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TRANSCRIPT
Colleagues,
The following 14 items are contained in this document:1. Resolution in Appreciation of Chancellor Nancy Zimpher2. Joint Statement on Shared Governance (already approved by the Faculty Council of Community
Colleges and the Student Assembly)3. Resolution on Contingent Faculty in Governance4. Resolution on Faculty Involvement in Administrative Searches5. Resolution on Part-Time Assistantships6. Resolution on Postdoctoral Fellowships7. Resolution on Broad-Based Fees8. Resolution on Open-Access Repositories9. Resolution on Selection Process for Distinguished Professor10. Resolution on Criteria for Length of Service for Distinguished Professor11. Resolution on Liberal Arts Credit Requirements for Baccalaureate Degrees12. Changes to Bylaws and Associated UFS Procedures13. Motion 2 (used if and only if above change fails)14. Resolution in Support of Stand-Alone Unit Head for New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred
University
In addition, I expect we will ask you to support or endorse a resolution passed by the Student Assembly related to excusing absences for part-time military obligations.
University Faculty Senate176th PlenarySUNY CantonApril 22, 2017
Resolution in Appreciation of Chancellor Nancy Zimpher’s Commitment to Shared Governance and Being a Friend of the Senate
Whereas from the very beginning of her tenure, Chancellor Nancy Zimpher made broad participation a hallmark of SUNY planning, as evidenced by both her listening tour of the campuses and the strategic planning processes that engaged many representatives from across the system and the state; and
Whereas Chancellor Zimpher further enhanced the engagement of shared governance organizations in the planning and operations of the SUNY System by appointing the Presidents of the University Faculty Senate (UFS), the Faculty Council of Community Colleges (FCCC), and the Student Assembly (SA) to her Cabinet; and
Whereas Chancellor Zimpher invited governance organization representatives to fully participate in, and often lead, committees and planning groups assigned to evaluate and recommend important System initiatives, including seamless transfer, resource allocation, applied learning, and diversity initiatives; and
Whereas Chancellor Zimpher’s support for the “SUNY Voices” project has been instrumental in facilitating increased communication among faculty and student governance leaders and campus administrators, as well as providing a mechanism to develop stronger governance leadership among faculty and students; and
Whereas Chancellor Zimpher has participated in open and frank question-and-answer sessions with the UFS at nearly every plenary meeting during her tenure; therefore
Be it Resolved that the University Faculty Senate of the State University of New York expresses its deepest appreciation for the enthusiastic support in word and deed that Chancellor Nancy Zimpher has given to shared governance; and
Be It Further Resolved that the UFS, in recognition of her committed leadership in fostering shared governance, bestows the Friend of the Senate award, our highest honor to a non-member of the University Faculty Senate, to Chancellor Nancy Zimpher.
University Faculty SenateGovernance Committee176th PlenarySUNY CantonApril 22, 2017
Resolution Regarding Contingent Faculty Involvement in Shared Governance
Whereas colleges and universities continue to move to a model where many classes are taught by contingent faculty1, such that the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) reported that, as of 2015, 65% of all faculty positions are contingent and 36% of full-time faculty are contingent, up from 43% and 18% respectively in 19752; and
Whereas the percentage of contingent faculty at SUNY has increased from 39.6% in 1995-96 to 61.3% in 2015-163; and
Whereas, at our Health Science Centers a large majority of faculty, estimated at 70%, hold the clinical faculty title which requires service, teaching and research but is classified as contingent; and
Whereas the AAUP recommends that contingent faculty must be engaged with shared governance and protected by academic freedom in order to maintain, “Quality of Student Learning”, “Equity Between Academic Colleagues”, “Integrity of Faculty Work” and “the Protection of Academic Freedom”4; and
Whereas only half of all SUNY State-operated institutions allow contingent faculty to be members, either voting or not, in their governance bodies; and
Whereas many contingent faculty who are generally paid “by the course” are not engaged with campus governance because there is no service expectation with their appointment; and
Whereas campus governing bodies and departments might benefit from hearing other points of view from contingent faculty; and
Whereas many contingent faculty are given syllabi with no opportunity for input or allowance for their own creativity with respect to helping their students meet learning objectives; and
Whereas few campus academic freedom statements provide adequate protection to contingent faculty, forcing contingent faculty to be less engaged with teaching sensitive subjects; therefore
Be It Resolved that the University Faculty Senate strongly recommends that campus governance bodies
1 Contingent faculty are defined broadly as faculty members holding rank, or a position, that is not eligible for continuing appointment. Faculty holding these positions may be full or part time. 2 AAUP, Visualizing Change; the annual report on the economic status of the profession, 2016-17; Academe, March-April 2017: https://www.aaup.org/file/FCS_2016-17_nc.pdf3 Report on the Gender and Ethnic Composition of State University of New York Faculty 1995-2015, prepared by Thomas Sinclair and Aylone Katzin for the University Faculty Senate Operations Committee, April 2017.4 Costs of Increased Contingency: in the 2014 AAUP Report. https://www.aaup.org/file/Contingent%20Appointment.pdf
engage contingent faculty with campus governance; and
Be It Further Resolved that the University Faculty Senate requests that campus governance bodies recommend that campus administration provide, where governance or curriculum development is not an expected part of the workload of contingent faculty and thus deemed extra service, a stipend to appropriately compensate contingent faculty for their time and service on campuses; and
Be It Further Resolved that the University Faculty Senate urges academic departments to provide opportunities for contingent faculty to participate in programmatic decisions and the development of curriculum materials; and
Be It Further Resolved that the University Faculty Senate urges local campus governance bodies to allow for the definition of faculty to include at least those holding full time to one-half time qualified rank, according to the SUNY Board of Trustees Policies and Procedures,5 to be members (voting or non-voting) of the campus governance body; and
Be It Further Resolved that the University Faculty Senate recommends that all campuses review and amend their academic freedom statements such that they encompass all members of its community, particularly contingent faculty.
