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University Senate
3 December 2012
Wang Lecture Hall 2
revised 30 November 2012

I. Approval of the Agenda
II.a. Approval of the minutes From October
II.b. Approval of the minutes From November
III. Report from the Senate President
IV. Athletic Fields (E. Crosson)
IV.a. Student Life Committee Resolution
V. GenEd (S. Sutherland)
V.a. Discussion: GenEd grading and the Tech requirement
VI. Report from the President (S. Stanley)
VII. Report from East Campus (K. Kaushansky)
VIII. Report from the Provost (D. Assanis)
IX. Report from the UUP (A. Shertzer)
X. General discussion
XI. New Business
XII. Old Business
XIII. Adjourn


University Senate

Minutes
December 3, 2012

I. Approval of Tentative Agenda: approved.

II. Approval of minutes from October 1st and November 5th, 2012: approved with an addendum to B. Chernow’s report.

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

  • Previewed the agenda items.
  • Shared Governance is very important between the Senate and Administration.

IV. Athletic Fields (E. Crosson)

  • Three Village Soccer Club (TVSC) has enjoyed the use 25 acres of field space by the South P lot since 1982. There are eight fields which they use for practice during the week and for games on the weekends.
  • SBU students are confined to six acres of land for intramural and club sports. Division I athletics program has about thirteen acres of land to use.
  • Issue came to a head when some SBU students went to use the soccer fields and they were charged a fee by the TVSC. A petition was sent and 3,300 signatures were collected.
  • Looked at the campus map to see if there were any other areas for fields and found no available sites.
  • Began discussions with the TVSC eleven months ago regarding options. SBU proposal is to allow students to play on four of the eight existing fields. TVSC can use four fields. The four fields for students would be made into three with the biggest field for Rugby. Seeking to install lights on the Rugby (with artificial turf) so that it will get more use. Have not reached an agreement, but we are very close to one.

IV a. Student Life Committee Resolution on Athletic Fields (A. Lubitz)

  • The “resolution in support of the University’s proposal for the shared allocation of field space between Stony Brook University students and the Three Village Soccer Club” was read and there was a motion to accept the resolution: All in favor, 1 abstention and none opposed. Resolution adopted.

F. Walter: The motion that will be voted on today after discussion is if the University Senate accepts the report of the Undergraduate Council (UGC) on the proposed revisions to the Gen Ed requirement with the following stipulations: There will be a technology requirement. Said requirement to be defined by the UGC. The UGC will reconsider and recommend grading requirements for the Gen Ed courses. There is a recommendation for minimum grades in the report but there had been some dissention on that issue. The UGC will consider possible constraints on courses in the follow-up on their interest area to insure adequate breadth, etc. and we understand that they may need to make adjustments to the Gen Ed requirements for undergraduate programs in Stony Brook Medicine. The UGC has yet to meet with the Deans of the undergraduate programs on East Campus. The reason for this motion is that the UGC and the Provost feel that we need to act on this now because it will be implemented by fall 2014.

V. General Education (S. Sutherland)

  • A time-line was drawn up covering what is necessary for this to be in place for the Fall 2014.
  • There were issues. One of them in the current proposal, is the idea that every requirement be completed with a grade of C or better. The main reason for this requirement is to send the message that GenEd is to be taken seriously. Generally, a grade of C means mastery of the minimum skills required and a grade of D means the mastery of only some of the minimum skills. One alternative that was proposed was to allow for the ability for students not to do so well in some areas and calculate a "GenEd GPA" (separate from the cumulative GPA), and require students to have a GenEd GPA of at least 2.0. Another suggestion is to require a students to get a C or better in all areas except one. The Undergraduate Council does not support either alternative at this point.
  • Tech requirement learning objectives have been suggested as:

    1. Students have to demonstrate an ability to apply technical tools and knowledge to practical systems and problem solving.

    2. Design, understand, build or analyze selected aspects of the human-made world.

    Standards: a certified course must satisfy both learning objectives.
  • There are still details to work out in order to merge this with the rest of the requirements.
  • Another issue is meeting requirements in HSC. Meeting with HSC Deans in about a week.

Discussion/debate: There was a question on what is considered a technology tool. Looking to table the issue of technology requirement until the UGC can give more concrete details.
There was concern about how a technology requirement fit in the College of Arts & Sciences (not just engineering). It was suggested that public forums be held on both the East and West Campus.
F. Walter: We will vote on the motion to accept the report with the four stipulations with the understanding that the UGC will come back to defend what they do in February or March: all in favor 31; 1 opposed; 5 abstentions. Motion passes.

  • Please send comments/suggestions to Scott Sutherland.

VI. Report from the President (S. Stanley)

  • Nine new Stony Brook Scholars were elected as Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
  • The President’s Office is now accepting proposals for the Presidential Mini-Grants for Diversity Initiatives.
  • The SBU Hardship Fund has been expanded to students who were impacted by Hurricane Sandy.
  • Korn/Ferry International has been selected to assist in the search for the next Chief Information Officer.
  • There will be two ceremonies for the December Commencement in the Pritchard Gym.

VII. Report from the Provost (D. Assanis)

  • The second round call for the Interdisciplinary cluster hiring initiative has been announced. Goal is to expand teaching and research in emerging fields of study that cut across traditional boundaries of academic disciplines by hiring 200 faculty members by 2016. Second round proposals are due on January 18, 2012.
  • Massively-Open Online Courses (MOOCS): The Provost and University Senate are charging a joint ad hoc task force to consider the broad spectrum of issues related to MOOC’s technology, requisite investment, quality assurance, branding, credentialing, policy and impact on current academic offerings.
  • The Provost’s Office has initiated a search for a Dean of University Libraries.
  • There will be a $2,000 academic year stipend increase for all TAs/Gas effective early January 2013.

VIII. UUP Report (A. Shertzer)

  • Mooc’s
  • UUP has money available for Hurricane Sandy victims.
  • UUP contract: negotiating time and attendance issues
  • There will be a bus trip to Albany.
  • There will be a holiday meeting.

IX. New Business: no new business.

X. Old Business: no old business.

Meeting adjourned at 5:00 p.m.

Submitted by:

Laurie Theobalt
Secretary