University Senate
Minutes of February 4, 2008

I.  Apporval of agenda – approved

II.  Approval of Minutes from December 10, 2007 - approved

III.  President’s Report (S. Kenny):

  • Governor Spitzer designated Stony Brook and Buffalo as the two flagships of the SUNY System.  Bringing together Stony Brook, Brookhaven and Cold Spring Harbor will have a tremendous economic benefit for Long Island.
  • The Governor’s executive budget has a proposed creation of a $4 billion Higher Education Endowment Fund which will be critical in allowing the State to finance several of the recommendations of the Commission on Higher Education.
  • The final Five Year Plan for 2008-2013 is on the web at:  www. Stonybrook.edu/sb/5yrplan08/
  • A total of 21,686 students were registered on opening day this spring, 446 more than last year.

IV.  Provost’s Report (E. Kaler):

  • The Earthstock program series at Stony Brook received the 2007 Outstanding Student Affairs Award for Emerging Programs.
  • Stony Brook Hillel Honored for Strategic Alliance with University.
  • Athletics came in 3rd in the American East Conference in terms of academic honor roll with 83 athletes honored.  In the Fall there were 42 student athletes who finished with a 3.5 or greater average. 
  • Nominations now being accepted for Awards Recognizing Excellence among our Undergraduates.  Deadline is February 8, 2008.
  • Dr. Kaler is continuing to visit various departments on campus.

V.  Student Life Committee Report (E. Feldman)

  • Overview of what the committee has been working on so far this past fall and for the coming year including the charge of the committee.
  • Currently examining the impact of increased enrollment on Student Services, including the Counseling Center, Housing, Food Service, Disability Support Services, etc.  Gave examples of preliminary data/draft information on impact of increased enrollment.
  • Currently consulting with FSA concerning new food contract.
  • Working on White Paper for the University Senate.
  • Past agenda:  worked with student group (Alliance for Justice) and FSA on examining contract with Coca-Cola in light of reports of environmental concerns in other countries.
  • Advised the Office of Student Affairs concerning the contract for Student Health Insurance.
  • Dr. Feldman is the Chair of the Student Life Committee for the SUNY Faculty Senate and they are also looking into student medical insurance.

Dr. Eugene Feinberg, Subcommittee Chair for student housing:

  • Committee looked at the current data on graduate student housing.  The committee did not do a deep analysis regarding quality, dissatisfaction, etc.
  • In August there was a Task Force headed by Chuck Taber that looked at graduate housing.
  • Plan to increase housing in Spring 2008 by 173 units and 600 units by 2009.  The Student Life subcommittee came to the conclusion that unless the additional 800 units are built by 2010, the housing as it stands would be inadequate.  Waiting on the confirmation of the additional units to be built.

VI.  Report of the Plenary Session of SUNY Faculty Senate (K. Gillespie):

  • Stony Brook is well represented in Albany with 4 state-wide senators.
  • A. Lloyd Constantine, Sr. Advisor to Governor Spitzer, underscored the Governor’s commitment to education in NYS, and in particular to SUNY
  • University Faculty Senate has formed an ad hoc committee on Transferability to preempt a possible mandate from the NYS Legislature on Transfer Articulation.  Norm Goodman is on this committee.
  • SUNY may receive a 2.5% budget cut next year.
  • Kane highlighted the SUNY Faculty Senate Committee work.
  • Listed the top 10 recommendations from the Commission on Higher Education (see Plenary Report).
  • Dr. Norman Goodman explained recommendation #3. Establish a NYS “Compact for Public Higher Education”:
    • SUNY Compact is based upon the CUNY compact:  sources of funding which the State, University and Students are expected to provide.
    • State:  provide full funding for what are called “mandatory operating costs” (labor agreements, general inflation, etc), support the Empire Innovation Program funding, and academic quality issues (to fund 30%).
    • University:  two-fold:  one is for philanthropy and the second is for innovations and efficiency
    • Students:  Tuition revenue policy.  Will be moderate increases as predicted and toed to some Higher Education index.  The tuition increase will go exclusively to SUNY’s investment to new faculty, increase in cost offerings, decrease in class size, bolstering student counseling and to increase student financial aid Legislature is dead set against tuition increase.
  • Kane Gillespie covered #9. Strengthen articulation agreements between SUNY campuses to insure a smoother transfer for students across SUNY.  This came from the perception that transfer students don’t do so well coming from community colleges into bigger institutions.  There is a threat that the legislature wants to mandate a transfer articulation policy for SUNY to adhere to.  To try to preempt this, the University Faculty Senate has formed an ad hoc committee (which includes Norman Goodman).  They are working on different ways that SUNY could address this.  They are looking at it from the perspective of student success, the articulation agreements across the state and common courses.
  • There were two resolutions:  Revisions to University Faculty Senate Fellow (passed unanimously) and asking the SUNY Chancellor to encourage campus presidents and/or administrators to practice shared governance and a strong faculty/administration partnership.
  • The Operations committee held a Sustainability Conference in November.  Task Force is being formed to create a Sustainability Curricula.
  • Dr. Lane thanked the SUNY Faculty Senators from Stony Brook for all of their hard work.

VII.  University Affairs Committee Update and  Stony Brook Day in Albany (B. Godfrey):

  • The University Affairs Committee has been dormant for quite some time. 
  • Committee has met a couple of times and have discussed University Advancement and ways in which the committee may be of help.  Also discussed mechanisms in which to try to get the University Directory out to everyone sooner than late Fall.
  • Encouraged faculty, staff, and students to participate in Stony Brook Day in Albany on March 4, 2008 to meet legislators in Albany.
  • Hoping to have over 1,000 participants.
  • Two recruitment fairs on Feb. 6th and Feb. 13th to register or you can register online.

VIII.  Senate President’s Report (B. Lane):

  • Dr. Lane represented the Senate at the New Student Convocation.
  • Spent time with Barbara Chernow and Amy Provenzano regarding carbon footprint.  They will speak at the Senate meeting in April.
  • Smoking committee will present their new position at the March meeting.
  • March 3rd meeting will take place in the Goldstein Center and there will be a tour after the meeting.

IX.  Old Business:  no old business.

X.  New Business:  no new business.

Meeting adjourned at 4:45 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Laurie Theobalt
Secretary