University Senate
Minutes
May 4, 2009

I.  Approval of tentative agenda:  approved.

II.  Approval of Minutes from April 13, 2009:   approved after two corrections to be made.  Should be the year 2020 not 20/20.  Craig Lehmann’s title is Interim Executive Dean.

III.  Provost’s Report (E. Kaler)

  • There were 223 posters at URECA celebration.
  • Two students were named as Goldwater Scholars.
  • MA Programs:  have received 26 proposals to increase MA student enrollment.  This was in response to the President’s agreement to share revenue for students enrolled in MA Programs when the numbers exceed the benchmark level, which is this years enrollment. 
  • We anticipate from that somewhere between 500 and 600 additional masters, mainly in continuing education and business.  Non-matric students:  we expect between 100-150 above were we are now.
  • We have at least 15 new programs that will bring additional enrollments in 2010/11 and 2011/12.
  • There is not a lot to report on the budget.

IV.  President’s Report (S. Kenny)

  • Dr. Kenny thanked the University Senate – today was her last senate meeting before her retirement.
  • President-elect will be approved by the Board of Trustees on May 5th.  The new President will start on July 1st.
  • Alliance MOU with Coldspring Harbor, Brookhaven and Stony Brook University will soon be finalized.
  • We will have an answer shortly regarding construction of a Hotel on campus.
  • Construction will begin on the new student recreation center.
  • Red watchband is a new initiative to train students in CPR, etc. to help other students who are in trouble with “toxic” drinking.
  • Two new National Academy members.
  • Dr. Norman Goodman presented President Kenny with a gift from the Senate.

V.  Senate President’s Report (M. Schwartz)

  • We have to educate (not lobby) the legislators on LI /NYC.  Will continue in the Summer and Fall.  We have been finding that the legislators really are not aware of the impact of these cuts on the Stony Brook campus.
  • Graduate tuition scholarship waivers:  The Governor first proposed to cut tuition waivers and then to raise the tuition for graduate students.  Given Stony Brook’s situation, we would basically have no money to offer tuition waivers to the entering class of funded graduate students.  Now, in the course of legislative activity, they have restored the tuition waiver cut which amounted to a little bit more than half of what the problem was - - they did not raise the tuition waivers to the level of the new tuition.  There still is a serious budgetary shortage.
  • Try to keep information flowing on HSC VP search.
  • USB 2020 bill will give the Buffalo campus more autonomy-the right to raise their own tuition and to collect it all.  The administration at Stony Brook has actively supported and initiated a comparable bill which was just introduced into the legislature last week.
  • Senate will electronically vote on the Campus Environment charge.
  • Ad Committee will meet over the summer to revisit the rules of the Senate Constitution and By-laws including election procedures.

VI.  Report on Spring Plenary Session (B. Godfrey)

  • Spoke about the Faculty Senate President’s Charge
  • The Faculty Senate President has a seat on the Board of Trustees which has never before happened.
  • Kenneth O’Brien from Brockport was elected the new Faculty Senate President
  • The Faculty Senate discussed past President Wiezalis’ concerns about the Research Foundation and tuition increases, and funding for Libraries.
  • Two workshops being sponsored by the University Faculty Senate:  

1)   SUNY “How to Get Your Proposal Funded” Workshop
May 29, 2009 at Levin Institute, NYC
2)  “Engaging Minds: Innovative Teaching and Learning”, a conference on Instructional Technologies on May 19-22, 2009

  • The University Faculty Senate has created a new standing committee on Ethics and Institutional Integrity.

VII.  Old Business

  • Ed Feldman (Co-Chair of the Student Life Committee) commented on the Meal Plan.  Students are running out of funds because of high food prices.  The Student Life Committee is on top of this and have met with Kevin Kelly from the FSA.

VIII.  New Business

  • New MA Programs being established to increase revenue.
  • EC will be meeting over the summer try to develop useful information for initiating MA programs.
  • Teaching Learning Technology.  The Executive Committee is working with Frank Fowler and an Ad Hoc Committee to determine if we should create a new Senate Standing Committee.

Meeting Adjourned
4:55 p.m.

Submitted by:

Laurie Theobalt
Secretary
University Senate Office

A. University Senate Election Reform Proposal involves one change in the Senate Constitution

  • CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.
  •     OLD WORDING OF CONSTITUTION CLAUSE II.1.a.ii:
  • “An equal number of at-large representatives shall be elected, apportioned among the three major governance units according to the ratio of full-time faculty”
  •     NEW WORDING of CONSTITUTION CLAUSE II.1.a.ii
  • “The number of at-large representatives shall equal 50% of the number of departmental or programs representatives, apportioned among the major governance units according to the proportion of the total departmental and program senators that each unit sends to the Senate.

B. There is also one proposed change in the Senate ByLaws
        BYLAWS AMENDMENT
      OLD WORDING OF BYLAWS CLAUSE IV.2:  “Nominations shall be complete by April 1st and elections by April 30th.”
PROPOSED WORDING OF BYLAWS CLAUSE IV.2:  “Nominations shall be complete by February 1 and elections by March 15, with results announced by March 30th .”

C. Associated with these Constitution and ByLaws changes, the Senate Executive Committee will work with standing committees to implement the following calendar for Senate elections.

  • During Summer.  Each standing committee must prepare a well-formatted report for posting on the Senate web-site. 
  • Early September. Procedure for convening standing committees.  For Committees whose incumbent chair is continuing on the Committee, the University Senate President will meet with the incumbent to discuss an agenda for the coming year.  For committees whose chair will not return to the committee, the President convenes each the first meeting, discusses the charge for the Committee, and conducts the election for a new chair.  .
  • Late September.  Preliminary work on the election begins in September, after the beginning of the fall term has been negotiated.
  • Late October. The formal period for accepting and recruiting candidates will begin by late October.  
  • End of Fall Semester. A tentative roster of candidates—with at least two candidates for each open committee position—will be completed by the end of the fall term.
  • December through Winter Break. During semester break, the ECs of the constituent senates (A&S, HSC, Peg Board?) will do targeted recruitment for each position with fewer than two candidates. Each nominated candidate will be contacted and confirm willingness to serve. 
  • Late January.  At the beginning of the spring semester, administrative work on the election will begin, including preparing appropriate ballots for each constituency and candidate statements.
  • Mid February. Candidate statements will be posted on a dedicated area of the Senate web site, by the middle of February.  All constituents will be notified by campus mail of the availability of these statements, with URL directing them to the candidates contesting the offices that they will vote for.
  • March 1. Voting will begin on March 1 and extend for two weeks. 
  • April 1.  Results will be posted no later than March 30th, together with awards for Senate Service.