Committee Reports
Spring Plenary Meeting
SUNY Plattsburgh
April 23-25, 2015
Diversity and Cultural Competence Committee
Report Date: April 23, 2015
Presented at: Spring 2015 UFS Plenary
Charge: The Committee on Diversity and Cultural Competence will concern itself with issues
pertaining to equity, inclusiveness and access, as they are reflected in the curriculum, student
body, and personnel of the State University. Among the activities of this committee will be
collecting and disseminating information, organizing periodic meetings and workshops, and
providing guidance and recommendations to the senate so that it may act with the best
intentions of all people in mind.
2014-15 Committee Members:
Chair: Noelle Chaddock, SUNY Cortland
Timothy Gerken, Morrisville State College
Beth Hinderliter, Buffalo State College
Sunil Labroo, Oneonta State College
Lauren Liberman,SUNY Brockport
Gloria Lopez, System Affirmative Action Officer
Carlos Medina, System Chief Diversity Officer
Jeany Melendez, Student Assembly
Cathy Parker, SUNY Albany
Nand Relan, SUNY Stonybrook
Gloria Viboud, SUNY Stonybrook
Carl Wiezalis, Emeritus
Miriam Vincent, Downstate
Aimee Woznick, Empire State College
Ruhan Zaho, SUNY Brockport
Jie Zhang, SUNY Brockport
Committee Goals for 2014-15:
o The Diversity Survey was sent out to campuses and has received a good turnout.
Gloria Lopez is sending a specific reminder to campuses who did NOT return
their surveys as we would like a 100% return rate as this is an important piece of
what we are doing as a system around looking at diversity and the structure of
diversity on campuses.
o The CDCC has made recommendations to the Executive Committee regarding
diversity training for the Executive Committee and invited guests. We are
working on identifying an appropriate time and expenditure for this
development opportunity.
o The committee is continuing its work to establish an articulation of the scope of
system-wide and local need around marginalized populations who would benefit
from the consideration and resources of the CDCC including but not limited to:
lgbtq, veterans, international students/faculty/staff, racial and ethnic minorities,
differently abled, and non-majority faith and non-faith identities. These
populations will be integrated into the ongoing conversations and initiatives of
the committee.
o The committee will be developing a plan for a spring follow up with the senate
body on the status of the Making Diversity Count recommendations on their
campuses.
o Dr. Noelle Chaddock sits on the SUNY System Diversity Task Force and is the
chair of the climate committee. That committee has made two
recommendations to be included in a broader recommendation paper to the
Board of Trustees. Once the paper has been finalized it will be shared with this
group. All committees are working hard. If you have items you want to make
sure are discussed with the Diversity Task Force please feel free to share them
with the CDCC.
Committee meeting dates:
o The committee is having monthly telephone conference calls which started on
November 3rd. The last telephone conference meeting was on April 9th.
o The committee hopes to have one face to face meeting preceding the diversity
training.
Committee accomplishments since previous UFS Plenary:
o Pete has created and tasked an Ad Hoc Committee on LGBTQAI Matters in the
SUNY System. Pete has appointed Dr. Tim Gerken as chair of that committee. Dr.
Noelle Chaddock will also sit on that committee. Pete is in the process of
populating that committee.
o Drs. Gerken and Chaddock co-authored an article for the UFS bulletin entitled
“LGBTAQ2AI Matters”
o The CDCC was able to offer input into the evolving Diversity Task Force definition
of climate
Anticipated upcoming actions/accomplishments:
o CDCC committee members Beth/Sunil/Carlos/Noelle will discuss the next steps
to creating a shape around investigating data/practices/realities of Asian/Asian
American (and all that category encompasses) in SUNY. The primary concern is
that the conflation of Asian/So. Asian/Pacific Islanders/Mixed Race
Asian/International Asian/Domestic Asian (not exhaustive) populations does not
give the system and campuses accurate snap shots of lived
experiences/retention and success.
o In our last telephone conference call the committee has identified two items
they would like the UFS to pay attention to: the ban the box movement –
advocates for the removal of the admissions question around previous
incarceration; and racial profiling and campus policing. If you are interested in
being part of those conversations, please let Noelle know.
Respectfully Submitted by: Dr. Noelle Chaddock, Chair
On: April 17, 2015
Committee On Ethics and Institutional Integrity
Report Date: April 23, 2015
Presented at: Spring 2015 UFS Plenary
Charge: The committee will study and make recommendations to the SUNY University Faculty
Senate President regarding issues of professional behavior, ethical conduct and institutional
integrity as they relate to faculty, students, administrators and other personnel in SUNY and
higher education. The committee will gather information and serve as a resource for the
Senate and the University.
The Committee will not serve as a disciplinary body nor will it take part in judicial proceedings.
The Committee’s area of activity and interest will be quite broad and will include but not be
limited to the following areas as they pertain to the State University of New York:
Curriculum, Academic honesty, Research, scholarship and creative activity, Instructional,
institutional and operational policies and practices, Personal integrity, Electronic
communication, Confidentiality, Use of university resources, Conflicts of interest and
commitment, Financial transactions, Impact on the environment, Hiring and admissions
practices
Committee members: Rochelle Mozlin—Chair, Chuck Moran, Pamela Wolfskill, Joshua
Altemoos, Robert Olick, Charlie Phipps, Sharon Boyce, Julee Miller, Kathleen Powderly, Bill
Robins, Joe Marren, Reneta Barneva, Camilio Rojas , Andrew Fitz-Gibbon
Committee Goals
1. Develop guiding principles document expressing commitment to the development of an
ethical framework for SUNY.
