University Senate
Minutes
September 14, 2009

I.  Approval of tentative agenda:  approved.

II.  Approval of minutes from May 4, 2009:  approved.

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

  • Dr. Jane Yahil said a few words about Prof. Lawrence Slobodkin who passed away over the weekend.
  • Update on educational effort (rather than lobbying effort) meetings with legislators.  Spoke to four important state legislators and we were surprised at they are really not aware of the impact the budget cuts will have on the Stony Brook campus. 
  • Legislators from upstate are partisan towards the University of Buffalo.
  • Should create personal relationships with legislators, perhaps have breakfast meetings, etc.  Artie Shertzer (UUP) reminded the senate body that we cannot purchase even a soda for legislators or it would be considered lobbying. 
  • There are quite a few high level searches going on now.  There is a rumor that the Search for the Dean of HSC has been halted.  We want to make sure that the Senate is represented.
  • President Stanley will be at the October Senate meeting and will give us a good account of these searches.
  • The Southampton Task Force report will not be ready until November. 
  • There will be a more comprehensive report given by the Ad Hoc Committee on MA Programs at the October Senate meeting.
  • Election reform hopes not to be too controversial.  The Constitution and By-laws should be reviewed every 3-5 years.  Committee will be formed with Ruth Ben-Zvi as Chair.
  • An Ad Hoc Senate Committee on Teaching Learning Technology to be formed with Graham Glynn on finding ways to integrate the East and West campuses and to look at new technologies. 

IV.  Current Union Issues

  • Kathy Southerton (President, East Campus UUP) and Artie Shertzer (VP for Professionals, West Campus UUP) introduced themselves to the Senate.
  • Political advocacy is done most of the time and UUP is pressing for additional funds from SUNY for membership of UUP.
  • Legislative agenda produced once a year.
  • For more information go to www.uupinfo.org.

V.  Stony Brook South Korea (B. Lindquist)

  • South Korea is developing three Free Economic Zones on the Midwest coast of the Korean Peninsula.
  • Undertones – they do not place well in international rankings.
  • Songdo will be a global University campus.
  • Some of the things that the IFEZ Authority will provide for SBU:
    • Operation of residence halls, parking, dining facilities, etc.
    • New on-campus housing for overseas faculty
    • Rent free use of the facilities for approximately 5 years.
    • $1M funding for planning
  • Stony Brook will provide the academic programs, faculty, and students and will grant SBU degrees.
  • This will set SBU’s international footprint identity and reputation.
  • Many Universities are pursuing the global market with overseas campuses.
  • No taxpayer dollars are going oversea to finance SB Songdo campus including NYS funded benefits.
  • There is an alliance with the five other campuses.
  • Expatriate package is under consideration.
  • SB Songdo planning process began approximately 12/2008.
  • Organized three task forces in March 2009 in order to give ourselves a one-year planning period so that we could present a budget, etc. to President Stanley.
  • These task forces consist of an academic TF, business TF and finance TF.
  • An Undergraduate student representative said that she did not know anything about Songdo until she received the email about the senate meeting.  She felt a bit disconcerted since there seems to be a failure to communicate to the actual student body.  The bigger problem is that she did not see, as an undergraduate and resident of NYS, how this directly benefits her or her peers aside from the reputation enhancement factor.   
  • Dr. Lindquist did not know if it really does benefit undergraduates.  We have a press conference with student newspapers in the coming weeks.
  • The same student felt that instead of drumming up faculty to go overseas, we should work on getting more faculty here to be  more excited and engaged about programs that are going on here.  Dr. Lindquist asked if when an opportunity comes along, do you ignore it or explore it. 
  • Dr. Ed Feldman felt that this was an impressive presentation – there are some huge benefits of this kind of academic pursuit.  Dr. Feldman voiced his concern about the communication between administrators and faculty/staff/students. 
  • Dr. Norman Goodman felt that governance should be been involved in the planning process.  There are things  in SB Songdo that are truly academic from staffing to program choices, only the choices were made by administrators without the consultation of  Governance.  Dr. Goodman believes that this is a fine initiative but that faculty/staff do have something to contribute to the planning process. 
  • Discussion continued on topic of Songdo.  Dr. Schwartz interrupted discussion.  We should figure out another forum to address these questions.  Defer Election Reform to another time.  Motion made for adjournment.  All in favor.

VI.  Old Business:  No old business.

VII.  New Business:  No new business.

Meeting adjourned at 5:05 p.m.

Submitted by:

Laurie Theobalt
Secretary