Resolution on Enhancing SUNY Access to Electronic Databases
University Operations Committee
University Faculty Senate
Fall Plenary Meeting
October 26-28, 2006
Preamble:
Traditionally within SUNY the libraries of the University Centers have acquired material both to support
faculty research and to support their teaching mission. The libraries of the other SUNY institutions have
focused more on acquiring materials supporting general research and pedagogy. However, both
institutional expectations and research opportunities for both faculty and undergraduate students have
prompted all SUNY institutions to access to a wider range of research materials. Additionally, to a
greater degree than in the past, SUNY institutions are emphasizing research in undergraduate as well as
graduate level education.
At the same time, in response to the growing importance of electronic materials, SUNY libraries and
SUNY’s Office of Library Support (OLIS) have undertaken cooperative funding of SUNY-wide access
to a limited number of electronic resources that support SUNY’s teaching mission. This strategy has
proven cost effective and has allowed greater and more equitable SUNY-wide access to these materials.
The following resolution addresses the need for expanding SUNY-wide access to electronic databases
that more appropriately support both SUNY’s teaching and research needs.
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Resolution:
Whereas faculty in all SUNY institutions are actively involved in research; and
Whereas currently SUNY libraries, other than those at the University Centers, are neither charged with
nor funded to support faculty research; and
Whereas at its Fall 2005 Plenary Meeting, recognizing that the ability of SUNY’s libraries to provide
library collections adequate to support the research needs of SUNY faculty and students has been
weakened by chronic under-funding, the University Faculty Senate adopted a resolution recommending
that State support for SUNY’s libraries be commensurate with actual costs, including State support of a
one-time catch-up allocation of $8 Million for library acquisitions; and
Whereas no such remedial catch-up funds were included in SUNY’s 2006-2007 budget allocation; and
Whereas electronic resources are an increasingly important component of library collections;
Therefore Be it resolved, that in order to more adequately support the teaching and research needs of
SUNY students and faculty, the University Faculty Senate recommends that SUNY institutions and the
SUNY Provost, working together, give priority to developing both a strategy and funding mechanism to
provide greater SUNY-wide access to a broader range of scholarly databases and other electronic
resources than those currently available.
Resolution passed without dissent by University Faculty Senate, 10/28/06