2. Survey of academic ethics activities across the campuses.
3. Bullying Hazing document in collaboration with Student Life Committee
4. Academic freedom document in collaboration with Governance Committee
5. Academic integrity education/policy, possible project in collaboration with Student
Assembly.
6. Development of Electronic Privacy policy in collaboration with System and SUNY
Counsel
Update on activities/goals
1. Resolution on SUNY’s Need for a Public Statement of Ethical Values—
a. SUNY has demonstrated significant commitment to ethical values—5 core values
of the Power of SUNY, RF Statement on Research Ethics, SUNY Policies of Sexual
Violence; however the University does not have an “umbrella” public statement
of ethical values.
b. Such a statement would strengthen SUNY’s commitment to ethical values from
all members of the SUNY community.
2.
3.
4.
5.
c. The resolution requests that the Chancellor adopt a Statement of Ethical Values
drafted by the UFS.
Survey of academic ethics activities across the system:
a. Responses from 15 campuses; executive summary is attached.
Academic freedom document has been revised and is being presented to the Executive
Committee
Development of electronic privacy policy will be shelved until the next academic year.
Need for Bullying Hazing document will be considered with the Student Life Committee.
Requests to UFS Senators fromEt committee: Review bylaws and handbooks to look for
documents/language relating to academic freedom, beyond what is in the BOT policy.
Governance Committee
Date: April 8, 2015
Presented at: Spring 2015 UFS Plenary
Committee Charge: The Committee shall concern itself with University-wide governance and
shall provide guidance on matters of campus governance. The Committee shall interact with
local governance leaders of the University.
Committee members: Chair, Peggy A. De Cooke - Purchase College; Phillipe Abraham University at Albany; Dale Avers – Upstate Medical; Bryant Barksdale- SUNY Student Assembly;
John Beckem - Empire State College; Ross Borden – Cortland; Justin Giordano-Empire State
College; Norman Goodman - Stony Brook University; Fred Hildebrand - System Administration
Liaison; Mark Meirowitz - SUNY Maritime; Wendy Ravitz – System Administration; Daniel Ryan
– University at Buffalo; Daniel Smith – SUNY Polytechnic; Ron Sarner-SUNY IT; Julia Shaw –
Empire State College; Nina Tamrowski - Onondaga Community College; Jeffrey Walkuski Cortland
Committee Goals for 2014-15:
1. To finalize a resolution concerning the timely presentation of resolutions to the
Executive Committee for evaluation and inclusion on the UFS agenda.
2. To examine the basic tenants of academic freedom with the goal of expanding the
scope of a committee document drafted last year (e.g., what is/is not academic
freedom, the freedom to speak on governance issues, separation of roles – that of
private citizen versus that of University employee). The committee will work with past
Governance Committee Chair S. Mozlin.
3. To address the role of contingent faculty in shared governance, and provide guidance to
campuses on constitution of fair service (e.g., whether and how contingent faculty
should be afforded the option to give their time in governance service) and level of
involvement in campus governance (e.g., within programs or departments or at the
institutional level, how votes should be counted).
4. To respond to concerns raised on several campuses about the role of faculty
consultation in administrative searches (excluding Presidents
Committee Meeting Dates:
02/06/2015: Committee Meeting (Conference Call): Academic Freedom Work Group
02/09/2015: Committee Meeting (Conference Call): Administrative Searches Work
Group
02/13/2015: Committee Meeting (Conference Call): Contingent Faculty Work Group
03/2015:
Committee Meeting (Electronic): Ongoing communications with work
groups
04/2015:
Committee Meeting (Electronic): Ongoing communications with work
groups
Committee Accomplishments since previous UFS Winter 2015 Plenary
The Committee set a very ambitious agenda at its fall planning meeting, with several initiatives
that require substantive research. Research and discussion is ongoing on three initiatives.
The Academic Freedom Work Group (De Cooke, Giordano, Meirowitz, Sarner), working with
past-chair Mozlin, is in the final stages of preparing its document. The document has been
reshaped to provide resources in the form of definitions and examples to engender discussion
about the basic principles of academic freedom, and requests that each institution within the
system examine its bylaws, contracts, and handbooks for policies regarding academic freedom,
updating them as necessary to reflect the values and practices of each institution.
The Administrative Searches Work Group (Avers, De Cooke, Ryan) designed a brief survey on
administrative search procedures at the level of Dean and above (excluding Presidents). This
survey was distributed to campus governance leaders with a return receipt deadline of March
31, 2015. The work group is currently contacting CGLs who did not return the survey and hopes
to present preliminary findings to the Executive Committee at the upcoming plenary.
The Contingent Faculty Work Group (Borden, De Cooke, Goodman, Shaw, Tamrowski) is in the
fact-finding phase of its work, and is indebted to committee member Borden for researching
the definitions of voting faculty that appear in campus bylaws, both state-operated and
contract colleges as well as the community colleges. The next step will be to assess how well
the governance documents coincide with actual practices, and discuss potential
recommendations.
