----- Original Message -----
From: Marjorie Pryse
To: R. Michael Range
Cc: Jonathan Bartow
Sent: Wednesday, November 05, 2008 1:17 PM
Subject: FW: Proposed Charter amendment from GAC
Michael—In preparation for further discussion of the proposed Charter Amendment from GAC, please forward the
message below from Jon Bartow that will illuminate some of the history behind the relationship between the GAC’s
authority and delegation of some of that authority to the Schools and Colleges. Might you also make available in advance
of that meeting (electronically, if you have it in that form) whatever version of the proposed GAC amendment Larry has
shared with the Council? That might also be helpful for discussion. Thanks, and I look forward to meeting with the
Council on Monday.--Marjorie
Dr. Marjorie Pryse
Dean of Graduate Studies
UNH 308
University at Albany
Albany, NY 12222
518-956-8035
From: Jonathan Bartow
Sent: Thursday, October 30, 2008 10:26 AM
To: Marjorie Pryse
Subject: RE: Proposed Charter amendment from GAC
Marjorie,
Happy to join you if I am available and I’ve put it on my calendar.
Some additional background and some opinion, just in case I am not….
Before the Charter reform, the responsibility to approve new or amended graduate courses was entrusted to GAC via the
“old” Charter (I don’t have a copy but I’m sure the Senate Office does). So, for many, many years the GAC had the full
authority and responsibility to act on all graduate course proposals. As one might imagine, this responsibility was
administratively cumbersome, given the volume of course changes that come forward every year. Too, I would estimate
that 98% of them were straightforward and subject to routine approval and implementation. The GAC took action to defer
its authority on routine course approval actions to a designee of the Dean of Graduate Studies (myself and before me
Dick Farrell). The Council asked that only course proposals judged to be controversial be brought to its attention, or the
attention of its Committee on Curriculum & Instruction. This worked fine for many years, but when Charter review came
along individuals took the opportunity to craft language which more accurately described the approval process – that the
vast majority of substantive reviews took place in the Schools and Colleges. There was, however, a sentiment that GAC
authority should not be totally passed off to the schools and colleges, resulting in some vague and odd new Charter
language:
New graduate courses and changes to existing graduate courses receive final approval from the schools and
colleges, subject to appropriate notification, but the Graduate Academic Council shall have the power to review
new courses and changes to existing courses and require reconsideration by the schools and colleges.
Unclear in the above, at least to me, is what “appropriate notification” is and what exactly does “power to…require
reconsideration” translate to?
The Charter does go on to at least partially answer the notification question in stating
Notification should be made to the Graduate Academic Council, to the Office of the Dean of Graduate Studies,
the Office of the Vice President or Dean of the affected college or school, and to all other interested parties.
Despite the ambiguity of the “reconsideration” language, the approval and implementation of graduate courses has
proceeded along since Charter reform without much controversy. There has been a sense by some, including me, that
the GAC has, in addition to the specifics of section X.4.6.2. (the language above), a broader and more comprehensive
authority that could be used to address gray area matters resulting from the above and/or any other matter pertaining to
graduate education on the campus. That is, in my view, the Council is charged with broad authority on all matters of
graduate education and could act accordingly as it sees fit. The applicable section of the Charter defining this major
authority is:
X.4.3. The Council shall have the responsibility for the conduct of the University’s graduate educational
program.
That’s a couple of cents worth that I would be happy to share with anyone. If you wish, please feel free to forward my
remarks to any Senate leaders at any time.
Jon
From: Marjorie Pryse
Sent: Wednesday, October 29, 2008 5:50 PM
To: Jonathan Bartow
Subject: FW: Proposed Charter amendment from GAC
Jon—I’ve agreed to attend. Any interest in accompanying me IF you aren’t called to jury duty? --Marjorie
Dr. Marjorie Pryse
Dean of Graduate Studies
UNH 308
University at Albany
Albany, NY 12222
518-956-8035
From: R. Michael Range [mailto:range@albany.edu]
Sent: Wednesday, October 29, 2008 4:04 PM
To: Laurence J Kranich; Marjorie Pryse
Cc: John W Delano; Richard L Collier; Reed Hoyt
Subject: Proposed Charter amendment from GAC
Marge and Larry,
GOV had a lengthy and productive discussion on Monday, 10/27, regarding the proposal from GAC that Larry sent me on
10/13. The outcome of the discussion, in summary, was a strong consensus by GOV that Article X.4.6.2 in the Charter
("New graduate courses and changes to existing graduate courses receive final approval from the schools and colleges
(emphasis added)......." accurately, though not fully explicitly, reflects that graduate courses should be under the
responsibility of a school or college, or a combination of two or more of these in case of cross listed or nterdisciplinary
courses. From this perspective, there couldn't be any University wide courses that are not under the responsibility of at
least one school/college. Consequently, GOV does not see the need for an amendment along the lines proposed by
GAC.
On the other hand, GOV decided to propose an amendment to X.4.6.2 that would explicitly spell out the understanding
summarized above.
Specific language will be introduced and discussed at GOV's next meeting on Nov. 10, 2008, in UNH 105. I would like to
invite both of you or your designees to that meeting, so that you may give your input before GOV finalizes its proposal. I
would anticipate that discussion of this agenda item will begin at 4:30 pm. I hope that you will be able to join us.
Greetings,
Michael
Dr. R. Michael Range
Chair, 2008-2009 Governance Council
Department of Mathematics and Statistics
State University of New York at Albany
Albany, New York 12222
Tel. 518 442-4615
Fax: 518 442-4731
e-mail: range@math.albany.edu
CC: Senate Officers
