University Senate Executive Committee
Monday; September 12, 2011
2:45 PM
UNH 306
Susanna Fessler, Senate Chair
Minutes
Present:
Bryant Barksdale, James Castracane, Susanna Fessler, Timothy Groves, Yenisel Gulatee, Danielle
Leonard, Eric Lifshin, Carolyn MacDonald, JoAnne Malatesta, Adrian Masters, Aran Mull, Nancy
Newman, Shadi Shahedipour-Sandvik, Christine Wagner, Daniel White
The meeting convened at 2:47 pm.
APPROVAL OF SEC MINUTES of MAY 2, 2011
UAC Chair provided edits under the discussion concerning the General Education Resolution. A motion was
made to approve the minutes and they were approved.
SENATE CHAIR’S REPORT by SUSANNA FESSLER
The Chair would like to welcome everyone back to campus. All chairs for councils and standing committees have been elected, and we
are working with both graduate students and undergraduate students to fill student senate seats as quickly as possible. Meetings this year
will be on Mondays 2:45-4:05 to better accommodate teaching schedules and late afternoon family commitments of many senators. An
orientation for new council chairs will be held on Sept. 7th. Council chairs are asked to schedule regular meeting times for their councils
and inform the Secretary of those meeting times as soon as possible.
This past summer saw a few important developments for UAlbany. One of those developments was the introduction of the NYSUNY2020
bill to the New York State Legislature. The full impact of that bill on our campus is not yet clear, but UPPC will be working over the next
couple months with the President and the Provost to hammer out the finer points.
The chair looks forward to a cooperative and productive year in the Senate.
The Chair said there had been a number of developments over the summer concerning the NYSUNY 2020 legislation and she
invited Vincent Delio from the President’s Office to address the issue. Mr. Delio said the origins of the legislation date back
to 2010, when the Chancellor first sought to pursue operating and capital flexibility for SUNY campuses. This past year, the
Chancellor worked closely with Governor Cuomo and the new administration to make this legislation a reality. The
legislation, which passed in June, establishes a rational tuition plan for in-state undergraduate students over a five-year
horizon. The University Centers will receive $35 million in capital, an academic excellence fee and an out-of-state
undergraduate tuition increase upon each Center’s NYSUNY 2020 plan being approved. The University at Albany, along
with the other University Centers, presented its plan to the Executive Committee of the SUNY Board of Trustees this past
summer. The plan is guided by the University’s strategic plan and every school and college stands to benefit from it. The
plan can be viewed on the SUNY Board of Trustees website. The University will be required to make a presentation to the
Governor in the near future. Mr. Delio responded to questions from SEC members.
Who is the reviewing body?
Both the Governor and Chancellor will need to approve each University Center’s NYSUNY 2020 plan.
How will TAP be affected?
TAP funding will not increase but the NYSUNY 2020 legislation includes a TAP credit program for TAP eligible students.
Approximately $1 out of every $4 new tuition dollars will be set aside for TAP eligible students in the aggregate to help
ensure that affordability and access are protected.
Are there restrictions on the $35 million? Can it be used to hire new faculty?
The money is capital funding, which needs to be directed toward a capital construction initiative. The revenue from the
tuition increases will be used to hire new faculty and support staff.
When will the hiring of new faculty from the tuition increases be implemented?
This is currently under discussion by the President and the Provost.
Is there a plan to do something about the hiring of new faculty in the deactivated areas?
No.
OTHER REPORTS
SUNY SENATORS’ REPORT (J. PHILIPPE ABRAHAM, SHADI SHAHEDIPOUR-SANDVIK, DANIEL
WHITE)
SUNY Senate will be meeting at our fall plenary on October 20-22 in Westchester at SUNY Purchase. Please feel free to bring any new
or continuing business to the SUNY Senators for discuss at the State level. Topics that we will be discussing will continue to revolve
around the state of the budget and the role of the faculty in deciding what changes occur to curriculum. A summer planning meeting
occurred in June to prepare committees for their work in the up-coming year.
Senator Shahedipour-Sandvik reported that she has been appointed Chair of the UFS Graduate Research Committee.
GSO (GRADUATE STUDENT ORGANIZATION) – HEIDI NICHOLLS, GSO REPRESENTATIVE
No response received.