Requests to UFS Senators from the committee:
Nothing at this time.
Anticipated upcoming actions/accomplishments:
The committee will present the academic freedom document and the preliminary findings of
the administrative search survey to the Executive Committee for consideration.
Graduate Academic Programs and Research Committee
Report Date:
Presented at: April 24th 2015 UFS Plenary
Charge:
The Committee serves as a source of professional advice and guidance to the Senate on matters relating
to the quality, operation, and encouragement of graduate programs and research. To these ends, the
Committee may be concerned with the procedures, criteria, and support of existing and new graduate
programs within the University. The Committee may review and recommend policies and procedures
relating to moral and ethical concerns of research and graduate studies and other matters involving the
furtherance of research and graduate studies within the University.
2014-15 Committee Members:
Chair: Rosalyn Rufer (SUNY Empire State College
David Allen
Maritime
Jian Cao
Stony Brook
Martin Kaczocha
Stony Brook
Rosalyn Rufer
Empire
Shishir Singh
Empire
Subrata Saha
Down State
Li-Ru Zhao
Up State
Taya Owens
System
Justin Shanley
Student Association
Rebecca Marinoff
Optometry
Christopher Connor
U Buffalo
Shadi Sandvik
Nano Science
Joshua LaFave
Potsdam
Scott Goodman
Buffalo State
Kathleen Caggiano-Siino
RF
3rd
1st
3rd
4th
2nd
3rd
1st
2nd
1st
3rd
2nd
4th
2nd
1st
1st
dallen@SUNYMARITIME.EDU
jian.cao@SUNYSB.EDU
martin.kaczocha@STONYBROOK.EDU
Rosalyn.Rufer@esc.edu
Shishir.Singh@esc.edu
subrata.saha@DOWNSTATE.EDU
zhaol@UPSTATE.EDU
Taya.Owens@suny.edu
justin.shanley@SUNYSA.ORG
rmarinoff@SUNYOPT.EDU
cconnor@buffalo.edu
lafavej@potsdam.edu
goodmas@BUFFALOSTATE.EDU
kathleen.caggianosiino@RFSUNY.ORG
Committee Goals for 2014-15:
 2015 Graduate Research Symposium February 11
 Feasibility of System-wide or multi-campus IRB
 Engaging graduate students to apply for NSF, NIH, and other fellowships; work with RF –
resolution passed as a test program.
 Resolution encouraging SUNY to establish a fellowship for one undergraduate student at each
campus to continue with their graduate work at that campus.
 Grant writing handbook
 White Paper on how we teach our graduate students to teach – Rebecca still working on
gathering sufficient information to create the white paper.
Committee meeting dates (include type of meeting):
1. September 18th – Fall planning meeting
2. October 6th 9:30AM phone meeting to update and share milestone table for above
subcommittees and create report for UFS Plenary
3. January 5th – 12:00 noon phone meeting to update status of each subcommittee and
create report for UFS Plenary
4. February 10th face to face meeting in Albany from 3-5:30 review current status of
initiatives
5. April 6th noon – phone meeting to create report for UFS Plenary
Committee accomplishments since previous UFS Plenary:
Since the last plenary, we have been working closely with Carol to make the 2015 Graduate Research
Symposium successful. Legislators were not present but we included students for focus groups to
gather information on programs that teach them to teach and what incentives would work to help them
apply for grants. The latter outcomes indicated that an $1000.00 incentive would work; 500 for
participating in workshops for grant writing and an additional 500 for submittal of proposals.
Key committee members have joined the Research Foundation group that is looking at the need and
feasibility of a system wide IRB. – Legality currently being investigated by the Garrett Sanders at the
research foundation.
We have completed the study on how to attract STEM graduates within New York State. The summary
of the report is attached at the end of this report. What it does tell us that we need to provide more on
campus “engagement activities” for our STEM students on campus in order to attract more students to
these disciplines. In addition, consistent with our last study, the webpage is the most important source
of information for attracting students into our stem programs. The survey results also tell us that
funding for assistantships and grants are an important way to engage stem students. This supports our
resolution to provide additional funding in both these areas for STEM students. Lastly the other
significant finding was that most students did find employment within one year after graduating;
however internships and other collaborative relationships with industry partners help support our
alumni in finding jobs within New York State. This was reported to the UFS at the January Plenary.
 We have sections of our grant writing book assigned-drafts expected May 29th.
It is expected that this endeavor will be completed during the 2015-2016 academic year.
Rebecca Marnioff has reached out to university centers to find out what they do to teach their graduate
students to teach. However we require help from UFS Campus Governance leaders for more clarity on
what is being done. She is continuing her work on this white paper.
Anticipated upcoming actions/accomplishments:
Revised resolution was presented to the UFS on creating programs to increase assistantships and
incentives at each campus to support STEM enrollment and grants submittals; and was accepted. Small
subcommittee will with work with Kathleen to implement (Rosalyn Rufer, Scott Goodman and Martin
Kaczocha). Students indicated Fall 2015 best time to initiate and the subcommittee with put plan in
place for the start of this pilot incentive program.
Resolution, encouraging SUNY to establish a fellowship for one undergraduate student at each campus
to continue with their graduate work at that campus., will be presented at the April Plenary.
