SENATE COUNCIL SUMMARIES for 02/07/2005
Committee on Academic Freedom, Freedom of Expression, and
Community Responsibility (CAFFECoR), Professor Lawrence Snyder,
Chair
CAFFECoR met Thursday, February 4th at 4:00 PM in CC 364 to work
on a "Policy for Recognition of Faculty and Staff Organizations.” Chair
Lawrence Snyder reported that Senate Bill 0304-24, "Campus Distribution
Policy for Newspapers and other News Periodicals" is about to emerge from
the office of Provost William Hedberg. Senate Bill 0303-25 "Campus Policy
on Freedom of Expression" is still being worked on there.
Committee members were alerted that SUNY Trustee Candace de
Russy is requesting that the SUNY Board of Trustees endorse the "Academic
Bill of Rights.”
Committee on Ethics in Research and Scholarship (CERS), Professor
R. Michael Range, Chair
Policy document to be voted on today.
Council on Research (COR), Professor Vincent Idone, Chair
COR voted to accept the FRAP - A Review Committee’s
recommendation to fund 13 FRAP-A applicants and to accept additions by the
IRB Policy Review Committee to recommendations made and adopted by
Council in May, 2004 regarding the establishment of a permanent IRB Policy
Review Committee, and to dissolve the ad hoc IRB Policy Review Committee.
COR voted to approve a one-year provisional center status for the
Center for Elimination of Minority Health Disparities, and to approve
permanent center status for the Gen*NY*Sis Center for Excellence in Cancer
Genomics.
Council continued the discussion on IT Commons (ITC); salient points
from the discussion included: The concern is how to support this new
initiative, yet make sure that it is complementary to, and not competitive
with, many disciplinary programs. The decision making base may need to be
broadened - it appears that the current decision focus rests primarily with
the Dean of Information Science and Policy and his advisory committee (e.g.
the substantial number of IT Commons hires over the next few years). The
possible IT Commons hires necessarily entail considerable resources,
research and departmental implications. Although the assertion is that this
enterprise is entirely voluntary, it may not be completely benign in actual
implementation, despite the best of intentions. Tenure and promotion issues
remain a possible problem.
Aspects of accountability, overall oversight of the program, and quality
controls are issues that should be considered. Given the fact that the
University has made the decision to pursue this initiative, the concern is to
ensure that the ITC develops in a manner that both benefits the overall IT
infrastructure on the campus while simultaneously allowing the foundational
disciplines to thrive. The following is a partial list of questions that Council
feels should be addressed:
1. What models for governance, especially with respect to research, have
proved effective at other institutions where similar initiatives have been
carried out?
2. Are there different scenarios for implementing this initiative in the
aggregate on this campus?
3. Are there procedural remedies that might give more appropriate oversight
and accountability?
4. What is the best overall philosophy for hiring faculty in the ITC?
Graduate Academic Council (GAC), Professor Louise-Anne McNutt,
Chair
Two Bills to be introduced.
Governance Council (GOV), Professor Steven Messner, Chair
In accordance with the charge in the resolution passed at the Dec. 6,
2004 Senate meeting, the Governance Council has begun the process of
identifying any inconsistencies between the Senate Charter and the Faculty
Bylaws and the MOU pertaining to promotion and continuing appointment at
CNSE. The Council has solicited input from the University faculty regarding
any such inconsistencies through a Senate broadcast and will consider this
input at a future meeting. Any proposed amendments to the Charter will be
submitted to the Senate in time for consideration at the March 14, 2005
meeting. The Council is also working with the Executive Committee of the
Senate to develop a mechanism to solicit input from the faculty concerning
more general issues surrounding autonomy in governance structures.
Undergraduate Academic Council (UAC), Professor Seth Chaiken,
Chair
The UAC has met 1/26 and 2/2 this year. A number of academic
program proposals have been passed; they are with Dick Collier for technical
correction and forwarding to the Senate. A new Art History major program
proposal (which will require State Ed. approval) was referred to our
Curriculum and Honors Committee. Information about the Early (admission)
Assurance Agreement into Albany Meds Physician Assistant program was
received and discussed. The UAC confirmed that such agreements will be
documented and publicized to current and prospective students in the
Undergraduate Bulletin, Special Opportunities section under Academic
Advisement, and by the Pre-Health Advisors. The UAC recommends no other
action.
The major current interest of the UAC is to solicit wide faculty
comment on the draft proposed policy on academic advisement and the
accompanying report from our Task Force, and to foster and continue
discussion, communication, assistance, continuation and review of its work.
Responses are requested and needed by 2/14 to inform UAC discussions and
Senate proposals, which may entail great changes in the philosophy and
practice of Undergraduate Advisement in some units. A reference to this
material has been included in the recent Senate omnibus emailing, and an
emailing to chairs and program directors has been requested.
University Planning and Policy Council (UPC), Professor David
McCaffrey, Chair
UPC met this morning to discuss the 1996 4x4 report, the 1998 report
on the task force to increase student satisfaction, the reanalysis of the
student satisfaction surveys, the certificate program from the School of
Education and the proposed formation of the College of Computing and
Information.
