COUNCIL AND COMMITTEE SUMMARIES
University Senate Meeting, May 10th, 2010
As submitted to Dick Collier, Secretary, University Senate
UNIVERSITY SENATE CHAIR’S REPORT – R. Michael Range, Chair
Faculty Athletics Representative Report. At the April 26, 2010 meeting, the SEC was joined by Teresa Harrington, Chair of the
Intercollegiate Athletics Advisory Board, and by Lee McElroy, VP for Athletics Administration, to discuss data concerning UAlbany’s student
athletes. In summary, the distribution of academic interests and achievements of UAlbany athletes matches quite well that of the overall
student population. The report has been posted on the Senate web site, and you are encouraged to review it.
Resolution on Evaluation of Administrators and Administrative Services and Functions. The SEC discussed first steps in the
implementation of the resolution passed by the Senate on April 12, 2010. Janet Marler, Associate Professor in the Department of
Management, joined the discussion and provided useful perspectives. There was consensus that the purpose of the evaluation would be to
provide feedback to the administration that will assist in the identification of areas in need of improvement, and in the management of the
university. The SEC charged GOV to develop an initial proposal for an ad hoc committee to be presented to the SEC by the middle of May.
Budget Advisory Group (BAG 3). The Senate is represented on this group by the full UPPC membership, by the Senate Chair, and by
several other Senators who have served on the first two BAGs. The group had its first meeting on May 6, 2010, and is scheduled to meet
biweekly through the middle of June.
UFS (University Faculty Senator’s Report) – William Lanford & Daniel D. White, SUNY Senators
SUNY Senator Dan White and Bill Lanford’s report is printed at the end of this “Summaries” sheet.
UFS Alternate Senator and member of UFS Undergraduate Committee Dan Smith supplied the following:
I attach the most recent submission from the SUNY Interim Provost requesting the SFS Undergraduate Committee to review the draft
Memorandum to President's on general education implementation and respond to the chair by April 29th with comments, advice, edits, etc. I
highlighted what I believe are the important and salient features of this memorandum, if it is approved as it stands. Please include the
attachment with the SUNY Senate Report. If it is neither distributed nor discussed tomorrow I will ask the SEC to review and send comments
to me by April 28th, and I will transmit the SECs wisdom to Kane Gillespie, along with my own thoughts.
SUNY PROVOST’S DRAFT ON IMPLEMENTATION OF SUNY TRUSTEES’ REVISION OF
GENERAL EDUCATION:
DISCUSSION DRAFT 4/19/2010
Date:
XXX, 2010
Vol. 10 No. 1
From:
Office of the Provost and Senior Vice Chancellor for
Academic Affairs
Subject:
Policy and Guidance: State University General
Education Requirement
To:
Presidents, State-Operated Campuses
Presidents, Community Colleges
Statutory College Contacts
This memorandum informs you of updated policy and guidance on
general education based on the following three resolutions recently
adopted by the State University’s Board of Trustees:
Trustees Resolution 2009-138, Reaffirmation and
Strengthening of the State University Board of Trustee Policy
on Student Mobility (Transfer and Articulation), of November
17, 2009;
Trustees Resolution 2010-006, Amendments to General
Education Requirement, of January 19, 2010; and
Trustees Resolution 2010-039, Streamlining the State
University Board of Trustees Policy on Assessment, of March
23, 2010.
It supersedes and replaces previous policy and guidance issued in 2003.
The attached document reflects current Board policies and their
implementation. The document was developed in consultation with
faculty governance leaders, the Undergraduate Committee of the
University Faculty Senate, the Academic Affairs Committee of the
Faculty Council of Community Colleges and the SUNY Registrars
Association, as well as with Presidents and Chief Academic Officers in
all sectors of the University.
Questions regarding this memorandum may be directed to Assistant
Provost Nancy Willie-Schiff at Nancy.Willie-Schiff@suny.edu.
Attachment
Copy:
Chief Academic Officers, All Campuses
President, University Faculty Senate
President, Faculty Council of Community Colleges
President, SUNY Registrars Association
State University of New York
Policy and Guidance: State University General Education
Requirement
I.
Relevant Board Policies
Relevant Board policies are contained in:
Trustees Resolution 2010-006, Amendments to General
Education Requirement;
Trustees Resolution 2009-138, Reaffirmation and
Strengthening of the State University Board of Trustee Policy
on Student Mobility (Transfer and Articulation); and
Trustees Resolution 2010-039, Streamlining the State
University Board of Trustees Policy on Assessment.
1
A.
Trustees Resolution 2010-006, adopted on January 19, 2010,
subsumes and revises all previous Board policies on the State
University of New York General Education Requirement
(SUNY-GER) and takes effect beginning in fall 2010.
Salient Provisions
i.
Thirty credits of general education or the
equivalent are required for a State University of New
York (SUNY) baccalaureate degree.
ii.
Faculty shall establish the specific course
requirements and content of one or more general
education curricula reflective of the best practices in
American higher education. Such curricula shall
include broad, high-quality courses that provide
students with a set of non-specialized, coherent and
focused educational experiences aimed at enabling
students to acquire knowledge, skills and
competencies that are useful and important for all
educated persons regardless of their jobs or
professions.
iii.
Each general education curriculum shall be
academically rigorous and comprehensive and shall
complement and build on students’ academic
preparation.
iv.
Graduates with a baccalaureate degree shall
demonstrate knowledge and skills in at least seven of
ten1 SUNY-GER knowledge and skills areas:
a.
Basic Communication (required);
b.
Mathematics (required); and
c.
at least five of the following eight
areas: Natural Science, Social Science, American
History, Western Civilization, Other World
Civilizations, Humanities, the Arts and Foreign
Languages.
v.
Graduates with a baccalaureate degree shall
also demonstrate competency in two additional areas:
a.
Critical Thinking; and
b.
Information Management.
vi.
