Governance Council
Wednesday, February 15, 2017
2:45 PM
UNH 306
Karin Reinhold, Chair
Minutes
PRESENT: Earle, Keith; Moore, Chris; Nowell, Greg; Ostro, Austen; Petry, Greta;
Poehlmann, Chris; Reinhold, Karin; Schmidt, John; Sergay, Tim
GUESTS: Jim Collins
The meeting convened at approximately 2:45 p.m.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
The minutes of January 25 were unanimously approved.
CHAIR’S REPORT – Karin Reinhold
Chair Reinhold reviewed her written report, submitted as follows:
Jan 30: During the SEC meeting, Jim C. asked for a) Council Procedures to be included in the Senate Handbook,
b) recommendations for the different Councils from the shared governance survey.
Feb 3: Interim Provost Wheeler announced that the structure of commencement will change starting Spring 2017.
We’ll no longer have small departmental ceremonies. They will be clustered while still focusing on celebrating
families and students.
Feb 6: Meeting with Jen Carron, assistant VP for marketing, to plan the Identity Forum. Jen and Joe Brennan will
come to the March meeting of the Senate to present the results of their exploratory survey. Forum on Identity will
focus on messaging and crafting ideas for who we are.
Feb 6: I checked with Finance & Administration about placing the budget on the webpage.
Feb 9: Results of votes on the resolutions. Nine people voted as follows:
1) RESOLUTION: AFFIRMATION OF UALBANY’S COMMITMENT TO A SAFE, DIVERSE AND
INCLUSIVE MULTICULTURAL CAMPUS
6 Yes, 2 Abstain, 1 No
2) RESOLUTION: CONDEMNATION OF EXECUTIVE ORDER ON IMMIGRANTS.
7 Yes, 1 Abstain, 1 No
Feb 10: Convergence strategic planning event: Expedition Mapping.
http://www.albany.edu/strategicplan/expedition_mapping.shtml
It was interesting to see the conversations. Description of Design Thinking:
http://www.albany.edu/strategicplan/design_thinking.shtml
Feb 13: Senate meeting. Dean Alicia Ouellette’s ALS presentation mentioned that ALS offers a legal clinic. We
are wondering if this clinic can help people caught up in the travel ban and ICE crackdown. Jim Collins is in the
process of finding out details.
Feb 14: I received information from the Director of ISSS Mike Elliot for students in need of help:
“In regard to resources, the materials we provide to international students are available in our office so if
you have any international students who need support or additional information, please send them our way.
The ISSS general email box is isss
@albany.edu
and phone is 518-591-8172. We also provide updated
information to our international students via our weekly newsletter, future forums, and direct emails.
Something helpful to you and for all immigrant/immigrant-intent and non-immigrant students is the
NYCLU Know-Your-Rights resources. These can be printed as pocket size resources and referenced for
dealing with specific cases.
1. What to Do if You are Stopped by an Immigration Officer http://www.nyclu.org/publications/palm-
card-what-do-if-youre-stopped-immigration-officers-2012
2. Immigrants’ Rights are Human Rights: Universal Guarantees of Rights to All People
http://www.nyclu.org/publications/immigrants-rights-are-human-rights-universal-guarantees-of-rights-all-
people-2009
3. Your Rights to an Attorney if You are Arrested and Accused of a Crime
http://www.nyclu.org/publications/know-your-rights-your-right-attorney-if-youre-arrested-and-accused-of-
crime-2014
4. What to Do if You are Stopped by the Police
http://www.nyclu.org/publications/palm-card-what-do-if-youre-stopped-police-english-and-spanish
Also helpful for following presidential policy changes, particularly through Executive Orders, is to visit
www.whitehouse.gov for briefings, including presidential actions (https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-
room/presidential-actions). Judicial action updates on Executive Orders can be found on government
websites such as the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals (https://www.ca9.uscourts.gov/).
I hope this is helpful information and please do refer international students with concerns to our office.
Thanks so much- Mike
Michael Elliott, PhD
Director, International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) at the Center for International Education and
Global Strategy (CIEGS) Science Library G-40, University at Albany, Albany, NY 12222
tel: 518-591-8189 fax: 518-591-8171”
Recommendations for actions from Governance:
1. Update of Senate Handbook
a)
Student representation
b)
Update of dated material
c)
Inclusion of procedures for different Councils
2. Update of Faculty Bylaws to update the representation of contingent faculty
3. Nominations for At-Large Senators
4. Identity:
a)
List of faculty that would be beneficial to talk to while developing the UAlbany Identity
b)
Names for panelists for Forum on Identity
SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS
Liaison and Elections Committee (LEC) – Christian Poehlmann, Chair
Nothing to Report
Chair Poehlmann added that the LEC had started its part of the Faculty Handbook and was in
the information gathering stage. He noted that a meeting was scheduled for February 16 to
discuss allocations for elections. We started the process of preparing for elections of senators
and Senate officials for next year.
Assessment of Governance and Consultation Committee (AGCC) – Greta Petry, Chair
Nothing to Report
Ad hoc Committee on Contingent Representation
Nothing to Report
Chair Reinhold reported that the committee had not met.
OTHER REPORTS
Senate Handbook: Jim Collins
Senate Chair Collins explained that the approximately 9-page Senate Handbook, called for in the
Bylaws and last updated in 2010, is a user-friendly guide with suggestions on how to conduct
Senate business. He noted that the Senate Handbook is separate from the Senate Charter and
from the University at Albany Handbook not sponsored by the Senate. Senate leadership had
discovered the need for GOV to update and revise the Senate Handbook, he added, in reviewing
inconsistency in such Senate procedures as the approval of department name changes. The Chair
highlighted that, with the high overturn of membership, the document specified Council Chairs
were encouraged to keep a written record of procedures. Chair Collins stated that this year he
and the Senate officers would be following up on procedures to update and edit the Handbook
going forward.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
Representation of contingent faculty
Chair Reinhold shared her research on the issue, including procedures at other Universities and a
2003-2004 University at Albany Senate amendment about the representation of part-time
Senators.
GOV members considered the following:
a) Amending the Bylaws granting voting rights to part-time faculty to elect their own Senate
representatives and submitting nominations for candidates.
b) Whether to increase the number of Senate representatives, a change that would also
involve a Bylaws amendment.
Potential means of implementing voting outreach for part-time faculty was discussed including
through the part-time list that the UUP Part-time Concerns Committee has and through the
university listserv, developed in 2015-16. GOV determined that before voting on an amendment
Chair Reinhold would consult with the Senate Parliamentarian regarding the definition of part-
time faculty.
NEW BUSINESS
Nominations for At-Large Senators
Chair Reinhold asked that members solicit nominations from their respective units: teaching
faculty and professionals.
The Chair also asked members to consider individuals who could contribute to a forum on the
University’s brand and for a smaller focused group to work on UAlbany’s identity.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at approximately 4:13 p.m.
Respectfully submitted by
Elisa Lopez, Recorder