It is expected that we will have a draft handbook prior to the summer planning meeting.
It is expected that we will have an implementation plan for the pilot study of incentivizing graduate
students to apply for STEM grants.
Operations Committee
Report Date: April 17, 2015
Presented at: Spring, 2015 UFS Plenary
Charge: Proposed Charge approved by Operations Committee pending approval by the
University Faculty Senate:
The Committee shall generate relevant reports and recommendations for the University
and its institutions concerning:



the development and administration of budgets, strategic planning, and operations;
matters related to libraries, educational technology, and forms of instructional
delivery; and,
personnel policies, as they pertain to budget, operations, diversity, equity,
affirmative action and delivery of a high quality SUNY education.
2014-15 Committee Members:
Chair: Thomas Sinclair, Binghamton University
Members: Kevin Caskey, New Paltz; Mete Cetiner, Empire State; Henry Flax, Downstate;
Pamela Mahon, Upstate; Heather Maldaonado, Buffalo State; Joe Petrick, Alfred State;
Edward Shepard, Binghamton; Stephen Weiter, ESF; Ezra Zubrow, U Buffalo. Ed Warzala,
Empire State, Past Committee Chair. Carey Hatch and Ade Somide, System
Administration Liaisons.
Committee Goals for 2014-15:
A white paper on budget transparency. Despite the size and complexity of SUNY’s budget and
those of its campuses, the practices related to publishing budgeting and finance information
vary widely across the system. The Operations Committee will examine current practices within
SUNY and compare them with established best practices used by other public universities.
Addenda will evaluate the financial stresses on the system’s libraries and discuss financial
transparency issues related to university foundations.
Study on the composition of SUNY faculty. Periodically, the Operations Committee has
conducted a study of the composition of faculty on SUNY campuses and we will undertake a
similar activity this year. As methods of instructional delivery and types of programs change,
the mix of full- and part-time faculty and their respective roles may also change. Impacts on the
gender and diversity of campus faculty will also be reviewed.
SUNY- Excel, a performance measurement system proposed for all campuses. The Committee
will closely monitor the proposed adoption and implementation of a performance
measurement system by SUNY system and its campuses. Of particular interest will be the role
of faculty governance organizations in the process.
Continuing discussions on other topics. Developments with respect to Start-Up NY, SUNY’s
budget and OpenSUNY will be matters of continuing discussion by committee members in the
coming year.
Committee meeting dates (include type of meeting):
The Committee has scheduled monthly telephone conference calls at 9:00 AM on the last
Monday of each month.
Committee accomplishments since previous UFS Plenary:
Tom Sinclair, Operations Committee Chair, served on the SUNY Excels Performance
Measurement steering committee. Steve Weiters from ESF completed a draft resolution on a
SUNY Strategy for the Future of Academic Publishing and a Rationale Document that was
reviewed by the Operations Committee for presentation to the Faculty Senate at the Spring,
2015 Plenary. Tom Sinclair and his graduate assistant Chelsea Reome are finalizing a draft white
paper on budget transparency on SUNY’s campuses. Initial findings were presented at the SUNY
Voices Conference in February, 2015. Work on the composition of faculty study is on-going.
Requests to UFS Senators from committee:
1) Approval of Draft Resolution on A SUNY Strategy for the Future of Academic Publishing
Anticipated upcoming actions/accomplishments:
The committee anticipates completing its white paper on budgetary transparency before the
Fall, 2015 Plenary Session. The study on the composition of faculty should be completed by the
end of the 2014-15 academic year.
University Faculty Senate
Programs & Awards Committee
Spring, 2015 UFS Plenary
Charge: The Committee promotes the educational and scholarly interests of SUNY faculty
through the development and strengthening of University-wide programs, grants, and awards.
2014-2015 Membership
Robert Booth
Fredonia
Valentin Brimkov
Buffalo State
Franciso Colon
Stony Brook
Yenisel Gulatee
Albany
Bruce Leslie (Chair) Brockport
Dennis Showers
Geneseo
Mark Warford
Buffalo State
Ryan Yeung
Brockport
Committee College Liaison
Iris Cook
Westchester CC
SUNY Staff Liaison
Bob Kraushaar SUNY
booth@FREDONIA.EDU
brimkove@BUFFALOSTATE.EDU
francisco.colon@STONYBROOK.EDU
ygulatee@UAMAIL.ALBANY.EDU
bleslie@brockport.edu
showers@GENESEO.EDU
warformk@BUFFALOSTATE.EDU
ryeung@BROCKPORT.EDU
iris.cook@SUNYWCC.EDU
Robert.kraushaar@SUNY.EDU
Committee Goals for 2014 - 2015:
Programs Sub-Committee will review the Conversations in the Disciplines (CiD) program
toward possibly recommending major reforms for 2016-2018 award criteria.
 Review the 40+ year record to consider whether its original purpose is still relevant as
the
program was designed to bring former teachers college faculty up to speed in their
discipline on as many campuses as possible.
 Examine the existing policy of identical $5000 awards and consider a variety of
Awards. Fewer awards of larger amounts might provide more ‘bang for the buck’.
Electronic communication provides possible ways to increase participation and impact.
