The meeting was called to order by Chair Mary Carney at 4:05 PM in Fenton 105.
Chair Carney opened the meeting by asking for a moment of silence, as this is the fifth anniversary of the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.
Chair Carney asked for a motion to change the agenda to delete the “Other” segment on the agenda. The motion was made and seconded [Secretary didn’t catch which Senators did this], and the motion passed without discussion by unanimous voice vote.
Chair Carney asked for a motion to approve the minutes of the meeting of May 1, 2006. Sens. Pickreign and Reddy moved/seconded. The motion passed without discussion by unanimous voice vote.
President Dennis Hefner made the following announcements or comments:
Dr. Risa Palm (from LSU at Baton Rouge) has been appointed to the position of Provost at SUNY Central. Dr. Hefner said that Dr. Palm was his number one choice among the candidates as he served on the search committee for the Provost. He hopes to have her visit our campus during this academic year, but she is getting invitations from all over SUNY, so we’ll have to see.
The Mission Review II Memorandum of Understanding is still in negotiation. The campus thought we’d gotten it done, and then there was some language changes that would have caused lots of actions on our part without providing for any supplemental funding to cover those actions, so we did not sign off. Pres. Hefner has assigned VP Horvath to get these problems worked out, and he hopes that the MOU will be brought to the Senate by the October meeting.
The Fredonia Plan should be on the web site really soon. The timelines and assignment responsibilities to various areas and personnel are being finalized, and will be posted really soon.
Enrollment is strong. We met our target, even though the head count will be slightly less than last year, due to a drop of about 25 graduate students. The Enrollment Management Committee is beginning discussion of ideas to get even higher numbers of applications for next year.
Pres. Hefner announced that this afternoon he had sent in a request for the remaining construction monies to build the new science and technology building. $22 million in planning funds have been appropriated and funded, but hyperinflation in construction materials (especially since Hurricane Katrina) has impacted the rest of this project. We had been anticipating construction costs of $37 million, but have increased that now to a request for $59 million. We are hoping to get these funds into the Governor’s administrative budget for the next fiscal year.
One disappointing item raised by Dr. Hefner (and Dean Givner) is that the campus has been notified by the Regents about 2:15 PM this afternoon, that there has been a precipitous drop in the pass rate for the test for the Social Studies credential by Fredonia students. Usually our pass rate is above 98%, but this past test was only 78%. Anything below 80% requires the Regents to designate an entire program as “low performing”, which could be devastating. We are going to check into it. We are the only SUNY campus to be in danger of this designation, and it seems very odd that such a drop would occur.
Pres. Hefner had praise for all the students he heard yesterday in King Concert Hall in the Concerto Competition. All he heard were of very high quality. Three winners will be selected, and they will perform with a full orchestra or band (depending on the piece they are performing) later this year
Sen. Ziya Arnavut asked when the Science and Technology building is expected to be completed. Pres. Hefner indicated there will be about 9 months of planning, then design work and contracts need to be completed, so an RFP would likely be put out 2 ½ years from now. Construction will probably begin in the summer of 2009, so probably the fall of 2011 we’ll have it ready.
Dr. H. Joseph Straight asked if we knew which exam was the problem. Dr. Hefner and Dean Givner responded that it was the Social Studies [???] specialty. Dean Givner indicated that we have a variety of majors, and we are not sure if all the people who took this exam are in fact Social Studies program completers. Pres. Hefner said that this year is the first year that NY State is doing this kind of reporting of exam pass rates.
VPAA Virginia Horvath made several comments and announcements:
She opened by thanking the faculty for all their efforts, saying she is getting reports about the excellent work everyone has been doing over the summer. She also thanked the Senate Executive Committee and members of the Planning & Budget Committee for making themselves available for meetings with her and the deans over the summer.
Dr. Daniel Schwartz, the newly appointed Associate Dean of the College of Education, was introduced.