5 Policies of the Board of Trustees, http://system.suny.edu/media/suny/content-assets/documents/boardoftrustees/SUNY-BOT-Policies-June2014.pdf
BACKGROUNDThe UFS Governance Committee surveyed the campus governance leaders of the 33 state operated campuses within SUNY concerning the voting rights of contingent faculty. Of the 33 campuses, 18 responded. The questions concerned the voting rights of contingent faculty as well as students and professionals, only data pertaining to faculty are reported here as that is all that is pertinent to this resolution.
Question #1: Please indicate which of the following are eligible to serve on the college senate (or the equivalent campus governing body).
100% of campuses report that all full-time academics who are eligible for or currently have continuing appointment may serve
50% of campuses report that full-time academics on contingent appointments may serve39% of campuses report that part-time academics on contingent appointments may serve
Question #2: With respect to senate (or the equivalent governance body) elections and college-wide referenda, please indicate which of the following have voting rights.
100% of campuses report that all full-time academics who are eligible for or currently have continuing appointment may vote
50% of campuses report that full-time academics on contingent appointments may vote39% of campuses report that part-time academics on contingent appointments may vote
The following questions were only directed to the 50% of campuses reporting that contingent faculty have a role in the campus governance body.
Question #3: Where contingent faculty are eligible to serve on faculty senate (or the equivalent campus governance body):
27% report that a set number of seats are reserved for contingent faculty73% report that contingent faculty serve in the same positions as faculty with or eligible for
continuing appointment
Question #4: Where contingent faculty have voting rights on the faculty senate (or the equivalent governance body), is there an FTE requirement?
27% report that they do have FTE requirements – >50%; >75% or full time)73% have no FTE requirement
Question #5: Where contingent faculty have voting rights on the faculty senate (or the equivalent governance body is there a time-in-service requirement?
18% reported that same as other senators which was after the first year of appointment82% reported no requirement
Question #6: Are there departments or other units where contingent faculty have voting rights?50% said yes14% said no36% said they weren’t sure
University Faculty SenateGovernance Committee176th PlenarySUNY CantonApril 22, 2017
Resolution on Administrative Searches at the Level of Dean and Above (Excluding Presidents)
Whereas the Policies of the Board of Trustees specifies that the appointment, including an interim appointment of academic officers such as vice-president for academic affairs, academic deans and others with similar academic responsibilities (excluding the President) shall be made after consultation with the faculty governance body of the campus; and
Whereas evidence shows that when campuses specify procedures in their bylaws for faculty consultation in administrative searches, there is adherence to the procedures; therefore
Be It Resolved that the University Faculty Senate strongly recommends that all recognized campus governance bodies specify within their bylaws consultative search procedures for all appointments of vice-president for academic affairs, academic deans, and others with similar responsibilities; and
Be It Further Resolved that the University Faculty Senate urges the SUNY Chancellor, the SUNY Provost, and the Campus College Councils (or Boards of Trustees) to encourage Campus Presidents to work with local campus governance bodies to write and approve the campus governance bylaws pertaining to consultation during vice-president for academic affairs, academic deans, and other appointments above deans that have significant academic oversight; and
Be It Further Resolved that the University Faculty Senate strongly recommends each campus governance body determine the method by which representatives of recognized campus governance bodies will be selected to search committees for all appointments of vice president for academic affairs, academic deans and others with similar responsibilities (excluding the President).
Background:
The Governance Committee of the University Faculty Senate has been made aware of searches for academic leadership positions at the Dean’s level and above (excluding Presidents) that have been conducted without faculty representation in the search process, and in some instances, without a formal search.
