University Senate
Meeting
November 1, 2010

I. Approval of Tentative Agenda: approved.

II. Approval of minutes from October 4th, 2010.

III. Report from the Senate President (F. Walter)

• Tomorrow is Election day so please vote.
• Next meeting will be at the Goldstein Center. J. Fiore will report on the athletics program. (Note: This has been cancelled. The December Senate meeting will take place in the Wang Center, Lecture Hall 2)

IV. Third reading of, and vote on, the proposed revisions to the Constitution (F. Walter)

• Third and final reading of proposed revisions to the Constitution were read. All in favor: All in favor, no abstentions.

V. Revised Guidelines for the Creation, Modification, or Elimination of
Departments, Programs, Institutes, Schools, and Colleges (F. Walter)

• Revisions were read. Dr. Walter asked the Senate to accept changing the four months to two (last page, last para., last sentence) to match the verbiage on Page 2, para. 3 (second section beginning “A response from the Executive Committee should be within two months….”). We will say something similar to that for the last page.
• Motion to approve as amended: all in favor, no abstentions.

VI. Report from the VP for HSC and Dean of Medicine (K. Kaushansky)

• Dr. Kaushansky introduced himself to the Senate body. Spent 22 years at the University of Washington then 8 ½ at the University of San Diego as Chair of the Dept. of Medicine. Official title at Stony Brook is Sr. Vice President for HSC.
• Research funding is difficult. Academic medicine is coming under pressure. Challenges in medical education and HSC education. Trying to diversify and broaden the experiences of our class that enters the HSC Schools. Research funding is difficult. Need to mentor not only the students but also the public officials and the community. The amount of faculty is too small. There are close to 500 med students, 250 dental students, 600 nursing students and 500-600 Health Technology Management students. Face challenges in hiring faculty.
• It is the 100th year anniversary of Flexner Report. In 1910, Abraham Flexner issued a report on behalf of the Carnegie Foundation on the state of the medical education in the U.S. Flexner argued that there should be high scientific standards and a high level of expectations on medical education.
• University Hospital sees per year approx. 30,000 inpatients, 500,000 outpatients, 80,000 ER patients, 4,000 babies being born.
• There is a need to improve clinical practice.
• Planning to put the Children’s Hospital expansion on the South of the HSC. Would like to put a biomedical research building right next to the Children’s Hospital.
• The HSC needs to partner with the West Campus.

VII. Report from President (S. Stanley)

• Budget: Governor is implementing an additional $250 million budget reduction by cutting state agency spending. SUNY’s funding reduction would be another $23,250,000. Stony Brook’s cut is $3,286,600 in base state funds.
• Project 50 Forward: 70% of the way through the diagnostic phase of our Operational Excellence program. The final element of the diagnostic phase involves conducting faculty and student focus groups (focusing on Information Technology, Purchasing, Facilities, Administration (Finance/HR) and Revenue opportunities). This will happen in November.
• Search for Chief Information Officer: We have received more than 350 applicants. The search committee is being chaired by Dr. Craig Lehmann. Committee expects to recommend three finalists for the position by the end of the month.
• Wellness U: a university-wide committee has been appointed to develop a new innovative health and wellness initiative. Chaired by Bruce Solomon, COO of SBU Medical Center
• Dedication of the Simons Center for Geometry and Physics will be on November 2nd at 4:00 p.m.
• November 12th is the unveiling of the Shirley Strum Kenny Portrait.

VIII. Report from the Provost (E. Kaler)

• We have a robust Provost’s Lecture Series.
• Siemens Competition 2010: 45 High School students who worked with SB Faculty members were announced as regional finalists and/or semifinalists in the 2010 Siemens Competition in Math, Science and Technology.
• Call for Nominations for Chancellor’s Excellence Awards due in the Provost’s Office by November 4, 2010.
• Enormous faculty participation in Project 50 Forward.

IX. Report from Statewide Senate Meeting (K. Gillespie)

• Gave a brief description of the University Faculty Senate.
• The 156th Plenary Session was held at Alfred State College.
• Chancellor Nancy Zimpher discussed the failure of PHEEIA and plans for the future.
• COO Monica Rimai presented a summary of cuts to SUNY budget since 2008-2009. Cuts totaled approximately $600 M. Also announced an additional

$23.5 M midyear cut to be distributed soon.

• Provost Lavallee elaborated on Chancellor Zimpher’s plans to consolidate campus programs. Researching possibility of inter-campus collaboration of programs.
• The Graduate and Research Committee is preparing for a Graduate Symposium: Research that Matters: An Exposition of Graduate Research at SUNY and CUNY on March 8, 2011 in the Legislative Building Office.
• Two resolutions passed: Resolution on Consultation with Governance and a Resolution on the Suspension of Programs at the University of Albany.

X. Report from UUP

• UUP having discussions state-wide with the Cuomo transition team assuming he will win.
• Can be very effective in advocacy. Will not tolerate any more cuts.
• We are coming to the end of our contract. Negotiations are beginning. There is a meeting on Nov. 12th on West Campus with the negotiation team. Bring your concerns and suggestions. The East Campus meeting will be on Nov. 2nd in Lecture Hall 2 and also on Nov. 4th at 3:00 at the LI Vets Home.
• Flex spending account deadline is Nov. 15.

XI. New Business: None.

XII. Old Business: None.

Meeting Adjourned at 5:05 p.m.

Submitted by:

Laurie Theobalt
Secretary