SA (STUDENT ASSOCIATION) – BRYANT BARKSDALE, STUDENT ASSOCIATION
Mr. Barksdale reported that elections are taking place for senator positions and a director’s position. A block party which
will highlight student groups is scheduled for September 25. The World Within Reach Speaker Series will continue this fall
with Earvin “Magic” Johnson on Saturday, October 15. Student Association President Zafir Uddin and Senate Chair Arthur
Rushforth, have been working with President Philip and Mayor Jennings to assist with the Community Engagement Month
kick-off.
Chair Fessler suggested that council chairs contact Mr. Barksdale to fill undergraduate seats on their councils and
subcommittees.
COUNCIL AND COMMITTEE CHAIRS’ REPORTS
CAA (Council on Academic Assessment) – Adrian Masters, Chair
No response received.
CAFFECoR (Committee on Academic Freedom, Freedom of Expression, and Community Responsibility) –
Aran Mull, Chair
CAFFECoR has nothing to report at this time.
Chair Mull reported that the first meeting will be held on September 19.
CERS (Committee on Ethics in Research and Scholarship) – Carolyn MacDonald, Chair
The policy approved by the senate 3/14 has not yet been signed. There are no ongoing cases, and no meetings have been held yet this
semester, but planning will proceed for regular training workshops for CERS members.
Chair MacDonald inquired about the misconduct policy. Mr. Delio informed her it was being reviewed by the President and
University Counsel.
COR (Council on Research) – James Castracane, Chair
Our last COR meeting was May 18, 2011. I invited the new members of COR to the meeting to familiarize themselves with the
procedure.
At the meeting, three items of note were presented. VPR Dias presented charts on the research activity of the University, AVPR Webster
discussed the progress of ongoing audits the Office of Sponsored Funds has been involved with and the Excellence Award for Research &
Creative Activities Committee suggested an “early achievement excellence award” to recognize younger faculty on a career trajectory of
high merit. The Researcher’s Liaison Committee will take this up this year to formulate recommendations to the VPR.
Our first meeting will be Sept. 19th.
CPCA (Council on Promotions and Continuing Appointments) – Christine Wagner, Chair
CPCA will hold its first organizational meeting on September 7 th. There are currently 7 cases pending. Review of cases will begin on
September 19th.
GAC (Graduate Academic Council) – Tim Groves, Chair
GAC is now constituted, and is in process of setting up its meeting schedule for the 2011-2012 year.
GOV (Governance Council) – Andi Lyons, Chair
No response received.
Senator White informed the SEC that GOV has pending business concerning Diana Dumesnil who was informed by the
Secretary recently that she is no longer eligible to serve as the part-time at-large senator due to a change in her status to full
time. Ms. Dumesnil was elected last spring as the at large senator to represent part-time faculty. He said there is a long
precedent of full time faculty serving as representative for those in part-time positions and believed that Dumesnil has been
erroneously removed from the Senate. He further stated that she no longer receives correspondences concerning Senate
business. Chair Fessler said that Dumesnil has not been removed and can be restored to the distribution list. She said that
the matter has been referred to the Committee on Council Nominations, which will make recommendations to the Senate.
Senator White asked for confirmation that Senator Dumesnil can attend meetings of LISC, where she was placed as a
member. Chair Fessler confirmed that she could, pending recommendations from the CCN.
LISC (Council on Libraries, Information Systems, and Computing) – Nancy Newman, Chair
No response received.
Chair Newman reported that CIO Chris Haile will talk to the Council about the new email system.
UAC (Undergraduate Academic Council) – JoAnne Malatesta, Chair
The UAC meet for the first time on Thursday, September 1 st. We have formed committees and will begin reaching out to non-UAC
members to complete the committee rosters. There is a roll-over item of business to bring to the SEC regarding a change to the music
minor. The proposal from the Music department was approved by UAC last year but was not presented for SEC review at that time.
Chair Malatesta reported that chairs have been appointed to three of the subcommittees and the remainder of the committees
will be populated after receipt of the list of those awaiting assignment.
ULC (University Life Council) – Yenisel Gulatee, Chair
The University Life Council has nothing new to report. The Chair is in the process of organizing for the Fall 2011 semester.
UPPC (University Planning and Policy Council) – Eric Lifshin, Chair
UPPC thanks Jim Fossett for serving as Chair since the start of 2011 and wish him well as he now focuses on other activities. We have
had no meetings yet this semester, but will begin shortly to look at the resource implications of the GenEd proposal.
Chair Lifshin reported that the council will meet on Friday, September 16.
