Fredonia University Senate

1. SUNY Faculty Senate President (Joe Flynn) Report
   1. This meeting coincides with the First Symposium on "Functions of a Modern University," sponsored by SUNY on January 27-28, 1950 at University Center at Buffalo (see the Proceedings on reserve at Reed Library).
   2. The Conference on Academic Freedom will be held at SUNY Albany Campus on March 31 - April 1, 2000 (see attachment #1).
   3. Provost Salins has compiled a Q & A guide for the implementation of the General Education Program (see attachment #2).
   4. The Senate is looking for faculty and staff willing to serve on various committees (see attachment #3).
2. "Sharing of Concerns" Session (Senators from 4-year Colleges)
   1. Fall 2000 deadline for implementation of the new General Education program is unreasonable; colleges need more time to adjust their curriculum, resources, and missions without damaging the quality of their programs.
   2. There should be a mechanism in place for ongoing review of the General Education programs after the current Provost's Advisory Council on General Education is disbanded.
   3. Campuses with Education programs have a hard time to reconcile the new State Education Department guidelines with the new General Education program.
   4. Campuses are experiencing difficulty in hiring new faculty and staff and keeping them.
3. 2000-01 Budget Review (Dave DeMarco, SUNY Central)
   1. The Governor has proposed $80.2 M increase in state support of the University - growth rate of 9.5%.
   2. Tuition will be held at current levels.
   3. No significant changes to TAP.
4. Remarks by Chancellor Robert King
   1. Does not know much about SUNY but will work hard to learn.
   2. Will visit all the campuses this year and meet faculty, staff and students.
   3. Will push for an advertising campaign to promote SUNY in the eyes of New Yorkers.
   4. Would like to see dramatic increase in the use of non-state sources of funding for SUNY, e.g. Alumni, federal agencies.
   5. Will address the concern of the faculty on the ownership of course material used by "distance learning" programs.
   6. Will help the SUNY health science centers solve financial problems they have experienced with their teaching hospitals.
5. Institutional Governance, Thomas Longin, Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges (see AGB Statement on Institutional Governance, on reserve at Reed Library)
6. Resolutions
   1. - that to enable the Campus Governance Leaders to directly convey their concerns and resolutions to the University Faculty Senate, the Convener of the Campus Governance Leaders be named an official observer of the University Faculty Senate. (Recommitted)
   2. - that the University Faculty Senate urges local campus governance organizations to include this statement in their governance bylaws: Meaningful faculty consultation can only occur when direct communication of the issue needing resolution exists between the administration and the elected faculty representatives of the faculty governance organization or the entire faculty. This communication should occur as soon as an issue is identified. In all cases, the faculty representatives should have time to provide a meaningful response. Normally a minimum of 30 days should be allowed. In special circumstances, a shorter time for faculty response may be required. Ongoing, complete communications of important issues between the administration and the faculty will help improve decision making in the University. (Passed)
   3. - that the University Faculty Senate urges local campus governance organizations to review the attached SUNY Plattsburgh policy on distance learning and adopt a policy that addresses local needs. (Passed, see attachment #4)
   4. - that the university faculty Senate urges local campus governance organizations to adopt this policy:
      1. The University reserves the right to limit access to its networks when applicable University policies or codes, contractual obligations, or state or federal laws are violated, but does not monitor or generally restrict the content of material transported across those networks;
      2. The University reserves the right to remove or limit access to material posted on university-owned computers when applicable University policies or codes, contractual obligations, or state or federal laws are violated, but does not monitor the content of material posted on university-owned computers;
      3. The University does not monitor or generally restrict material residing on University computers housed within a private domain or on non-university computers, whether or not such computers are attached to campus networks. (Recommitted)
7. - that the University faculty Senate strongly recommends that the president and chief academic officer of each unit ensure that each program is reviewed continuously, with an account of such continuous review to be prepared every five years. (Passed)
8. - that the University Faculty Senate commit to minimization of paper mailings by posting minutes, notices, and other information on the University Faculty Senate web page, and - all notices be made through email, and that all postings of Faculty Senate information be announced and identified in email to interested parties, and - conversion to the electronic distribution of information be completed by the end of the year 2001.

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