University Senate Charter Amendment No.: 201516-03A
UNIVERSITY SENATE
UNIVERSITY AT ALBANY
STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK
Introduced by:
Council on Academic Assessment, Governance Council
Date:
May 9, 2016
Amendment RE: Clarification of Responsibilities of CAA
IT IS HEREBY PROPOSED THAT THE FOLLOWING BE ADOPTED:
•
That the proposed amendments of the University Senate Charter Faculty be adopted
•
That these amendments go into effect immediately
Current Charter:
X.6. COUNCIL ON ACADEMIC ASSESSMENT
X.6.1. Composition
X.6.1.1. The Dean of Graduate Studies, the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education, and the
Assistant Vice President of Strategic Planning and Assessment, or their designees, ex officio
X.6.1.2. At least six but not more than eight Teaching Faculty, at least three of whom must be
Senators, representing a variety of academic disciplines and campus locations
X.6.1.3. At least one but not more than two Professional Faculty
X.6.1.4. One Graduate StudentX.6.1.5. At least one but not more than three Undergraduate
Students
X.6.1.6. No more than 2 voting members selected from Faculty or Staff who are not students or
Voting Faculty.
X.6.2. The staff support person for the Council shall be the Assistant Vice President of Strategic
Planning and Assessment or designee.
X.6.3. The Council on Academic Assessment shall be responsible for developing campus policies,
ensuring compliance with external policies, and considering other matters relating to academic
assessment.
X.6.4. The Council shall be responsible for scheduling, coordinating and supervising the variously
mandated or cyclical reviews of continuing academic programs.
X.6.5. The Council as a whole shall review the actions and assessment reports of its committees and
shall be responsible for formally recommending that an assessment report be accepted by the
University Senate. Based on findings from its committees or its own deliberations, the Council may
recommend policy changes to the University Senate and may recommend to the Executive
Committee that it refer a question or issue to another council.
X.6.6. Academic Program Review Committee
X.6.6.1. The Academic Program Review Committee shall be responsible for ensuring and
overseeing periodic reviews of each of the University’s academic programs, with consideration
for established external accreditation cycles. In addition, the Committee shall be responsible for
ensuring compliance with the SUNY-mandated assessment of undergraduate majors and
graduate degree and certificate programs.
X.6.6.2. The Committee shall consist of no more than eleven members, including at least six
members of the Teaching Faculty, at least three of whom are members of the Council, one
Professional Faculty member, one Graduate Student, one Undergraduate Student, the Assistant
Vice President of Strategic Planning and Assessment, ex officio, or designee, and no more than 2
voting members selected from Faculty or Staff who are not students or Voting Faculty.
X.6.6.3. The Chair of the Committee shall be a member of the Teaching Faculty who is also a
member of the Council.
X.6.6.4. The Committee shall submit its assessments of academic programs to the Council and to
the director or chair of the assessed program.
X.6.6.5. The Committee may undertake the assessment of instructional programs other than
those for which assessment is required by SUNY mandate. These would include, but would not
be limited to, undergraduate minors, undergraduate certificate programs, and various University-
wide (Uni/Unl) offerings.
X.6.7. General Education Assessment Committee [amended 12/18/06]
X.6.7.1. The General Education Assessment Committee shall be responsible for establishing and
overseeing reviews of the General Education Program.
X.6.7.2. The Committee shall consist of no more than fourteen members, including at least six
members of the Teaching Faculty, at least three of whom are members of the Council, one
Professional Faculty, one Graduate Student, one Undergraduate Student, the Assistant Vice
President of Strategic Planning and Assessment or designee ex officio, the Director of the
General Education Program ex officio, the Chair of the General Education Committee of the
Undergraduate Academic Council or designee ex officio, and no more than 2 voting members
selected from Faculty or Staff who are not students or Voting Faculty.
X.6.7.3. The Chair of the Committee shall be a member of the Teaching Faculty who is also a
member of the Council.
X.6.7.4. The Committee shall conduct an assessment for each General Education category on a
regular cycle.
X.6.7.5. The Committee shall submit its assessments of General Education to the Council and,
for information, to the General Education Committee of the Undergraduate Academic Council.
Proposed Revisions to the Charter:
X.6. COUNCIL ON ACADEMIC ASSESSMENT
X.6.1. Composition
X.6.1.1. The Vice Provost and Dean of for Graduate Education Studies, the Vice Provost and Dean
for Undergraduate Education, and the Assistant Vice President of Strategic Planning and
Assessment Associate Vice Provost for Academic and Resource Planning, or their designees, ex
officioX.6.2. The staff support person for the Council shall be the Assistant Vice President of
Strategic Planning and Assessment Associate Vice Provost for Academic and Resource Planning or
designee.
[…]
X.6.3. The Council on Academic Assessment shall be responsible for developing campus policies,
ensuring compliance with external and internal polices, reviewing external and internal assessments, and
considering other matters relating to academic assessment.
[…]
X.6.6. Academic Program Review Committee
X.6.6.1. The Academic Program Review Committee shall be responsible for ensuring and
overseeing periodic reviews of each of the University’s academic programs, with consideration for
established external accreditation cycles. In addition, the Committee shall be responsible for
ensuring compliance with and reviewing documents associated with the SUNY-mandated
assessment of undergraduate majors and graduate degree and certificate programs and
recommending priorities to the administration.
X.6.6.2. The Committee shall consist of no more than eleven members, including at least six
members of the Teaching Faculty, at least three of whom are members of the Council, one
Professional Faculty member, one Graduate Student, one Undergraduate Student, the Assistant
Vice President of Strategic Planning and Assessment Associate Vice Provost for Academic and
Resource Planning , ex officio, or designee, and no more than 2 voting members selected from
Faculty or Staff who are not students or Voting Faculty.
[…]
X.6.7. General Education Assessment Committee [amended 12/18/06]
[…]
X.6.7.2. The Committee shall consist of no more than fourteen members, including at least six
members of the Teaching Faculty, at least three of whom are members of the Council, one
Professional Faculty, one Graduate Student, one Undergraduate Student, the Assistant Vice
President of Strategic Planning and Assessment Associate Vice Provost for Academic and
Resource Planning or designee ex officio, the Director of the General Education Program
Associate Dean for General Education ex officio, the Chair of the General Education Committee
of the Undergraduate Academic Council or designee ex officio, and no more than 2 voting
members selected from Faculty or Staff who are not students or Voting Faculty.
X.6.7.4. The Committee shall conduct review an assessment for each General Education category
on a regular cycle and recommend priorities to the administration.
Rationale
In response to a request from the Senate Chair Joette Stefl-Mabry, that each Senate council examine its
section of the Senate Charter and propose any updates as warranted, the Council on Academic
Assessment has recommended the above changes, with review and revision by the Governance Council in
consultation with the Chair of CAA. These changes were endorsed by the Governance Council on
_______.
The addition of reviewing external and internal assessments in X.6.3 and reviewing and
recommending priorities in X.6.6.1 clarifies the nature of the Council and its Committees’ activities.
The removal of conduct in X.6.7.4 takes out language that suggests that CAA creates and/or administers
assessment instruments. The substitution of review and recommend priorities to the administration
better reflects CAA’s role in assessment of academic units and general education and it clarifies the
council’s role in shared governance.
All other modifications update the language of the Charter to reflect official changes in administrative
titles that have occurred since the document was first written.
