University Senate Executive Committee
Monday, March 5, 2018
2:45 p.m.
UNH 306
Karin Reinhold, Senate Chair
Minutes
Present:
Cadesca, Langie (SA representative); Collins, James; Franchini, Billie; Hamilton, Diane; Jewell, Carol;
Mower, James; Poehlmann, Christian; Rafferty, Sean; Reinhold, Karin; Rosenswig, Robert; Smith, Christy;
Spencer, Latonia Stellar, James; Wagner, David; Wharram, Dawn
Absent:
Hargett, James; King, Ekow; Mallia, Mary Ellen
Guests:
Szelest, Bruce; Yonkers, Virginia
The meeting convened at 2:45 p.m.
Chair Reinhold circulated a revised agenda, which omitted discussion of the discontinuance of deactivated
programs. At the chair’s request, a motion was made and unanimously approved to change the agenda order to
consider New Business directly following the Provost’s and Chair’s Reports.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
The minutes of February 14, 2018 were unanimously approved.
SEC CHAIR’S REPORT – Karin Reinhold
Chair Reinhold began with her report to allow a few minutes for the Provost to arrive.
I. Informational
On Feb 14th, Chair Reinhold received a request for the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion plan for UAlbany, mandated by SUNY in
2015. The ODI office created a UAlbany plan in 2016 and it is now being addressed and updated by the current group on Diversity
and Inclusion of the Strategic Plan.
On the Feb 21st UPPC, meeting it was decided to create a Task force to study the academic preparation of entering freshmen and
transfer students and to prepare a report by the end of term. The group members are Professors Jim Collins, Kajal Lahiri and Louis-
Anne McNutt together with Jack Mahoney from Institutional Research. They are tasked with investigating whether students’ academic
preparation had declined over the last decade, and providing recommendations for implementing solutions that would help students
succeed at UAlbany.
UPPC also discussed draft proposals about career paths for contingent and part-time faculty, and new teaching focused faculty
positions. These proposals are ways to implement part of the recommendations made by the implementation team (9/15/2016) (https://
www.albany.edu/academics/files/Contingent_progress_report_final.pdf ). See also the recommendations from the report within the
2016 Provost’s Panel on Contingent Concerns: https://www.albany.edu/academics/files/Contingent_Faculty_Committee_Report_10-
1-2015.pdf
It was decided to bring these items to the next SEC meeting to discuss the proposals about job security and career paths for contingent
and part-time faculty, which are part of the recommendations from the documents above. Additionally, we may also want to address
the report on Graduate Students Stipends:
https://www.albany.edu/academics/files/Report_of_the_Graduate_Stipend_Committee_final_draft_070615.pdf
Under instructions from President Rodriguez Estella Rivero and Dolores Cimini are to implement a task force for implementing a
Tobacco –Free Policy at UAlbany, and invited the Senate to send a representative. As background on this measure, the Senate had
passed a resolution in 2009 on Smoke free campus; an initial task force was created in 2014, chaired by Phil Nasca, which returned a
report with a commitment to bring about a tobacco-free campus. The current task force is charged with the creation of a tobacco free
policy for UAlbany with an action plan for its implementation.
Chair Reinhold received an announcement about a Proposal to link Digital Forensic Major and Legal Studies Minor, and a request to
include Discontinuance of Deactivated Programs at the next SEC meeting.
The new shared governance webpage will be released at the end of February after deans’ and administrators’ approval. All support
persons of Senate Council have been given authority to change the website on order to be able to update the webpage of the councils
they serve. Most council’s pages are up-to-date. However, the listing of Senate legislations is incomplete as of Feb 22, including only
bills but missing amendments to the Senate’s Charter and Bylaws, and Senate Resolutions.
Openings in the Senate: At-Large open category 2, At-Large Professional 2, SUNY wide Senator 1, UAS Board 2. Also UPPC
committees, Resource Analysis & Planning Committee and University Facilities Committee, for next year.
Recommendations
Actions Taken
Given the short due date, LISC was requested to submit recommendations on open access policy directly to the Chancellor.
