State University of New York
University at Albany
Fall Meeting of the Faculty
April 6, 2011
MINUTES
1.
CALL TO ORDER
Senate Chair, Dr. Eric Lifshin welcomed those in attendance and called the meeting to order.
He referred to the documents available at the door which included the meeting’s agenda and
the minutes from the Fall Faculty meeting of November 3, 2010. Other informative materials are
available on the Senate web site.
2.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
The first order of business was to approve the minutes of the November 3 Spring Faculty
Meeting. A motion to approve the minutes was made and seconded, and the minutes were
approved as distributed.
3.
MOMENT OF SILENCE FOR DECEASED COLLEAGUES
Dr. Lifshin read the names of those colleagues who had died since the fall meeting. A moment
of silence was observed in their memory.
4.
REPORT TO THE FACULTY
Dr. Lifshin introduced President George M. Philip, who delivered the following message at the
2011 Spring Faculty Meeting:
President Philip thanked Dr. Lifshin and acknowledged the great work he has done during the past year
as Senate Chair under difficult circumstances. The President also thanked the Senate Executive
Committee for their hard work during the past year.
President Philip began by reflecting on the discussion from last fall and the difficult financial
circumstances facing our campus and what was needed to steer us through these challenging times.
He recalled the historic words of President Kennedy, which remind us how we, as UAlbany citizens,
have the responsibility and obligation to take control of our institution. The President said the campus
community has come together over the past five months to share ideas and advocate for a better
future. He cited such efforts as teaching extra courses and spending extra time with students;
invaluable contribution made to the campus community, the Capital Region and beyond; and
advocating to our lawmakers for financial and regulatory relief. President Philip said the effort of the
campus community has kept the University strong and moving forward.
President Philip announced the names of those who would be honored on May 3rd with the 2011
President’s Award for Excellence – a reminder of the outstanding achievements of the many faculty
and staff who make our University great.
Excellence in Teaching:
Christine Wagner, Psychology
Joanne Kaufman, Sociology
Craig Hancock, EOP
Barbara Rio, Social Welfare
Excellence in Graduate Student Teaching:
Matt Vogel, Sociology
Dawit Demissie, Information Studies
Excellence in Professional Service:
Suzanne Lance, NYS Writers Institute
Holly Barker-Flynn, Residential Life
Excellence in Academic Service:
Alan Wagner, Educational Administration and Policy Studies
Excellence in Classified Service:
Brett McLaughlin, University Police Department
Excellence in Research and Creative Activities
Iris Berger, History
Istvan Kecskes, Educational Theory & Practice
Fatemeh Shahedipour-Sandvik, College of Nanoscale Science & Engineering
JoAnne Carson, Art
The President offered congratulations to all for their fine work.
President Philip turned the discussion to the state of the budget. Governor Cuomo and the State
Legislature approved a State Budget last week that closed a $10 billion deficit. In overcoming this
staggering budget shortfall, State leaders adopted a fiscal plan that unfortunately calls for more
financial pain across New York – including the State University. With more than $131 million in
reductions to SUNY’s state-operated campuses, this year’s State Budget will further exacerbate our
campus’s financial woes. He reported that the University at Albany could suffer another $10.5 million
cut – bringing our total state tax reduction to over $45 million since 2008, a more than 40% decline in
state assistance in the past four years.
The President said that although there is much to overcome, our most difficult and challenging days still
lie ahead. While these cuts are deeply worrisome, the SUNY Board of Trustees, several weeks ago,
approved a resolution authorizing the Chancellor to negotiate a rational tuition policy for the State
University. The proposal would include two critical components:
A Maintenance of Effort provision and
A “Tuition Lock Box” where 100 percent of tuition revenue goes to campuses instead of
offsetting the State’s budget deficit.
Governor Cuomo endorsed the idea of a rational tuition policy as well. In addition, the Governor and
the Senate Majority publicly expressed strong support for UB2020 – also known as SUNY
Empowerment. The Leaders will host a Summit with all of the key stakeholders – including Buffalo,
Albany, Stony Brook and Binghamton – to discuss plans to make this legislation a reality.