Consistent with the July 22, 2003, Memorandum to
Presidents (Vol. 03, No. 5), the ten knowledge and
skills areas as well as the two competency areas are
defined in terms of the student learning outcomes
contained in the Guidelines for the Approval of State
University General Education Requirement Courses,
available at
http://www.suny.edu/provost/generaleducation/course-
guidelines-v2.pdf
vii.
Campuses offering programs leading to Associate in
Arts (AA) or Associate in Science (AS) degrees shall
design their general education requirements for these
programs to facilitate transfer.
viii.
The Provost shall oversee implementation, including a
process for approving appropriate exceptions for
“Specialized Colleges, Colleges of Technology,
programs awarding two-year vocational degrees, and
for other special circumstances.”
B.
Trustees Resolution
2009-138, adopted on November 17, 2009, subsumes and
extends all previous Board policies on student mobility and
transfer, and takes effect in fall 2010.
1 Previous policy required students to demonstrate knowledge and skills
in ten of ten SUNY-GER areas. See Memorandum to Presidents (Vol. 3,
No. 5).
Salient Provisions for Student Mobility Related to the SUNY
General Education
Requirement
i.
Students transferring within the State University of
New York shall be treated by their receiving campus
in the same way as native students for all academic
purposes. [N.B. This provision is a general statement
of policy that should be implemented as indicated in
Section II, Implementation Policies and Procedures.]
ii.
Students transferring within the University shall
receive full credit towards the SUNY-GER for
successfully completed SUNY-GER courses and
SUNY-GER waivers or equivalencies granted at other
University campuses. This applies to students
transferring with or without a SUNY AA or AS
degree.
C.
Trustees Resolution 2010-039, adopted on March 23, 2010,
replaces all previous Board policies on assessment, and takes
effect in fall 2010.
i.
A campus shall promote academic excellence by
developing and implementing plans for the regular
assessment and review of general education, such that
the campus meets or exceeds the assessment standards
set by State regulations and the Middle States
Commission on Higher Education and, as appropriate,
programmatic accreditation bodies.
ii.
A campus’s regular review of general education
shall include the assessment of student learning in
terms of the student learning outcomes of the SUNY-
GER.
II.
Implementation Policies and Procedures
A.
General education curriculum
. A campus shall have
one or more general education curricula consistent with
University policy. Each such curriculum shall enable
graduates of baccalaureate degree programs to meet the
SUNY-GER student learning outcomes for Basic
Communication, Mathematics, at least five of the other eight
SUNY-GER knowledge and skills areas, and the two SUNY-
GER competency areas. A campus may also have local
general education requirements.
i.
SUNY-GER courses. A campus shall have a faculty
review process for adding, deleting or revising SUNY-
GER courses and updating the System-level list of such
courses. Each such course shall be aligned with the
SUNY-GER student learning outcomes for its SUNY-
GER area. [N.B. Previously approved SUNY-GER
course assigned fewer than three credits should be re-
submitted to the University Provost using the standard
course proposal form referenced in Section III.]
ii.
Syllabi for SUNY-GER courses
. In keeping with good
practice and the expectations of the Middle States
Commission on Higher Education, campuses are
encouraged to include applicable SUNY-GER student
learning outcomes on SUNY-GER course syllabi.
iii. Advanced or upper-division courses
. A campus may
include advanced or upper-division courses in a general
education curriculum. In addition, if an advanced or
upper-division course has a prerequisite that is a SUNY-
GER course, students may use the advanced course to
meet the SUNY-GER, regardless of whether that course
has been identified as a SUNY-GER course.
2
iv.
Student Waivers or Equivalencies
. Where appropriate, in
accordance with local academic policies, a campus shall
afford students an opportunity to obtain a waiver or
equivalency for a SUNY-GER area by demonstrating
college-level proficiency in the student learning
outcomes for that area. When such a proficiency
equivalent is approved for a student and credit is not
actually awarded, the 30 credit overall requirement is
reduced by three credits. Waivers may also be granted as
a reasonable accommodation for a learning or other
disability.
v.
Program Waivers
. A campus may seek a waiver of a
SUNY-GER knowledge and skills area for a specific
academic program when the program’s curriculum is
governed by external standards, such as, but not limited
to, specialized accreditation, and the entire SUNY-GER
would delay students’ degree completion. However, the
required areas of Basic Communication and
Mathematics may not be waived. The flexibility in the
updated SUNY-GER reduces, and may even eliminate,
the need for waivers.
vi. Information for students
. A campus shall provide
information about its general education requirements
using its catalog, website and other locations. The
information should be clear, accurate, complete, current
and easy to find. It shall inform prospective and enrolled
students about specific campus and programmatic
general education requirements (e.g., specific general
education requirements in teacher education programs).
[N.B. The updated SUNY-GER takes effect for first-
year students entering in fall 2010, but campuses may
apply it to continuing and returning students as well, and
may give these students the choice of using the original
or updated SUNY-GER.]
vii. Assessment of the general education curriculum
. A
campus shall have a process that meets the standards of
the Middle States Commission on Higher Education for
assessing whether students achieve the SUNY-GER
student learning outcomes in its general education
curriculum, and for using assessment results to inform
planning and resource allocation decisions, and to
improve student learning.
B.
AA and AS Programs
. Campuses with associate
degree programs should include at least seven of ten SUNY-
GER knowledge and skills areas in AA and AS degree
programs and, whenever practical, a total of 30 credits of
SUNY-GER. Basic Communication and Mathematics should
be two of the seven areas.
C.
AAS Programs
. While many Associate in Applied
Science (AAS) programs incorporate seven SUNY-GER
knowledge and skills areas, Board policy does not address
AAS programs. Wherever feasible, an AAS program should
incorporate seven SUNY-GER knowledge and skills areas,
including Basic Communication and Mathematics, especially
if the program tends to transfer significant numbers of
graduates to SUNY baccalaureate programs.
D.
Student Mobility and Transfer. One of the goals of the SUNY-
GER is to support seamless student mobility and transfer
within the University.
i.