According to the State University of New York Policies of the Board of Trustees:
Title B.§ 2. College Administrative Officers. Appointments of all college administrative officers and professional staff not in a negotiating unit established pursuant to Article 14 of the Civil Service Law shall be made by the chief administrative officer of the college; such appointments shall be reported to the Chancellor. Appointment of academic officers such as vice-president for academic affairs, academic deans and others with similar responsibilities shall be made after consultation with the faculty.
§ 3. Acting Appointments. Interim appointments on an acting basis of college administrative officers and professional staff not in a negotiating unit established pursuant to Article 14 of the Civil Service Law, other than chief administrative officer, shall be made in accordance with Section 2 above.
The inclusion of faculty representation from the faculty/shared governance structure enhances searches for these key positions. To better understand current practices, the UFS Governance Committee asked campus governance leaders to complete a brief confidential survey. Twenty-one campuses responded to the survey. Key findings include:
● 52% of campuses report that their bylaws have a statement about the role of faculty governance in administrative searches at the level of Dean and above. Of these campuses, 82% report that the procedure described in their bylaws is followed.
● 48% of campuses report that their bylaws lack a procedure for involving faculty governance in administrative searches. Of these campuses:
o 21% report no consultation.o 36% report that the administration informs the campus governance leader of faculty
appointed to search committees or requests that the campus governance leader represent the faculty on the search committee.
o 43% report that the campus governance leader is asked to nominate faculty to the search committee.
● When the campus governance leader is asked to nominate faculty for a search committee, a variety of procedures are employed to identify faculty that demonstrate varying degrees of commitment to consultation.
o 37% of campuses have a policy that dictates the selection process.o 18% of campuses solicit and confirm nominations for faculty representation through
the governance group.o 30% of campuses report that faculty representation is chosen by the campus
governance leader in consultation with an executive committee.o 11% of campuses report that the campus governance leader serves as the faculty
representative to administrative search committees. o On one campus, the campus governance leader appoints faculty to search committees
without consultation.
The survey also queried campuses regarding faculty consultation for administrative searches in which internal candidates were part of the selection process. The following scenarios were reported, again reflecting variation in consultative processes. Many campuses accept internal candidates into the pool from the initiation of a search (34%) or after an external search fails (8%). Thirty-six percent of campus report the appointment of an interim – 14% had an interim administrative appointment until the external search was successful, but 22% reported that the interim appointment was made permanent. Seventeen percent of campuses report the appointment of an internal candidate to an administrative position without a search. Two campuses reported multiple administrative searches that followed different scenarios.
University Faculty Senate Graduate Academic Programs and Research Committee176th PlenarySUNY CantonApril 22, 2017
Resolution on Part-Time Assistantships
Whereas a shared mission of the graduate programs of the State University of New York is to educate, train and prepare students for careers in all areas of study; and
Whereas most assistantships, grants, and other funding for assistantships do not restrict the use of money to students in full time programs; and
Whereas SUNY system-wide and campus-based regulations and practices regarding the use of state funding for graduate assistantships may disadvantage part-time graduate students in favor of full-time students; and
Whereas paper 8207 Tuition Waiver procedure precludes part-time graduate students from receiving tuition waivers; and
Whereas graduate students may have debt, children or other familial or work obligations preventing them from taking a full-time program; and,
Whereas underrepresented students, such as students of color and women, are overrepresented in part-time programs due to the obligations above; and
Whereas SUNY strives to be a national leader in all of its educational endeavors and diversity is a core value for all SUNY campuses, and the SUNY Board of Trustees passed a resolution on September 10, 2015 “to make SUNY the most inclusive higher education system in the country”; therefore
Be It Resolved that the University Faculty Senate encourages the SUNY System Administration to eliminate any restrictions on the use of funding for assistantships for part-time students to allow this to be a campus decision about how to use their funds; and
Be It Further Resolved that the UFS urges all faculty, staff and graduate programs to consider part-time graduate students for assistantships, encouraging all students to have access to training, networking and intellectual discourse with faculty and other research.
University Faculty SenateGraduate Academic Programs and Research Committee176th PlenarySUNY CantonApril 22, 2017
Resolution to Develop A SUNY Postdoctoral Research Fellow Recruitment Program
Whereas postdoctoral associates are continuing their training towards becoming the next generation of scholars, scientists, and engineers; and
Whereas high quality postdoctoral research associates are important investigators who can significantly contribute to the institution’s research programs; and
Whereas high quality postdoctoral research associates can advance the SUNY system by generating high quality data that can be used to write successful grant applications; and
Whereas recruitment of high quality postdoctoral research associates to SUNY campuses will increase the research productivity of SUNY faculty; and
Whereas successful recruitment of high quality postdoctoral research associates to SUNY campuses can be enhanced by an incentive program; therefore
Be It Resolved that the University Faculty Senate urges the SUNY Vice Chancellor for Research and SUNY Research Foundation to establish a SUNY Postdoctoral Research Fellow Program to aid SUNY faculty in the recruitment of outstanding postdoctoral research associates to work and train on SUNY campuses. Specifically, the program will supplement a fellow’s salary for the first three years of their training with a SUNY Faculty Member.
