Highlights of issues to be addressed by the Senate 5/2 and 5/9/2005:
The Senate will be voting at its May 2 and 9 meetings on
also on a new policy on academic advisement (see http://www.albany.edu/senate/uac.htm).
On March 14 the Senate voted to create an ombuds office for graduate students and made a
minor change to the Senate Charter, which allows for the revised procedure for tenure and
promotion for colleges that do not report directly to the provost.
The Senate received wide response, thank you, to its more general survey on issues of
devolving authority to schools and colleges, and is working on those issues. A bill on graduate
curriculum is expected for the Senate in May. Other issues being discussed include an Honors
College with the College of Arts and Science, a policy allowing for electronic dissertations,
planning for a new School of Business building, and approval for the Center for Cancer
Genomics.
One important piece of new business will be electing a new Vice Chair to succeed Steven
Messner when he becomes Senate Chair in the fall. All voting faculty are eligible and nominees
do not have to be current senators. Please send nominations to Andi Lyons andi@albany.edu,
with the subject head “Vice Chair” by April 15. Self-nomination is encouraged, but please
determine that the candidate is willing to be nominated and to perform the duties of the office
before submitting a name. Two documents listing responsibilities of Senators and of Officers
can be found at http://www.albany.edu/senate/guidelines.htm.
Other ongoing Senate Council activity may be found on the Senate website,
www.albany.edu/senate, and includes reviews of budgets, issues of student retention,
regulations for free expression, and assessment of academic programs, research centers, and
tenure cases.
Andi Lyons
University Senate Secretary
Carolyn MacDonald
University Senate Chair