Junior status for transfer students
. As stated in Board
policy adopted in 1990, and reaffirmed in Trustees
Resolution 2009-138, transfer students with AA or AS
degrees from SUNY campuses, when accepted in
parallel programs at baccalaureate campuses of the
University, shall be accorded full junior status and be
given the opportunity to complete the requirements for a
baccalaureate degree within the same period of time as
native students. These transfer students shall not be
required to duplicate SUNY-GER areas that they met at
prior campuses.
ii.
Transfer of the entire SUNY-GER
. If a transfer student
has successfully met the entire SUNY-GER, a receiving
campus is expected to accept this as having satisfied its
SUNY-GER. This does not preclude campuses from
implementing local general education requirements,
local grade requirements for degree credit, or from
applying all relevant local and programmatic
requirements to transfer students.
iii.
Transfer of SUNY-GER courses and waivers
. Any
SUNY-GER area that has been met – whether through a
course, a waiver or equivalency, including instructional
modalities such as infusion across the curriculum – shall
be accepted for SUNY-GER transfer purposes at every
SUNY campus. This does not preclude campuses from
implementing local general education requirements,
local grade requirements for degree credit or from
applying all relevant local and programmatic
requirements to transfer students. Satisfactory
completion for granting of course credit is defined as a
grade of C or better. However, if a sending campus’s
local policy is to accept a C- or D grade to complete a
SUNY-GER requirement, the requirement is deemed to
be completed even if the course and its grade are not
accepted at a receiving campus.
iv.
General Education Transcript Addendum
. A sending
campus shall provide a General Education Transcript
Addendum (GETA) for each transferring student, and the
receiving campus shall accept the sending campus’
GETA certification of completed SUNY-GER areas.
v.
Baccalaureate programs: facilitating transfer from AA
and AS programs. Baccalaureate campuses shall enable
students with AA and AS degrees from SUNY campuses
to obtain a baccalaureate degree in a period of time
comparable to upper-division students who are not
transfers. These campuses may use multiple approaches,
including:
a.
incorporating SUNY-GER courses into the upper-
division requirements of transfers’ baccalaureate
programs;
b.
developing upper-division general education
courses or modules; and
c.
establishing regional arrangements with feeder
campuses.
When a baccalaureate program has a local general
education requirement that exceeds the SUNY-GER, or
when a baccalaureate campus has distinctive lower-division
courses in SUNY-GER areas that have become a hallmark
of its undergraduate programs, the following principles
apply.
If a transfer student has completed 30-credits and the
entire SUNY-GER elsewhere, a receiving campus
should exempt the student from local or hallmark
general education requirements that are not externally
required (e.g., programs leading to teacher
certification).
3
If a transfer student has not completed 30 credits and
the entire SUNY-GER, the receiving campus has the
option of waiving one or more SUNY-GER categories
to permit the student to complete local or hallmark
courses, provided that these courses are significantly
different from courses the student has already
completed.
Campuses and baccalaureate programs that have been
exempting transfer students with an A.A. or A.S. degree
who have met the entire SUNY-GER from local or
hallmark requirements are encouraged to continue to do
so.
vi.
AA and AS programs: facilitating transfer to baccalaureate
programs. Transfer is one of the goals of AA and AS
programs. Therefore, it is important for these programs to
enable their graduates to fulfill the SUNY-GER and ensure
that their students receive appropriate information and
advisement about the 30-credit SUNY-GER needed to
complete a baccalaureate degree. Special information and
advisement may be needed for baccalaureate degree
programs with their own general education requirements
(e.g., teacher education programs).
a.
To support student
mobility, programs leading to AA and AS degrees are
encouraged to include SUNY-GER courses that cover
seven SUNY-GER knowledge and skills areas,
including Basic Communication and Mathematics, as
an integral part of their degree requirements.
b.
To further support
student mobility, campuses with AA and AS programs
are encouraged to enable their graduates to fulfill the
entire 30-credit SUNY-GER by using such approaches
as:
incorporating the 30-
credit SUNY-GER into AA and AS degree
programs’ requirements;
developing special
advisement tracks for students planning to
transfer within SUNY;
developing certificate
programs in general education that would
demonstrate certificate holders’ fulfillment of the
SUNY-GER; and
using the SUNY
Learning Network (SLN), where SUNY-GER
courses are identified in promotional materials
and online at http://www.sln.suny.edu.
vii. AAS programs: facilitating transfer to baccalaureate
programs. Associate degree-granting campuses are
encouraged to incorporate seven SUNY-GER knowledge
and skills areas into their AAS programs, especially in
programs that tend to transfer significant numbers of
graduates to SUNY baccalaureate programs
III. Resources for Campuses
Trustees Resolution 2009-138, Reaffirmation and Strengthening of the
State University Board of Trustee Policy on Student Mobility (Transfer
and Articulation), November 17, 2009
http://www.suny.edu/provost/transfer/BOTpolicies.cfm
Trustees Resolution 2010-006, Amendments to General Education
Requirement, January 19, 2010
http://www.suny.edu/provost/generaleducation/campusgenedresources.cf
m
Trustees Resolution 2010-039, Streamlining the State University Board
of Trustees Policy on Assessment, March 23, 2010
http://www.suny.edu/provost/Assessmentinit.cfm?navLevel=5
State University of New York Guidelines for the Approval of State
University General Education Requirement Courses
http://www.suny.edu/provost/generaleducation/course-guidelines-v2.pdf
Forms for adding, deleting or revising SUNY-GER courses
http://www.suny.edu/provost/generaleducation/GenEdSubmissionForms.
cfm.
Lists of approved SUNY-GER courses, by campus
http://www.suny.edu/provost/generaleducation/CourseList/mastercampu
slist.cfm
SUNY-GER program waiver request form
http://www.suny.edu/provost/generaleducation/GenEdSubmissionForms.
cfm.