 The original ban on pedagogical topics will be reconsidered with the possibility that
topics integrating disciplinary knowledge and pedagogy be made eligible.
Oversee administration of the Conversations in the Disciplines (CiD) awards for 2015-2016
 Raise the CiD profile, especially with a goal of a more timely rollout this year and
find ways to communicate directly to faculty rather than through administration.
 The Committee will review the current procedures with an eye to clarifying language to
correcting problems observed in last year’s award cycle.
 Review applications for 2015-2016 awards
Review the policies and procedures for Chancellor’s Awards & Distinguished Professorships
 For the 2015-2017 cycle, review DPs. No problems are apparent, but there are areas in
which language could be clarified.



For the 2015-2016 cycle, review the first administration of the CA for Adjunct Teaching.
As a new program, lessons need to be learned. In particular, there is confusion about
defining ‘adjunct’ including an apparent error that bars full-time non-tenure track
faculty
and leaves them as the only group ineligible for any CA.
For the 2015-2016 cycle, review the first administration of the Senate’s new CA for
Shared Governance. As another new program, and one totally under Senate purview, it
needs to be reviewed carefully.
For the 2016-2018 cycle, begin thinking about reviewing the CAs for Scholarship &
Creative Activities, Teaching, Faculty Service, Professional Service, and Librarianship.
Committee accomplishments since previous UFS Plenary:
 The Committee modestly revised the wording of the Conversations in the Disciplines Call
for Proposals and it was sent out in more timely fashion than last year.
 The sub-committee began to evaluate concerns about campus procedures for
Chancellors Award and Distinguished Professorship nominations.
 The Committee began reviewing the Conversations in the Disciplines proposals for
funding for 2015-2016 preparatory to a May 13 meeting to decide on funding
Requests to UFS Senators from committee:
If you have thoughts about the future of the Conversations in the Disciplines program,
please contact Bruce Leslie (bleslie@brockport.edu). We will be discussing possible radical
reforms to the program and potential resolutions for the October Plenary.
In particular, did you see the Conversations in the Disciplines Call for Proposals? Some
Senators have commented that it didn’t reach them. The distribution seems to differ widely
among campuses.
Anticipated upcoming actions:
Administer the Conversations in the Disciplines Awards for 2015 – 2016 on May 13
We will also use the May 13 meeting to begin discussions of:
1) Major revisions of the Conversations in the Disciplines program.
2) Biennial review procedures for the 2015-2016 Distinguished Professorships
3) Second year review of procedures for the 2015-2016 Chancellors Award in
Adjunct Teaching
4) Second year review of procedures for the 2015-2016 Chancellors Award for
Shared Governance
Student Life Committee
Report Date: April 23, 2015
Presented at: 170th 2015 UFS Plenary at SUNY Plattsburgh
Charge: The Committee will be concerned with significant educational, developmental, social, cultural
and recreational policies, programs, issues and services that affect the quality of student life and the
campus environment of the State University of New York.
2014-15 Committee Members:
Chair: Kelley J. Donaghy, College of Environmental Science and Forestry kdonaghy@esf.edu
Members
Marsha Cornelius, Morrisville, cornelml@morrisville.edu
Aaron “Bill” Godfrey, Stony Brook, agodfrey@notes.cc.sunysb.edu
Anne Larrivee, Binghamton, larrivee@binghamton.edu
Tom McElroy, Empire, tom.mcelroy@esc.edu
Louis Scala, Farmingdale, scalala@farmingdale.edu
Jan Trybula, Potsdam, trybulj@potsdam.edu
Laura Valente, Stony Brook, laura.valente@stonybrook.edu
Lori Mould, Student Assembly, lori.mould@suny.edu
Elizabeth Droz, SUNY Administration, elizabeth.droz@suny.edu
Elizabeth Erickson, Canton, ericksone@canton.edu
Nazely Kurkjian, Binghamton, kurkjian@binghamton.edu
Danielle Leonard, Albany, dleonard@albany.edu
Committee Goals for 2014-15:
The committee has resolved that there are two primary aspects of their charge, student completion and
student health and safety. The following goals fall into one or the other of these categories.
a) Textbook Affordability
 The committee will continue to advocate for affordable solutions to the high prices of print
textbooks.
b) Student Working Hours
 A fall Human Resources document limited the number of student assistant working hours to
29 hours per week. The committee is concerned that this may decrease student
persistence.
c) Drugs and Alcohol
 At the fall meeting the committee met with a Department of Health representative to learn
more about the rise of Heroin usage. The committee plans to disseminate helpful
information throughout the year to faculty on how they can help combat student heroin
usage.
d) Sexual Assault
 The committee plans to work with SUNY in the development and implementation of
effective and fair policies and procedures to meet the goals of the October 2, 2014, Board of
Trustees resolution.
e) Hazing and Bullying
 A “white paper” is expected in time for the January Plenary, this is being jointly written with
the Ethics Committee.
f)
Workshop on the Role of Faculty in Student Life
 Upon meeting with the Chief Student Affairs Officers in June, the committee realized that
there is a great deal of variety with respect to the faculty involvement in student life. To
better understand the role of faculty in student affairs, a workshop involving faculty,
student affairs professionals and students will be organized for spring of 2015.
g) Veteran’s Affairs Survey
 Recognizing the larger number of veterans that will be returning to SUNY campuses, the
committee expects to deploy a survey intended to focus on student support services
designed for student veterans in November 2014.
