February 3, 2025: University Senate Report

Office of the Provost

 

Provost’s Initiatives and Updates

Climate and Sustainability Scoping Committee

In January, the Provost’s Office announced a university-wide strategic effort, led by Kevin Reed, Associate Provost for Climate and Sustainability Programming, and Heather Lynch, Director of the Collaborative for the Earth and IACS Endowed Chair for Ecology and Evolution, to discuss and determine how we can optimize our efforts in support of critical work in climate and sustainability at Stony Brook. The Provost’s Office invited nominations to serve on a scoping committee. Nominees will be notified of their status and the committee will be convened in early February. 

AI Innovation Institute (AI3) Director Search

The search committee selected three candidates to visit the university in January. Faculty, staff, and administrators with an AI affiliation had the opportunity to engage with candidates. The search committee will deliver its recommendations to the Provost by mid-February.   

Center and Institute Guidelines Working Group

CAPRA and the Provost’s Office have established a working group to revise the current guidelines that apply to Centers and Institutes that report to the Provost (see here for existing guidelines). This group, which will start its operations in this semester, will build on the work conducted by CAPRA and the Provost’s Office in the past couple of years.

 

Academic Programs

Recently approved programs

• Chemical and Molecular Engineering PhD & MPhil (Revision, 01/2025)
• Molecular and Cellular Biology PhD & MPhil (Revision, 01/2025)

 

Faculty Development

Emerging Leaders

This program provides development opportunities for the next generation of higher education leaders in research, education, and administration. A follow-up workshop with the Alda Center for Science Communication will take place on February 14.

Excellence in Teaching Program

This program features a series of workshops and hands-on activities centered on teaching and learning. Upcoming events in February include workshops on Experiential and Innovative Pedagogy and AI tools for the classroom for the new cohorts and on Assessment Fundamentals and Aligning Course Outcomes and Assessment for past cohorts. 

Generative AI-tools for Teaching and Learning - Departmental Workshops

This program features a series of workshops tailored to academic departments to learn about Generative AI tools to be used in the classroom and for course preparation. The first workshop was offered to the School of Health Professions and took place on January 21.  

Provost Lecture Series

The next Provost Lecture Series will take place on February 11, and will feature SUNY Distinguished Faculty Patricia Wright from Anthropology and Lawrence Martin from Anthropology.

Nominate a Colleague

Nominations are open for the Celebration of Teaching: Excellence in Teaching Awards. 

 

Academic Affairs

Promotion and Tenure

Thank you to all who submitted files for promotion to full on or around our new Provost’s Office due date of January 15. Files for tenure and promotion to associate are due April 1. 

Digital Accessibility Town Hall

Join us on Friday, February 7 at 12 p.m. for a Town Hall on changing Federal digital accessibility requirements (RSVP here). Last spring, the federal government updated the Americans with Disabilities Act to establish guidelines for digital content accessibility. Although Stony Brook has had a digital accessibility policy in place since 2022, the federal law mandates that all digital content must be accessible by April 2026. To share what we know, and to better understand how we can work together to ensure compliance as this pertains to course materials, the Provost’s Office will host a town hall meeting for all faculty and instructors.

Pre-Tenure Workshop

Save the Date! Pre-Tenure Workshop to be held March 10 from 4 – 5 pm in SAC 306 for assistant professors in their 3rd, 4th, or 5th years. Chairs/deans/ATCs welcome. 

SUNY Transfer Task Force Report

The SUNY Board of Trustees has approved the SUNY Transfer Task Force Report. The report outlines 32 recommendations across four overarching objectives: 1) Maximize Credit Acceptance and Major Applicability, 2) Provide Clarity, Transparency and Consistency in Transfer Process and Policy, 3) Provide Additional System-Wide Resources, and 4) Foster System-Wide Transfer Partnerships. The Provost’s Office will be working with campus partners to ensure alignment with these recommendations. More information can be found on the SUNY Transfer website.

SUNY General Education Framework Updates

The SUNY Board of Trustees approved updates to the SUNY General Education (GE) Framework. Effective Fall 2026, SUNY’s Information Literacy core competency will include revised student learning language that recognizes emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence. The GE Framework will also introduce a new core competency in Civic Discourse. Academic Affairs will work in coordination with the General Education Advisory Committee to determine the best pathway to incorporate this new requirement into the Stony Brook Curriculum. More information can be found on the SUNY website. 