Memorandum to Presidents (Vol. 3 No.1), January 2, 2003
http://www.suny.edu/provost/MTP/mtp03-1.pdf
Memorandum to Presidents (Vol. 3 No. 5), July 22, 2003
http://www.suny.edu/provost/MTP/mtp03-5.pdf
Middle States Commission on Higher Education’s Characteristics of
Excellence
http://www.msche.org/publications_view.asp?
idPublicationType=1&txtPublicationType=Standards+for+Accreditation
+and+Requirements+of+Affiliation
Report of SUNY Faculty Senate Undergraduate Committee (submitted by Dan Smith)
The Committee coordinated the first SUNY Scholarly Poster
Program at the Legislative Office Building on April 13th. Eight
students from UAlbany presented posters of their research work at
this session. Many legislators and their staffs stopped by to view
the session. There were 200 students from 32 SUNY campuses
present. Plans will be made next year to make this a biennial
event.
General Education: The Committee responded with comments and
observations to the “Draft Guidance on General Education
Memorandum to Presidents” (attached) distributed by Interim
Provost Lavallee. The changes to the SUNY General Education
Program for the campuses are underlined. Below I include
comments submitted to the Undergraduate Committee by
UAlbany Executive Committee members, and the UAC.
While several areas of the revised BOT Policy need clarification
through the Memorandum, the UG Committee recommended the
memorandum be finalized and distributed quickly so that all
campuses could officially alter their General Education Programs
to avoid problems in fall 2010. The BOT changes and the
memorandum were hailed among committee members as ‘a long
time in coming’, ‘what we have worked for ten years to achieve’,
“an immediate boost in a time of severe fiscal constraint and a set
of changes that directly help the students and faculty”, and finally,
‘a return to campus-based, faculty-defined general education’.
The UG Committee felt that SUNY and the BOT is responding to
the needs of the faculty to develop and define what a good general
and liberal education means on each campus. The other benefit is
an immediate down-sizing of the SUNY General Education
Program effective Fall 2010, which may be made retroactive. The
4
net effect is immediate and highly positive: it helps transfers and
frosh, and in addition may help current students who have been
burdened by an atavistic and externally imposed program that
caused chaos on campuses for ten-plus years.
Finally, a UG Committee unanimously supports the memorandum
and changes and encouraged SUNY and the University Faculty
Senate to communicate the advantages of the changes to the
campuses as well as seeking timely and minimally chaotic
implementation.
Comments on the Draft Memorandum from
UAlbany
Comment #1, Undergraduate Academic Council: “Can we have
some clarification of what the "entire GER" means? Esp p. 5-6.
How are we referring to the local GER which is in conformity
with trustees' policy vs. the additional courses that are really
local?”
Comment #2: “Advanced or upper-division courses . A campus
may include advanced or upper-division courses in a general
education curriculum. In addition, if an advanced or upper-
division course has a prerequisite that is a SUNY-GER course,
students may use the advanced course to meet the SUNY-GER,
regardless of whether that course has been identified as a SUNY-
GER course.
This is potentially huge. I support the idea, but wonder how it will
be implemented. Could DARS be programmed to pick up such
things? Or would it require filling out a form? Naysayers of this
clause will complain that the upper-level courses may not cover
all the requirements of GenEd currently in place (for example, in
“Regions Beyond Europe” the upper level courses may not have a
geographical component), which I suppose is a valid concern. The
worry is that those naysayers will then require instructors of the
upper-level courses to modify their curriculum to address this
problem.
In cruder terms, this clause is a loophole big enough for an ocean
liner. However, because I feel that Gen Ed is already byzantine
enough and puts a tremendous burden on our students, I’m
friendly to the loophole. I just don’t think most people will be. I
mean, if the Gen Ed powers that be won’t give students “Regions
Beyond Europe” credit for studying abroad in East Asia for a year
because they worry that the four main GenEd components of “1.
knowledge of the distinctive features (e.g. history, institutions,
economies, societies, cultures) of one region beyond Europe or
European North America 2) an understanding of the region from
the perspective of its people(s) 3) an ability to analyze and
contextualize cultural and historical materials relevant to the
region and 4) an ability to locate and identify distinctive
geographical features of the region” won’t be met, how will they
react the possibility of suddenly adding hundreds of upper level
courses to the Gen Ed list without close scrutiny?”
Comment #3, Dick Collier, Senate Secretary: “From the start of
SUNYGER, campuses resented the imposition of requirements by
the Trustees partly because it was another “unfunded mandate”
but mostly because it interfered with each campus’ judgment on
what should be the liberal education important for its own
students based on campus traditions and resources and suited to
the students’ needs and major pursuits. It was incredibly
disruptive to established campus patterns and workloads, and it
entailed significant additional campus-funded instructional cost.
From the student’s perspective, it in many cases made it more
difficult to transfer from a two-year to a baccalaureate program
and graduate on time. The additional requirements, coupled with
campus decisions to retain and define as “local” some of their
previous requirements, made it more difficult to fit everything in
to eight semesters. Given shortages in some categories, students
on many courses had to spend additional time and money to meet
SUNYGER requirements online or at their local community
college over the summer or in a winter session.
The draft you have circulated dramatically addresses all of those
problems. I of course was particularly pleased that AAS students
were mentioned along with AA and AS recipients, since that is a
group I fought for successfully when I was Chair of the UFS
Undergraduate Committee but SUNY was working with the BOT
on giving only AA and AS students preferential consideration
upon transferring (a SUNY governance “victory” that
disappeared, along with our articulation agreements, with the
advent of SUNYGER). For frosh admits and transfers, the 7 of 10
definition alone is a tremendous boon, but a special boon to
community college students who should have been provided 7 of
10 by the community college for the past ten years. If, as I
understand the draft, the intent of it is to put this into effect in fall
2010 for all students, then many of our current students will now
be able to graduate on time and do so without going to summer
school (or without graduating later “in absentia” after paying for
the missing coursework at whatever college is closest to their
home or job.)
For departments and schools and the individual member of the
teaching faculty, there should be rejoicing that requirements are
less prescriptive and that precedence is given to allow a campus’
“local” or “hallmark” requirements to substitute for approximate
equivalent SUNYGER categories (exactly reversing the
circumstances which led to the abuse and wrath heaped upon
members of the original PACGE committee forced to use Provost
Salins’ guidelines—I say this as the PACGE member who fought
SUNY tooth and nail on these points, since one of the campuses
assigned to me was Stony Brook).