Committee meeting dates:
Fall 2014 Meetings
9/18-19/2014
9/26/2014
10/3/2014
10/15/2014
12/15/14
Spring 2015 Meetings
1/6/15
2/19/15
May 2015
Committee Planning Meeting, Syracuse
Committee Meeting, Conference Call
Committee Meeting, Conference Call
Committee Meeting, Conference Call
Committee Meeting, Conference Call
Committee Meeting, Conference Call
Committee Meeting, Conference Call
Committee Meeting, Conference Call
Committee accomplishments since previous UFS Plenary:
Goal #5: New references are being sought on this topic. A final draft of this white paper will be
available by the Fall 2015 Plenary.
Goal #6: The workshop is being planned for November of 2015. The CSAO’s and the CAO’s will be
jointly supporting this workshop. Funds will be requested from UFS to support the project at the June
Planning Meeting. We are planning a two-day event, starting mid-day on Friday and running through
mid-day Saturday. The committee has agreed that we should have teams of faculty, student affairs staff
and administration from various campuses to present best practices and to find cross-overs between
curricular and co-curricular initiatives.
Tentative Workshop Ideas
Fostering Collaboration between Faculty and Student Life Professionals
Keynote Speaker Ideas:
a) Collaborative Programs – The research behind why they are so important – highlights of high
impact activities
b) Uncovering and discussing implicit biases – what can faculty and Student life do to minimize
their effect on student learning
c) Accommodating student with learning disabilities in on-line courses
Round Table Ideas
a) What is the faculty role in helping their student’s sense of belonging?
b) How can we encourage student input in college policy-making and college plans?
c) What is the role of student affairs in academic dishonesty?
d) What can we all do about sexual assault prevention, what can a strong collaborative effort
achieve?
The Workshop is tentatively planned for November 6, 7th, with three keynotes, several break-out
discussion sessions and some panels. The focus is intended to be how can we help each other and in the
process positively influence our students’ academic and social success.
What would we like you to talk about on your campus this coming year:
The student life committee has had a very successful year. Our membership rose steadily over the year
and we were able to make some very important statements. As faculty we need to do our part to help
make college affordable by working to drive down instructional materials costs (remember personal
incentives by publishers, such as iPads, come out of your student’s pockets), we need to mindful of the
needs of particular groups of students who are all too easily marginalized and we need to understand
that health care and health insurance are important but the cost of not being able to fulfill your financial
needs will also have an impact on student retention and completion. Finally, as faculty and staff we
need to be ever vigilant for drug abuse. We know it’s out there and will always be, but if we can save a
life by arming our police officers with Narcan or helping students develop medical amnesty policies, or
provide better reporting and assistance to our victims of sexual assault, or simply bring high impact
programs such as Red Watch Band to our campuses, we need to do it – ask your Chief Student Affairs
officers, “do we have these life saving things on our campus?”
Have a great summer!
Undergraduate Academic Programs and Policies Committee
Report Date: April 25, 2015
Presented at Plattsburg: Spring, 2015 UFS Plenary
Charge:
The Committee shall provide advice and guidance to the Faculty Senate on matters relating to
undergraduate programs and policies throughout the University. To these ends, the Committee
may review such areas as existing and proposed curricula, standards for academic degrees,
undergraduate academic assessment, teaching techniques and evaluation, special
undergraduate programs, articulation among units of State University of New York and the
various aspects of international education and development.
2014-2015 Committee members
Chair: Daniel D. White, SUNY Polytechnic Institute
Members alphabetically by Name:
Barbara Brabetz
Anant Deshpande
Kathleen Kieler
Linnea LoPresti
Art Lundahl
Janet Nepkie
Phil Ortiz
Ramona Santa Maria
Rebecca Smith
Margaret Souza
Diane Tice
Scott Turner
Amitra Wall
Angela Wright
Andrea Zevenbergen
Cobleskill
Empire State
UB
SUNY
FCCC
Oneonta
SUNY
Buffalo State
Brockport
Empire State
Morrisville
SA
Buffalo State
RF
Fredonia
Committee Goals for 2014-2015
1.Review and revision of the Internship guide
2.Undergraduate Research: analysis of what we do and how we do it
3.Service learning: analysis of what we do and how we do it
4.Competency-based assessment: development of resources for broader understanding
Committee meeting dates
October 17, 2014:
Internship subcommittee meeting
November 3, 2014: Teleconference to review progress (full committee)
March 27, 2015:
Teleconference (full committee)
Committee accomplishments since planning meeting:
·
Review and revision of the Internship guide: See separate report. Thanks to all of the
members of the sub-committee for their extraordinary efforts.
·
Undergraduate Research and creative endeavor: The SUNY Undergraduate Research
Conference was held on April 10, 2015 at SUNY Brockport. Preliminary reports indicate that it
was a resounding success with over 600 attendees including students, mentors, and staff.
Congratulations to the SURC committee for their work. Rebecca Smith has developed a set of
interview questions that will be reviewed and revised to conduct structured interviews with
undergraduate research and creative endeavor champions throughout the system. The
methodology was developed by Andrea Zevenbergen for the service learning project and due
that projects success will be replicated by the undergraduate research and creative endeavor
team. This work will begin in earnest in summer 2015 and continue through fall 2015.
