Governance Council
Monday, April 28, 2014
11:30AM
UNH 306
Joette Stefl-Mabry, Chair
Minutes
PRESENT:
Liang Chu, Cynthia Fox, Yenisel Gulatee, Caitlin Janiszewski, Ann Kearney, Helene Scheck,
John Schmidt, Kabel Stanwicks, Joette Stefl-Mabry, Zheng Yan
The meeting convened at 11:42 a.m.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
The minutes of April 14, 2014 were unanimously approved, with minor changes and 1 abstention.
CHAIR’S REPORT
Chair Stefl-Mabry raised the topic of edTPA and concern over news that Pearson is developing an evaluation whereby
students would rank how effective they view the faculty regarding student assessment. There would be an assembly
legislative hearing that Wednesday, at which Chair Stefl-Mabry had been asked to speak on behalf of the 7 other
Schools throughout NY state that offer School Librarianship programs. The hearing was agreed to only on April 30 th,
while the new edTPA is scheduled to go into effect May 1st.
Committee on Liaison and Elections / Committee on Council Nominations
There was brief discussion regarding the desired phrasing for the elections email. GOV unanimously agreed on the
following changes:
The university-wide voting faculty elections are conducted through the MYUALBANY system.
Individuals can vote ONLY through the designated voting platform; votes submitted outside of that
platform will not be counted.
Term limits re: Senate Officers
Chair Stefl-Mabry, Senator Fox and Senator Schmidt had attended a SUNY Voice conference on shared governance
held the previous Wednesday and Thursday here in Albany. The Senators were impressed with methods Fredonia and
Fulton Montgomery Community College shared on how shared governance successfully works on those campuses.
Those methods resulted in, for instance, more participatory meetings, and more longevity in campus governance
allowing leaders the chance to follow through on projects. As a result, it was recommended that 1) a GOV
subcommittee be tasked next year with looking into our election processes; 2) GOV continue to have conversations
on shared governance with the current administration, who have been so supportive this year and who have stressed
that while the Senate’s role is advisory those stakeholders’ voices matter.
Chair Stefl-Mabry thanked Senator Cynthia Fox for stepping up to be put on the slate for Vice Chair.
NEW BUSINESS
The Committee on Assessment of Governance and Consultation
Senator Janiszewski reported that the student survey had accomplished sparking some interest. Chair Stefl-Mabry
had not yet heard back from Joel Bloom on when the faculty survey would be sent out.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
Frequency re: the Survey for the Evaluation of Shared Governance and Consultation
Senator Janiszewski proposed the survey be held every 2 years to implement a regular pattern. Chair Stefl-Mabry
added the subcommittee could then report at end of year or at the 1st Senate meeting in the fall. Then GOV could
recommend a subcommittee look at the results in order to be ready for the following year. Senator Scheck thought
it would keep shared governance and assessment on the collective radar. Senator Stanwicks suggested that language
be added highlighting that it would be a regularly scheduled survey, regardless of any incident which may have
occurred at the time. The consensus was that it be recommended that assessment be an ongoing process within GOV,
with the survey being distributed every 2 years. Chair Stefl-Mabry asked that GOV members consider how this
change to Charter X.1.3.3 be worded to present at the SEC meeting on May 5th.
Senator Scheck suggested it be recommended that all Senators re-read the Charter and By-Laws at the start of the
academic year. It was suggested that GOV draft a short document with a suggested general ‘best practices’ timeline
for all Councils and Committees. Senator Schmidt recalled having worked on such a calendar during service in a
prior year. Senator Gulatee offered to check for that document on the Senate drive.
The next GOV meeting was scheduled for May 12th in SOB, BB374.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 12:55 p.m.
Respectfully submitted by
Elisa Lopez, Recorder