University Faculty SenateOperations Committee176th PlenarySUNY CantonApril 22, 2017
Resolution to Consider Impact of Broad-Based Fee Increases
Whereas decreasing state support and increasing operating costs have yielded increasing broad-based fees (see April 2017 Operations Committee Report for data);
Whereas some SUNY campuses are using fees to cover personnel and Other Than Personal Service (OTPS) costs that should be funded through state lines, thereby also increasing total campus expenses for students due to incurring fringe benefit costs that would otherwise have been covered by the state;
Whereas fees are not covered by some funding sources, including the proposed Excelsior Scholarship;
Whereas students and their families may view fees at SUNY institutions negatively and may result in opting to enroll elsewhere; therefore
Be It Resolved that the University Faculty Senate recommends to SUNY System Administration and individual campuses that increases in broad-based fees be closely scrutinized to ensure the appropriate balance of addressing both immediate fiscal need and long-term institutional financial viability, student enrollment impact, and persistence/graduation outcomes.
University Faculty Senate176th PlenarySUNY CantonApril 22, 2017
Resolution Calling for SUNY Open Access Repository Policies
Whereas the dissemination and sharing of the published results scholarly research is a cornerstone of communication among scholars; and
Whereas freely available access to scholarly publications is inhibited by pay-walls that are established by many scholarly journals; and
Whereas federal agencies that fund academic research require that research results and publications be made freely available to the public within a year of publication; and
Whereas the faculty of the University of California system, the University of Indiana, and many other academic institutions have established system- or campus-wide repository policies for scholarly publications; and
Whereas the faculty of Stony Brook University has adopted an Open Access Policy for SBU faculty; and
Whereas many other SUNY campuses have developed optional repositories for faculty to archive and make available their published scholarship; therefore
Be It Resolved that the University Faculty Senate urges individual campus faculty governing bodies to develop and adopt open-access policies and recommends that the Stony Brook policy be used as a guide; and
Be It Further Resolved that the UFS seeks to work with the Board of Trustees, Chancellor, Provost, and/or their designees to develop a SUNY-wide open access policy and repository that will complement but not supersede campus-based policies and repositories. Such a SUNY open access repository could serve as a central system that links individual campus repositories as well as serve those campuses without the resources to develop their own.
University Faculty SenatePrograms and Awards Committee176th PlenarySUNY CantonApril 22, 2017
Resolution on the Nomination and Selection Process for Distinguished Professorships
Whereas the four Distinguished Professor ranks constitute the highest system tribute conferred upon SUNY faculty; and
Whereas in the spirit of shared governance, the nominations process will be enriched by faculty and student participation in the nomination and selection process for all four Distinguished Professorships; and
Whereas the four Distinguished Professorship ranks constitute similar levels of achievement and prestige, so they should have similar nomination and selection processes; therefore
Be it Resolved that the University Faculty Senate recommends that the criteria for nominations for all four Distinguished Professor ranks should read: “should arise from faculty members and/or students and/or administrators”; and
Be it Further Resolved that the University Faculty Senate recommends that a Local Selection Committee for Distinguished Professor be specified in the nomination criteria to “include faculty who have considerable seniority and have demonstrated excellence in scholarship and/or creative activity”; and
Be It Further Resolved that the University Faculty Senate supports other changes to the Policies and Procedures for Distinguished Faculty Ranks that are recommended by the Programs and Awards Committees.
Note: These resolutions would amend policies currently on pp. 9 and 10 of “Policies and Procedures, Academic Years 2015-16 and 2016-17, Distinguished Faculty Ranks” for the 2017-2019 cycle.
University Faculty SenatePrograms and Awards Committee176th PlenarySUNY CantonApril 22, 2017
Resolution on Length of Service for Distinguished Professorships
Whereas the Distinguished Professor designation constitutes the highest system tribute conferred upon SUNY faculty; and
Whereas all four Distinguished Professorship ranks should reflect sustained outstanding service to the State University of New York; therefore
Be It Resolved that the University Faculty Senate recommends that the criteria for promotion to distinguished professorships be revised to read: “Candidates for all four Distinguished Professorship Ranks must have held the rank of Professor or Librarian for at least five years and must have at least three years of full-time service at the nominating institution, and must have completed at least ten years of full-time service in the State University of New York.”
Note: This resolution would amend the policies as currently stated for Distinguished Professor and Distinguished Librarian in “Policies and Procedures, Academic Years 2015-16 and 2016-17, Distinguished Faculty Ranks” (pp. 5 and 8) for the 2017-18 and 2018-19 cycle.