Best of all, of course, is that this allows each campus to
decompress immediately its total number of general education
requirements (SUNY + local), clearing the stage for consideration
of additional campus-based requirements. You too are well aware
of the number of times in the past decade an idea for adding a
Gen Ed requirement or expanding an existing one was
immediately rejected on the grounds “our students already have
so many of these requirements that they can’t graduate on time,”
and I doubt our campus was unique in that regard.
SUNYGER was imposed on all campuses with insufficient time
to implement and with insufficient resources to meet the new
demands and with the additional burden that each campus was
required to have its implementation plan and each course
proposed for each Gen Ed category approved through PACGE and
then by the SUNY Provost. Yet campuses accomplished that,
some better than others to be sure. An unfortunate byproduct was
the creation of “Gen Ed czars” on campuses, some of whom have
grown comfortable in their pay and power, just as some
departments have grown comfortable as the supplier of courses
which, for good or ill, are the principal supply for a given
category on a campus and thus must be taken by students wishing
to graduate.
I’m sure some administrators and even some faculty will howl
that giving sudden, immediate redress to the students, faculty and
campuses doesn’t allow enough “planning.” I submit that coping
with the draft policy’s removal of requirements, easing of student
burdens (and the students’ and their parents’ demands regarding
closed courses or those insufficiently offered), and elimination of
bean-counting bureaucratic busywork for administrators and staff
assigned the functions of supplying data to ACGE and GEAR is a
walk in the park compared to the tasks required when SUNYGER
was implemented. And when the state and the campuses are in the
5
midst of a devastating financial crisis, when many more students
and their parents also have serious financial woes (including
unemployment or underemployment), and when student prospects
for after hours, evening and summer jobs are seriously reduced,
the immediate implementation of the BOT revised policy in the
manner described in the draft document should be considered a
blessing.
I realize there are administrators who like to count beans (or at
least such prestige as they believe accrues from having bean
counters in their employ). There are faculty who believe their
disciplinary area should have been held by the Trustees as at least
as sacrosanct as mathematics and basic communication. There are
younger faculty (perhaps even students) who may think that the
SUNYGER categories were time-honored on their home campus,
having been developed by thoughtful planning over a span of
decades, not suddenly imposed on all of us completely against our
will and at short notice. But there are also faculty and students
who realize the arbitrary and capricious selectivity of the original
BOT resolution and its implementation and who might think a
literature course is at least as worthy as a nebulous “social
science” catch-all as a universally expected requirement, or a
philosophy/religion course, or something reflecting technology as
much as a natural science. I personally object to NINE credits
minimum of U.S., Western Civ, and Other World Cultures, but
would have more difficulty arguing against a “history”
requirement—and as you well know, since SUNYGER was
established not a single student at UAlbany was required to take a
course from the Department of History.
In conclusion, I loudly applaud the draft and commend the new
SUNY common sense and genuine concern for the welfare of
transfers and other undergraduates. I urge the Undergraduate
Committee to support the draft and hope the University Faculty
Senate will do so as well. I consider this the most significant
immediately positive plan to come from BOT and SUNY in a long
time and since it is of extreme financial and temporal importance
to so many students, I hope complaints about changing degree
clearance systems, requiring department and school rethinking of
logistics, and the like will not postpone its implementation—
particularly since the same “whining” didn’t delay the imposition
of SUNYGER. Thank you.”
Comment #4, Dan Smith, ULC Chair and SUNY Senate UG
Committee Member: “This is a long time in coming, and I agree
with the sweep of the reform, as well as the direction allowing
campuses to decide on General Education as it defines their
campus intellectual culture as well as how we educate our
students—something important to each campus.
One issue which should be discussed is the consideration of using
one year of study abroad experience in place of either the Europe
or Other World Cultures requirements, depending on location the
student chose. We must remember and acknowledge that the study
of another culture’s most important work is done living in that
culture, using its language as it is meant to be used, learning the
culture, its ways, nuances, ceremonies, social activities, politics,
etc. in situ. Since SUNY has probably the strongest set of 300+
study abroad programs to choose from in higher education, we
would be remiss as a faculty if we did not encourage the use this
resource even more now, and YES, within our General
Education Programs; encourage foreign language study and
culture study beyond the classroom experiences to truly educate
our students as broadly as we can. This is one place SUNY could
be a bona fide leader.
The prerequisites rule seems a bit sweeping, as we are unsure how
sweeping it is meant to be; some courses that have Gen Eds as a
prerequisite can be somewhat narrow in focus. While I do not
object, in principle, I thought it worth noting as one colleague
wrote that in, and others have mentioned it. It also means the next
Gen Ed committee must be prepared for a deluge of upper level
requests.
Bring it on and bring it on fast. I hope, like Rose, the campuses
receive this before the end of May, hopefully before the end of
spring semester.”
Transmission Memo from Ken O’Brien, SUNY Faculty Senate
Chair
I’ll begin by noting the long, very positive review of your draft
implementation memo from Dick Collier, an old SUNY hand at U
Albany who has been involved with SUNY GER from the
beginning.
My own reading is almost as positive, but there are a couple of
points I would like to add, amplify or have you clarify.
1. It would be helpful to have all the GER programs for ALL
campuses submitted to your office (II.A.vi.), for two reasons: to
make certain they comply with the minimum and to get them up
on the website. In doing so, it would probably be helpful to have a
reporting template that would let the requirements met be
obvious, as well as the additional requirements. This might also
encourage students at community colleges to think in terms of the
SUNY GER for their campus and for the transfer school.
2. The implementation adds a new wrinkle (II.A.i.), one we
promised would not be there, the resubmission of courses that are
less than three credits. We indicated in the fall that courses that
had been approved would be grandfathered in, and they should be.
Students still need 30 credits and at least seven areas, so no harm,
no foul.
3. I think the upper division “pre-req” (II. A. iii.) needs to be a bit
cleaner.
