Senate Minutes

University Senate Meeting
November 5, 2007
Open as PDF

Meeting called to order by Dr. Bernard Lane at 3:30 p.m.

I.  Approval of tentative Agenda:   approved

II.  Approval of minutes from October 15, 2007:  approved

III.  Provost’s Report (B. Lindquist)

  • Siemens Competition:  Thirteen regional finalists and 12 semi-finalists were mentored at Stony Brook.
  • Three Stony Brook Professors share in Nobel Prize Awarded to Al Gore and the Climate Change Panel.  Three faculty members from SoMas (Dr. Robert Cess, Dr. Minghua Zhang and Dr. Edmund Chang) have been recognized for their contributions to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
  • “Newsroom of the Future” officially opened.  One of the most technologically advanced newsroom in the country.  In the first semester of operation, 140 Journalism students attend 18 sections of print, online and broadcast classes in the newsroom. 
  • Undergraduate Minor in Nanotechnology Studies developed with NSF Grant.  Scheduled to begin in Spring 2008.
  • Dual degree agreement signed between Stony Brook University and Konkuk University in Seoul, Korea.

IV.  Update on College Level Classes in High School:  Marine Sciences test case (M. Scranton):

  • We presented this proposal to the Senate about 1 ½ years ago and we received permission to move ahead with offering High School students college credit.
  • Since Southampton merged with SoMAS, High Schools started inquiring High School students taking college level Marine Sciences courses.
  • Southampton did not actually teach the courses.  The classes were taught by High School teachers to High School students.  The students registered for credit at Southampton and now they are registered for credit at Stony Brook.
  • The HS students receive college credit which appears on Stony Brook transcript in return for a fee of approximately $100 per course which is standard for Stony Brook students.
  • Instructors CV’s are all reviewed by MSRC faculty.
  • Stony Brook provides the High School instructors with our syllabus’, exams, readings, etc.  The course is taught over one year (not per semester).
  • Two existing 100 level courses are offered through Smithtown High School.  Dr. Henry Bokuniewicz (the Stony Brook instructor of record) has met with all of the faculty.  We provide the exams of the High School students (which are the same exams given at Stony Brook).  Dr. Bokuniewicz receives the copies of students exams to check that the grading system is being maintained and that the quality of the test answers are consistent with what we expect of our students at Stony Brook.
  • 140 students registered for two courses.  Will be offered again this coming spring.
  • Outreach exposes High School students to our programs.

V.  Report on Transfer Students (E. Thomas)

  • Stony Brook enrolls many transfer students from higher education and they are very diverse
  • Fall 2006:  61% were freshmen, 37% were transfers and 1% were non-matrics for a total of 14,849 students.
  • In the last 10 years the number of freshmen has increased substantially and the number of transfers has increased less.
  • The number of 2006-2007 new undergraduates was 5,303 with 51% fall freshmen, 1% spring freshmen, 28% fall West Campus transfers, 16% spring West Campus transfers and 4% HSC transfers.
  • Transfer selectivity has increased considerably in the last six years because the number of transfers admitted has stayed relatively constant and the number of applications has gone up significantly.  In 2002 65% of transfer applicants were admitted.  That has dropped to 47% in 2007.
  • The transfer percent is comparable to other SUNY center schools.
  • New West Campus transfers (fall 2006).  There were 1,371 new full-time transfers, 101 new part-time transfers.  Of the full-time students, 29% recorded an Associates Degree. 
  • Three largest feeder schools are Suffolk Community College, Nassau Community College and SUNY Farmingdale.  Two percent entered from Joint Admissions Programs and 5% are seeking a second Baccalaureate Degree
  • New Student demographics (fall 2006):  transfer population tends to be more female than male.  There are fewer Asians, more Black and international students.  They are older then freshmen, but 90% are over 25 yrs.  Forty-two percent live on campus and 58% are commuters. 
  • Transfer majors:  approximately ¼ of the students come without declaring a major.  Top four largest declared undergraduate majors are Psychology, Biology, HSC (west campus part of HSC programs) and Business.
  • For analysis:  Fall 2005 transfers.  1,521 full-time West Campus transfer students.   Ninety-eight percent have approved transfer credits (included in the analysis based on those credits). 
  • Those 1,489 students transferred:
  • Total of 78,839 credits
  • Average of 53 credits
  • From 462 schools (31% brought credits from one school and 7% brought credits from two schools)
  • Transfer Performance: 
    • Transfers from four-year schools tend to do better then those from two-year schools
    • Students from Suffolk Community College tend to do better than those from other two-year schools
    • Transfers who enter in the spring tend to do better their first semester then those who enter in the fall

VI.  President's Report (S. Kenny)

  • There were two separate incidents in which two female students were accosted (neither student sustained any physical harm).  A third incident involved a male student who was robbed (sustained minor injuries)
  • University Police has stepped up patrols on campus and counseling is being increased.
  • The culture on campus where students leave their rooms unlocked and prop open the outside doors has to change.
  • There are walk home or ride escorts for the students.
  • In our conservation efforts:  The Sustainability Task Force meets once a month and is working on a pilot to capture and recycle materials that students normally discard when they leave campus.  Working with DASNY to implement additional energy conservation both at Stony Brook and Southampton.  Installation of compact fluorescent lights in common areas in buildings.  Procurement Office is soliciting bids for the purchase of 100% recycled copy paper

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

  • The Coordinating Council met last week (made up of Executive Committee and Chairs of the Standing committees).
  • Will put a column up on webpage summarizing what the committees do (including thumbnail sketches)
  • The Executive Committee discussed three areas in which we would like to have a continued interest and presence.  One issue was security.  The Coordinating Council was so impressed by the presentation by administration that we feel we do not need a committee.
  • We are not so comfortable on the issue of space.  Will form an ad hoc committee to stay informed on the news of security.
  • Senators are worried about infrastructure in general (affects of increased enrollment on classrooms, offices, dorms, etc.).  A second Ad Hoc Committee will be focused on how these issues are being addressed on campus.

VIII.  Old Business:  No old business.

IX.  New Business:  No new business.

Meeting adjourned at 4:40 p.m.

Submitted by:

Laurie Theobalt
Secretary