University Faculty SenateUndergraduate Academic Programs and Policies Committee176th PlenarySUNY CantonApril 22, 2017
Resolution to Revise Liberal Arts Credit Requirements for Baccalaureate Degree Programs
Whereas Article X § 4 of the Policies of the SUNY Board of Trustees stipulates that “the faculty of each college shall have the obligation to participate significantly in the initiation, development and implementation of the educational program”; and
Whereas Article VI. § 3 specifies that “The University faculty shall be responsible for the conduct of the University’s instruction, research, and service programs"; and
Whereas a September 16, 1976 document from the Office of the Provost (appended to this resolution) mandates that the number of credits in a single discipline not exceed 36 for a major leading to a Bachelor of Arts degree, nor more than 44 credits for a major leading to a Bachelor of Science degree; and
Whereas current New York State Education Department policies do not require or even mention a maximum number of semester hours that may be earned in a single discipline as part of an undergraduate degree; and
Whereas neither the current SUNY New Program Proposal nor the SUNY Program Revision Proposal have specific policy to limit the number of credits that may be earned in a specific discipline or offered toward graduation; and
Whereas in recent years both SUNY and SED have approved Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science programs exceeding the maxima in the 1976 document; and
Whereas this resolution is not supporting any changes to the current SUNY polices for program design or proposal; therefore
Be It Resolved that the University Faculty Senate recommends to the Chancellor that SUNY Policy described in the document identified as "September 16, 1976, Office of the Provost", Section 5, be modified and updated to reflect current SED Regulations as follows:
5. Liberal Arts Requirements in Baccalaureate Degree Programs
a. Programs leading to the Bachelor of Arts degree must include at least 90 semester hours in liberal arts.
b. Programs leading to the Bachelor of Science must include at least 60 semester hours in liberal arts.
Background
The University Faculty Senate Undergraduate Programs and Policies Committee's charge is "to provide advice and guidance to the Faculty Senate on matters relating to undergraduate programs and policies throughout the University. To these ends, the Committee may review such areas as existing and proposed curricula, standards for academic degrees, undergraduate academic assessment, teaching techniques and evaluation, special undergraduate programs, articulation among units of State University of New York and the various aspects of international education and development.
In accordance with that charge, the Undergraduate Programs and Policies Committee presents this Resolution for approval by the SUNY University Faculty Senate.
The text of the 1976 Memorandum to Presidents follows.
Resolution Passed by the SUNY Student Assembly, April 8, 2017
MEMORANDUM 1617-SC02
Attendance Policy Accommodation for Veteran Drills and Training
Whereas the State University of New York’s (SUNY) institutions enroll approximately 600,000 students across all sixty-four campuses with over seven thousand degree programs; and
Whereas SUNY promotes the academic success of students that are dedicated to earning a high-quality and affordable education through the progressive initiatives of SUNY system; and
Whereas SUNY SA is dedicated to promoting and advocating for the academic success of all students within the SUNY system through efforts such as the application of the SUNY SA Academic Affairs Committee, Military Affairs Committee, and other respective committees; and
Whereas academic professors instruct students in their desired course for both traditional and non-traditional classroom settings, present materials to students for assistance in their respective subject, and may consider attendance to promote beneficial learning experiences; and
Whereas students must be capable of attending regular class meeting times, are expected to stay punctual, and stay up to date with assigned classwork, to ultimately pass and receive credit for the class, beneficial to their definitive goal of obtaining a college degree; and
Whereas SUNY institutions do not require students to attend classes, but it is within the best interest of students to attend classes as it provides them with both educational and financial benefits when those efforts result in a successful grade; and
Whereas professors define excusable absences to include emergencies, illness, and prior notice of said absence, but define unexcused absences to include lack of prior notice or a lack of excuse to absence, and
Whereas attendance policies also include students within the military community, who are held to the same standards as other students when concerning attendance policies; and
Whereas drills and training sessions held for students in the military are not guaranteed excuses from classes, and as a result, many students within the military community must either miss mandatory training and drills, or accept unexcused absences. These unexcused absences may result in failing grades for quizzes and tests held during that missed class, or for class projects due that day, and can result in the failure of the class as a whole; and
Whereas students within the military community should be excused for any mandatory drills and training required of their positions, without negative impact from their respective professors; and
Whereas this resolution shall require the informing of all SUNY professors on this new policy, to be included alongside other absences considered “excusable”, and that if this policy is not followed, it
results in actions similar to situations where the professor refused a student a reasonable excuse; therefore be it
Resolved that SUNY SA recognizes the purpose and need for an adjustment in attendance policies to accommodate for students within the military community, so that their work in the military may not impede on their academic successes and achievements; and be it further
Resolved that SUNY SA recommends and supports the involvement of SUNY Administration for the adjustment of SUNY attendance policies across all SUNY campuses, to implement the inclusion of drills and training as excusable absences; and be it further
Resolved that SUNY Administration allow these provisions in support of the military community the opportunity to achieve success in their academics that may be impeded by absences related to their service; and be it finally
Resolved that copies of this resolution be distributed to the SUNY Board of Trustees, Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher, Presidents and Chief Academic Officers of State-Operated and Community Colleges, Jan Trybula, Diana Pasterchick, Diversity Officers and Coordinators of all SUNY institutions, and SUNY Student Government Presidents.
