2009-2010 University Senate Executive Committee
February 22, 2010
R. Michael Range, Chair
MINUTES
Present:
Heidi Andrade, James Castracane, Richard Collier, John Delano, Nicholas Fahrenkopf, Susanna
Fessler, Laurence Kranich, William Lanford, Eric Lifshin, John Monfasani, Gwen Moore,
George Philip, Susan Phillips, Michael Range, Carlos Rodriguez, Joan Savitt, Daniel Smith,
Daniel White
The meeting convened at 3:31 pm
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
The minutes of January 25th were approved.
PRESIDENT’S REPORT by GEORGE PHILIP
Budget:
President Philip discussed the status of the Public Higher Education Empowerment and Innovation Act
(PHEEIA). Without legislative approval of PHEEIA, SUNY will likely face a $137 million state assistance cut
from its budget without any significant restoration of funds. UAlbany’s share of such a cut could reach as high
as $9+ million. Currently, the State provides about 16% of the University’s “all funds” budget via state
assistance – of which approximately 85% goes directly to support personnel. Depending on the outcome of the
FY 2010-11 State Budget, the President indicated that state aid reductions at the University could grow up to
$30 million since FY 2008-09. If this occurs, the University will have to accept fewer students due to the lack
of full-time faculty for classroom instruction. The President further stated that the University will also need to
look at ways to reduce course offerings. With a cut of this magnitude, the President said that retrenchments
would be very likely. He was asked what mechanism would be used to identify where cuts would occur. The
President stated that a SUNY wide retrenchment policy would likely need to emerge at some point. He added
that the first step would be to have some idea what SUNY would approve in order to have a framework looking
forward. President Philip again underscored that he will continue to press for approval of the PHEEIA reform
legislation. He urged members of the Senate Executive Committee to contact their legislators and to offer their
support of the legislation, if they are so inclined. The President echoed that higher education is an investment,
not an expenditure – a message he said he has routinely discussed with elected officials.
SENATE CHAIR’S REPORT by R. MICHAEL RANGE
Gen Ed Task Force. As stipulated in Senate Resolution 0910-01 approved on February 8, 2010, GOV Chair Lifshin and the Senate
Chair, in consultation with Provost Phillips and CAS Dean Wulfert, recommended a slate of members for the Task Force to the SEC.
The SEC approved the proposed membership in an electronic mail ballot. All members have agreed to serve, and Distinguished
Teaching Professor S. North has agreed to chair the TF. The TF has received its charge as approved in the senate resolution, and the
first meeting is being scheduled.
SUNY UFS Senators. In response to a request by the Chair, UFS President Ken O’Brien has confirmed that UAlbany is eligible to be
represented by three senators rather than two. Two new UAlbany senators will be chosen in April by university-wide election. Dan
White will continue serving his first 3-year term on the UFS.
Review and Evaluation of Administrators. (Repeated from the 1/25/10 Chair’s report – discussion of this item was postponed to
today’s meeting.) Discussions with other campus governance leaders at the UFS Plenary meeting at SUNY IT in Utica, and
communications with colleagues at Binghamton and Stony Brook led the chair to consider whether UAlbany should join other SUNY
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campuses in setting up procedures to regularly review and evaluate administrators. The relevant chapter of the Governance
Handbook of the SUNY Faculty Senate and a resolution by the UFS concerning such evaluations has been sent to SEC members
together with the agenda. Discussion of this matter is on today’s agenda.
OTHER REPORTS
PROVOST’S REPORT by SUSAN PHILLIPS
Provost Phillips informed SEC members that the search is underway for the SUNY Provost. Provost Phillips is
on the search committee.
There have been seven strategic planning town hall meetings over the past two weeks. The meetings have
attracted many members of the community, including US Congressman Paul Tonko. The meetings will
conclude this week and it is hopeful that goals will begin to develop soon after. The process has been open and
transparent.
The Provost provided updates on campus searches for administrative vacancies. The search for Dean of the
School of Criminal Justice has been completed. Searches for the positions of Vice President for Research and
Vice President for Finance and Business have begun. The Provost is hoping for a short turn around to replace
the Dean of Graduate Studies.
The Provost’s communication project which was begun to improve the flow of information on campus will
continue with conversations held by the Provost and President Philip. The Provost will continue to inform the
community about newly tenured and promoted faculty. The Provost is also meeting with department chairs and
working on ways to be more communicative.
SUNY SENATORS’ REPORT (WILLIAM LANFORD; DANIEL WHITE)
Senator Daniel White discussed reaction to the HEEIA legislation at the January plenary. While many SUNY senators
were in favor, they felt they did not have enough information to issue such a statement. To do so after the next plenary in
April will be too late. There was a discussion about whether other campuses may have developed resolutions on the
legislation. A suggestion was made that the SUNY Senate could ask individual campuses to pass resolutions. Senator
White will pass the idea on to SUNY Senate President Ken O’Brien.