Requested a report on the implementation of Blue Ribbon panels by Asc VP and Sr Vice Provost for Academic Affairs Bill Hedberg,
together with data on ratios of contingent hires in the past 5 years to be presented at the Mar 5 SEC meeting.
Requested a report of the Assessment of Administrative units Advisory Board to be presented by the Senate representatives during
April’s SEC meeting.
Requested the UAlbany diversity, equity and inclusion plan to be shared with the Senate constituency.
Requested a report on the work of the Task force on Graduate enrollment by Dean of Graduate Education Kevin Williams.
SAVE THE DATE:
●
Senate Forum on The State of Arts and Humanities: March 21st, 3:30-5:30pm Multi- purpose room
●
Spring Faculty Address, April 3 at 1:00 pm in the CC Ballroom.
●
Senate Forum on The State of IT on Campus: April 10th.
Other announcements:
●
Feb 29th GSA Higher Education Advocacy day.
●
March 2nd : SUNY Voices Conference: Middle States & Shared Governance, 10:00-4:30, SUNY Administration,
Albany, NY
●
April 1st: Date planned for Strategic Plans to be submitted.
●
April 13th : President’s Inauguration
●
April 20th: SUNY Undergraduate Research Symposium 2018, Oneonta, and Saturday,
●
April 21th at Monroe County Community College.
Chair Reinhold reviewed additions to her written report, summarized as follows:
o
New Website – Some councils and committees were still missing minutes and agendas. Support
staff are asked to update their council’s website.
o
Council and committee procedures – Past Senate Chair Collins would circulated the procedural
documents, which were created last year. Support staffs had been asked to add the documents to
the respective One Drive folders.
o
The Chair reported that she found inconsistencies in the Charter where prior years’
amendments had not been yet been incorporated and that the Senate officers need to track
amendments and make sure the Charter is up to date.
o
UPPC was looking for nominations of distinguished members for its two subcommittees.
o
The next SEC meeting would include reports form the taskforce on graduate enrollment.
o
Please alert the chair regarding pending proposals coming to the SEC.
o
February 26th - Chair Reinhold attended a Communications and Marketing 1 ½ hour branding
campaign presentation. SEC members were asked to consider holding a special meeting to
provide input on the presentation.
o
UFS Senator Walt Little was on sabbatical and would be replaced by Danielle Leonard, the
alternate per the last election.
PROVOST’S REPORT – James R. Stellar
Provost Stellar announced that they had completed the strategic planning (SP) road show and had presented the
new draft, with changes based on feedback, to the University Council. He reviewed the timeline, highlighting
that March 8th begins the next phase with the first of four town hall meetings to help areas develop action plans.
We need your continued enthusiasm and energy to move forward, the provost stressed. The fundraising
campaign and branding initiative, he continued, will need to align closely with the Strategic Plan. As an
example, the provost noted that President Rodríguez has stated the comprehensive campaign will have to do
more in the area of internationalization. He explained that, in conjunction with branding efforts, we will be
reaching out to alums who have studied abroad to help tell our story.
The provost reiterated that we are in the process a School of Business dean search and announced we will also
be launching a search to replace the School of Social Welfare dean who is departing in June. He stated that they
had a wonderful EOP gathering with over 800 students at SEFCU on Sunday, March 4th. Prior to that, he added,
we had a nice event with the TAO Sigma Society celebrating honors transfer students. Lastly, Provost Stellar
underlined that UAlbany had beat Cornell in lacrosse, preserving our status as the first ever SUNY number one
sports team in the nation.
Provost Stellar then addressed questions and concerns regarding subjects including discussion of the formation
of a graduate school, the strategic plan, and the University at Albany’s status as a research tier one institution.
NEW BUSINESS
Bill 1718-05 PROPOSAL TO ESTABLISH (3) BS/MS PROGRAMS: Proposals to combine BA in
Human Development with MS programs in Counseling Psychology, Educational Psychology, Special
Education - Dayana Newton
Educational Psychology and Methodology Academic and Administrative Coordinator Dayana Newton provided
background and an overview of the proposal. Assistant Dean for Academics and Assessment Christy Smith
stressed that we are not enrolling up to our capacity in our programs including a Mental Health and Psychology
BAMA, and Special Ed and Ed Psychology undergraduate programs. Our Human Development major
enrollments surpassed goals by a lot, she added, so we have room without extra cost at this time and hope this
will act as a funnel to enroll students into master’s programs.
