University Senate
Minutes
October 6, 2008

I.  Approval of tentative agenda:  approved.

II.  Approval of minutes from September 8, 2008:  approved.

III.  President’s Report (S. Kenny)

  • In terms of the budget, we need to preserve jobs and to make sure that we do everything we can to protect both our academic programs and our research base.
  • Governor Patterson called for a freeze on hiring.
  • Extremely grateful to the budget committee for their hard work.
  • Dan Melucci discussed the facts and figures.  We have sustained a loss of $7.4M as our portion of the initial $50M cut in state support for SUNY.    First cut of $7.4M was distributed to Campuses in July.  In late July, all NY State agencies were cut a further 7% which resulted in a $96.3M reduction to SUNY.  Stony Brook’s cut will be anywhere from $5 1/2M-$13M.
  • There will be tuition increases.  The last increase was five years ago.
  • As positions become vacant through retirements, etc, they will not be filled.  The freeze is applicable to state purpose funds, state funds and indirect cost return funds.
  • Dr. Lawrence Martin suggested that a letter be crafted for new hires stating that new hires cannot move ahead.

IV.  Provost’s Report:  Space Survey (B. Lindquist)

  • Old Chemistry will be rehabbed completely and will become a complete teaching building with three new lecture halls (capacity 250 seats each).  The rest of the building will be devoted to classrooms (capacity 70 seats). 
  • Working to find space for displaced units.
  • Harriman Hall will be gutted staring January 2011.
  • Survey was done in 07/08 of all west campus buildings.  All west campus building rooms were surveyed by location, user account and space type.
  • Departments were vetted and they had to sign off on the survey for accuracy.
  • Data analysis was discussed (see space survey)

V.  Nomination of Senate Officers (A. De Chambeau)

  • The nominees for the Executive Committee slate are Dr. Bernard Lane for President and Dr. Edward Feldman for Secretary.
  • Additional senators can be nominated for the two offices by submission of a petition by ten senators.  The petition must be submitted within 10 days.  Additional Senators may nominated according to the University Senate by-laws.
  • Nominations have to be received by Aimee De Chambeau by October 16th. 
  • Election will take place at the November 3rd University Senate meeting.

VI.  President’s Report (B. Lane)

  • The position of the University Senate President is important.  We don’t have a separate Faculty Senate. So the University Senate President must represent the faculty at appropriate times. 
  • It would be beneficial if my replacement was a Sr. Faculty member.October 6, 2008

Adjourned 4:42 p.m.

Submitted by:

Laurie Theobalt
Secretary