Governance Council
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
1:30 PM
UNH 306
Andi Lyons, Chair
Minutes
Present:
Liang Chu, Cynthia Fox, Donald Keenan, Danielle Leonard, Andi Lyons, Patrick Nold,
Donna Scanlon, John Schmidt, Joette Stefl-Mabry, Daniel White,
The meeting convened at 1:35 pm.
CHAIR’S REPORT
Chair Lyons informed GOV members of two pressing issues for the Council. The first is to populate
GOV’s standing committees and the second is to provide senate designees to serve on the Excellence
Awards Selection Committees.
Other issues that GOV will need to address include the status of a senator elected to represent part time
faculty. The senator was a part time faculty member at the time of election but that person’s status has
now changed and the question is whether or not the senator can continue to represent the part time
constituency. The issue will need to be handled by GOV’s Council on Committee Nominations (CCN).
After CCN completes their work, they will report back to GOV and then the matter will go to the Senate.
Chair Lyons asked GOV members to bring other matters to her attention as they arise.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
The minutes of August 2 were reviewed and approved.
OLD BUSINESS:
Assessment Update by Joette Stefl-Mabry:
Ms. Stefl-Mabry is chair of the newly formed ad hoc committee on administrative evaluations at
UAlbany. She reported that several SUNY campuses regularly conduct faculty evaluations of
administrators including SUNY Binghamton, Fredonia, New Paltz and Stony Brook. Most of the
campuses conducting evaluations are engaged in a systematic approach. At Binghamton, a faculty
recommendation is solicited either for or against an administrator’s retention. A common feature of the
evaluation committee is to represent all sectors represented by the area under review. Ms. Stefl-Mabry
said she believed that if we have a meaningful process in place it will be sanctioned by the Senate. Her
recommendation is to have GOV discuss how to move the process forward. Chair Lyons suggested
forming a subcommittee to develop recommendations and she asked Ms. Stefl-Mabry if she would be
willing to be chair. Ms. Stefl-Mabry replied that she would. Chair Lyons then asked for members of
GOV to be part of the subcommittee. Three members offered to serve, John Schmidt, Cynthia Fox and
Patrick Nold.
Chair Lyons said that President Philip has made a commitment to have outside consultants review
administrative functions at UAlbany and believes it’s tied to the same process. She acknowledged that
while the consultants will look at ways to incorporate efficiency and lower administrative costs, those
functions will tie into the notion of assessment. This particular review of administrative functions will be
a top down process.
SUNY Senator White explained that we have a delicate situation on our campus. While many of the top
administrators at other campuses enjoy longevity in their positions, UAlbany has experienced a lot of
turnover at the top and people have been placed in positions at a very contentious time. The SUNY
Senate is very much in favor of putting this process in place but we don’t want it to look like the faculty is
out to get people even though the idea is to assess those not already being formally assessed. The
president is already assessed by the chancellor but those below him need to be assessed.
Senator White read sections from the resolution that was passed in April of 2010. The resolution resolves
that “the University at Albany develop a process and related procedures to regularly assess and evaluate
administrators and administrative services and functions by faculty” and “that the Senate Executive
Committee (or an ad hoc committee designated by the SEC) be charged to develop such processes and
procedures, and submit its recommendations to the Senate”. Ms. Stefl-Mabry noted that it did not
mention a Senate sanctioned council but Secretary Leonard said it was returned to the Executive
Committee. The SEC then forwarded the matter to GOV. Chair Lyons said she believed the resolution
requests that a committee be developed to be in charge of assessment. Ms. Stefl-Mabry was then asked to
develop something but she explained that it would be advantageous to look at how schools such as
Binghamton and Stony Brook are conducting their process and look at the structure of their evaluation
coordinating committee and administrative review committee, which have three year terms for its
members. She said the process needs to show transparency about how decisions are made. Chair Lyons
asked Ms. Stefl-Mabry to proceed in coordinating the subcommittee.
NEW BUSINESS:
Governance Council Committee Membership:
Chair Lyons said that it was her understanding that the Committee on Liaisons and Elections is typically a
committee of the whole. GOV members who served last year confirmed that it was and she said she
would like to continue in that vein. The membership of the other councils was discussed. The Committee
on Council Nominations is self-populated and the other two committees, Committee on Assessment of
Governance and Consultation, and the Committee on Mediation are only populated as needed.
Designees for Excellence Award Committees:
Chair Lyons informed GOV that the committees are being formed by the Provost’s Office and GOV has
been asked to provide Senate designees and graduate student representatives for each of the committees.
Designees do not necessarily need to be serving on the Senate but there should be representation from a
broad array of areas across campus. GOV members identified first, second and third choices to serve on
each committee. GSO President Heidi Nicholls agreed to reach out to students to serve on each
committee. GOV members agreed to contact candidates and report back via e-mail of those agreeing to
serve. Chair Lyons asked everyone to report back to her by October 7.
OTHER BUSINESS
SUNY Senator White reminded council members that GOV needs to revisit the discussion concerning
what defines an academic unit.
Secretary Leonard said the Charter requires GOV to apportion the representative Senators in the schools
and colleges sometime in the fall as part of the duties of the Committee on Liaison and Elections.
Chair Lyons said Senate Chair Fessler has asked GOV to look into conflicting sections of the Bylaws and
the Charter concerning the appointment of a parliamentarian.
Secretary Leonard said GOV needs to address the issue that part time faculty are not able to elect their
Senate representatives. Chair Lyons said this will pose some difficult procedural questions concerning
part time faculty voting for full time representatives. GOV members acknowledged there are
complexities but it is a growing constituency and part time faculty and staff have a significant role in
Senate service and academic programs.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 2:57 pm.
Respectfully submitted by
Gail Cameron, Recorder