University Senate
Monday, October 15, 2018
2:45 PM – 4:45 PM
CC West Boardroom
James Mower, Senate Chair
MINUTES
Meeting convened at 2:50
President’s Report
President Rodríguez shared the following updates:
• General
o We have made a great deal of progress on many plans, initiatives, and activities that
we have been discussing over the past year: Strategic Plan, Branding Initiative,
Fundraising and Comprehensive Campaign, Organizational restructuring, Athletics
successes, others.
o Earlier this month we submitted an Annual Report to the Chancellor --
accomplishments and goals in the report support the Strategic Plan’s five core
priorities. He reminded that it is important that we align our various efforts with our
Strategic Plan, including our Mission, Vision, Values, and Core Priorities.
• Enrollment Update:
o Broke a record for the largest applicant pool—and were able to close the freshman
class admissions process in the spring for the first time since 2005.
o Met our targets for both undergraduate and graduate enrollments.
o Total enrollment for Fall 2018 is 17,937 total with 13,598 Undergraduate and
4,339 Graduate—representing a slight increase in both columns (UG +86, Grad
+109 over this time last year).
o The President thanked the Provost, the Deans, and faculty for their hard work in
reaching our targets, and indicated that next year we are aiming to surpass 18,000.
o UAlbany moved from 150 to 141 in the 2019 U.S. News & World Report Best
Colleges rankings and moved up 10 points in Washington Monthly’s rankings.
o Masters and PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering was approved by the State
Dept. of Education and will be ready to be offered soon.
• Provost Search
o Provost Stellar will return to the faculty at the end of this semester, and a national
search is being launched.
o A diverse committee is being formed that is as representative as possible of the
campus community while still being a manageable size.
o The committee will have a designee from the Senate, along with Student Leadership,
Campus Administration, Deans, VPs, and it’s slightly bigger than originally
envisioned (19 rather than 15) in order to have more faculty representation across
disciplines and scholarly areas, with an overrepresentation (7-8) of faculty on the
Committee -- invitations went out and 100% agreed to serve.
o Responses from search firms are being vetted from the RFP, and the President
expects to bring the committee together and charge them before the end of the month.
o A webpage is being finalized that will include all the information on the search.
• Strategic Plan
o The implementation process is underway--the Implementation Team has met
numerous times, and the President participated in the last meeting.
o The team has been asked to identify 3-4 key proposals under each core priority—and
the President will bring these initiatives to the Executive Council for their review.
o Metrics are being developed for each area to track progress, and funding is being
identified; Executive Council is focusing on potential funding opportunities for these
initiatives, which will focus on potential reallocation, new internal funding, and new
external funding.
• Middle States
o The President thanked Jason Lane and Jeanette Altarriba for their leadership as co-
chairs, as well as Bruce Szelest, Jack Mahoney, the Steering Committee and the
workgroup members.
o 75 faculty, staff, and students are directly engaged in the process, and everything is
on track for a March 2019 release of the draft self-study to the campus for review and
feedback.
• Homecoming and Campaign Launch
o Invitations will be going on for Friday at 5:00 at the Fountain to formally launch our
Comprehensive Campaign.
o Saturday morning at 10 am—University Update and Showcase—the inaugural event
in the new Campus Center Auditorium.
• Other
o Enrollment Management will be moving from Academic Affairs to Student Affairs
for a more holistic and synergistic approach to the student life cycle at UAlbany.
o Workforce Vacancy Committee reviewing proposals
o UUP Labor Management Meeting regarding the process for the next discretionary
salary review as authorized in the recently approved Agreement – UAlbany is
working on the process.
o Different constituent groups are being consulted University-wide about various
topics, including Senate Executive Committee and the University Senate, including
the calendar by Karen Chico Hurst, and commencement by Christy Doyle.
Questions were asked and answered regarding the Workforce Planning Committee, the
implementation process for the strategic plan, and the website. Additional related clarifying
questions were asked and answered by the Provost.
Approval of minutes
Vote: 30 in favor, 0 opposed, 4 abstentions
Proposal to Establish a Graduate Certificate Program in Communication
It was shared that this is an interim credential as a means for students to distinguish themselves
in the job market. The certificate is built mostly existing courses; the department has been
developing courses for online delivery for several years and is well-prepared. In response to
questions, it was shared that issues of diversity and intercultural concerns are threaded through a
number of the courses, and that there are no shared resource courses, but there is a BA/MA
program.
Vote: 37 in favor, 1 opposed, 0 abstentions
Resolution to Urge the University at Albany for Childcare
It was shared that this resolution has been circulating for over a year, and in ULC for about a
year, to make sure all stakeholders were accommodated. This originally came from graduate
students, but ultimately the resolution was expanded to include all student parents. Members
expressed appreciation that this has been brought forward. It was clarified that this is just a
resolution (not a bill) which urges consideration but has no binding force.
Vote: 33 approved, 1 opposed, 3 abstained.
Approval of Council and Committee Assignments
In May the Senate approves council members for the next year’s senate; since there has been a
number of changes since May we need a new round of approvals.
Discussion: Make Tim Weaver the right level
Vote: 34 in favor, 0 opposed, 2 abstentions
Reports:
UFS: Going on Thursday to Binghamton for fall plenary. Asked that if senators want anything
brought forward to please just send to one of the three SUNY Senators. UFS senators meet with
the 4 research institutions to craft questions for the chancellor.
CoR: All subcommittees have been filled, now are working on evaluating the awards that have
been submitted, meeting next week.
GOV: Will be looking at the faculty handbook, beginning in November, with new faculty
handbook to the faculty by March in time to look for new members. Reminder of the Online
Forum, CCW at 12pm.
ULC: Attended the event of responding to the Kavanaugh hearings. Working on a policy
encouraging trauma informed policies. Several upcoming tobacco free programs on campus.
Welcome any efforts that faculty or staff are doing to do trauma informed dialogues.
UPPC: Working on making all of the reports available on the website. UPPC has approved the
proposal for calendar changes, with notation of a few concerns. Karen Chico Hurst has gone
around to several groups to consult various groups and address sticking points. As a planning
item it is important to have five-year plan, but there are still concerns about how to address
holidays. All the changes that have been made in the past have been approved by the Senate.
Looking for a bill at next meeting. It is mandated by New York State that students not be
harmed for observing their religious holidays.
All other councils and committees either did not have chairs present or had nothing new to
report.
Meeting adjourned: 4:08pm.