4. I would put D. (the relationship between SUNY GER and
Student Mobility) upfront, and then repeat it. The campuses really
need to see that the flexibility is not simply a result of SUNY
getting wise, but that the policy is predicated on its relationship to
the other. My fear is that we will get so many different GE
programs that student mobility will be made more, not less,
difficult.
5. I would urge you to consider breaking II.D. ii.) into two items,
one on satisfying SUNY GER, a second on local flexibility. And
the latter could even mention that ½ the campuses currently
require only the SUNY GER for transfers, before local upper
division additions common to all students, which means they have
a different set of Gen Ed requirements for each category of
student, native and transfer.
6. I still don’t like the bullet on the bottom of p. 5, which we
could call the Genesseo rule. Their Humanities requirement
should be able to included, one way or another, no matter how
many credits a student has completed in SUNY GER. Just my two
cents. More important perhaps is the fact that the rule (or at least
the first bullet) might be read as demanding that receiving
colleges accept the 30 credit Gen Ed package a student has
completed elsewhere as meeting ALL their requirements.
Operative phrase: “a receiving campus should exempt the student
[who has completed 30-credits and the entire SUNY-GER
elsewhere] from local ….general education requirements that are
not externally required.” See the problem? Others have.
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GSO (Graduate Student Organization) – Nicholas Fahrenkopf, GSO Representative
The GSO held their elections on April 22nd and 23rd. The 2010-2011 GSO Executive Board includes:
President Heidi Nicholls (Anthropology),
Vice-President Sarah Taylor (Anthropology),
Treasurer Yin Wang (Business), and
MCAA Chair Jema Clements (Africana Studies).
Nicholas Fahrenkopf (Nanobioscience) was elected as the Lead Senator to the University Senate and as University Council Representative.
Zakhar Berkovich is graduating this semester from the School of Education. He has served for the past two years on the University Senate,
ULC and CAA-
SA (Student Association) – Dustin Lanterman, Academic Affairs Director, SA
Nothing to report.
MSCHE Steering Committee Report – Reed Hoyt, University Senate Representative
Nothing to report.
CAA (Council on Academic Assessment) – Heidi Andrade, Chair
The Council on Academic Assessment met on the 14th and the 22nd of April. The agendas included a discussion of a revised draft job
description for departmental assessment coordinators and a review of a proposed amendment to the sections of the Senate Charter that
describe the charges of the Council on Academic Assessment and its committees (Section X.6). We discussed the drafts of both the Graduate
and Undergraduate Education sections of the Strategic Plan, and shared our feedback with their respective task force chairs. Finally, we
reviewed, revised and approved the Program Review Committee reports for Computer Science and History.
CAFFECoR (Committee on Academic Freedom, Freedom of Expression, and Community Responsibility)
– Susanna Fessler, Chair
The Chair of CAFFECoR met with the Vice President for Student Success on Tuesday, May 4 to go over the final revisions to the
“Community Rights and Responsibilities” document. All CAFFECoR suggestions and concerns have been addressed with one exception—
the policy on internet usage is still under revision by the Chief Information Officer. To make the CRR more user friendly, however, Student
Success plans to re-format the document with links to pertinent campus offices and policies. When that is done, the part of the CRR that
addresses internet usage will link to ITS (instead of reiterating the ITS policy verbatim). The University Council will consider the new CRR
draft at its next meeting.
CERS (Committee on Ethics in Research and Scholarship) – John Monfasani, Chair
Nothing to report.
COR (Council on Research) – James Castracane, Chair
At its final academic year meeting of COR on May 3rd:
1). The FRAP B award recommendations from the Colleges/Schools were presented by IVPR Dias: 21 awards out of 31 applicants were
funded totaling $70,872.
The COR members approved the motion to accept.
2). The Benevolent Awards Review Sub-committee chaired by Professor Lewis presented their recommendations: 7 awards out of 17
applicants were funded totaling $3,500.
The COR members approved the motion to accept.
3). COR voted to recommend both the Institute for RNA Science and Technology and the Institute for Financial Market Regulation official
permanent University status.
CPCA (Council on Promotions and Continuing Appointments) – Carlos Rodriguez, Chair
CPCA met on Friday April 16th and again on Thursday April 22nd.
William Hedberg and the CPCA's chair also met with the university wide ad-hoc CLUE committee on Tenure and Promotion on Thursday
April 22nd.
Here are the CLUE group main questions for CPCA:
· We are very interested in understanding the extent of variability that exists in the tenure and promotion process. Can you tell us how
much variability in expectations (both for tenure and for promotion to full) you see across departments, and whether you see this
variability as problematic in any way?
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· Similarly, from your vantage point of seeing completed dossiers, how much variability in the process of assembling and shepherding
cases do you see? (For example, is there a lot of difference in what the actual cases end up looking like? Differences in how cases are
put together or in the process departments use in putting cases together?)
· Given that there is an abundance of Associate Professors across the UA, what are the major issues here at UA we should be aware of
related to promotion from Associate to Full Professor?
From your perspective, what is needed to better support and mentor associate professors as they move toward promotion to full? What
role could CPCA and/or the Provost’s office potentially play in this process, especially for small departments where there are few full
professors available to be mentors or to shepherd promotion cases.
· We are concerned with the concept of 'tainting' of external reviewers. Can you share any insights about the selection of external
reviewers in general, and CPCA’s current thoughts about 'tainting' in particular?
· The final question overlaps somewhat with the previous ones, but what do you feel works well in UA’s tenure and promotion system,
and what do you feel could work better/needs some attention?
In summary the CLUE group is concerned with: 1) How to handle the great increase in variability of cases across our increasingly diverse
university. 2) How to choose objective external reviewers. 3) How to solve the UA-wide large Accumulation of Associate Professors
Problem.