President Philip reminded everyone that, absent financial relief in the short-term, the University’s
current budget situation remains grim. Approximately 250 full-time positions have already been
eliminated. Many of these reductions have been accomplished through the elimination of vacancies
and retirement. By the end of the next fiscal year, we expect to eliminate the equivalent of another 100
jobs. He said the next round of reduction would be more difficult but all efforts would be made to
protect the core academic mission. Just last month, we announced our intention to preserve the
French, Russian and Theatre programs by creating a plan to transition them from academic majors to
academic minors. The President said that although new students will not be able to major or pursue a
degree in these program areas, they will be able to study them as focused secondary subjects. The
University also plans to continue instruction of the Italian language. Most importantly, our campus
remains committed to ensuring that currently enrolled students have the opportunity to complete their
degrees in the normal time frame. President Philip said despite public perceptions, the University has
not eliminated the study of language on our campus. He urged everyone to do their part to dispel this
misperception.
President Philip discussed a broad spectrum of challenges that extend beyond the budget. He spoke
of the difficulties of the past semester, including the disruptive behavior by a few UAlbany students in
the Pine Hills neighborhood on March 12th which triggered a chain of events that have had a significant
impact on our campus. He said it was disheartening when the actions of a few attract so much
negative attention and overshadow the contributions and achievements of many. The President said
real spirit of our UAlbany students can be measured by the 6,800 young men and women who last year
volunteered their time in government, nonprofit organizations and area businesses. He said although a
number of individuals were disappointed by the decision to suspend Fountain Day, countless others
have expressed their appreciation. These actions will go far to safeguard the well-being of our students
and protect the University’s reputation. The President reported that the campus will embark on much-
needed repairs to the Fountain area and the Carillon, which provides necessary water pressure to the
entire podium. This maintenance project gives us several additional years to rethink and redefine
Fountain Day, a tradition dating back over 30 years.
In addition to the unfortunate events in March, President Philip talked about the personal tragedy our
community faced this semester when two freshman students took their lives. These were tragic and
painful losses for our community and in particular for their peers in the freshman residence halls.
Recognizing the complexities associated with this issue, the University’s Counseling Center invited all
first-year students and new transfers to participate in a suicide screening program to help identify
students at high risk. Over the past 3 years, the Counseling Center has delivered our "SAVE A LIFE"
suicide prevention and awareness program to 365 faculty and professional staff. President Philip said
that although we face challenges, we can move forward with compassion, resolve and purpose.
In looking to the future, President Philip said we would be guided by the six goals outlined in our
strategic plan. These institutional priorities provide a focus and pathway for our collective energy which
will continue to drive our progress.
The President said a variety of steps are being taken to strengthen the undergraduate experience
which will enable us to attract and serve a highly qualified and diverse group of students. This year, we
have over 20,000 applicants for next fall’s freshman class. From this strong pool, we plan to enroll a
select group of 2,250 high-achieving freshmen. We also aim to increase the number of out-of-state and
international students. In charting a successful academic journey, we know how important it is for
students to get off on the right foot. For our incoming freshman class, we are advancing three new
initiatives designed to do exactly that.
This fall, we are launching several new living-learning communities. Freshmen – taking classes around
a theme or major – will be housed together and will participate in related activities outside of class.
Also starting this fall, we are offering 1-credit, discipline-based freshman seminars. With about 25
students per class, these seminars will provide opportunities for our freshmen to interact more
effectively with our faculty. We are also offering a new pre-orientation program that will bring some of
our new freshmen to Dippikill – a wilderness retreat facility in the Adirondacks which is owned by the
Student Association. For two days, students will participate with faculty in team building and leadership
activities. These programs have all been developed through the collaboration of faculty and staff. They
are great examples of what we can accomplish together. While these particular initiatives most directly
impact our freshmen, we are also taking a number of steps to improve the academic experience for all
of our students. For example, we have a very active discussion underway to define our new general
education program. By the end of this year 100 percent of our classrooms will be equipped with “Smart
Classroom” technology.