Dr. Horvath then talked about Fredonia’s inclusion in the 2006-2007 Foundations of Excellence “Select Group”. This program is a self-study which allows Fredonia to look at its strengths and weaknesses in the first-year experience. It is a national program, and will provide us with a “tool box” to help us develop a stronger first-year program. She remarked that Fredonia has already drawn some attention from the program by having two chairs, the VPAA and VPSA David Herman. Apparently we are the first to have actively engaged both the Academic Affairs and Student Affairs and represented each in the local leadership of the program. We are going to look systematically at our program. VPAA Horvath presented a handout (attached to these minutes on the web site under the filename: Foundations of Excellence-Senate-Sept 2006). The top sheet lists the chairs of the committees dealing with each of the “dimensions” that are part of the first-year experience.
VP Horvath then moved on to the fact that this is a “catalog” year. The campus is looking hard at the form of the catalog. An idea has been raised that perhaps we should invest in offering CD-ROMs of the catalog, rather than bound print copies. This would be much less expensive to produce and mail to prospective students. We could make printouts available for use by advisors and students at summer orientation (but probably not of the entire catalog, possibly only of the departments and the course offerings sections.) She emphasized that this is still an idea, and she encourages everyone with an opinion on it to please bring their perspectives to her attention. Where is there still need of a print version or versions of the catalog? Call or email Dr. Horvath or Dr. Melinda Karnes. We will probably be discussing this proposal at next month’s Senate meeting.
There were no questions of Dr. Horvath because she had to leave to teach a class.
A. Chair Mary Carney welcomed all the Senators back, and informed the body of the meetings the Senate Executive Committee had with VP Horvath and others during the summer. The Executive Committee met to hear about the process used to allocate the searches in the coming year, and gave some advice in the matter. We were also consulted concerning the Associate VP for Graduate Studies and Research. She mentioned the Fredonia Senate Guide to Parliamentary Procedure, created by Dr. Richard Reddy (our Parliamentarian, and now the Governance Officer). [This is attached to the minutes on the web site under the filename: Guide to Parliamentary Procedure-Senate-Sept 20056). She then introduced the Senate Executive Committee: Richard Reddy, Governance Officer; Reneta Barneva, Vice-Chair; Vince Courtney, Faculty Secretary; and, Cheryl Drout, SUNY University Senate Senator representing Fredonia.
B. Chair Carney then presented the slate of names to be included on the search committee for the Associate Vice President for Graduate Studies and Research. [Slate was attached to the agenda.] In the discussion of this motion put forth by the Senate Executive Committee:
Sen. Ruth Antosh asked why the change from a Dean to an Associate Vice President. VP Horvath responded, saying that Deans have faculties, and this position doesn’t. Deans are heads of the colleges, and this position is campus-wide, more an administrative position similar to the other Associate Vice Presidents. It is the same level as a Dean, not higher. We think this clarifies the nature of the role
VP Herman rose to say that for most searches at this level, we like to have someone from the enrollment area.
Sen. Marcus Vink asked the rationale for the members of the search committee. Chair Carney responded saying that the Senate Executive Committee had tried to come up with a workable committee that had representation from each of the colleges, and thought someone from the Research Office should be on it as well. We also felt a representative of the CSEA should be included.
Sen. Arnavut rose to say that most universities have graduate deans. Why are we trying to be different or unique in this regard? Chair Carney said that VP Horvath has indicated that this is an equivalent level as a Dean, and this position is more of an administrator for graduate studies for the entire campus.
Sen. Carmen Rivera asked if the Senate Executive Committee is looking for a graduate student who is close to graduation. Chair Carney indicated that she went to Dean Swansinger, seeking student possibilities. The Dean gave us several names of upper level graduate students. We approached all of them, and due to time constraints or other factors, none of them felt they could serve. We will continue to try, and we will not be looking for a beginning graduate student. Perhaps one in the middle of their program might work better.
Dean Givner suggested we look at the Graduate Assistants for this seat. Chair Carney said she will ask Dean Swansinger for their names, and we will look for someone who will commit to being involved in the interview process.
Sen. Jeremy Corrente moved that someone from Student Affairs be put on this search committee. Sen. Amy Cuhel-Schuckers seconded. There being no discussion, the motion passed by voice vote.
Sen. Jan McVicker asked if all the names on the slate had been contacted. Chair Carney responded that yes, all are willing to serve.
The vote was then called on the amended motion. The motion carried by unanimous voice vote.
