March 2010          

                                                                                              

Dear Colleagues:                                                                                                            

I have previously asked you to nominate yourself or suggest possible candidates for six of the twelve standing committees of the University Senate.    This week I am asking for help with three additional committees—the Undergraduate Council, the Library Services Committee, and the Student Life Committee; next week will write you about the final three committees.   We have received an encouraging response so far, and we are hopeful that you will continue to contribute your own commitment and/or the names of others who we can contact about possible service.

I will not bore you by repeating my previous descriptions of the importance and usefulness of serving on these committees.  I will only remind you that there are no formal qualifications for these committees except interest and energy, that we urge you to volunteer to run and/or to mention the names of colleagues who you think might be interested.  If you suggest a colleague, we will ask them (without pressure) if they are interested in running, so you will not be committing them to anything by mentioning their name.  

Here are three important committees, together with the areas in which vacancies will be contested:
    
Undergraduate Council:

The Undergraduate Council considers all issues that affect undergraduate education.  This year, much of our attention has been devoted to curricular issues arising out of the proposed campus in Songdo, Korea, and those caused by the current budget-induced shortfall of course availability.  We have also been examining issues related to undergraduate TAs, developing productive coordination between Southampton and the main campus, and the pending revision of the university's general education requirements.  In the coming year, the Committee will continue to consider these issues, fitting them into the rubric of the SB Strategic Planning process.

Vacancies will be contested in NSM, SBS, and the LIB.   Please recommend qualified colleagues (including yourself) for this committee by replying to ltheobalt@notes.cc.sunysb.edu with their names, departments, and the committee name. 

Library Services:

The responsibility of the University Senate Library Services Committee is to advise on all aspects of the library.  With representatives drawn from all sectors of campus, and the ex-officio membership of the library director, the committee is well positioned to represent the needs of the diverse constituencies the library serves.  We regularly discuss both the budget and the relative allocations to digital and conventional media, as well as the continuous escalation of subscription prices.   For the next year we will be providing oversight and policy recommendations for the overhaul of the library initiated this year by Provost Kaler and the interim director, Andrew White.  Key issues under consideration include the structure and organization of the library, relations among library personnel, storage of volumes in off-campus facilities, the interlibrary loan program, enhanced student access to the internet, construction of the library at the Southampton campus of Stony Brook University, and connections between the Melville and Health Science Libraries.

Vacancies will be contested in HFA and the LIB.  Please recommend qualified colleagues (including yourself) for this committee by replying to ltheobalt@notes.cc.sunysb.edu with their names, departments, and the committee name. 

Student Life Committee:

The Student Life Committee is composed of faculty, professional staff, graduate and undergraduate students, and includes as ex officio members the Vice President for Student Affairs and the Dean of Students. This year and next it will continue to address important issues that impact student life at Stony Brook, institutional and student-based responses to the Haitian earthquake, including issues related to campus transportation—including access to off-campus venues, and recommendations for student life initiatives to be included in the Stony Brook strategic plan.

Vacancies will be contested in HSC, NSM and LIB.  Please recommend qualified colleagues (including yourself) for this committee by replying to ltheobalt@notes.cc.sunysb.edu with their names, departments, and the committee name. 

     You may make nominations by replying to the Senate office secretary, LTheobalt@notes.cc.sunysb.edu.  Please write the nominee’s name and department as well as the committee’s name.   In order to get names on the ballot, we will need nominations by March 22, 2010.  We appreciate your willingness to serve as well as your suggestions of people we might contact to consider running. 
               
Sincerely,

Michael Schwartz, Ph.D.
President
University Senate