Faculty Council
Minutes of the meeting of March 13, 1995
Meeting called to order in Fenton 105 by Ted Steinberg at 4:02 P.M.
1. Steinberg asked that Agenda Items # 9. Graduate Council Report and #10. Report of Director, Reed Library be postponed. Moved and Seconded. Passed. Approval of Agenda as amended. Passed.
2. Approval of the minutes of December 12, 1994. Passed. Approval of the minutes of February 13, 1995. Passed.
3. President's Report:
President MacPhee indicated he would have to leave early because of a scheduled conference call from the Chancellor regarding what he hoped would concern the planing for the SUNY Board of Trustees meeting to be held at the end of this week. MacPhee commented on a memo to the faculty he distributed last Friday regarding the current budget situation, noting that we need more specificity as to what exactly the $3,000,000 cut would mean, e.g. what levels of tuition increase and what suggested restructuring of SUNY? MacPhee further commented that all of us need to keep the pressure on the legislature including students and parents of students and would keep us informed as to any developments in the current budget process. On a happier note, MacPhee commented how pleased he was with our students academic and athletic performance noting our Division III athletes including hockey, track & field, and women and men basketball. On another matter, MacPhee explained the context of the "Revised Policy on Faculty Responsibilities" which will be discussed today. MacPhee noted that the present document was a response to a concern expressed by the faculty in December 1993 regarding the "Faculty Utilization Policy" which is included in the Faculty Handbook. At that time, MacPhee charged the VPs and Deans to respond to the Faculty Council's resolution and also asked departments to continue their discussion of faculty responsibilities. (MacPhee read from his charge to the VP's and Deans and noted the availability of the charge if needed for a later meeting.) MacPhee stated that the present document was developed in consultation with department chairs and was modified with their suggestions. MacPhee further commented that prior to any further action on the document he invites FC comments and would invite any further discussion with the executive committee of FC as well. He noted that there were VPs, Deans, and chairman present that could talk about the document after his leaving for his scheduled conference call. MacPhee then asked for any questions.
Steinberg- Any report on college applications? MacPhee- We seem to be doing very well. We are well ahead of applications and deposits from this period last year. M. Nelson asked if this was true system wide? MacPhee- Generally yes, SUNY applications are strong, but it is selective. Nelson commented on the UUP's president's respect of the courage and political savvy of the new Chancellor. MacPhee- "Yes that was dramatically in evidence at SUNY day." MacPhee also noted how, "very proud of our students..." who were also present at SUNY day. K Lucey- One gets the impression from the media (recent article on U.B.) that differential tuition is highly likely, do you have any sense of that? MacPhee- Yes, my own sense is that it may happen eventually but not this year, "...I lived with that kind of a differential in California and we can certainly compete in undergraduate education."
4. Chairperson's Report: no report
5. Vice Chairperson's Report: no report
6. Faculty Senator's Report:
J. Straight noted that he handed out a written report last month. Straight noted some recent mailings he received as faculty senator including: 1. The deadline for "Conversations in the Disciplines" has passed. 2. Conference will be held on "Instructional Technology" sponsored by Faculty Access to Computer Technology May 30 - June 2 at SUNY Institute of Technology Utica-Rome. Straight commented that he and 5 or 6 others from the Fredonia campus attended the conference last year and it was an excellent conference. Scholarships are available. (See Dean Zablotney if interested.) and 3. SUNY has announced a new program called "New Dimensions For Teaching and Learning: Empowering Faculty Through Instructional Technology". Some of these one day conferences are coming up in the western region for example Friday April 21, 1995 at Buffalo State College. In addition, Straight reported on a discussion at the last Faculty Senate meeting on "Distance Learning". Straight has copies of a preliminary report from SUNY presidents (of which President MacPhee served) as well as copies of an interim report from the Faculty Senate if anyone is interested in this topic.
7. Standing Committees' Reports:
a. Governance: no report
b. Academic Affairs: no report
c. Planning & Budget:
K. Mills-Courts (speaking for chair Holly Lawson) reported that the committee has been meeting regularly and has held two hearings on a Five Year Institutional Plan. They are presently considering the suggestions made at these hearings. A "rough draft" of their report will be forthcoming to FC.
d. Professional Service: no report
e. Student Affairs: no report
8. Discussion of Revised Policy on Faculty Responsibilities:
Steinberg commented that this policy was formerly called the "Faculty Utilization Policy" and that although it is not FC's place to accept this policy, FC can react to it and make suggestions. Steinberg further commented that his understanding is that acceptance or rejection may be a UUP matter. M.Nelson commented that he agrees that it is not up to us to accept or reject the policy. Nelson further commented that he wanted to thank Dave Hess and the others who have worked on it, noting that faculty "Responsibilities" is much better than "Utilization" and that the "Distribution of Instructional Responsibilities" section is much improved although Nelson commented he has a problem with the first sentence on page two namely, "...four 3-hour course sections each semester..." but he stated he recognizes there are reasons for doing it this way. Nelson further commented that the revised document is a considerable improvement over the original document and that he is "...grateful for that improvement". Vice President Hess commented that he too doesn't think anyone has to approve or disapprove the document as it would take the place of the document presently in the Faculty Handbook when the President accepts it as is or with any suggested changes. J. Kraus also questioned the first sentence at the top of page two. Kraus stated that his recollection was that the standard was one semester of three courses and one semester of four courses (a 9/12 hour distributiion).
