University Senate Charter Amendment No.: 1617-02A
UNIVERSITY SENATE
UNIVERSITY AT ALBANY
STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK
Introduced by: Council on Promotions and Continuing Appointments
Date: April 24, 2017
Amendment RE: UPDATES TO SECTION X.7 (CPCA)
IT IS HEREBY PROPOSED THAT THE FOLLOWING BE ADOPTED:
• That the proposed amendments of the University Senate Charter Faculty be adopted
• That these amendments go into effect immediately
Current Charter:
X.7. COUNCIL ON PROMOTIONS AND CONTINUING APPOINTMENTS
X.7.1. Composition [amended 4/7/14]
X.7.1.1. At least nine fourteen and no more than twenty twothirteen Teaching Faculty who
hold continuing appointment (of whom at least four three must be Senators, and at least
half must be Full Professors and/or Librarians), from a balance of academic disciplines
including the libraryies.
X.7.1.2. Staff support for the Council shall be designated by the Provost. [added by
amendment 5/2/05]
X.7.2. The Council shall recommend to the President individuals for promotion in rank and/or
continuing appointment, in accordance with the Guidelines Concerning Promotion and
Continuing Appointment and the Policies of the Board of Trustees.
X.7.3. The Council shall examine all files containing documents pertaining to individual
applications for promotion and/or continuing appointment prior to their being transmitted to
the President, to determine that they conform to the Guidelines Concerning Promotion and
Continuing Appointment. If a file is found to deviate from the Guidelines, the Council shall
direct that remedies be made if feasible, and shall otherwise note the deficiencies and their
possible effect on the recommendation, and so advise the President, the appropriate Vice
President, the dean (where applicable), the chair (where applicable), and the candidate.
[Section X.7.3 revised by amendment 3/14/05]
X.7.4. A quorum shall consist of seven members (of whom at least one must be a Senator, and
at least four must be Full Professors and/or Librarians).
X.7.54. The Council shall consider and make recommendations to the Senate concerning all
matters of policy and procedure pertaining to the applications of faculty members for
promotion and/or continuing appointment, except when a matter of policy or procedure is
mandated in a negotiated contract between the State and the University's professional staff.
X.7.65. The Council’s deliberations on individual cases shall normally be closed to visitors.
Council meetings to discuss policy issues shall normally be open to members of the
University community. The chair shall post the agenda for such meetings in advance.
Rationale
Given the planned growth of the University, the expected increase in faculty hiring will result in a
larger workload for the Council on Promotions and Continuing Appointments. The current
workload of approximately 150 hours, per member, already is excessive. On April 6, 2017, the
Council held an open meeting to review multiple options to reduce the workload, per member.
The Council concluded the number of Teaching Faculty serving on the Council should be
increased.
The increase in the number of Council members to approximately twenty-one will reduce the
make the workload of individual members manageable.
The quorum of seven members maintains the number of members that are currently required to
review each case.
The requirement that each review must include a Senator assures the Senate’s role in Council
recommendations.
The requirement that at least four members on each review must be of Full rank assures input
from senior members of the University community.
