University Senate
Minutes
December 10, 2007

The meeting was called to order by President Lane at 3:38 p.m.

I.  Approval of agenda:  approved

II.  Approval of minutes from November 5, 2007:  approved

III.  Provost’s Report (B. Lindquist):

  • Two regional finalists were named Grand Prize Winners (JFK High School in Plainview-Old Bethpage).  They were mentored in the Chemistry Lab by Professor Iwao Ojima. 
  • Winter Session enrollment has increased.  The enrollment grew 45% from 2006 to 2007.  Current enrollment stands at 1,438 (as of December 6, 2007) representing a further increase of 24% over 2007.
  • Dr. Robert McGrath will end his tenure on December 31st as VP for Brookhaven National Laboratory Affairs.  Search will begin for a replacement.
  • SUNY has presented their ’08-’09 budget to NYS Department of Budget.
  • SUNY is proposing to enhance academic quality by adding 1,000 more FT faculty across the University.
  • State must fund SUNY’s mandatory costs (collective bargaining, enrollment growth and inflation).
  • State must invest in multi-year capital facilities plan to ensure for an adequate and safe educational/residential environment given the enrollment growth and aging infrastructure.

IV.  President’s Report (S. Kenny):

  • Testified in November at public hearing held by NYS Commission on Higher Education.  Report can be found on President’s web site at HTTP://stonybrook.edu/pres/testimony.shtml.   Do believe that we should have research campuses that are funded appropriately.  The Governor cares about supporting the research institutions in the State.
  • Total for December graduation is 2,809 (includes summer, fall and winter graduates).
  • The BNL competition process has been delayed.  Our contract will be extended at least one year.
  • Crime is actually down from last year by 7%.

V.  Why Stony Brook University should take on a Regional Leadership Role (G. Hanson):

  • When the Campus Environment met this fall we were pleased that the campus administration has agreed to make the University eventually carbon neutral.

Proposed Guiding Principles
Stony Brook University will:

  • commit to making regionally impacting decisions in collaboration with impacted entities, rather than unilaterally.
  • earnestly work to solve its own local problems using solutions and partnerships that extend beyond its campus borders.
  • identify environmental problems in the community that, with our unique status, resources and size, we can take a lead in solving.

These are the Proposed Guiding Principles that the Campus Environment Committee is recommending.

Examples of Issues:

  • Build-out will probably occur around 2015.
  • We are strongly dependent on cars.
  • Real Estate taxes are high.
  • Young adults are leaving LI as a result of being to expensive to live here.
  • More homes are occupied by empty-nesters and retirees on fixed incomes.
  • Impacts of global warming on our communities.
  • Need to reduce our carbon footprint.
  • Energy prices will increase.

Why the University needs to take a leadership role:

  • The University contributes to local and regional environmental problems.  Will only increase as we expand.
  • President Kenny has committed us to environmental leadership in the region.
  • Cannot solve some issues without the support of the regional community.

Dr. Robert Kerber made a motion for the Senate to recommend to the Administration to adopt the Proposed Guiding Principles.  Norman Goodman seconded the motion.  All in favor:  all in favor with 3 abstentions.  Motion passed.

VI.  Report on 147th Plenary Meeting at SUNY Cortland (T. Smalling)

  • SUNY NY Alert notification system went into effect in September at Stony Brook
  • Discussion on the Proposal for a Voluntary System of Accountability for Public Higher Education.  Eight SUNY campuses participated in the pilot study.  Stony Brook was not among them.
  • Pedro Caban, Vice Provost for Diversity and Educational Equity at System Administration discussed his new position at System Administration.  SUNY received $300,000 to fund this new Office.
  • Carl Wiezalis, Faculty Senate President, spoke about the SUNY on Sustainability conference held in Saratoga Springs.  Legislature is interested in imposing a common course numbering and transfer articulation polity on campuses.  The Senate Executive Committee is discussing this and a task force is being formed.
  • The Undergraduate Committee developed a document on “Internships:  A Guide for Planning, Implementation, and Assessment”.
  • Four resolutions were passed at this meeting.

 

VII.  Senate President’s Report (B. Lane)

  • Thanked the SUNY Senators for all of their hard work and for being our “ears” in Albany.
  • Campus Safety Advisory Committee is mandated by the State University to report to the President (and to be named by the President).  We as Senators are responsible for putting a list of potential members for the President to choose from.  The group has to be balanced.  If you are interested please email Dr. Lane at blane@notes.cc.sunysb.edu
  • The sports committee approached Dr. Lanes about having a Senate meeting in a sports venue so that we could become more committed to sports activities on campus.  Find it difficult to adopt since we have official business to address.  We could add one hour before or after a meeting and make arrangements to go over to see the sports complex.
  • Fred Walter:  For clarification, Jim Fiore thought it would be nice to show off the Goldstein Student Development Complex.  Joan Kuchner felt that this should be encouraged.
  • Fred Walter suggested having the meeting at the GSDC and then take a 15-minutes tour of the facility.

Dr. Kuchner motioned to hold the regular senate meeting at the Goldstein Student Development Complex with a tour after the meeting.  The motion was seconded and all were in favor.  Dr. Lane suggested the March meeting.

  • The Research Committee is under populated.  Please volunteer for this important committee.

Questions:
Janet Youngblood wanted to know how we ask a committee to investigate the cost of both our existing carbon footprint and the request to make it neutral.  We need to do more homework.  Is this something that the Campus Environment Committee can do?  Dr. Gil Hanson responded that the Administration is working on this already. 

Dr. John Robinson (member of the Campus Environment Committee):  If Barbara Chernow were here now, she would probably say that it is part of her mandate.  An appropriate role for the committee might be a collaborative role with Barbara Chernow and Amy Provenzano on these issues.  The Committee will take this into advisement.

VIII.  Old Business:  no old business.

IX.  New Business:  no new business.

Meeting adjourned at 4:45 p.m.

Submitted by:
Laurie Theobalt
Secretary