·
Service learning: The subcommittee on service-learning has been investigating how
service-learning is executed throughout the SUNY system. Individuals on this subcommittee
include Andrea Zevenbergen (Fredonia), Dan White (SUNY Polytechnic), Amitra Wall (Buffalo
State), Ramona Santa Maria (Buffalo State), Michael Jabot (Fredonia), and Sarah Titus
(Fredonia). Interviews with individuals involved in service-learning on the various SUNY
campuses were conducted between November and March. One knowledgeable representative
from each campus (e.g., coordinator of service-learning) was interviewed. In total, interview
data were obtained from 52 of the SUNY campuses. Currently, qualitative and quantitative
analyses are being conducted on the data. Investigated areas include the following: whether
the campus currently offers service-learning, campus policies regarding service-learning,
assessment of service-learning, dissemination of information regarding service-learning to
faculty and students, barriers to more service-learning occurring on the campus, and financial
resources for service-learning. A summary report regarding the current scope of servicelearning across SUNY will be completed by the end of June. The report has the aim of providing
many ideas for campuses which are interested in beginning or expanding their service-learning
offerings for students.
·
Competency-based assessment: This goal will stay on the committees list of things to
do for next year.
Requests to UFS Senators from committee:
Anticipated upcoming actions/ accomplishments:
The internship sub-committee and the service learning sub-committees will be offering final
reports to the Senate to be reviewed and posted on the UFS website. The committee has
discussed and agreed to review issues surrounding online laboratories.
Report of the Internship/Co-op Guidebook Subcommittee
This group is a subcommittee of the University Faculty Senate Undergraduate Programs and
Policies Committee.
Subcommittee Chair:
Dr. Janet Nepkie
Subcommittee charge: Update the 2007 UFS publication entitled:
Internships, A Guide for Planning, Implementation and Assessment.
As part of the charge, the scope of the Guidebook was enlarged to include co-ops as well as
internships. The subcommittee will continue its work during the next academic year in
response to recent UFS interaction with the SUNY Board of Trustees and the Office of the
Governor of the State of New York.
1. Proposed Resolution
In March, 2015, the Subcommittee proposed a Resolution for action by the University Faculty
Senate during the April 23-25, 2015 UFS Plenary meeting. The central purposes of the
Resolution are:
1. Acknowledge that credit-bearing internships and co-ops that receive academic credit share
the same academic organization and requirements of all other credit-bearing courses, including
the need for syllabi, learning outcomes and effective assessment of the accomplishment of
those learning outcomes.
2. Recognize that faculty who teach/supervise internships and co-ops should be compensated
for their work in a manner commensurate with compensation for other courses offered by
those faculty.
3. Recognize that SUNY experiential education such as internships, co-operative education, and
all types of applied learning and/or experiential education earning academic credit should be
taught and supervised by appropriate and qualified faculty who are members of the academic
department (or similar academic unit) within the discipline in which the internship is offered.
4. Recognize the existing and mutually supportive working relationship between faculty who
teach and supervise internships/co-ops and Career Development professionals who support
such instruction.
Subcommittee Consultation with faculty, staff, administration
Subcommittee members have consulted faculty, Career Development professionals, campus
administration and many internship/co-op organizations external to SUNY in consideration of
campus practices and goals with regard to internships and co-ops.
The Subcommittee Chair has worked with the following SUNY System administrators or
members of the indicated SUNY offices to determine topics, facts and advisories to be included
in the updated Guidebook:
Name
Sandra Casey
Title
General Counsel in Charge
Organization
SUNY Counsel’s Office
Seth Gilbertson
Associate Counsel
SUNY Counsel’s Office
Elise Newkirk-Kotfila
Coordinator of
Community Relations
Director
SUNY System Administration
Director of International
Program
Assistant Vice Chancellor
SUNY Office of Global Affairs
Erika Terwilliger
Lori Thompson
Patricia Thompson
SUNY Student Financial Aid Services
SUNY Office of Student Financial Aid
2. SUNY-Wide Survey
The Subcommittee administered a survey throughout SUNY, including two-year and four-year
schools. Respondents to the survey included faculty, Career Development professionals and
campus administration. While the survey results are not uniformly representative of all SUNY
campuses, the following trends concerning SUNY internships and co-ops were made clear from
survey responses:
a) Campus practice regarding instruction/supervision of internships and co-ops
Internships on campuses are heavily supported through Campus Career Services Departments,
dedicated positions to coordinate internships, and administrative articulation agreements
made with a variety of businesses and organizations. Further, support is demonstrated through
Presidential and Provostial speeches, strategic plans, allocated budget resources, and
technological support.
For most faculty, working with internships is considered to be part of their workload that does
not generate additional stipends or other pay. Many faculty supervise internships for no extra
compensation or release time.
On average, 11-15 students interns constitute the equivalent of one academic course with an
average of 37-45 clock hours per 1 credit hour.
b) Evaluation and assessment of internships and co-ops
Internships are mostly evaluated by reading student reports on the internship experience, and
input from the site supervisor. Many students are given a grade submitted by a professor
although the amount of interaction between the professor and the internship or co-op may
vary from very little to quite frequent.
