UNIVERSITY PLANNING AND POLICY COUNCIL
February 7, 2005
Meeting Minutes
Present:
J. Bartow, R Baum, N. Claiborne, R. Geer, J. Hanifan, F. Hauser, F. Henderson,
S.B. Kim, J. Langer, C. MacDonald, D. McCaffrey, J. Mumpower, K. Murray,
G. Paul, B. Spanier, J. Wick-Pelletier, E. Wulfert
Guest:
R. Bosco, P. Bloniarz, C. Doll, S. Faerman, J. Gangolly, R. Farrell, B. Szelest,
N. Murray, A. Wagner
Minutes:
The Minutes of January 24, 2005 were approved.
Provost’s Report – presented by Interim Provost Jeryl Mumpower:
Budget: Interim Provost Mumpower distributed and discussed the summary of the 2005-
2006 Executive Budget.
Enrollment: The University has made substantial enrollment recovery in the Spring
semester both in graduate and undergraduate admissions.
Student Satisfaction Survey: President Hall has made improvements in the results of
the student satisfaction surveys a very high priority.
UPC Chair’s Report – presented by Professor David McCaffrey:
Professor McCaffrey reported that he received an email from President Hall conveying
the message of the importance of improving student satisfaction with their academic
experiences at the University.
Professor McCaffrey introduced Professor Bonnie Spanier as a new member to UPC,
replacing Professor Marjorie Pryse.
UPC Committee Reports:
University Facilities Committee (UFC), Frank Hauser, Chair: The Committee will meet this
week and a report will be available at the next UPC meeting.
Resource Analysis and Planning Committee (RAPC), Nancy Claiborne Chair: RAPC
members have been discussing the charge of the Committee which resulted in the Committee
members requesting guidance from UPC to prioritizing the Committee's work agenda. It was
decided that Nancy Claiborne, Elga Wulfert, and Carolyn MacDonald will meet, identify items
for priority, and present them to the next UPC meeting for approval.
University Resources and Priorities Advisory Committee (URPAC)
- (Representatives Tim
Hoff and Edelgard Wulfert): Professor Wulfert reported that URPAC continues to meet with
the Deans and Vice Presidents and continues to discuss the potential implications for their units
if the University faces further budget reductions. Interim President Ryan had asked for deans to
examine two scenarios: a worst-case reduction of 2.75% and a moderate reduction of 1.5% for
each of the next two fiscal years, 05-06 and 06-07. The deans were asked to present their highest
priority goals for the next two years and to outline what programs or services would be curtailed,
maintained or enhanced with budget reductions. The process is ongoing.
Continuation of Earlier Business:
Review of 1996 Task Force on the 4-Credit Standard (Guests: R. Bosco and S. Faerman):
Distinguished Professor Bosco and Dean Faerman discussed the 1996 report of the Task Force
that examined the benefits, costs, and logistics of moving to a 4-credit course standard, including
the ways in which the technology of instruction has changed since the report and the implications
of those changes for a 4-credit standard. They explained that there is no prohibition from the
State Education Department or SUNY Administration of any department moving to a 4-credit
standard provided the actions go through University governance. Dean Faerman noted that there
is a general Carnegie standard that requires certain criteria for credit, that there is a State
Education standard (50 minutes times 14 or 15 weeks credit), and that any course action needs to
go through UAC or, where appropriate, UPC and the Senate as a whole. They explained that the
original report was tabled and the proposal was never voted upon. The Council discussed a
variety of issues in the debate over such a standard. It is likely that this topic will be revisited in
the pending comprehensive review of student satisfaction with their academic experiences at
Albany.
Review of Document on Institutional Response to 1998 Task Force on Retention and
Quality of Undergraduate Student Life (Guest: Bruce Szelest). Dr. Szelest distributed a
summary of recommendations of the Subcommittee on Institutional Effectiveness of the 1998
Task Force on Retention and the Quality of Undergraduate Student Life and the subsequent
response to those recommendations. This topic also likely will be revisited in the pending
review of ways to improve student satisfaction with their academic experiences at Albany.
New Business:
Proposed College focused on Information and Computing (Guests: Dean Bloniarz, C. Doll,
N. Murray and J. Gangolly): Dean Bloniarz explained that the proposed College has been in the
planning stage for about five years, it will provide a focal point for information technology and
computing on campus. He distributed a draft resolution and rationale for the new College and
noted that discussion with the Provost is ongoing and therefore, no formal request for action on
the new College has yet occurred. Dean Bloniarz is looking forward to feedback from the
Council, and Council members agreed to review the document distributed today and discuss it
with him at the next UPC meeting.
Proposed Certificate Program, School of Education: Professor Alan Wagner, Educational
Administration and Policy Studies, introduced the proposal and reported that it was discussed
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and approved at GAC. The proposal emerges out of the Department of Educational
Administration and Policy Studies in response to State requirement changes. Three new courses
have been added, one of which is a three-part internship. The program will serve the same
clientele and be taught by the same professors, and in many respects simply aligns current
activities with the new State requirements.
The proposal was supported unanimously by UPC.
Respectfully submitted,
Jayne VanDenburgh, Recorder
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