A motion was made and unanimously approved that the above proposal move forward to the Senate for a vote.
OTHER REPORTS
SUNY Senators’ Report – Diane Hamilton, Walter Little, Latonia Spencer
Nothing to report.
GSA (Graduate Student Organization) – Dawn Wharram, Lead Senator
Nothing reported.
SA (Student Association) –Jerlisa Fontaine, President
Nothing reported.
Chief of Staff Langie Cadesca reported that SA is looking to create a student position to act as a liaison to
departments and asked for recommendations from the SEC regarding department contacts. Member
suggestions included reaching out to the 1) department chairs, 2) academic directors, 3) deans, and 4) student
clubs that might be familiar with department’s issues. Provost Stellar noted that he supported the idea. Past
Senate Chair Collins suggested that if SA would designate an individual to coordinate student service on Senate
councils and committees, it would really help with the communication and relationship between SA and the
Senate.
COUNCIL/COMMITTEE CHAIRS’ REPORTS:
CAA (Council on Academic Assessment) – Istvan Kecskes, Chair & Mary Ellen Mallia Co-Chair
Nothing reported.
CAFFECoR (Committee on Academic Freedom, Freedom of Expression, and Community Responsibility)
– Carol Jewell, Chair
Nothing reported.
CERS (Committee on Ethics in Research and Scholarship) – David G. Wagner, Incoming Chair
Nothing to report.
COR (Council on Research) –Robert Rosenswig, Chair
Nothing reported.
CPCA (Council on Promotions and Continuing Appointments) – Louise-Anne McNutt, Outgoing Chair;
Jim Hargett, Incoming Chair
Nothing reported.
GAC (Graduate Academic Council) –Sean Rafferty, Chair
Nothing reported.
GOV (Governance Council) – James Mower, Chair
GOV met on 2/21 (rescheduled from 2/7 because of snow). The following items were acted upon:
o
We received a report from Chris Poehlmann on the feasibility of using Qualtrics, a subscription service recently
implemented on the University computing system. Chris reported that Qualtrics looks promising as a replacement
for the Senate’s current voting procedures, allowing users to more easily cast their votes than in the current system.
More testing will be performed before a final decision will be made.
o
Under co-chairs Carolyn Malloch and Virginia Yonkers, the Committee on Assessment of Governance (CAGC) is
now constructing the biennial survey of the faculty mandated by the Charter. They will meet on Wednesday, Feb 28
to map out the content and process.
o
The GOV Committee on Liaison and Elections (CLE) is in the process of formulating the preliminary slate for the
spring elections for University Senate Senator-At-Large, SUNY-wide Senator, and UAS Board positions.
Chair Mower reviewed his written report and thanked CLE Chair Poehlmann for his work with
Qualtrics and Virginia Yonkers for volunteering to serve as CAGC co-chair. He noted that Jack
Mahoney from Institutional Research would be assisting with the CAGC survey.
LISC (Council on Libraries, Information Systems, and Computing) – Billie Franchini, Chair
Nothing reported.
UAC (Undergraduate Academic Council) –Karen Kiorpes, Chair and Christy Smith, Co-Chair
UAC Report to SEC
March 5, 2018
UAC met in February 20, 2018
Sanjay Goel attended at the start of our meeting to further discuss the Program Proposal in Digital Forensics. He
reiterated why changes are being made to reflect NIST and NSA cybersecurity curriculum standards and because he will
be seeking NSA accreditation for cybersecurity research. Programming courses on campus could be cross-listed to
minimize overlap. The proposal was approved.
Two General Education Competency plans are still being reviewed.
Two UNI 390 internship proposals were reviewed and approved.