 

Upcoming CELT Events

• Registration is open for CELT’s Learning and Teaching Symposium: A New Era of Inclusivity and Innovation in Higher Education which will be held on Friday, April 11.
• Join us on March 3 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. for a Neuroinclusive Teaching Virtual Speaker Event: Divergent Minds, Inspired Designs with Megan Kohler. 
  • Navigating a world created for neurotypical individuals poses unique challenges for neurodivergent learners, which can lead to a sense of inadequacy despite their inherent potential. Neurodivergent learners, those with Autism, ADHD, or other cognitive differences, learn and function differently, especially within educational contexts. A significant body of research demonstrates the exceptional abilities of these individuals and highlights their creative and intellectual potential. By understanding the differences, and exploring the needs of neurodivergent learners, we can provide them with learning environments that allow them to thrive and demonstrate their incredible talents. In this keynote address, we explore a strengths-based approach, advocating for the intentional design of educational experiences that empower and amplify the abilities of neurodivergent learners. 
  • This virtual event begins an initiative to promote neuroinclusive teaching at SBU through faculty learning communities. If you are faculty and are interested in participating, please contact kimberly.bell@stonybrook.edu. Time commitment: three meetings (1.5 hours each) to take place between March-April 2025. By participating, you agree to use the materials you will produce in your Fall 2025 or Spring 2026 courses and collect student feedback with a provided survey. You will receive a book related to neurodiversity in the classroom for participating. 
• Graduate Students and Postdocs are invited to attend CELT’s College Teaching Seminars:
  • 2/12: Neuroinclusive Teaching
  • 2/26: AI in the College Classroom 
  • 3/12: Using Active Learning Effectively 
  • 3/26: Teaching Experiences Panel Discussion with IRACDA Postdocs

 

Enrollment Management 

Office of Financial Aid & Scholarship Services  

• New Student packaging by March 1
• FAFSAs loading and ahead of last year
• Roughly half of all endowed scholarships in Scholarship Universe

Registrar’s Office

• Friday, February 7: Late Registration Ends for Spring 2025
• Friday, February 14: Day 15 – Final Snapshot (end of business day)
• Monday, March 17, to Sunday, March 23: Spring Recess, no classes in session
• Monday, March 31: Campus Catalog Published for Fall 2025; Publish Class Schedule for Summer and Fall 2025
• Monday, April 7: Enrollment Begins for Summer and Fall 2025

Undergraduate Admissions

Increased fall application counts

We are seeing increased application counts for first-year and transfer students. As of January 21, we have increased applications to just over 8,000 between both populations. The transfer student application deadline is May 1 and the first year application deadline is now February 15. 

First-year, regular decision application deadline extended

The new deadline is February 15. The decision to extend our first year, regular-decision application deadline was made with input from many offices on campus and highlights our commitment to balance student support for those impacted by a natural disaster and new initiatives that have been implemented on campus, including work with new international partners and the SUNY Top 10% Promise Program. The application extension does not impact our admitted student visit days, our tour calendar, or our overall class size plan. 

Anticipated spring enrollment

As of January 21, it is expected that our first-year and transfer student enrollment for the spring will be maintained at spring 2024 levels. 

 

Undergraduate Education

Spring 2025 Student Progress Reports

Progress reportswill launch Wednesday, February 19, and will run through Wednesday, March 19. Faculty feedback through progress reports is a critical component for supporting students. In Fall 2024, faculty participation in progress reports was 66% - thank you! Not all instructors will receive a progress report request every semester but can provide feedback on students at any time. More information can be found in the progress report FAQs.

 

Graduate School

Conversations in Graduate Education

This semester’s program, “Creating and Preserving Multimodal Dissertations Beyond the Monograph,” will take place on Wednesday, February 19, from 3 to 4:30 pm and feature Justin Schell, Director of the Digital Scholarship and Creative Spaces department at the University of Michigan Library, as well as AD Carson, Associate Professor of Hip Hop and the Global South at the University of Virginia. Please visit our website to register and receive the Zoom link. 

Increase in Graduate Applications

As of Friday January 24, applications to graduate programs for Fall 2025 had increased by 14% over Fall 2024. There has been a 15% increase in applications to doctoral programs and an 11% increase in applications to Master’s and certificate programs. 

Graduate Student Mentorship

Are you working with new graduate students on research projects this semester? Please consider developing a mentoring plan with them. Mentoring plans help align expectations and set student-faculty relationships up for success. For more information and to download a fillable mentoring plan, visit our website. 

 

Global Affairs

International Academic Programs

Highest ever winter study abroad participation

This winter, 118 students studied abroad in Italy, Singapore, Korea, Kenya, Madagascar, Tanzania, Australia, Ireland, Jamaica.

Visa and Immigration Services (VIS)

Non-Resident Tax Workshops

VIS will once again partner with Sprintax to host two Non-Resident Tax Workshops this year. These workshops are designed to help non-resident international students and scholars understand basic U.S. tax obligations and to introduce them to Sprintax, an online tax preparation tool tailored for nonresidents. We will host two sessions:

• Wednesday, February 19, from 1 – 2 pm (ET). Register here.
• Tuesday, March 11, from 6:30 – 7:30 pm (ET). Register here.