Vice President Hess commented that he agrees with Nelson that there is general disagreement but he thinks it is handled in the second sentence of the second page. Hess further commented that the document acknowledges that a typical faculty load is three or four 3-hour courses. Kraus asked, "...what then is the purpose of the first part of the sentence?" Hess- Commented that in order to determine various academic positions (e.g. a half load of 6 hours for department chair or a one quarter time adjunct teaching position) you start from a base of four 3-hour course sections and reduce from that base various positions, That is, "...we start from that premise [12 hours] and reduce from there." Hess further commented that he believes that the present document, "... is flexible enough to accommodate what ever people are doing..." in their department. J. Straight commented on the last paragraph concerning the "policy on faculty office hours" Although Straight had no objection as to how the policy was stated he asked if FC has already taken a position on faculty office hours? Hess commented that the policy on office hours has been that way ever since he could remember. S. Zablotney commented it was in the 1987 Faculty Handbook. Hess stated it probably went back to 1900. (There was general laughter.) Steinberg asked for further comments, hearing none he asked if the FC wanted to "endorse" the present document and urge the President to adopt it. "Is there a motion to do so?" Kraus asked why? Steinberg commented that some reaction from FC seemed appropriate. Mantai-"So we need a motion to approve it or endorse it or something?" Steinberg- " I would say endorse but again I would say it is up to the body, I just threw that out as a possibility." Mantai- "I'll move that." Seconded by Nelson. J. Gillette- Will this change anything we do presently? Steinberg- Commented that the new document actually matches what we are currently doing better than the one we asked to be revised. Steinberg further commented that "...the operative phrase here is past practice"... so that current practice can't be changed. G.Sebouhian- Expressing his concern for endorsement of the policy he asked if the president should review the document? Steinberg- We already asked that the president review the document. The present document comes in line with so much that we asked for. He further commented that future teaching loads can not be changed because of past practice, "... that's a guarantee for us" in the revised document. K. Mills-Court- Commented that FC should at least acknowledge that we have received the revised document because we have on record that we have reviewed the first document. M. Nelson- Commented that the revised document seems to be a good compromise and agreed with Steinberg that "past practice" is a very important addition. Straight moved that,... The Faculty Council recognize the Revised Policy on Faculty Responsibilities as a substantial improvement over the previous version and that Faculty Council has no objection that this document be included in the Faculty Handbook with the understanding that it be periodically reviewed. (Mantai accepted this as an amendment to his motion.) The Motion Passed.
9. Graduate Council Report: postponed
10. Report of Director, Reed Library: postponed
11. New Business: none
12. Motion to adjourn. Motion passed at 4:45 p.m.
Attendance:
Professional Staff/Management:
[x] K. Bonds
[x] S. Clarke
[x] V. Conover
[x] D. Danielsen
[ ] A. Jackson
[x] T. Malinoski
[x] S. Maloney
[x] L. Marrano
[ ] J. Moss
[x] T. Murphy
[x] C. Niles
[ ] W. Ortega
[x] T. Tzitzis
Arts, Education and Humanities:
[x] M. Amiran
[x] C. Brown
[x] R. Deming
[x] J. Gillette
[x] R. Klassen
[x] R. Ma
[x] L. Maheady
[ ] J. McVicker
[x] K. Mills-Court
[x] M. Nelson
[x] J. Onufrak
[ ] J. Parla
[x] G. Sebouhian
Natural and Social Sciences:
[ ] S. El-Mofty
[x] N. Gee
[x] J. Kraus
[x] G. Lash
[x] K. Mantai
[x] P. Mattocks
[x] A. Parai
[x] T. Pencek
[x] G. Prechtl
[x] A. Sarkar
[x] B. Stephens
[x] M. Vassallo
[ ] D. Welch
Ex Officio:
[ ] D. Burdette
[x] J. Crowley
[ ] M. Dimitri
[ ] G. Harper
[x] D. Hess
[x] J. Hurtgen
[ ] S. Kraus
[ ] S. Lewis
[x] D. MacPhee
[x] J. Romal
[x] T. Steinberg
[x] J. Straight
[x] S. Zablotney
Guests:
K. Lucey
John Onufrak Faculty Council Secretary