President Philip discussed plant for renovating and expanding the Campus Center, an important hub for
student life. He said the expansion would better meet the needs of our community. While first-phase
renovations to the entry and lobby are near completion, we plan to kick-off the design phase for the
Campus Center Expansion later in May. The President provided an update on the student housing
project which is progressing on schedule with an anticipated opening for Fall 2012. These residence
halls will enable more students to live on campus and benefit from nearby academic and student
support services. They will also allow us to take more beds off-line from our existing housing stock for
much-needed renovation. Beginning this fall, we will once again require new freshmen to live on
campus for their first two years, thereby strengthening the student experience.
President Philip discussed how our commitment to graduate education has advanced excellence in that
area. The latest U.S. News and World Report rankings once again reflect our many strengths. Nine of
our graduate programs are ranked in the top 30 nationwide. In addition, graduate programs in the
College of Computing and Information and our Schools of Education, Business and Social Welfare
were recently re-accredited. The School of Business’s dual accreditation in business administration
and accounting is a distinction shared by fewer than two percent of the world’s 13,000 business
schools. Our efforts to advance excellence in both undergraduate and graduate education help us
attract strong students and prepare them well for future success. The President reported that earlier
this semester, two doctoral students in Biomedical Sciences at the School of Public Health won highly
competitive three-year fellowships to support their investigations into breast cancer. Jan Baumann,
who works with Associate Professor Douglas Conklin, and Don Matthews, who works with Empire
Innovations Professor JoEllen Welsh, were awarded fellowships through the Department of Defense
Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs. These are only two of the countless examples
of how your teaching and research excellence impact our students in real and meaningful ways!
President Philip continued with an update on new spaces and Capital Improvement. We continue to
add to and reconfigure teaching, research and support spaces on campus, thanks to a 5-year, $250
million capital commitment from the State of New York in 2008. This summer, construction of the new
School of Business building will begin. It will provide a state-of-the-art environment to advance
academic excellence, strengthen the student experience, and promote innovation, entrepreneurship,
and community engagement. Construction of the new Business School is expected to be completed in
2013.
These much-needed investments are improving the quality of space on campus in a manner
compatible with our contemporary mission. As we look to the future, we are working to develop a
Facilities Master Plan to chart our campus’ capital needs over the next decade. There will be a number
of public meetings scheduled which the President encouraged everyone to attend, if possible.
President Philip stressed that community engagement is another important focus in our blueprint. He
said UAlbany is partnering to improve lives and communities both at home and abroad. We have more
than 60 programs that provide assistance to K-12 students, teachers and families. Since 1984, our
Small Business Development Center has served more than 19,000 businesses, with nearly 10,000 jobs
created or saved. UAlbany’s Center for Autism and Related Disabilities has served more than 30,000
people since 2002. It has recently begun offering a new first-of-its-kind service for parents of children
newly diagnosed with autism. Our Center for Public Health Continuing Education and Center for Global
Health helps thousands of public health professionals address health challenges locally, statewide and
globally.
The President remarked that UAlbany students also have an impressive record of community
engagement. Through UAlbany's Education Community Service Course, our students tutored and
mentored more than 2,200 young people in Albany and surrounding school districts. Through our
Community and Public Service Program, UAlbany students assisted 180 nonprofit groups and more
than 16,000 people. In March, 121 teams of students walked throughout the night in Relay For Life,
raising $85,000 for cancer research. The Third World Impact student group is helping to build a school
in Uganda. Their efforts captured the top prize – a $25,000 grant – in the National Campus Community
Service Challenge of the Newman's Own Foundation. Last month, we packed the SEFCU Arena when
former President Bill Clinton spoke on campus in the World Within Reach Speaker Series. The
popularity of his visit is a tribute to the vision and leadership of our UAlbany students, who conceived,
organized and financed the series. These are just a few examples of the outstanding efforts of our
student leaders. Chancellor Zimpher honored 11 of these students with the 2011 Chancellor’s Award
for Student Excellence. The President recently honored 85 student leaders with the President’s Award
for Leadership. President Philip thanked those present for supporting and mentoring our students, both
in the classroom, in research laboratories and in the pursuit of community service. Plans have been
made to recognize and honor student and faculty contributions to the community on Monday, May 2nd in
the Assembly Hall. The President invited everyone to join the event.
