Faculty Council
Minutes of the meeting of September 11, 1995
Meeting called to order in Fenton 105 by Ted Steinberg at 4:02 P.M.
1. Steinberg asked that the agenda be approved as distributed. Passed. Steinberg explained that the reason the agenda was not received earlier was because the Executive Committee of FC was not able to meet before today's meeting.
2. Approval of minutes from May 8, 1995. J. Onufrak noted that Chen-Lung Ringo Ma as incorrectly listed as absent from the May 8, 1995 meeting. With this correction the minutes were Passed.
3. President's Report:
President MacPhee was attending a meeting in Albany and was unable to attend today's meeting. V.P. Hess agreed to answer any questions. M. Amiran asked if V.P. Hess would elaborate on the distribution of "Foundation Moneys" that President MacPhee referred to at the General Faculty Meeting on September 8, 1995. V.P. Hess commented that President MacPhee was referring to two areas including "technology systems" for Communications and $100,000 Gebbie Foundation grants. M. Amiran further asked about any other purposes for the moneys from the "capitol fund drive". V.P. Hess commented that these moneys, "were not yet discussed in terms of distribution." T. Steinberg asked for any other questions to be directed to V.P. Hess. Hearing none he went on to his report.
4. Chairperson's Report:
T. Steinberg apologized for the lateness of the agenda. Steinberg then proceeded to read the "Charges to Faculty Council Committees for the 1995-1996 Academic Year":
- Planning and Budget
- Continue to act as a consultative and responsive body to the president while he considers cuts and system restructuring in response to budgetary demands.
- Continue efforts to develop a protocol and implement a program of strategic long-term planning by frequent discussion between the committee and the president and vice-president.
- Be actively involved in the development of the new Institutional Plan.
- Promote the efforts of the assessment subcommittee by encouraging campus-wide discussions on assessment.
- Continue to develop a report which links budget with planning by categorizing actual expenditures with goals in the Institutional Plan.
- Academic Affairs
- Continue to examine the question of grading practices on campus, not with a view to standardizing them but in an attempt to understand what grades mean to individual faculty members and to departments.
- Oversee the ad hoc committee for reviewing the General College Program.
- Make recommendations, through the Academic Standards Subcommittee, on an attendance policy.
- Student Affairs
- Review security in the Residence halls from the perspective of personal safety. There has been no specific problems, but it is time to review the guidelines which were approved by the Student Affairs Committee and Faculty Council over fifteen years ago.
- Explore with students, faculty, and staff -- availability of classes -- opportunity for students to graduate on time.
- Look into the academic calendar and how it does or does not meet the needs of students, including such matters as student employment, geographical origin and travel time, and student development and well being.
- Professional Service
- Conduct and report on the survey about job-related time expended by teaching faculty, professional staff, and librarians.
- Report on the advisability of the college's employing the rank of Distinguished Professor and make recommendations for implementing the rank.
- Governance
- Continue to compile and then keep current a list of motions passed by Faculty Council. The Chair is constantly asked what the Council has decided about particular issues, and an official list of Council decisions, in addition to our regular minutes, would be very helpful (especially as the Chair ages).
Steinberg asked for any questions or comments regarding the above charges noting that the "we are all grateful to the members of the committees and the chairs of the committees for all the work they have done and will do".
5. Vice-chairpersons report:
No report. J. Romal did inquiry about the status of the President Search Committee. Steinberg noted that he hasn't as yet heard from H.K. Williams, Chairman, College Council who (following the guidelines of the State University of New York) would initiate the Presidential Search. V.P. Hess also commented that he is waiting for the College Council to initiate the search.
6. Faculty Senator's Report:
No report. Julius Adams was introduced as the new faculty senator.
7. Standing Committee's Reports:
a. Governance:
S. Lewis reported the results of the May elections for faculty goverance committees (term expires 5/98, unless noted otherwise): Faculty Senator- Julius Adams (6/30/98). Faculty Senator Alternate- Moj Seyedian (6/30/98). Governance- Steve Rees, Chair Tim Murphy, Secretary Vince Courtney, Elections (& possibly faculty data base) Student Affairs - Vivian Conover (at large). Greg Prechtl (replacement for Marjorie Plaister 5/97). Academic Affairs- David Ludlam and Joe Straight. Professional Services- Carol Blanchard-Rochleau re-elected Joan Burke re-elected Ellen Litwicki. Planning and Budget- Penny Deakin (replacement for Susan Luntz, 3/97.
V.P. Burdett noted that there is actively being solicited two seats for the FSA Board.
b. Academic Affairs: No report.
c. Planning and Budget: No report.
d. Professional Service:
Joan Burke reported that the Job Related Time Survey would soon be in everyone's mailbox and needs to be returned by October 23, 1995. Steinberg commented on the importance of a good response to this survey and asked all council members to encourage their colleagues to complete the survey.
e. Student Affairs: No report.
8. New Business: None.
9. Motion to adjourn. Motion passed at 4:16 P.M.
Attendence:
Professional Staff/Management:
[x] K. Bonds
[x] S. Clarke
[x] V. Conover
[ ] A. Jackson
[x] T. Malinoski
[ ] S. Maloney
[x] L. Marrano
[x] S. Mazumdar
[ ] J. Moss
[x] T. Murphy
[x] C. Niles
[ ] W. Ortega
[x] T. Tzitzis
Arts, Education and Humanities:
[x] M. Amiran
[x] C. Brown
[ ] R. Deming
[x] J. Gillette
[x] R. Klassen
[x] R. Ma
[x] L. Maheady
[x] J. McVicker
[x] K. Mills-Court
[x] M. Nelson
[x] J. Onufrak
[x] J. Parla-Burdic
[x] G. Sebouhian
Natural and Social Sciences:
[ ] S. El-Mofty
[x] N. Gee
[ ] J. Kraus
[E] 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
[x] D. Welch
Ex Officio:
[x] D. Burdette
[ ] J. Crowley
[ ] M. Dimitri
[E] G. Harper
[x] D. Hess
[x] J. Hurtgen
[ ] S. Kraus
[x] S. Lewis
[E] D. MacPhee
[x] J. Romal
[x] T. Steinberg
[x] J. Adams
[x] S. Zablotney
Students:
[ ] Stacy Kraus
[ ] Ken March
[ ] Nate Merkel
Guests:
Ron Ambrosetti
Nancy Bowser
Joan Burke
Steve Rees
John A. Onufrak College Senate Secretary