CHANGE TO BYLAWS AND ASSOCIATED UFS PROCEDURES
The following changes, forwarded by the Campus Governance Leaders and the UFS Governance Committee, are being introduced at the Winter Plenary. A vote on the two proposed changes will occur at the Spring Plenary. Should the first motion be approved, a vote will be taken on the second; should the first motion fail, the second would be withdrawn.
Motion 1: Formalize the Role of Campus Governance Leaders in the University Faculty Senate and Add the Convener of the CGLs as a Non-Voting Member of the UFS Executive Committee; Place a Three-Year Term Limit on Voting Members of the Executive Committee (Other Than President and Vice President)
The following changes to the University Faculty Senate (UFS) Bylaws and Procedures 2013 and to the Governance Handbook are requested to grant official observer status to the Campus Governance Leader’s (CGL) Group and to allow the Campus Governance Leader Convener to be an officially recognized member of the Executive Committee of the University Faculty Senate. In the 2008 version of the UFS Governance Handbook, the report from the Governance Committee concerning CGLS, Section VI was rewritten to encourage interactions between the senators and the CGLs at each campus. According to section VI, CGLs have been meeting at each plenary both Thursday evening as well as during the sector meetings; they have prepared questions for the Chancellor; are assisted in setting the plenary agenda with the UFS President, chair of the Governance Committee and SUNY personnel; and the convener was appointed to the Governance Committee, as well as to the Executive Committee. Further in the UFS Governance Handbook, they are also encouraged to put forth resolutions for consideration by the UFS, which in recent years, they have done. However, while these changes were made in the UFS Governance Handbook, the official University Faculty Senate Bylaws and Procedures 2013 were never updated to reflect the status of the CGLs as official observers. Therefore it is requested that the
University Faculty Senate Bylaws and Procedures 2013 be updated to reflect the official observer status of the CGLs as well as to reflect the expectations outlined in the UFS Governance Handbook. This is, in effect, a request to formalize what the CGLs and the UFS have been doing for at least the last decade.
UNIVERSITY FACULTY SENATE BYLAWS AND PROCEDURES 2013
INTRODUCTION
Add
II.G Official Observers
Add to bulleted list
Elected leaders of the governance bodies of the campuses defined in Article VIII, Section B1 of the bylaws of the SUNY University Faculty Senate, recognized as “Campus Governance Leaders.” (On campuses where there are separate governance bodies for faculty and professional staff, both leaders are to be included.)
II.G Official Observers
Current Text
These Official Observers are welcome to attend all sessions of the Senate Plenary meetings and to participate as fully as they wish. As Official Observers they have full parliamentary privileges with the exception of voting rights.
Change to
These Official Observers are welcome to attend all sessions of the Senate Plenary meetings and to participate as fully as they wish. As Official Observers they have full parliamentary privileges with the exception of voting rights.
Additionally, at each Plenary, Campus Governance Leaders meet as a sector during the sector meetings at the Plenary, prepare and present questions for the Chancellor. They can propose resolutions to the body following the process described in Article X, Section B, regarding resolutions. Term limits for Campus Governance Leaders are determined by local campus bylaws.
II.C.2.a. Executive Committee
Current Text
The Senate's Executive Committee is chaired by the President of the Senate. Other members include the Vice-President/Secretary and five elected Senators, chosen in accord with Article VIII, Section B of the Senate's By-Laws, and one Senator from System Administration chosen by
the Chancellor.
Change to
The Senate's Executive Committee is chaired by the President of the Senate. Other members include the Vice-President/Secretary, five elected Senators and the Convener of the Campus Governance Leaders, chosen in accord with Article VIII, Section B of the Senate's By-Laws, and one Senator from System Administration chosen by the Chancellor.
III.A. Senators and Alternate Senators
Current Text
In addition, Senators serving as sector representatives to the Executive Committee (see By-Laws Article VIII, Section B) shall have the following responsibilities;
Change to
In addition, Senators serving as sector representatives to the Executive Committee and the Convener of the Campus Governance Leaders (see By-Laws Article VIII, Section B) shall have the following responsibilities;
BYLAWS
Article III: Section F. Nominations for Members of the Executive Committee. §1. Nominations.