The Curriculum and Honors Committee of UAC reported that last week, reviewers made their site visit for the proposed
major Electrical and Computer Engineering. This week reviewers are making their site visit for the proposed major in
Environmental and Sustainable Engineering. The program proposal for a BA in Business Economics is being reviewed
in Arts and Sciences and an external review in Fall 2018 is anticipated.
Under New Business, UAC discussed a proposal for a new Higher Education concentration for the BS in Human
Development. We will revisit this at our next meeting (March 20).
Dr. Matthew Ingram met with UAC to consider a proposed new minor in Legal Studies, Department of Political Science.
Six courses are required and up to two courses can come from other departments/disciplines. This would not be a
restricted minor. Council members noted that there is a need to serve students with interests in legal issues. Attendance at
this Council meeting was low; as such, we will revisit the proposal at our next meeting (March 20) to have additional
discussion. The History department will be providing some information about some concerns.
ULC (University Life Council) – Ekow King, Chair
Report of Chair, University Life Council
I.
Informational
a.
VP of Finance and Administration reported that the new eating space in CC West will be opening by the end of
February. Also as it was a cold winter, pipes burst on campus during intersession.
b.
There were questions about the H2O Zone fountains that were in the CC prior to the recent modifications. The
council appointed a member to investigate further.
c.
EAP Director shared update on resources for Faculty & Staff and shared that they provide referrals and all work
is confidential.
d.
Discussion was held regarding the impact of the most recent charter changes; Increased graduate student
representation, CSEA representation on the council, Director of Athletics to be invited as Ex-Officio.
e.
Chair has been asked and accepted invitation to serve on Tobacco Free Steering Committee
f.
Graduate Students parking issues and General parking issues were discussed at length
i.
Graduate rep and Chair will meet with Dir. of Parking management
g.
Council members continue to work on the following resolutions:
i.
Affordable Childcare
ii.
Interfaith Center
iii.
Trauma Informed Responses to Oppression
iv.
Inclusion of Eid al Adha and Eid al Fitr on the University Calendar
v.
Indigenous People’s Day
II.
Reports of Actions
a.
The Council agreed to invite Kevin Benn, Pres. Of UAlbany CSEA chapter, or designee as a representative on the
council
b.
Mark Benson, or designee would be invited to serve as Ex-Officio on the council
III.
Recommendations for Actions
a.
No recommendations at this time
Respectfully submitted,
D Ekow King, M.A.
Chair, University Life Council
UPPC (University Planning and Policy Council) – James Collins, Chair
Information:
The Council met on February 21.
Provost Stellar reported that the Strategic Plan’s ‘road shows’ were nearing the end of the process, after which there would be
period of studying alignment plans from University academic and administrative units, followed by review and revision of
the Strategic Plan, with implementation processes to be designed over the summer and the new Strategic Plan officially
underway during the Fall of 2018. He then reported on several ongoing Deans’ searches, stating that the intent with the
Rockefeller College was to have Interim Dean Rethemeyer appointed as Dean, pending feedback and (unspecified
mechanisms for) faculty approval. Chair Collins asked whether this consultation process was used in the appointment of the
Interim Deans of the University Library and College of Engineering and Applied Sciences to Deans of their respective units.
The Provost said no. Senate Chair Karin Reinhold asked about the availability of the ODI Plan for Diversity and Inclusion.
The Provost replied that it would be made available soon.
Associate Vice President for Financial Management and Budget, Kim Bessette, made a brief report on the NYS Governor’s
Executive Budget and the uncertain implications for the University. She took questions from Council Members and the Chair
on the budget, and clarified that the Compact Planning process was underway for budgeting ‘efficiencies’ in academic and
non-academic units in line with the announced budget plan for the anticipated 2018-2020 ‘structural deficits’. Chair Collins
and Senate Chair Reinhold expressed surprise and concern that the Compact Planning process was underway, and near
completion, without the Senate being informed or provided an opportunity for review and comment, given that Senate
representation in the Compact Planning process had been agreed to by the Administrative leadership in 2016.
