Title: University Senate, Academic Planning and Research Allocation Committee Meeting
Date and Time: May 9, 2014 at 2:30 pm
Location: Psychology Building B, University Senate Conference Room

SUNY Korea Update

The first cohort of students from SUNY Korea will attend Stony Brook University during the fall 2014 academic semester, fulfilling general education requirements in accordance with the new SBC, in addition to major requirements. George Mason University joined SUNY Korea, having been approved by the Ministry of Education for student enrollment for the spring 2014 academic semester. University of Ghent has officially been approved by the Ministry of Education to join SUNY Korea and is intended to begin student enrollment for the fall 2014 academic semester. University of Utah is presently awaiting approval from the Ministry of Education. While none of the programs these universities will introduce to SUNY Korea intersect with those presently offered by Stony Brook University at SUNY Korea, it is an unavoidable reality that the intersection will be evident as more universities are introduced.

Students at SUNY Korea will receive a degree from the university at which they are enrolled. For example, if a student is at SUNY Korea but enrolled at Stony Brook University, the student will receive a Stony Brook University degree because they are completing the courses and requirements set in place by Stony Brook University. The same admissions standards are applicable to those students at SUNY Korea, including exempt status from SAT and TOEFL requirements, at which time the student, if admitted, will be non-matriculated and be required to complete an intensive English course. One concern is that while students may perform well in their writing [in English] courses, this does not correlate effectively with articulation skills of the English language. While this is the case from some experiences in particular departments, this is not the case for all.

Another concern is the relationship of faculty between Stony Brook University and SUNY Korea. Faculty will be compensated for their work while at SUNY Korea, and funds will be used to hire temporary faculty at Stony Brook University. It is anticipated that faculty from Stony Brook University who teach at SUNY Korea will do so for no more than two or three years at a time; and that only one or two faculty from any department at Stony Brook University will teach at SUNY Korea at a time.
A third concern is the growth of a library at SUNY Korea with ample academic resources. Presently, there is a library building at SUNY Korea with textbooks and relevant reference materials. SUNY Korea is in the process of hiring a library coordinator, which, effectively, will allow for greater growth of the library including more resources, in addition to online resources and academic support. Shared resources across universities at SUNY Korea will need to be a topic for discussion in the future, especially when university offerings at SUNY Korea begin to intersect more evidently.

A fourth and final concern is the lack of adequate data about the existing programs at SUNY Korea, such as the quality of the programs and the admissions practices. This data should be made available for review prior to considering new programs at SUNY Korea for approval. The questioning of the quality of admissions practices is likely linked to English language proficiency of applicants, but it would be best to assess that, as opposed to drawing such a conclusion based on generalizations. The involvement of Stony Brook University’s institutional research assessment department in this effort would be necessary.

It was also requested that an organizational chart of SUNY Korea, in terms of administration, be made available to the Committee for analysis and records purposes. Update: The organizational chart of SUNY Korea has been provided to the Committee for analysis and records purposes as of the 11th of May, 2014.