Less than half of the respondents stated that specific course learning outcomes for each
internship/co-op are in place
Both students and site supervisors assess the internship/co-op experience. This assessment is
usually conducted at the conclusion of the internship/co-op. Assessment and evaluation data
are made available to faculty, career services staff, coordinators, and administrators to be used
for curricular improvements, screening of sites and site supervisors, and accreditation
purposes.
c) Importance of internships and co-ops
Experiential learning/internships continue to grow in importance on campus given current
federal, state, SUNY and business/organizational emphasis. Internships/co-ops can be very
important in fulfillment of SUNY campus mission statements.
Half of the respondents indicated that their campuses allow students salary/stipend for creditbearing internships; however, nearly 30% reported they do not know the policy.
The most successful results of internships/co-ops are student skill development/hands-on
experience that often leads to employment. Another important outcome is a strong
partnership and shared responsibility of the administration, evaluation, advisement, and
supervision of internship programs between faculty and career services departments.
Overwhelming numbers of respondents would like more faculty involvement in internships by
preparing students for internships, establishing consistent and equitable standards for
internships, and establishing better assessment of students and internships sites. Further,
respondents felt their campuses could do a better job at providing more support in terms of a
centralized software program to manage/assess internships, centralized resources, staffing,
budget resources, and e-portfolio resources. Finally, respondents felt they needed to
continually expand their contacts for opportunities and diversity of internship sites, while at the
same time finding resources to visit and assess current internships sites.
d) Need for further information and support
Respondents would like further guidance from SUNY Counsel’s Office regarding SUNY policies,
Fair Labor Standards Act, duties owed, liability, insurance, workman’s compensations, site
safety, standards/expectations, intellectual property rights, as well as student civil rights.
3. Subcommittee Meetings
The Subcommittee met in person and/or via teleconference on the following dates:
October 7, 2014
December 5
January 28, 2015
February 6
February 19, 2015
February 27
March 6
March 13
4. Proposed Topics for Internship/Co-op Guidebook update:
Definitions
Part I: Planning
1. Site Selection
2. Student Eligibility and Preparation
March 20, 2015
March 27
April 10
April 17
3. Student Health Insurance
4. Student Financial Aid
5. Internship/Co-op Learning Agreement
6. Credit
Part II: Implementation
7. Supervision of internships/co-ops
8. Faculty-Student communication during Internship/co-op
9. Reports from the Internship/Co-op Site
10. Grading Criteria
11. Virtual Internships and Co-ops
a) Student on campus, internship remote address
b) Student at remote site, communicate with faculty electronically
12. International Internships and Co-ops
a) Administrative requirements including visas, work permits, collaboration with campus
Study Abroad staff, insurance, etc.
b) Use of third-party facilitators for international internships
13. Zero-credit internships and co-ops
14. Faculty compensation and teaching assignments as part of internship supervision
15. On-campus internships and co-ops
Part III: Assessment
Advisories:
Sample Learning Outcomes
Sample Learning Agreement
Sample Faculty Site Visitation form
Sample Student Assessment form
Sample Site Supervisor Assessment form
Internship and Co-op Guidebook Committee Members
Members of the Subcommittee represent an unusually diverse and robust cross section of
SUNY responsibilities and offices. Approximately 50% of the committee members are faculty
with teaching responsibilities. The other 50% of committee members are responsible for
administrative offices and campus Career Development. The broad area of academic and
professional activities for which committee members are responsible has enabled effective
committee teamwork that spans entire educational institutions to serve students and New York
State.
Name
Joseph Aini
Title
Assistant Director Career Services
Campus
SUNY Albany
Barbara Brabetz
Faculty, Dept. of Natural Sciences
SUNY Cobleskill
Robert DiCarlo
Assoc. Dir. for Internship Opportunities
Department of Career Development
Director of the Center of Experiential Learning
Assistant Provost, SUNY System Administrative
SUNY Geneseo
Denise DiRienzo
Fred Hildebrand
SUNY Oswego
System Administration
Liaison
Kat Kielar
Sr. Staff Assoc., Training and Business Process
Redesign, Office of Data Analytics/PeopleSoft
(HUB) Support
SUNY Distinguished Service Professor, Music
Department
University at Buffalo
Donna Pesta
Director of Student Success Center
SUNY Cobleskill
Julia Penn Shaw
CDL Academic Coordinator for Human
Development
Unit Coordinator, Associate Professor
Professor, Biology & Chemistry Department
Student Assembly Representative
Assistant Dean, Intellectual Foundations and
First-Year Programs; Professor, Sociology
Assoc. VP for Student Affairs and Professional
and Corporate Recruitment, Outreach
Dir. of
Academic Advisement
Provost Fellow: SUNY Administration – Applied
Learning and SUNY Works
Assoc. Professor - T.J. Watson School of
Engineering and Applied Science
SUNY-Empire State College
Janet Nepkie, Chair
Margaret Souza
Diane Tice
Scott Turner
Amitra A. Wall
Daniel D. White
William Ziegler
SUNY Oneonta
SUNY-Empire State College
Morrisville State College
SUNY Albany
SUNY Buffalo State
SUNY Polytechnic Institute
SUNY Binghamton