GSO (GRADUATE STUDENT ORGANIZATION) – NICHOLAS FAHRENKOPF, GSO
REPRESENTATIVE
Nothing to report.
SA (STUDENT ASSOCIATION) – DUSTIN LANTERMAN, ACADEMIC AFFAIRS DIRECTOR, SA
The spring 2010 edition of the World Within Reach Speaker Series will feature Howard Dean and Karl Rove, discussing the important
issues of today’s world.
MSCHE STEERING COMMITTEE REPORT – REED HOYT, UNIVERSITY SENATE
REPRESENTATIVE
Nothing to report.
COUNCIL REPORTS
CAA (Council on Academic Assessment) – Heidi Andrade, Chair
The Council on Academic Assessment met on February 11, 2010. The chairs of the Program Review and the General Education
Assessment Committee provided updates; the potential impact of the new SUNY General Education requirements for the work of each
committee was discussed. We also discussed the need for the Graduate Academic Council to review assessment reports from the CAA
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pertaining to graduate programs. We revisited an earlier discussion of ways to create incentives to engage faculty in constructive
assessment and voted to allow programs with extraordinarily effective assessment plans to move to an alternate year reporting
schedule. Finally, we continued our review of the Graduate Student Support report and edited a draft response to the Provost.
CAFFECoR (Committee on Academic Freedom, Freedom of Expression, and Community Responsibility)
– Susanna Fessler, Chair
Two members of CAFFECoR conducted an “in service” training session for the Res Life professional staff on Wednesday, February
10th. The topic was free speech in the residence halls: what defines it, how to handle borderline situations, and ways to engage the
student body in meaningful dialogue that promotes both free speech and diversity. A follow-up session will take place next month
with the student staff.
CERS (Committee on Ethics in Research and Scholarship) – John Monfasani, Chair
The Joint CERS-GOV committee of Carolyn MacDonald, Edward Cupoli, and myself completed a draft of a revised CERS policy text in
December. There have since been conversations with John H. Reilly, the University's Counsel. CERS itself has started to meet concerning
the text. When it has finished its deliberations, the text will be sent to GOV and COR for their reaction. We hope to be able to bring the
revised CERS policy text to the Senate floor in April.
Chair Monfasani added that all sections of the draft had been completed except for the section concerning statute of
limitations. There are questions about how far back misconduct can be questioned. The draft has been submitted to John
Reilly in Legal Counsel. Chair Monfasani expressed concern about a replay of events from last year and is hopeful that the
President will sign the policy. He is also concerned that the draft will get stalled in Legal Counsel and hopes they will
respond in a timely manner. GOV Chair Lifshin suggested prompting the President’s Office to expedite the process. Chair
Range agreed. Chair Range also stated that if research involves federal funds, we will have to comply with federal
regulations concerning statute of limitation.
COR (Council on Research) – James Castracane, Chair
Nothing to report.
CPCA (Council on Promotions and Continuing Appointments) – Carlos Rodriguez, Chair
CPCA has nothing to report.
GAC (Graduate Academic Council) – Laurence Kranich, Chair
GAC has nothing to report.
Chair Kranich reported that graduate allocations have been distributed and GAC is waiting for the GSS reports. There
have been discussions on how GAC can obtain access to the CAA assessments. GAC received notice regarding
deactivating a program in Russian and there is concern that this could be the start of a trend based on budget reductions.
GOV (Governance Council) – Eric Lifshin, Chair
GOV has nothing to report.
Chair Lifshin reported that GOV has set its meeting schedule. Meetings will be held on alternate Thursdays and Fridays
to maximize participation. He realizes this in not an ideal setting but he will keep GOV members informed via e-mail.
LISC (Council on Libraries, Information Systems, and Computing) – Gwen Moore, Chair
Report from Dean of Libraries, Mary Casserly: The Libraries are working with Einhorn Yaffee Prescott, an architectural firm chosen
last year, to develop a plan for renovating the University Library. A steering committee and working group have been appointed and
are meeting today. It will be important to work in close collaboration with those planning the Campus Center renovations in order to
assure that services and functions that are needed by the University Community are available in the appropriate places but are not
duplicated unnecessarily.
The Library Advisory Committee reported that this committee is looking at issues related to open access journals. OA
journals are freely available online. They do not charge subscription fees to libraries or individuals but they cover their publication
costs through author fees, endowments, institutional subsides, sponsorships, etc. The committee is particularly interested in those that
charge author fees. Some journals charge lower fees to institutions that have “memberships” to their parent organizations/associations.
Some of our faculty have had questions about these memberships and about whether there is funding to support OA journal author
fees.
