be working on a
faculty senate handbook. One item to be included in the handbook will be guidelines for tracking attendance. Senator
Janiszewski said the GSA may be seeking the advice of the SEC concerning the handbook.
SA (Student Association) –Nick Butler, Student Association Representative
Approximately 1,500 attendees at the Speaker Series. SA Legislative Affairs Department expanded the voter registration drive to each of
the quads and the apartments. There are 8 new students groups formed so far this year.
Senator Butler reported the SA is in the process of hiring a new comptroller and planning for the spring concert.
COUNCIL/COMMITTEE CHAIRS’ REPORTS:
CAA (Council on Academic Assessment) – Deborah Bernnard, Chair
CAA held an organizational meeting on Sept. 20. Chairs of the General Education Assessment Committee and the Academic Program
Committee were chosen. CAA members selected committees on which to serve.
CAFFECoR (Committee on Academic Freedom, Freedom of Expression, and Community Responsibility) –
Susanna Fessler, Chair
Nothing to report.
CERS (Committee on Ethics in Research and Scholarship) – Carolyn MacDonald, Chair
CERS is scheduling a training session.
CERS Chair MacDonald said the training session had to be cancelled but will be rescheduled. She reported that due to
many commitments, she may have to step down as chair of the committee and resign from the SEC. Chair Wagner asked that
she be informed if an election needs to be held for a new chair.
COR (Council on Research) – John Monfasani, Chair
Chair Monfasani reported that all of the subcommittees have been organized.
CPCA (Council on Promotions and Continuing Appointments) – Sanjay Putrevu, Chair
The next CPCA meeting is on October 4.
Chair Putrevu reported the council continues to meet and has cases pending. He said he was concerned that CNSE may be a
separate institution by the time the council is able to render its decisions on the cases it has received from CNSE. Chair
Wagner said she did not expect that would happen until after the spring semester.
GAC (Graduate Academic Council) – Ronald Toseland, Chair
Chair Toseland reported the council had its first meeting and organized its subcommittees.
GOV (Governance Council) – Joette Stefl-Mabry, Chair
Chair Stefl-Mabry reported that GOV met today and nominated Senate designees to serve on the Excellence Committees. An
ad hoc committee is being formed to address Senate issues related to the CNSE separation.
LISC (Council on Libraries, Information Systems, and Computing) – Elizabeth Gaffney, Chair
LISC held its first meeting on September 23, 2013. Meeting dates were set for the Fall semester. Possible issues to explore were
discussed, including glitches in the change from Office 2010 to Office 2012 on the classroom computers and data management plans
requirements for NSF grant applications. Committee assignments are being worked out. Our next meeting is scheduled for October 28th,
2013.
UAC (Undergraduate Academic Council) – Richard Fogarty, Chair
Chair Fogarty reported that the council has reviewed the International Perspectives portion of the general education
requirements at the request of General Education Committee. He expects to have new language to add to that portion. A
regulation in the undergraduate bulletin was reviewed concerning the number of credits for declaring a major. UAC is close
to finalizing the discussion on the matter. UAC has formed all of its subcommittees.
ULC (University Life Council) – Michael Jaromin, Chair
The University Life Council met on September 23, 2013. The Council confirmed that it would continue to support and co-sponsor with
the President’s Council on Diversity the Dialogue In Action series which will begin on October 7th at 10:00 am in the CC Ballroom
featuring Dr. David Kung entitled “Social Justice in Mathematics and Other Fields”. The Council is also seeking an update from the
Tobacco Free task force and will share these as soon as we receive any information. The council will be exploring other University life
issues and asking for updates from offices such as Conflict Resolution, Athletics, Residential Life, UAS/Dining and UPD. Other topics of
interest were concerns over the isolation of the East campus and the transfer student experience. Our next meeting will be on October
28th.
Chair Jaromin reported the session with Dr. Kung this morning went very well.
UPPC (University Planning and Policy Council) – Andi Lyons, Chair
Chair Lyons reported the meeting of October 4 was cancelled due to lack of agenda items. The next meeting is scheduled for
October 25. University Registrar Karen Chico Hurst is scheduled to attend and provide updates on the academic calendars.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
Composition of CPCA & UUP Contract
Chair Wagner has received a letter from UUP Chapter President Brett Benjamin in which President Benjamin
identifies a conflict involving the composition of CPCA and the UUP contract. The letter has been forwarded to
GOV for review and consultation with appropriate bodies. If a conflict is confirmed, appropriate action will be
taken to amend the Charter and in forming the council next year. GOV and the SEC will continue to work on
issues for this year.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 3:43 pm.
Respectfully submitted by
Gail Cameron, Recorder