UPPC Chair’s Report to Council on 02/21/18
Information:
Council and Committee Changes: Professor Sanjay Goel of SB has resigned from UPPC, because of scheduling
conflicts. We thank him for the years of service. Professor James Hargett of CAS has been removed from the UPPC
listserve, where he was erroneously place last semester. Professor Sridar Chittur, has stepped down as Chair of the
Facilities Committee, but will remain on the Committee as a Member. Ray Bromley has been elected Chair of the
Facilities Committee.
Website. Council Agendas and Minutes have now been uploaded to the Senate Website for last semester and will
henceforth be done after each meeting. There has been considerable delay in support staff gaining access to the website.
There is something odd occurring with the website as an opportunistic portal for volunteers. I have received two email
requests, one to join the council, and one to be granted access to the Council Shared Drive. Each requested seemed to
come from the Shared Drive portal. I continue to investigate this.
The Senate and UUP Forum on Gender Equity and Inclusion was held on Tuesday the 13th. There was a small audience,
slightly more than twenty, staff and faculty except for one student reporter. After two sets of two presenters, there was a
lively discussion about the incidence and University response to sexual harassment and violence and about pay equity
and family leave policy.
The next Senate Forum is on the role of the Humanities and Social Sciences in our changing university, it will be held on
March 7, 3:30 till 5:30.
On February 7, I wrote to Dean Williams of the Office of Graduate Education about the RAPC recommendation
regarding the recruitment of International graduate students. No response. I will inquire again. Should I ask Dean
Williams or his designee to come and discuss the recommendation with the Council?
On February 5, I reported the Councils work on incoming freshmen and transfer students, including our focus on EOP,
LLC and Honor’s cohort, and on Academic Dismissals. A Senator who had taken part in earlier working groups on
retention questions suggested that we separate gender on Academic Dismissals. As you will see from the data we have
obtained on academic dismissals, there are significant female/male differences.
Two items of substance.
First, Strategic Planning: As a member of Senate leadership, I was a co-signer, along with leadership from United
University Professions, of an open letter criticizing Strategic Planning and raising concerns about its implications. The
letter was distributed to various constituencies on February 5-7, and on February 8, myself, Chair Reinhold, Vice Chair
Mower, and UUP Vice Presidents for Academics and Professions, Professor Paul Stasi and IT specialist Tom Hoey, met
with President Rodriquez, Chief of Staff Bruce Szelest, and Vice President Michael Christakis met to discuss the letter
and the Strategic Planning process going forward. After some clearing of the air and establishing context, we had a
productive discussion in which President Rodriguez agreed that there should be a place for the Senate and UUP as
organizations in designing the process for implementation and taking part in budgeting discussions. That being the case,
it is important that the Senate, and especially this Council, take seriously their responsibility, articulated in the Senate
Charter, to be actively involved in policy and planning, and in budgeting groups at the University. We will discuss that
more fully below under new business item A.
Second, Contingent Faculty: a long-standing Senate, Union, and Administration commitment has been to improving the
conditions of contingent and part-time faculty. There appears to have been a long hiatus in the work of implementation
groups for contingent concerns, but there are clearly presented ‘draft’ reports concerning pathways to continuing
appoints for contingents and step systems for part-time lecturers. This Council and the Senate need to begin a wide
discussion and debate of these proposals. We will discuss that more fully below under old business item B.
(End of Chair’s report to Council)
Reports from Committees:
There was no report from the Facilities Committee, since as new Chair – Professor Ray Bromley – had just been chosen
from the Committee and will be setting up a schedule for spring meetings.
The Resource Analysis and Planning Committee presented and Agenda and Minutes, but had nothing to add to
Associate VP Bessette’s report. The Committee will need to recruit new members for 2018-2020.
Old business:
The Council then discussed its ongoing study of the academic preparation of entering freshmen and transfer students,
focusing on retention data the general undergraduate population and for selected cohorts – EOP and the Living Learning
Communities – as well as data on academic dismissals by gender. Chair Collins proposed a smaller working group, to deepen
the study and prepare a report by the end of term, roughly on the question of whether academic preparation had declined in
the last decade, if so, what units were affected, and what solutions and resources would best help students do well at the
University. Professors Kajal Lahiri and Louis-Anne McNutt have volunteered to join Professor Collins in the effort.