GAC (Graduate Academic Council) – Laurence Kranich, Chair
Prior to its meeting on May 7, GAC submitted comments on the Graduate Education section of the draft Strategic Plan. At the meeting, the
Council was joined by the new Dean of Graduate Studies, Kevin Williams. As the first item of business, the Council acted upon three
grievances before its Committee on Admissions and Academic Standing. It also approved four proposals before its Committee on Curriculum
and Instruction:
(1) a request to change the name of the Biopsychology PhD program to Behavioral Neuroscience,
(2) a request to drop the GRE Subject Test in Psychology for PhD applicants to the Social/Personality program,
(3) a request to drop the GRE Subject Test in Psychology for PhD applicants to the Biopsychology/Behavioral Neuroscience program, and
(4) a proposal to revise the Computer Science MS program in such a way that is suitable as a terminal MS degree and for those wishing to
pursue a Certificate in Professional Science Management.
Next, the Chair informed the Council that due to the late date of designing an appropriate process for GAC review of CAA assessments, he
suggested to the Chair of CAA that such reviews begin in the fall and that this may require special sessions due to the backlog of cases.
The Council then discussed the Graduate Education section of the draft Strategic Plan and members’ comments with the incoming Dean.
GOV (Governance Council) – Eric Lifshin, Chair
GOV continues its discussions regarding the Senate Handbook.
At its May 6 meeting, GOV responded to a request to replace a member and add a new representative to the ad hoc General Education Task
Force. The council also continued its compilation of types of requests it receives in its role as “committee on committees”; this will be passed
on to next year’s GOV to indicate requests that are cyclical vs. ad hoc, those that are mandated (by Bylaws, University policy, etc.), requests
of an “advisory” nature, and those that meet the conditions of “formal consultation.
GOV also began discussing implementation recommendations on Senate Resolution 0910-02, “Faculty Evaluation of Administrators and
Administrative Services and Functions.” The council will seek detailed information (instruments, forms, frequency of assessments, etc.) from
SUNY Senators from Binghamton and Stony Brook.
LISC (Council on Libraries, Information Systems, and Computing) – Gwen Moore, Chair
The University images database was demonstrated using Luna software. Images, audio and video are being entered into this institutional
repository, with over 5000 images provided by the Art Department, Art Museum, and Writers Institute have been digitized so far. Mark Wolfe
of Libraries Special Collection is developing the database. The dataset can be viewed at http://Lexington.univ.albany.edu/luna .
The Libraries now have an EBSCO discovery tool (beta version) available online as well as the American History and Video Collection that
has videos, newsreels, documentaries and other material in a searchable database.
ITS is beginning an evaluation of email and calendaring services on campus. Meetings with stakeholders are being held now; evaluation of
products will take place over the summer with results and reports in the fall.
UAC (Undergraduate Academic Council) – Joan Savitt, Chair
In addition to the bills UAC is bringing to the May 12 Senate meeting (Globalization Major; Earth & Atmos. Sci.; changes to S/U policy
made in response to recommendations received at the April Senate meeting; and our bill proposing a path to a degree which does not require
completion of a minor, already discussed in April but now presented for a vote), we report that we have approved changes to the Chemistry
Major, Comprehensive Forensics in accord with the recommendations of their accreditors; we are likely to have approved course changes and
subsequent small changes to the CNSE Honors program by the end of the term.
UAC approved the discontinuation of several minors, in Chemistry and in Public Health. These bills are being studied by the UPPC now and
will come to the floor if approved there. The discontinuations of certain minors in Chemistry were approved by UAC without dissent as very
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few students are involved and the rationale is clear. The request to discontinue the minor in Public Health was opposed by some on UAC on
the grounds that this is a popular option for students that should not be withdrawn. The proposal that was approved by UAC did allow for all
students already declared to finish the minor and for those who had not yet declared but who will have completed at least half of it by the
start of the fall, 2010 semester to declare it. SPH otherwise proposes to offer a 3-course sequence which it would open to larger numbers of
students who would not be able to minor in the field but who could be admitted as majors if qualified.
UAC also approved the formation of a General Education Advisory Group, following recommendations from the Strategic Planning group
and the Middle States evaluation team. Because input is also needed from the Governance Council before the full Senate can vote on it, this
bill is not being brought forward at the meeting. This advisory group has been designed to be able to take on the work currently being
performed by the Gen Ed Task Force formed by the Senate once the Task Force is discharged. As currently proposed, unlike the Task Force, it
will include representatives from all the academic areas required by the Trustees. The advisory group will serve as a resource to the Dean of
Undergraduate Education as well as to UAC and its Gen Ed committee which will continue to bring legislation to the Senate if changes in
policy are to be recommended.
ULC (University Life Council) – Daniel R. Smith, Chair
ULC heard a report on an upcoming NYS Audit of Cleary Act compliance for the UAlbany campus; the audit is part of the Comptroller's
audit of campuses state-wide.
UPPC (University Planning and Policy Council) – John Delano, Chair
The UPPC met on Friday, April 23, to discuss three items on its agenda.
(A) Proposal from the School of Business to resume admission to the Organizational Studies Ph.D. program: The UPPC began its discussion
of this proposal at its April 9th meeting. Questions and comments arising from that discussion were subsequently e-mailed to Dean Donald
Siegel and Prof. Gary Yukl, who were invited to attend the April 23rd meeting to discuss the proposal. The UPPC considered the resource
implications of this program, and learned that no additional faculty lines were required and that students would be externally funded. The
UPPC voted unanimously in support of the proposal.
(B) Current draft of the University’s strategic planning document: UPPC members provided comments and suggestions to Provost Phillips
and a subset of co-chairs of the committees responsible for the six strategic goals.
(C) In response to the UPPC Motion passed at its March 26th meeting, the Office of Finance and Business provided the UPPC chair and
Senate chair with 11 pages of spreadsheets on annual NYS funding to UAlbany and all other SUNY campuses from 2000-2001 through 2009-
2010. UPPC members received photocopies of those spreadsheets at the April 23rd meeting.
The UPPC met on Friday, May 7, to discuss the following four proposals:
(A) changes to the undergraduate program at the School of Public Health;
(B) suspension of admission to the B.A. program in Earth and Atmospheric Sciences;
(C) suspension of admission to the 3-2 program in Chemical Engineering; and
(D) suspension of admission to B.S. program in Chemistry - Materials Emphasis. All four of these proposals were approved by the UPPC.