Current Text
Candidates for the elected positions on the Executive Committee shall be nominated by their respective groups of institutions specified in Article VIII, Section B, of these Bylaws. Additional nominations from the floor for each position to be filled shall then be accepted. Any nominee for a group’s Executive Committee position shall be a Member of the Senate representing an institution in that group.
Change to
Candidates for the elected positions on the Executive Committee shall be nominated by their respective groups of institutions specified in Article VIII, Section B, of these Bylaws. Additional nominations from the floor for each position to be filled shall then be accepted. Any nominee for a group’s Executive Committee position shall be a Member of the Senate representing an institution in that group or in the case of the Campus Governance Leaders’ group the nominee must be a current Campus Governance Leader when elected, meaning that the term of service may take place when the elected Convener is an immediate past Campus Governance Leader.
ARTICLE VIII. Section B. Executive Committee
Current Text
There shall be an Executive Committee of the Senate which shall be comprised of the President of the Senate; the Vice President/Secretary; one of the two University-wide Representatives whom the Chancellor shall designate to serve; and one Senator representing each of the groups of institutions specified in §1 of this Section B, who shall be elected by the Senate. The President shall serve as Chairperson of the Executive Committee. The elected Senators shall serve one year terms commencing July 1 of each year. They shall be eligible for reelection as Members of the Executive Committee. The immediate past President and immediate past Vice President/Secretary shall serve as nonvoting Members of the Executive Committee by reason of office.
Change to
There shall be an Executive Committee of the Senate which shall be comprised of the President of the Senate; the Vice President/Secretary; one of the two University-wide Representatives whom the Chancellor shall designate to serve; one Senator representing each of the groups of institutions specified in §1 of this Section B with vote, and the Convener of the Campus Governance Leaders without a vote, who shall be elected by the Senate. The President shall serve as Chairperson of the Executive Committee. The elected Senators and the Convener of the Campus Governance Leaders shall serve one year terms commencing July 1 of each year. They shall be eligible for reelection as Members of the Executive Committee serving no more than three consecutive terms. The immediate past President, immediate past Vice President/Secretary, shall serve as nonvoting Members of the Executive Committee, by reason of office.
ARTICLE VIII. Section B. Executive Committee §1 Elected Representatives
Add:
Group 6. Campus Governance LeadersElected leaders of the governance bodies at each institution listed above.
GOVERNANCE HANDBOOK
VI. Campus Governance Leaders
Add to the second bullet:
The Convener of the Campus Governance Leaders is appointed to the University Faculty Senate Governance Committee and is an elected member of the Executive Committee.
Motion 2: This Would Amend Motion 1, if Approved, to Make the CGL Convenor a Voting Member of Executive Committee. Would be Withdrawn if Motion 1 Fails.
The following changes to the Bylaws and Procedures 2013 and to the Governance Handbook are requested to allow the Campus Governance Leader (CGL) Convener to be a full voting member of the Executive Committee of the UFS as an equal with the sector representatives. The CGLs meet as a sector, the convener functions as a sector representative, reviews and vets committee resolutions and other materials and represents the group that would be largely responsible for carrying out the work of the Senate at their home campuses, therefore they should have at least one opportunity to express their collective opinion through the CGL convener at the Executive Committee Level. While the SUNY Trustees has specified the voting composition of the Senate at large, it is the senate that has the right to determine who votes on the Executive Committee and there is no restriction that requires members of the Executive Committee to be members of the UFS.
UNIVERSITY FACULTY SENATE BYLAWS AND PROCEDURES 2013
ARTICLE VIII. Section B. Executive Committee
Current Text
There shall be an Executive Committee of the Senate which shall be comprised of the President of the Senate; the Vice President/Secretary; one of the two University-wide Representatives whom the Chancellor shall designate to serve; one Senator representing each of the groups of institutions specified in §1 of this Section B with vote, and the Convener of the Campus Governance Leaders without a vote, who shall be elected by the Senate. The President shall serve as Chairperson of the Executive Committee. The elected Senators and the Convener of the Campus Governance Leaders shall serve one year terms commencing July 1 of each year. They shall be eligible for reelection as Members of the Executive Committee serving no more than three terms. The immediate past President, immediate past Vice President/Secretary, shall serve as nonvoting Members of the Executive Committee, by reason of office.
Change to
There shall be an Executive Committee of the Senate which shall be comprised of the President of the Senate; the Vice President/Secretary; one of the two University-wide Representatives whom the Chancellor shall designate to serve; one Senator representing each of the groups of institutions specified in §1 of this Section B with vote and the Convener of the Campus Governance Leaders without a vote, who shall be elected by the Senate. The President shall serve as Chairperson of the Executive Committee. The elected Senators and the Convener of the Campus Governance Leaders shall serve one year terms commencing July 1 of each year. They shall be eligible for reelection as Members of the Executive Committee serving no more than three terms. All elected or designated members of the Executive Committee, including the Convener of the Campus Governance Leaders are voting members of the Executive Committee. The immediate past President, immediate past Vice President/Secretary, shall serve as nonvoting Members of the Executive Committee, by reason of office.
