Skip Navigation
Search
Arts & Sciences Senate
HomeRecordsSenate Minutes2011 2012April 23 2012

Arts & Sciences Senate
Meeting
April 23, 2012

I.  Approval of Agenda:  approved.

II.  Approval of minutes from March 19, 2012:  approved.

III.  Senate President’s report (E. Mendieta)

  • The Senate President’s Report is attached.
  • Trevor Sears, candidate for President, introduced himself.
  • Dr. Mendieta expressed his gratitude to his colleagues in the Executive Committee that have supported his work.

IV.  Election of President and Vice President (E. Mendieta)

  • Presently we have the following candidates: Trevor Sears for President, and   Cynthia Davidson for Vice-President.
  • Paper ballots were passed out to the senators for a vote. 

V.  Report from the Committee on Academic Standing and Appeals (D. Hildenbrand)

  • Students first go to Academic Advising to put in a petition.  This then goes to Dr. Clifford Huffman and he either approves or denies the petition.  If they are denied, the student can appeal and it goes before CASA.
  • If CASA denies the petition, they go to Dr. Charles Robbins.
  • This past fall, 6 were approved, 7 were denied, and 1 was tabled

VI.  Report from the Curriculum Committee (R. Calvin)

  • Committee has met twenty times during 2010-2011 academic year.
  • Approved 44 new courses and 14 changes to majors and minors in CAS and SoMAS
  • Trying to streamline forms.  Would like to put them on-line.
  • Deadlines for submitting material has changed in the last academic year because of the new publishing process.
  • New DEC. Don’t know what it is going to look like.   Will be working with the new Provost in the coming year.

VII.  Resolution on the Senior Lecturer Selection Committee (E. Mendieta)

  • This committee was recently written into the constitution but given what happened this past year, this committee no longer serves a purpose within the Arts & Sciences Senate.  Requested that the University Senate make this a standing committee and add it to their constitution.  Given the sense of the senate resolution at the last A&S senate meeting, it seems that this committee no longer performs a function not only because the University Senate will take it over, but also because it will not be called the SLSC but the Provost’s Distinguished Lecturer Award.

Whereas the A&S Senate passed a sense of the senate resolution that approved the transfer of the Senior Lecturer Selection Committee to the University Senate,
Whereas the University Senate has already appointed an ad hoc committee to work with the Provost on the selection of nominees for the newly established prized of Provost Outstanding Lecturer Award
Be it resolved that the A&S Senior Lecturer Selection Committee shall be disbanded and all references to it be removed from the constitution of the A&S Senate.
Vote:  All in favor, none opposed and no abstentions.  Resolution passes.

VIII.  Report from the Provost (D. Assanis)

  • New initiative, undertaken as part of SUNY 2020, to hire 100 faculty members over the next five years. This is the first call for proposals through this initiative.  Executive Summary due no later than May 14th, 2012.  The Full proposal is due no later than June 4th, 2012.  Have to have everything in place by September.
  • There is no limit to the number of proposals a school or college can submit.  There can be collaboration with another school or college.
  • In addition to faculty hires, proposals may request appropriate start-up packages consisting of equipment and renovations.  Start-up packages are expensive.  Working to bring in funds through philanthropy.
  • New Institute for Computational Science.  We have been able to generate $20 Mil towards an endowment for the new Institute.  Search to hire a founding director.
  • Outstanding Lecturer Award:  The original Eric Kaler letter spoke about a rank – not comfortable with that.  A lot of work goes into renewing year-to-year.  Would like to create a mechanism for longer term appointments.  Need to change the policy.  Created Provost’s Outstanding Lecturer Award which comes with a $1,500 award.  Appointed committee to look at files now.  No limit on awards per year.  They will be announced on the website and at a reception.
  • Budget:  New budget activity based model will not become reality for two years.
  • Opening of Songdo Korea. First American University in Korea.  Want to grow in steps.  Started with 35 students this past March.  Started with two masters and 2 graduate programs.  Hope to have 100 starting in the Fall.  Would like to see other SUNY campuses to operate in Korea.

Ruth Ben-Zvi read the election results:  20 votes for Trevor Sears as President and 20 votes for Cynthia Davidson as Vice President with 2 abstentions.  Trevor Sears will be the new A&S Senate President and Cynthia Davidson the Vice President.

IX.  Old Business:  no old business.

X.  New Business:  no new business.

Meeting adjourned.

Submitted by:

Laurie Theobalt
Secretary

 

Senate Minutes
Senate Minutes