9
UNIVERSITY
FACULTY
SENATE REPORT
SUNY New Paltz, New Paltz
April 23-24, 2010
SENATE PRESIDENT’S REPORT: Ken O'Brien (SUNY Brockport).
SUNY’s strategic plan. “The power of SUNY” was rolled out on April 12,
2010. The Chancellor presented the strategic plan to the SUNY Faculty
senate on April 23, 2010. http://www.suny.edu/powerofsuny/ The plan is
meant to redefine the relationship between the people of the State of New
York and the State University System. SUNY promises to bring our
knowledge and expertise to problems such as sustainability, energy, and
educational achievement.
Budget. The Governor’s budget planned cuts of $118 million plus. There appears
to be no movement from the leadership in the Assembly or Senate toward
restoring these funds. A new funding pattern is required that establishes some base
funding level that would allow us to perform our mission.
PHEEIA (Public Higher Education Empowerment and Innovation Act). Both
houses of the NYS government have so far rejected the Act. SUNY administration
indicated in a letter to the NYS leadership the following minimum needs:
restoration of community college aid, moving all SUNY funds into aid to
localities, differential tuition at university centers, public-private partnerships for
the university centers, elimination of pre-audit for purchases.
Student mobility. The Board of Trustees has passed resolutions to relax the
SUNY mandated general education policy and has returned assessment of
programs back to campuses. SUNY has implemented policies that facilitate
student mobility between campuses and systematized the process.
Honors and awards. The Undergraduate Committee of the UFS hosted 98
posters by undergraduates in the legislative office buildings. The
Chancellor’s award for student excellence honored 200 students. The
Chancellor also honored the promotion of many colleagues to the ranks of
Distinguished Professor, Distinguished Teaching Professor, and
Distinguished Service Professor.
DAVID LAVALLEE, (INTERIM) SENIOR VICE CHANCELLOR AND
PROVOST
Dr. Lavallee spoke about some staff changes in his office to fill 2 key assessment
and review positions. He assured us that very few more hires will take place.
The assessment and review teams will be reorganized regionally rather than
by type of institution.
Mobility Updates. Surveyed 4 year campuses for courses in the first two
years. The majority of 20 or so majors (psy, soc, his, eng, math) were
consistent. A faculty committee has been looking at these issues.
Communications, Criminal Justice, Social work – lots of transfers but not
everyone teaches in these areas. Communications is harder to nail down. A
web site is being constructed (especially for transfer advisors) but it does not
override articulation agreements. There is an appeals process. The Provost
has not put out guidelines for D grade transfers but he has convened
admissions directors to talk about the issues. A student can complete a
general education course with less than C but the course may or may not be
accepted within the major.
Looking at standards for UHS.
MONICA RIMAI, SENIOR VICE CHANCELLOR, CHIEF
OPERATING OFFICER
The COO provided another thorough analysis of the current facts about the
Empowerment Act and its benefits. The Empowerment Act will provide 3
legs of a stool for SUNY flexibility: Tuition flexibility, streamlined
procurement, and entrepreneurial opportunity. The legislature is not in favor
of PHEEIA because they fear losing influence and power. Responding to the
argument that PHEEIA is an attempt to privatize SUNY the COO remarked
that we have seen half a billion dollars in base cuts to state support
authorized by the legislature in just three years. The legislature is forcing
campuses to find new revenue streams. Guaranteed minimum state support is
not likely to happen. However, we have to keep saying that the cuts are
unacceptable.
The COO spoke about a series of proposals to change PHEEIA from the
Assembly and the Senate. Each house has its own plan but the Assembly
refuses to deal with PHEEIA until after a budget has been passed.
NANCY ZIMPHER, CHANCELLOR
The Chancellor presented the power of SUNY presentation. More
information can be found at http://www.suny.edu/powerofsuny/ .
TINA GOOD, PRESIDENT OF FACULTY COUNCIL OF
COMMUNITY COUNCILS
FCCC passed resolution calling for the restoration of community college funds.
26 out 30 community colleges passed the same resolution. FCCC held a lobby
day to restore funds to community colleges. FCCC held their plenary in Buffalo
and passed 3 resolutions. 1) Endorsed BOT resolution on Assessment. 2)
Resolution on strengthening shared governance, 3) Resolution recommending that
that the general education curriculum be revised. They are working on resolution
to strengthen student mobility process.
UNIVERSITY CENTER SECTOR CONCERNS/QUESTIONS
We discussed the need to implement a regular evaluation process of campus
leadership. We encouraged the Chancellor to begin reviewing campus
presidents and encourage campus governance bodies to implement a review of
senior administrative leadership. Guidance exists on the UFS web site.
We also discussed PHEEIA and the survey results from Stony Brook, which
seems to indicate that faculty by and large, support some new scheme to
funding SUNY despite the strong objection from UUP. We discussed at
length the negative impact that shrinking budgets are having on education,
research, and the retention of quality scholars. Some units are implementing
systematic cuts and closing campuses and other units don’t seem to have
shared a set of plans to deal with cuts yet. We fear that continued cuts would
create pressure to deactivate or drastically reconfigure academic programs to
the detriment of our students.
Reports for the Following Committees are available:
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
AWARDS COMMITTEE.
OPERATIONS COMMITTEE
GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE
GRADUATE AND RESEARCH COMMITTEE
STUDENT LIFE.
UNDERGRADUATE COMMITTEE.
ETHICS COMMITTEE
RESOLUTIONS
Resolution on presidential searches that suggest creating specific
requirements not simply guidelines
Resolution to work on an electronic means of meeting for special reasons
Resolution to support PHEEIA passed
REMINDER OF THE FACULTY SENATE PAGE
Although material is slow to appear on the site, eventually the full text of
motions passed should appear:
http://www.suny.edu/facultySenate/.
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Respectfully submitted,
William Lanford, and
Daniel D. White
SUNY Senators
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