NEW BUSINESS
Charter Amendment 1112-01A: Ending Time of Senate Meetings
Chair Fessler described the procedure for submitting Charter amendments to the Senate which requires three weeks
advanced notice. This amendment was anticipated over the summer and she sought and obtained approval from
last year’s Executive Committee, thus there was no need for formal action from the SEC at this meeting. The
amendment was sent to the full Senate on 9/1/2011and will be on the agenda for the September 26 Senate meeting.
The amendment addresses a technicality with the change of an earlier starting time of Senate meetings.
Senate Bill 1112-01: Adoption of iClickers for Senate Voting:
Chair Fessler said the bill to use iClickers for Senate voting is also business from the 2010-2011 year. The 20102011 SEC referred the item to the 2010-2011 Governance Council over the summer. The 2010-2011 GOV wrote
the bill and sent it to the 2011-2012 SEC.
Chair Fessler described the procedure for obtaining and using iClickers. Senators will obtain their numerically
assigned clickers upon signing in at each meeting and turn them in when they leave. Discussion of bills will
proceed as usual. When the discussion and debate of issues has ended, the polls will be open. There will not be a
timer on the polls but an announcement will be made 10-15 seconds before closing. Once the polls are closed an
instant tally is obtained. She said the system is a parliamentary change from a show of hands.
A discussion ensued, much of it concerning access to voting records. The Data Management chart in the
supporting documentation to the bill shows that Unit Representatives’ votes will only be available to members of
the constituency but not to administrators. Senator Shahedipour-Sandvik questioned the restricted access to the
voting records of unit representatives to only members of their constituency. Chair Fessler said it was GOV’s
concern that broader knowledge of those voting records could do harm, especially to junior faculty. She cited, as
an example, the voting records of someone from CPCA which could put junior faculty in an awkward situation
because of the existing hierarchy.
UPPC Chair Lifshin said the voting record of someone who may run for Senate chair in the future should be
accessible. In the past that would be known through a show of hands. Chair Fessler said that Senators are more
likely to vote for a candidate based on the brief statements made before the election than on their past voting
record.
Chair Fessler explained if the iClickers are adopted voting information could be made available although it never
has been in the past. As things are now, constituents rely on the honesty of their senators about how they voted.
With iClickers, a constituent could contact the Senate secretary to obtain their Senators record but GOV did not
believe people would often go to those lengths. Secretary Leonard added that GOV also believed that constituents
should know how senators voted and how unit senators voted as a group.
Chair Fessler reviewed the remainder of the data management chart. GOV proposes that records would be kept for
one academic year and then purged. Total vote counts on bill will be saved but individual votes will be deleted.
Records will be kept on the Senate shared drive. The system can easily accommodate ballot (anonymous) votes.
If clickers are adopted, GOV proposed a brief training session at the beginning of each academic year. A device
can be re-registered if a senate member goes on sabbatical. Secretary Leonard added that clickers give the Senate
the ability to know if a quorum is present very quickly should someone call for it. On the down side, Chair Fessler
said there is no way to block out rogue clickers but the Secretary will review the votes to make sure that all votes
were cast by Senators. She will report back at the next Senate meeting and result will be adjusted accordingly in
the event outside votes were cast. This may not be possible with anonymous votes but it was not a big concern for
GOV since anonymous votes are not the norm.1 GAC Chair Groves asked if a roll call vote is an option. Chair
Fessler said that it was and explained that the voting roster would be displayed on the screen and votes would be
cast.
After the meeting, the Secretary noted that she thinks it may be possible in the “anonymous poll” to see which clickers were used to vote
without revealing HOW the individual voted, hence solving the problem.
1
In closing the discussion, Chair Fessler said the system will make it easier to keep records so that the minutes will
record a tally of votes. There were no further questions and a motion was made to send the bill to the Senate floor.
The motion was second and approved.
Senate Bill 1112-02: Revisions to Music Minor:
UAC Chair Malatesta said the bill was being brought forward as a point of clarification in the language concerning
300 level courses. There has been concern that students were taking too few 300 level courses. The new language
defines what upper level division courses are. A motion was made and seconded to move the bill to the Senate.
SEC members approved doing so.
Recommend as Senators: Yenisel Gulatee and Adrian Masters:
Chair Fessler informed the SEC that it is the Committee’s official duty to submit to the Senate nominations for
chair-elect appointments as Senators for a one year term. The SEC approved a motion to forward both names to
the Senate.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 4:14 pm.