C. Chair Carney next spoke to two sets of bylaw changes the Senate Executive Board wished to raise. The first (attached to the agenda of this meeting, carrying the title “Committees for the Selection of Certain Administrative Officers” will have to be voted on by the full faculty if it is approved here in the Senate because it involves more than an editorial change. The second (attached to the agenda of this meeting, with no title, but starting with “b. Within the academic areas, there shall be …”) is an editorial change listing the changes in names and number of the colleges, divisions, and departments. This bylaw change will take effect if it is approved by a vote of the University Senate, and need not be taken to the full faculty for a vote, thanks to the general faculty approval of a bylaw change dealing with “editorial” changes that do not impact policy during the last round of such voting.
Governance Office Reddy offered a further explanation that these were attempts to align the bylaws with what really happens on campus, and added that the full faculty ratification will take place by a mail ballot.
Sen. Wilson asked if this means that Education now gets four senators, one from each of its departments and two at large. Chair Carney responded yes, and Governance Officer Reddy pointed out that that was exactly what Education has currently, because the size of their one department before the change to two departments was sufficient enough for two senators.
Dr. Straight noted that some of the names of the departments as listed were not correct (Chemistry is now “Chemistry and Biochemistry”, and Sociology is now “Sociology and Anthropology and Social Work and Criminal Justice”.) The Executive Committee accepted those comments as editorial and will have the correct names in the bylaws if that change passes.
With no further discussion ensuing, the vote was taken, and the two recommended changes to the bylaws passed by unanimous voice vote.
Chair Carney indicated that an update on where the Fredonia Plan was at present was to have been included under Old Business, but that Pres. Hefner had covered that fairly well. She encouraged all to participate in the kickoff event, James Zull’s presentations on current neuroscience and brain research concerning learning.
Dr. Kathleen Gradel reported on the activities of the Planning & Budget Committee over the summer, including meeting with the VPAA and the Deans concerning decisions for tenure track line searches that will begin this fall. She indicated the Committee will be meeting soon to develop a subcommittee to deal with the charge of overseeing/assessing the Fredonia Plan. If anyone wishes to have input into that issue, please don’t hesitate to email Dr. Gradel.
There were no questions.
Dr. Richard Reddy provided an update on the strengthened campus-based assessment. There have been a few technical questions about our wording. Once those questions had been answered, GEAR had no problems. GEAR is not diverging from what the Senate approved. GEAR also is no longer requiring the percentages to appear in reports. For those campuses using the ACT test for Critical Thinking, SUNY Central asked that we all do that assessment in the same year (to help control cost). Therefore, we must do this next year (which is a change in our schedule), and then we will do it again in two years before the every three year schedule will begin. This year we will have local assessments in the Arts, Humanities, Social Sciences and Natural Sciences [and ??? (secretary was not able to catch it all)]. There is a need for a higher profile for assessment activity and improving learning based on these assessments. We need to follow through, and there is great need to communicate these CCC assessment programs and needs to our newer faculty. These new faculty members need to be brought along, and informed of the intent of the assessment program for CCC courses.
There were no questions.
Dr. Cheryl Drout, who was elected as Fredonia’s representative to the SUNY University Senate this past spring, informed the body that she will be attending the Fall Planning meeting (where new SUNY University Senators will receive some orientation) on Sept. 14-16 and the Fall Plenary on Oct. 26-28. She briefly spoke about an implementation plan for SUNYwide faculty development, about which we will be hearing more.
Chair Carney informed the body that she had been asking various people on campus about what issues they felt needed to be addressed, and has been especially seeking input from the chairs of the Standing Committees.
Sen. Feit raised a concern about one of the attachments on the web site with the draft minutes of the May 1, 2006, Senate meeting. He said that what was posted is actually only part of the policy. What is on the web site currently is one paragraph, which replaces the second paragraph of the policy passed in December. He offered to supply an electronic version of the entire resolution (as amended) from the May 1 meeting. [This has been attended to, and the information on the web site is now complete. – V. Courtney]
There being no new business, the Chair called for a motion to adjourn. The motion was moved and seconded by several Senators. The voice vote was unanimous.
The meeting was adjourned at 5:10 PM.
Respectfully submitted,
Vincent Courtney
Faculty Secretary