University Senate Executive Committee
Monday, April 27, 2015
11:30 AM
UNH 300
Joette Stefl-Mabry, Senate Chair
Minutes
Present: Marc Cohen, Susanna Fessler, Cynthia Fox, Yenisel Gulatee, Caitlin
Janiszewski, Carol Jewel,
Kajal Lahiri, David McCaffrey, Abebe Rorissa, John Schmidt, Joette Stefl-
Mabry, James Stellar, Robert Yagelski
Guests: Ann Marie Murray, Sue Faerman, Leanne Wirkkula, James Stellar
The meeting convened at 11:30 a.m.
UNIVERSITY SENATE CHAIR’S REPORT -Joette Stefl-Mabry
Chair Stefl-Mabry announced that the Provost had called an emergency meeting of the
SEC regarding the name change for the College of Computing and Information.
PROVOST’S REPORT - James Stellar
As part of the Provost’s report, Ann Marie Murray and Sue Faerman provided an overview
of the program development and consultation process to this point. Ann Marie Murray had
been approached by Interim Provost Mulcahy regarding how the new Engineering
program would fit into the University at Albany. Rather than creating a college of
engineering and applied science it was thought by the President and his advisors to agree
to instead rename the College of Computing and Information to the College of
Engineering Applied Science. In summary, the matter of the name change had gone
through SUNY, had the unanimous support of the UAC, Interim Provost, President and
executive team, and included input by experts in the field, including from Cornell. Sue
Faerman explained that the process had taken two tracks in its development in 2013-14.
In February 2014 Ann Marie Murray came on board, and meetings were held every few
weeks with the Dean's Council, including chairs. Every effort had been made to keep the
faculty informed. Last fall they came to UPPC bringing all the information on funding and
the intent to create an Engineering department within the college. On March 19" they
visited the SEC meeting.
The Provost was interested in bringing the matter to the SEC to entertain questions and
to determine if formal consultation requirements had been met. Provost Stellar explained
that the renaming allows for broader degree information under that umbrella to address
traditional and changing fields of information, so that perhaps down the road if other
programs are added we will not need to change the college title again. The backbone of
the department will continue to be Library Science. We see this change as connecting to
other departments’ purposes to make an organizational structure as effective as possible.
The substance will stay the same.
NEW BUSINESS
A motion was introduced stating that the SEC was in agreement that the Provost had done
due diligence regarding formal consultation on the name change for the College of
Computing and Information. In the subsequent discussion on the merits of the motion it
was pointed out that a vote in favor would be overriding GOV's determination on April
13", recommending that in order to satisfy formal consultation the proposal for the
renaming of CCI should go to GAC, UAC then to the Senate as a bill. At GOV’s April 20"
meeting, the matter was further discussed, as requested by the SEC, and a second motion
was made for a bill to be sent to the Senate regarding the renaming of CCI. In that second
motion, GOV had reaffirmed its interpretation that formal consultation had not been
followed. The SEC then debated about how to interpret the Bylaws regarding the process
of formal consultation.
The motion was restated that the SEC agreed that Provost Stellar, in speaking with the
SEC for a final time today, had done due diligence regarding formal consultation, and
therefore it did not need to go forward to the Senate as a bill. The motion had the
following voting results: Approved 4; Opposed 5; Abstained 2
Anew motion was made that the issue of the name change for the College of Computing
and Information be brought before the Senate for a vote that afternoon, and placed on the
agenda in the form of a bill. Such discussion and review prior to the adoption of this bill
would constitute formal consultation. The motion had the following voting results: 5
approved; 3 opposed; 2 abstained
Provost Stellar offered to lead the discussion on the Senate floor as Ann Marie Murray
and Sue Faerman had scheduling conflicts and had not anticipated participating in the
Senate meeting. SA Representative Cohen formally apologized to the Provost and deans,
voicing that in his opinion this discussion was one of process over substance. He added he
was sorry for having taken up their time and asked that his comments be part of the
record.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 12:28 p.m.
Respectfully submitted by
Elisa Lopez, Recorder