Report from the CIO, Christine Haile: Chris presented the ITS Operating Plan for the July to June fiscal year. Chris distributed the
Office of the CIO Priority Areas 2009-2010 handout to the committee, which highlights ITS priorities for the fiscal year, explained
some of the priorities spearheaded for this year, and answered questions from the committee. She stated that most things are on
schedule and within budget.
She also reported on UDID (University Digital Database). The software package, known as LUNA, is up and running. Brian
Keogh was appointed project manager and is ready to unveil. So far, 2500 objects from the museum archives have been loaded into
the system. The next step is to identify areas around the University for departmental or personal content.
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Report from IT Committee, Larry Raffalovich: The IT Committee plans to look at the ITS “Draft Strategic Plan.” As a result of the
meeting on November 23, it was concluded that the University does have the authority to monitor content and usage of one’s
University-owned machine if it is warranted.
UAC (Undergraduate Academic Council) – Joan Savitt, Chair
UAC approved catalog copy today for rules about when students need to go the Dean's office for absence excuses, when to the health
center, when profs can/should make their own determinations. The bill was been distributed this morning to SEC members for
consideration at this afternoon’s meeting.
UAC is close to bringing in a bill to make minors optional, and another bill about rules for departments who want to restrict entry into
their minors. Are there other councils that we need to be working with on these, or should we wait until there is final language in our
proposal?
UAC is gathering data on how many students may opt out of minor and how it might affect graduation requirements.
Chair Savitt asked who would need to review the proposal from a governance point of view. ULC Chair said that since it
is a resource issue, it needs review from UPPC. UPPC Chair Delano asked when the proposal would be ready. Chair
Savitt believes the proposal could be ready this spring but it could get complicated with the general education issues.
Chair Range suggested that the two chairs keep in touch, and that they coordinate reviews by councils.
ULC (University Life Council) – Daniel R. Smith, Chair
ULC met on February 8th. Smoking Policy: We are at a point where we can schedule campus fora later this term to gain feedback on
the proposed policy; we will also be contacting Institutional Research about a survey this coming fall of employees. This year was
heavy with surveys due to Middle States and other initiatives so it is impossible to get another survey done.
We are also having a yearly discussion with Dr. Lee McElroy, Director of Athletics, about the NCAA academic scores, annually
published in spring. One of our items is to discuss divisional, campus, system and NCAA controls for eliminating violations.
UPPC (University Planning and Policy Council) – John Delano, Chair
The two previously scheduled meetings on February 12 and February 26 were cancelled due to (a) key-individuals for agenda items
being unable to attend, and (b) scheduling conflict with Strategic Planning Retreat on Feb. 25-26, respectively. Six (6) UPPC members
are on the Strategic Planning Committee. Efforts to schedule a UPPC meeting on Friday, Feb. 19, were again not successful due to
key-individuals for the agenda being unable to attend. The next UPPC meeting is scheduled for March 12.
Referring to the long time that UPPC has not met, Chair Range asked Chair Delano to share some of the agenda items.
Chair Delano said there were two items: the HEEIA legislation, and budgetary questions that Chair Range had raised.
Guests had been invited to lead each conversation and since they were unable to attend it would have been wasteful for
council members to assemble without the proper people in place.
Chair Range provided informational materials concerning the budget questions that were to be discussed by UPPC. The
materials included a chart showing the distribution of state tax/tuition support by unit from 2001-2009. Absent from the
chart was budget information regarding CNSE. Another handout was an e-mail exchange between Chair Range, the
Associate Vice President for Financial Management and Budget, Kim Bessette, and the Senior Vice President of CNSE,
Alain Kaloyeros, regarding Chair Range’s request for the information. Since several SEC members had been copied in
these e-mail exchanges, Chair Range felt that in a spirit of open sharing of information, all SEC members should be
informed of the situation and of the resistance on the part of CNSE to release the requested budget information. GOV
Chair Lifshin inquired about the goal of obtaining this information. Chair Range stated that it is a matter of transparency
concerning public monies and the public has the right to know how tax dollars are spent. Senate Secretary Collier
pointed out that the 2004 definition of autonomy included budget and that, while CNSE faculty governance has access to
budget information and Stony Brook for example faculty governance have access to that campus’ information, UPPC has
no more propriety much less authority to ask CNSE for its budget than it does to ask for Stony Brook’s budget. Chair
Range read from the April 2004 SUNY Board of Trustees resolution establishing CNSE. He stated that there is nothing in
the resolution that exempts CNSE from providing budget information. Chair Range further stated that UPPC should be
provided the information up to Fall 2008, as CNSE had been part of UAlbany in all respects until that time.
