2006-2007 University Senate Executive Committee
Meeting Minutes
Monday, December 4, 2006
Present:
M. Chau, R. Collier, D. Dewar (Chair), S. Friedman, A. Haas, S. Herbst, R. Hoyt,
W. Lanford, S. Messner, J. Monfasani, R.M. Range, J. Savitt, D. Shub, L. Snyder,
D. White, E. Wulfert.
Guests:
Kathryn Lowery, Vice President for Finance and Business
Lynn Videka, Vice President for Research
Robert Webster, Associate Vice President for Research
Minutes:
The Minutes of November 13, 2006 were approved.
PROVOST’S REPORT, Presented by Susan Herbst, Officer in Charge:
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Chancellor’s Budget: Provost Herbst reported that SUNY will advance a rational tuition
program increase proposal.
School of Public Health Dean Search: Provost Herbst reported that the Search
Committee is in the process of reference checking on the top seven or ten candidates and
they are hoping to conduct interviews early next semester.
Sexual Assault Task Force: The task force is making progress and we are hoping for
initial recommendations around the end of the year. The group is staying connected to
the community.
Albany High School: There is a new learning center in the High School. UAlbany does
have 25 volunteers go there a couple times a week to tutor. Nano High programs are
going well.
Commencement: The Honorable Richard C. Wesley, U.S. Court of Appeals for the
Second Circuit will speak at Commencement and he will receive an honorary Doctoral
Degree.
Enrollment Management: Numbers are still up. There was discussion on the Student
Satisfaction Survey and the classroom observation project.
CHAIR’S Report, by Diane M. Dewar:
Community Integrity Issue: Chair Dewar reported that she is still waiting on some committees
and councils in terms of volunteers; she is looking for a faculty member and a student from each
council to join the committee.
Presidential Search Committee: The Senate will hold a special meeting on December 11, 2006
to elect teaching faculty to serve on the committee.
Report by Vice President for Research, Lynn Videka
Vice President Videka introduced Associate Vice President for Research Robert Webster,
Professor of Biomedical Sciences. VP Videka and Dr. Webster spoke about UAlbany’s research
performance, noting that productivity has steadily increased in the past five years. Dr. Webster
explained indirect cost return as funding that is added on to the direct cost of a grant, to include
administrative costs. Discussion continued on the Research Division investments and budget
investments. A copy of the presentation will be made available to the SEC members upon
request.
Report by Vice President for Finance and Business, Kathryn Lowery
Vice President Lowery spoke about debt reduction at the East Campus. She explained that the
East Campus was once owned by the Sterling Winthrop Corporation. UAlbany acquired the
property in 1995, through the UAlbany Foundation. There are problems with the structures; it is
not an efficient space; it is running up debt. There is approximately a 2.4 million dollar annual
operating deficit a year. A new bioresearch development corporation will be created in
partnership with the UAlbany Foundation and the Research Fund. It will be a member
corporation, with a board of directors of twelve people, including the Chancellor and UAlbany
President, among other ex officio members. The plan is to start building new buildings, attract
tenants; possibly three anchor tenants.
SUNY-WIDE Senate Report, by William Lanford:
Senator Lanford reported that the SUNY-wide Senate is considering a Resolution on Enhancing
SUNY Access to Electronic Databases.
COUNCIL REPORTS:
CAA (Council on Academic Assessment): William Lanford, Chair. The SUNY Faculty
Senate is asking for campus endorsement of the attached “Resolution on Enhancing SUNY
Access to Electronic Databases.” The resolution is from the Faculty Senate’s University
Operations Committee and was passed by the University Faculty Senate on October 28th.
COR (Council on Research): Andrew Haas, Chair. Vice President Videka gave a report on
the status of the Indirect Cost Recovery at UAlbany. She noted also that the 2005-06 Council on
Research approved a recommended proposal for revision to the ICR Distribution policy, which is
currently under consideration. The Division for Research and the Division for Finance and
Business are hosting a Voice of the PI session on Tuesday, December 5, 2006 at 3:00 – 5:00 pm
in the Terrace Lounge. The purpose is to obtain PIs perspectives on research support and
development and pre and post award grants administration at UAlbany. Mary Louise Mallick
will be joining the University to oversee development on the East Campus. The Benevolent
Committee recommended seven applicants for funding. One additional applicant may be
awarded pending notification of funding from another source. As a follow-up to the Voice of the
PI session, the pre and post award offices are planning monthly meetings with each of the
schools/colleges. The call for nominations for the Excellence in Research Award has been sent
to the Deans and Department Chairs. The deadline for submitting nomination packets to the
Vice President for Research is January 31, 2007.
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CPCA (Council on Promotions and Continuing Appointments): David Shub, Chair.
Nothing to report.
GAC (Graduate Academic Council): Sally Friedman, Chair. At the November 30 GAC
meeting, two items took up most of the agenda. GAC voted to agree to a request to suspend
admissions to the PhD program in Organizational Studies (a request also being considered by
UPC). The Council also engaged in a lengthy discussion (to be continued) reviewing the writing
proficiency requirements for international students. Finally, because GAC sponsored the relevant
Senate bill, the Council briefly began a discussion of GAC’s ongoing role in monitoring the
activities of the recently created ombuds office for graduate students.
GOV (Governance Council): Reed Hoyt, Chair. The proposed amendments to the University
Senate Charter were emailed to University Senators and will be brought to the next Senate
meeting.
LISC (Council on Libraries, Information Systems, and Computing): Daniel White, Chair.
Nothing to report.
UAC (Undergraduate Academic Council): John Monfasani, Chair. The UAC approved the
restructuring of the governing board of the Honors College and will be presenting the change at
the next Senate meeting. The restructuring increases the number of deans, faculty, and students
on the board.
ULC (University Life Council): Joan Savitt, Chair. ULC has no bills to present at this
point. It is struggling with how to implement a mandatory health insurance rule without pricing
students out of our market, having learned that Albany is already more expensive that any of the
other SUNY university centers and also having learned that our financially poorest students
already have a $1000 gap between their maximum aid and our current costs. The Council would
like to bring to the table a question about how Albany might work to reduce its other fees. Who
sets the comprehensive fee now? Who could change it?
UPC (University Planning and Policy Council): Steven Messner, Chair. UPC met on
November 30. The Council approved a proposal to create an Undergraduate Ombuds Office.
This proposal will be introduced as a bill at the December Senate meeting. The council also
discussed a proposal from Professor Gary Yukl, Director of the Organizational Studies Doctoral
Program, to suspend admissions to that program. Professor Yukl and Dean Marjorie Pryse
attended part of the meeting to provide background information and to answer questions from
council members. The council voted unanimously to recommend that the Senate approve the
proposal to suspend admissions to the Organizational Studies Doctoral Program.
CAFFECoR (Committee on Academic Freedom, Freedom of Expression, and Community
Responsibility): Lawrence Snyder, Chair. The Chair of CAFFECoR met Thursday with Erika
Snyder, a reporter for the Albany Student Press, ASP. She will be writing an article soon on
academic freedom, political correctness, and the possible role of CAFFECoR for undergraduates.
CERS (Committee on Ethics in Research and Scholarship): Elga Wulfert, Chair.
Nothing to report.
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Respectfully submitted,
Jayne VanDenburgh, Recorder
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