The Council also discussed how to promote discussion in the Senate of efforts to improve the status of Contingent and Part-
time Faculty at the University. The Council agreed that it was time to distribute to the SEC and Senate the draft reports from
the Implementation Teams working since 201 to implement some of the recommendations from the 2016 Provost’s Panel on
Contingent Concerns (https://www.albany.edu/academics/files/Contingent_Faculty_Committee_Report_10-1-2015.pdf)
In order that the SEC and Senate might begin to discuss the proposals about job security and career paths for contingent and
part-time faculty, which are part of the recommendations and implementation tasks originally announced on September 15,
2016: (https://www.albany.edu/academics/files/Contingent_progress_report_final.pdf )
New business:
The Council discussed its role and that of the wider Senate in the budgeting and implementation processes that will follow
upon the adoption of a new Strategic Plan.
It reviewed a proposal from the School of Education to link three BS/MS degree proposals, building upon existing BS
programs in Human Development, and MS programs in Educational Psychology, Counseling, and Special Education. The
Council approved the proposals and referred them to the SEC, for review and subsequent referral to the Senate.
Actions taken:
The Council approved a working group on undergraduate academic preparation and success in the past decade, and steps the
University is taking or might take to improve the education of undergraduates going forward.
Approved a proposal integrate the BS programs in Human Development and MS programs in Educational Psychology,
Counseling, and Special Education, and referred the proposal to the SEC.
The Council tabled requests to modify the Campus Impact Form until its next meeting.
The Council tabled proposals for a Digital Forensics Major and a Legal Studies Minor, pending the submission of appropriate
documentation.
Recommendations:
That the Senate begin to study and discuss the recommendations and implementation proposals originating in the 2016
Provost’s Panel Report on Contingent Concerns.
NEW BUSINESS (Cont.)
Report on Contingent Concerns – Virginia Yonkers
Senator Yonkers reported that in looking through the Senate councils and committees she had found none
representing contingents. At this point, she explained, the only way for contingents to voice concerns or
questions is to go through the Blue Ribbon Panel Committee. Contingency is here to stay and makes up half of
our faculty, she underlined. For strategic planning, Senator Yonkers proposed that the Senate create a
subcommittee through one of the councils to look at contingent policy and governance, be available for
contingents to voice anonymous questions or issues, and give regular reports to the Senate.
Members agreed on a recommendation to begin, in the short-term, with a working group through UPPC or
GOV, and then establish a committee. In the longer-term, Senator Yonkers suggested that perhaps a council be
formed, which would entail a Charter amendment. The biggest concerns, she stressed, are the need for
representation and a way to make that representation permanent.
Report on Blue Ribbon panels’ recommendations / Proposals for contingent faculty advancement and
new teaching focused positions – Asc VP and Sr Vice Provost for Academic Affairs Bill Hedberg
Bill Hedberg circulated and reviewed materials regarding contingents. He noted that he had shared the
information with deans and UUP leadership and that on March 15th he would be reporting to the president
regarding progress. Discussion topics included as follows:
Updated guidelines for appointing part time faculty
Pathways to permanency
Longer-term employment agreements
Graduate student stipend increases and goals
A career path for part time instructors to be implemented on a pilot basis for next year
Protocol for the evaluation of teaching by part time instructors, in consultation with CAS and the unions
A motion was made and unanimously approved to propose to the Senate the formation of a working group on
contingent concerns, with the goal of continued consultation with the administration and reporting back.
Special SEC Meeting on Branding Initiative
A motion was made to hold a special meeting of the SEC for the purpose of providing input on the branding
campaign, with the following voting results: Approved 5, Opposed 1, Abstained 0.
Members agreed to meet on February 28th at 2:45 p.m. Chair Reinhold would confirm that Communications and
Marketing were available at that time. GOV members would be excused, as GOV’s next meeting was scheduled
for the same time.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 4:46 p.m.
Respectfully submitted by
Elisa Lopez, Recorder