Chair Delano informed SEC that the representative from Finance and Business who was scheduled to attend a UPPC
meeting was unable to do so. However, they have been forthcoming with respect to providing information that UPPC is
entitled to see. Senate Secretary Collier asked if that information provided by Finance and Business included the CNSE
information. Chair Delano responded that it did not. Chair Delano has had e-mail communications with Dr. Kaloyeros
and suggested that Chair Range contact him. Chair Range will follow up.
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NEW BUSINESS
UAC Bill: Rules on Absences and Excuse:
UAC Chair Savitt introduced the bill which would inform students and faculty on the procedures for
determining who would review excuses for both long and short-term absences. The Office of the Vice Provost
for Undergraduate Education would provide absence notes for short-term excuses if they are of a highly
personal nature. The bill encourages faculty to include an absence policy in their syllabi and offers faculty
guidance in using their own discretion to excuse absences of less than one week. The Office of the Vice
Provost would be involved if there were conflicts with exams which the student is entitled to make up. Longterm illnesses exceeding two weeks in duration will need to come under the review of the University Health
Centers. SEC members expressed concern about making a short-term medical determination and suggested
obtaining the valued perspective from medical staff at the health center. A motion to move the bill to the senate
was approved with two abstentions.
Evaluation of Administrators:
Chair Range referred to the materials from the SUNY-wide Faculty Senate that had been distributed in advance
of the meeting. The SUNY Faculty Senate is on record supporting a system on each campus to assess
administrators. This has been implemented on a number of campuses and Chair Range believes it would be a
valuable process for everyone, including the administrator being evaluated. The process can be constructive
and can result in addressing concerns and in improvements. The topic had come up in the context of strategic
planning at one of the town hall meetings, where lack of evaluation of administrative units was viewed as a
weakness area in management. President Philip indicated that he would appreciate having a discussion on the
topic with Chair Range to help inform the discussion.
UPPC Chair Delano inquired about which campuses currently engage in the procedure and whether we might
be able to obtain some guidance from them. Senator Lanford indicated that Stony Brook and Binghamton are
actively evaluating their administrators, and that Chancellor Ryan advocated for the evaluations. One of the key
issues is whether the information becomes public or if it only goes to the administrator.
Chair Range stated that assessment of administrative units is addressed in Chapter 4 of the Middle State SelfStudy. It was suggested to obtain feedback on what would potentially work on this campus. Some of the four
year colleges already do evaluations through their governance structure. Chair Delano inquired as to whether
this would be presented to the Senate. Chair Range stated that a decision to consider setting up a process for
evaluations would have to be discussed and endorsed by the Senate. He will place such a discussion on the
agenda of the next Senate meeting. Senator Lanford will contact the Stony Brook and Binghamton campuses to
obtain information on their programs to further the effort of establishing evaluations on the UAlbany campus.
GSS Final Report:
Chair Range reported that UPPC, GAC, CAA and COR have been asked to review the final report. He
encouraged the councils to provide responses to the Provost and to share with SEC.
GAC Chair Kranich reported that the subject is on the agenda for discussion at the next GAC meeting. The
Dean of Graduate Studies, Marjorie Pryse has requested feedback on the report but GAC is still waiting for the
individual panel assessments. Chair Kranich stated that graduate allocations have been made with little
oversight on how this was accomplished. He further stated that in GOV’s support for GAC’s requests of the
panel assessments, the letter from Chair Lifshin indicated that “any assessment report of a program has the
potential of affecting the program’s funding and continuance”. Chair Kranich would like to review recent
history of program by program allocations that might suggest that funding affects academic performance. He
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expressed concern about the lack of a graduate school which could distribute funding from a lump sum as
opposed to having it come from the colleges and schools. Chair Kranich further stated that allocations of
graduate funds have been made without governance consultation and questioned on what grounds that was done
and why one individual or office is making those decisions without appropriate input. The matter will be
discussed at the next UPPC meeting.
Update and review of 2008-09 Charter Amendments:
GOV Chair Lifshin was asked to provide an update. Chair Lifshin had an extensive conversation with President
Philip last Fall, briefing him on GOV’s deliberations, and he believes that even though the President has not
signed the amendments they could be posted. Chair Range added the amendments on graduate courses and on
IRCUAP should be included in the Senate Charter. He further suggested the possibility of revisiting the
language in the amendment that deals with eligibility to chair councils to indicate that, in order to chair, one has
to be an elected senator. SEC members concluded that such a change would not be appropriate as it would
modify the intent of the amendment, since the bylaws allow for a council to elect someone other than a senator
if the council is not able to elect a senator as chair Following an earlier suggestion by Provost Phillips, Chair
Range and GOV Chair Lifshin will discuss the status of the amendments once more with the President.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 5:42 pm.
Respectfully submitted by
Gail Cameron, Recorder