President Philip made special mention that at the heart of UAlbany’s education and research mission is
our outstanding faculty. If you are a “Jeopardy” fan, you are probably aware that an IBM computing
system named “Watson” defeated past human "Jeopardy!" champions. One of the brains behind
Watson is our very own Tomek Strzalkowski, Professor of Computer Science. UAlbany alumnus
Charles Lickel of IBM helped conceive and promote the Watson idea. Other special mentions included
the following:
Lynn Gelzheiser and School of Education colleagues were awarded a $3.1 million grant from
the U.S. Department of Education for research aimed at assisting struggling readers.
Pan Li in Biological Sciences received a $500,000 National Science Foundation Career Award.
This is NSF's most prestigious award in support of junior faculty who exemplify the role of
teacher-scholars.
Thanks to the efforts of Mary Valentis in the Department of English, the College of Arts and
Sciences received a grant from the New York Council for the Humanities to celebrate the works
of William and Henry James.
Scott South from the Department of Sociology and the Center for Social and Demographic
Analysis received nearly $1 million from the National Institute of Child Health & Human
Development to research family and health consequences of imbalanced sex ratios in India.
The Wall Street Journal praised Music Professor Albin Zak’s new book entitled, “I Don’t Sound
Like Nobody: Remaking Music in 1950s America.”
The Center for Excellence in Aging & Community Wellness at the School of Social Welfare has
received funding to help build an infrastructure for the delivery of evidence-based health
promotion programs in New York State communities.
Our new RNA Institute, still in its infancy, has been awarded $5 million by the National Institutes
of Health and $2 million in matching funds from the State of New York. These grants are
financing the design, engineering and construction of a research center similar to those found in
modern pharmaceutical companies.
Bonnie Steinbock in the Department of Philosophy has been accepted for a residency at the
Brocher Foundation on Lake Geneva, Switzerland, to conduct research on “Advance Directives,
Dementia, and Physician-Assisted Death.”
School of Business Professor Hany Shawky has organized a research conference on the
Financial and Real Effects of Alternative Investments for one of the nation’s top finance journals.
It will take place at the SUNY Global Center in New York City.
School of Public Health Professor Erin Bell received funding from the NIH and CDC for her
research in early child growth and the factors associated with bearing a child with a birth defect.
At our School of Criminal Justice, the long-running Rochester Youth Development Study, led by
Dean Alan Lizotte, is continuing to offer insights into the causes and consequences of the most
serious problematic behavior among early teenagers.
Senator Schumer announced that the US Department of Energy has awarded our the College of
Nanoscale Sciences and Engineering and its partners a $57.5 million grant to establish a
National Center in Solar Cell Research here at the University at Albany.
Even in difficult budgetary times, our faculty continues to shine a light on the University. He said our
faculty shape and enlighten young minds and put our students on the path to success. President Philip
commended and thanked present faculty members.
The President said that taking stock of where we are is always a helpful exercise whether in our
personal or professional lives. He said clearly have had some tough times, and in the year ahead they
could get even tougher. In his talk at the SEFCU arena, President Clinton spoke about how he
maintains perspective during difficult times. He alluded to a 3.6 billion year-old moon rock which he
kept on his oval office desk. President Clinton said he would often remind himself and others of the
rock’s age suggesting that “we’re all just passing through this life, so we might as well make the most of
it.” President Philip noted the generations of students who have “passed through” UAlbany and have
gone on to accomplish great things:
Charles Lickel at IBM
Our two recent Stockholm Prize Winners in Criminal Justice
Catherine Bertini at the World Food Program
Mike Basla, a UAlbany football player just named a 3-Star general by President Obama
Best-selling author Gregory Maguire – our very own Mr. Wicked
President Philip was pleased to announce that Gregory Maguire will be the undergraduate
commencement speaker on Sunday, May 15th and hoped that everyone could attend. He thanked
everyone for attending this afternoon and wished everyone the best for the end of the school year.
5.
OTHER BUSINESS
Dr. Lifshin thanked President Philip for his constant professionalism and integrity during the past
year.
6.
ADJOURNMENT
There being no additional new business, a motion to adjourn was made and seconded, and the
meeting was adjourned.