In collaboration with the Graduate Student Organization (GSO), VIS has purchased 1,000 federal tax preparation codes for eligible students. These codes fully cover the cost of filing Form 8843 through Sprintax, ensuring a smoother and more affordable tax filing process.

International Student Success

The International Peer Mentoring Program has been selected by APLU to participate in a three-year collaborative study on peer mentoring programs as drivers of student success.  The International Student Success Office will join with APLU’s Office of Digital Transformation for Student Success, Mentor Collective, and other APLU institutions to develop recommendations and best practices in peer mentoring programs.  

 

Institutional and Educational Effectiveness

International Love Data Week

Stony Brook University is celebrating International Love Data Week with a series of 30-minute webinars designed to enhance data proficiency, showcase innovative projects, and build a community of data enthusiasts. Hosted by the Division of Educational & Institutional Effectiveness and facilitated by the Office of Educational Effectiveness, this event is open to all SBU faculty, staff, and students. Learn more or register for workshops here: Love Data Week 2025.

2024-25 Program Review Cohort

A special acknowledgment to the seven departments and programs participating in this year’s Department/Program Review process:

• Coaching
• Ecology & Evolution
• Higher Education Administration
• Music
• Psychology
• Technology Systems Management
• Undergraduate Biology
  
  
  
  

2024-25 General Education Assessment Guided Conversations

The Office of Educational Effectiveness, in collaboration with the Provost’s Office, SBU Assessment Council, and General Education Advisory Committee, will facilitate the assessment of SBC general education courses in the SBS, QPS, ESI, SPK, and HFA+ categories. Guided conversations with faculty will take place this Spring 2025, complemented by faculty and student focus groups to gather deeper insights. Learn more: General Education Assessment 2024-25.

Spring 2025 Assessment Coordinators Listening Tour

The Office of Educational Effectiveness will host conversations with Assessment Coordinators to better understand what’s working in the current process and identify areas for improvement. These discussions aim to help programs collect meaningful data for informed decision-making. Invitations will be sent early in the Spring term.

 

Continuing, Professional, and Online Education

Pre-College Summer Program

In partnership with academic departments from across the university, the Stony Brook Pre-College Summer Program will offer more than 20 unique academic courses this summer from July 6 - August 1. This is the second year of operation for this residential summer program designed for rising high school seniors. This is a non-credit program designed to provide high school students with an opportunity to gain a realistic preview of academic life on a university campus and to explore major academic areas of interest. Also new this year is the PCS Promise scholarship. Students who attend the PCS program who then subsequently apply, get accepted, and enroll at Stony Brook University will be eligible to receive either a $1,000 scholarship (NYS resident students) or $2,000 scholarship (Out of State students). Early application discounts are available to those who register before March 7, and applications close May 30th. 

 

Climate & Sustainability Programming

February 10: Darwin Day

Stony Brook University will welcome Dr. Tim Mousseau as a distinguished guest speaker for Darwin Day. Dr. Mousseau is renowned for his work in ecology and evolutionary biology and his groundbreaking research on the long-term impacts of the Chernobyl and Fukushima nuclear disasters on wildlife.  The title of his talk that evening is "Evolution Across Mutagenic Landscapes: Adventures At Chernobyl  Fukushima, and Other Hot Places."

Radioactive: Film Screening

In collaboration with the Lichtenstein Center’s Science & Cinema series, the Collaborative for the Earth will co-host the screening of Dr. Heidi Hutner’s “Radioactive: The Women of Three Mile Island.” The screening will be followed by a panel discussion including Dr. Hutner and several guests. The event will take place on February 26.

Climate Solutions Summit NYC

On April 23 and 24, the New York Climate Exchange will host the inaugural Climate Solutions Summit NYC on Governors Island. The Summit will focus on research in coastal urban environments and will offer opportunities for attendees to explore emerging research, build relationships, and develop collaborations with other Exchange partners. The Exchange will be accepting proposals from all partners geared toward interdisciplinary programming with at least two of the Exchange partners. Submissions will be accepted through Tuesday, February 18.

Second Debate on Governors Island

The Collaborative for the Earth will host the second, annual environmental debate on Governors Island on Thursday, April 24 at 1:00 pm. In keeping with this year’s nuclear energy theme, the debate will host a panel of experts in nuclear energy and engineering from Stony Brook University and other institutions.

Governors Island Field Trip

On Tuesday, April 29, the Collaborative for the Earth is hosting a field trip to Governors Island. This is an all-day visit to introduce students, staff, and faculty to current programs and to give them an opportunity to explore and consider future research about climate solutions and the New York Climate Exchange. Registration for the trip is open until Friday, March 28.

 Climate Pop-Up Course

Our pilot one-credit pop-up course about climate change is full with 50 students enrolled, and a growing waitlist. This course is designed to give students an introduction to the multifaceted issues and questions surrounding climate change, including the science of climate change, public health impacts, art and culture, engineering, and ethical decision making, among other topics.