GOVERNANCE HANDBOOK
VI. Campus Governance Leaders
Current text
The Convener of the Campus Governance Leaders is appointed to the University Faculty Senate Governance Committee and is an elected member of the Executive Committee.
Change to
The Convener of the Campus Governance Leaders is appointed to the University Faculty Senate Governance Committee and is an elected voting member of the Executive Committee.
University Faculty SenateExecutive Committee176th PlenarySUNY CantonApril 22, 2017
Resolution in Support of Stand-Alone Unit Head for New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University
Whereas Resolution 141-02-1 (attached), dated October 29, 2005, enunciated the support of the University Faculty Senate for the appointment of a stand-alone unit head for the New York State College of Ceramics (NYSCC) at Alfred University (AU); and
Whereas AU and the State University of New York (SUNY) are in the process of re-negotiating a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) regarding the operation of the NYSCC; and
Whereas the faculty of the NYSCC passed a resolution on April 19, 2017, asking the President of AU and the Chancellor and Board of Trustees of SUNY to “re-institute the position of Associate Vice President of Statutory Affairs as a full-time and autonomous position within the [AU] structure”; therefore
Be It Resolved that the University Faculty Senate (UFS) endorses the aforementioned NYSCC resolution; and
Be It Further Resolved that the UFS reiterates its position in support of the appointment of a stand-alone unit head that is not part of another administrative position and urges the Board of Trustees, Chancellor, and Provost of SUNY to ensure that the Associate VP for Statutory Affairs at AU be maintained as a stand-alone position in their negotiations with AU over the MOU on the NYSCC.
University Faculty Senate141st Plenary MeetingEmpire State CollegeOctober 29, 2005
Resolution in Support of NYS College of Ceramics
Whereas the University Faculty Senate of the State University of New York is deeply concerned by the treatment of our colleagues at the NYS College of Ceramics (NYSCC) at Alfred University.
Whereas the University Faculty Senate supports the actions of system administration and the SUNY Board of Trustees in their efforts to restore the College’s SUNY identity and the integrity of the College’s governance as originally intended by the laws establishing the statutory colleges.
Be it resolved that the University Faculty Senate endorse the NYSCC faculty’s principles of:1. Support for the NYSCC statutory mission2. Support for a stand-alone NYSCC unit head in the college that is a joint appointment by
SUNY and AU3. Support for statutory faculty’s participation in the search for a NYSCC unit head4. Support of meaningful shared governance including participation in policy development,
strategic planning, budget process, etc.5. Support for SUNY representation on the Alfred University Board of Trustees, and
Be it further resolved that the University Faculty Senate encourage the campus governance bodies to support their colleagues at Alfred Ceramics by endorsing this resolution and writing letters of concern and support to appropriate officials, including but not limited to the Governor, Legislators and SUNY officials.
141-02-1 Resolution in Support of NYS College of CeramicsPassed without dissentOctober 29, 2005
NYSCC Faculty
April 19, 2017ResolutionApproved 04/19/2017
Resolution on the Position of Associate Vice President of Statutory Affairs
Whereas, stated in the Memorandum of Understanding between the State University of New York and Alfred University, The Associate Vice President of Statutory Affairs [Unit Head] “shall be the State University's representative at, and the chief administrative officer of, the College of Ceramics, and shall serve full-time as Unit Head"; and
Whereas , the Associate Vice President is tasked with the significant financial authority of approving "expenditures of all revenues received in the course of the administration of the College of Ceramics, including but not limited to tuition, fees and charges; State appropriations; endowment funds; and grants"; and
Whereas, the Associate Vice President is also tasked with "monitoring implementation of the all-funds budget of the College of Ceramics and financial condition of the College of Ceramics"; and
Whereas, further responsibilities of the Associate Vice President include the support of the College's strategic goals, the preparation of annual budget, preparation of the appropriation request for State support, the promotion of the College's identity, the promotion of regional economic development, capital and equipment needs identification, and the promotion of academic excellence; and
Whereas, the Associate Vice President “shall be an employee of Alfred University, whose salary shall be funded by State appropriations”; and therefore
Be it resolved that the New York State College of Ceramics Faculty recommends that the President of Alfred University re-institute the position of Associate Vice President of Statutory Affairs as a full-time and autonomous position within the university structure, a position that is fully committed to the NYSCC mission and its actualization. The Faculty asks for the support of the SUNY Chancellor and SUNY Board of Trustees to continue to work with Alfred University in fulfillment of our Memorandum of Understanding.