FACULTY SENATE MINUTES NO

No report.

IV.� SECRETARY�S REPORT:

No report.

V. TREASURER�S REPORT:

C. DeGouff reported that the balance in the Senate checking account was

VI.� PRESIDENT�S REPORT:

President Bitterbaum started by reporting the work his office is doing in conjunction with the Chancellor.� He also announced that SUNY has asked for 120 million in additional funds. He explained that right now the campuses are concerned, due to the Governor�s proposed budget. Although he did not feel there would be a tuition increase, unlikely in an election year, money is needed to pay salaries.� The additional revenue is needed for all SUNY�s and CUNY�s.� Bitterbaum stated that his office is working very hard with our assembly people locally. He projected that he thought the news would be good as far as budgets are concerned, but not sure how good.� The other item of business he reported is the deficiency budget which was allocated for energy. He said that as natural gas and oil prices continue to increase for homeowners, the campus has an even higher burden considering the residence halls, buildings and vehicles that require fuel.� Over a billion dollars of what we budgeted and anticipated is needed.� He explained that this necessitated his office to have the Calendar Committee look at possibly starting school a week earlier.� The President stated that over a week ago he asked S. VanEtten, M. Canfield and G. Levine to put together a survey to get out to the committee to get feedback.� Bitterbaum also reported that he also invited Mary Kate Boland, SGA President, to visit with him last Friday and then present the possibility to the Student Senate, since his office was unable to survey 6,000 students.� He reported that one third of the faculty and staff were for moving the calendar a week ahead to begin on August 21, but two thirds were against it having that start date, desiring to keep the start date the same it has been traditionally on August 28.� He said that concerns such as health, recreation, education and biology summer programs, student teaching dates, younger families with child care issues contributed to the desire to keep the start date on August 28.� Therefore, the President explained that it was decided to find a way to make up for five days to afford $100,00 in savings for energy and fuel.� He said in visiting with D. Marine and looking at calendars from other institutions, since we are presently as a campus at 71 Carnegie units, we could go to 71 units, which would give us one day of energy savings.� Then he explained further, since we have a very odd finals week with 6 days, if we move to the more popular 5 day finals week, which would also save us another day.� Then if we do our finals with study days on Saturday and Sunday, which is very common, that would allow us two more days.� Then with having October break on Friday, giving students a long weekend of Friday, Saturday and Sunday, that would give us the extra needed day, with 5 days saved totally.�

D. Ritchie asked a question regarding the Executive Budget Summary if it says that the budget does include 29 million for recruitment and funding and established a contingency fund of 49 million for those campuses which spend more than they budget. He asked if the summary was fair in the President�s opinion?

The President responded,� �Not in its entirety.�� Bitterbaum also said he would encourage Dr. Shaut to speak to the issue.� He also explained that from our sector we have to see what we get when they divvy it up, and that it should be a proportion. He explained that Buffalo gets more because of their size, and the big four will get more than their fair share, and we will get a percentage. The President explained that the other 45 million is for next year when we will have a new Governor, with Bitterbaum remaining very positive regarding the outcome

E. Spitzer asked about the 71 days.

Bitterbaum responded that it is based on time using Carnegie units. He further explained that we are the only campuses that have 20 minutes between classes, which changes our calendar.

B. Spitzer asked in the spring semester if we are the only one who has 43 days

The President replied, �No, it�s more than that.�

Chairman Rayle took control of the meeting and asked anyone if any had anything further as far as Faculty Senate business to report.� Since there were none he said the Open Forum would begin and he explained that everybody would be given the opportunity to speak for maximum input, warning Senators to please not monopolize the floor.�

VII. FAST TRACK ITEM:

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�� FACULTY SENATE OPEN MEETING ON THE NEW ENERGY SAVINGS CALENDAR

D. Margine opened by saying, �Where you look at historically been at 72 days fall and spring semester, our campus has the latitude of flexibility of 70 days or above, we have never had to have any question with NCATE or Middle States�� She also stated, �This is taking into account in the previous two years there were 22 class days, with a Monday, Wednesday,� Friday schedule, 43 this spring, with an extra day�.Spring starting on Monday, same time frame, Tuesday study day, so we have additional days.� One is an additional day after the 21^st��

R. Spitzer asked, �Then why did we finish on Monday, can any body tell me why one day it was?�

Margine replied, �It wasn�t that.� She explained that being on the Calendar Committee she was asked to consider having a Monday starting date. She said,� �We don�t want to subtract a day at the end, it is the same process, same calendar timeline, right up to commencement, spring semester, did not take away a day, I was asked to go to a Monday start day.�

R. Spitzer inquired, �Then a day was added?....Forty three minus forty two equals one.�

T. Phillips said, �I think Erik�s idea sounds pretty good to me, if it t starts on the 28^th, with October break, I speak in favor of it.�

D. Berger said, �All of my constituents were against starting at the end of August, but many of them were wondering why we�re only considering operating in the fall semester when it seems obvious starting spring semester a little late would be a better idea since the weather is coldest in February. It makes sense. Why is that not on the table?�

Bitterbaum responded, �We did have that discussion in Cabinet, but it turns out there are some very similar issues with student teaching and with students getting jobs, so if you take all this controversy, we you have yet to see the community reaction to spring. We thought if we scheduled one thing at one time, in an ideal world we would have attacked both, but we thought we�d see what we could gain in fall.� He finished by saying in the spring if you start a week later it becomes very difficult based on additional comments from people in the community, the feedback for fall or spring, should be do both or do spring versus fall?�

D. Berger said, �My constituents were saying spring would be easier.�

Bitterbaum responded, �Not from what we are seeing.�

D. Berger added, �My constituents were saying it was not typically as cold in Cortland in December as in February.�

President Bitterbaum replied, �We thought about that but you can only tackle what we thought we could tackle I would be delighted to do both.�

D. Margine indicated the key consideration was that most often commencement would be Memorial Day weekend, and the committee as a whole was looking at the calendar and moving the semester back a week in January, but more often than not our committee felt that having commencement on Memorial Day Weekend would be in direct conflict with Cornell and other universities at hand.�

M. King asked, �Why was Labor Day taken off the table?�

Bitterbaum responded that it was due to campus feedback.

M. King replied, "It wasn�t even on the survey."

President Bitterbaum offered that one could take it off if they wanted to.�

M. King inquired, �But we just gained it.�

Bitterbaum responded, �Good question.�

G. Levine replied, �Four people responded.�

M. King asked, �Was there an option?...It wasn�t on the table.�

Bitterbaum said, �Maybe we could put it on the table but it would cause a holy row.� He indicated that maybe 5 or 6 people would say give up Labor Day while 200 would say no.�

M. King indicated he and others he had talked to felt they would rather have a longer October break, stating, �All of these things are choice options.�

Bitterbaum responded, �They are. Would you rather do this or that?� If we did the survey again and talked to people the vast majority would want to keep Labor Day and take away October break, just as you said. We�re not taking away October break we�re only taking one day.�

M. Yacavone said, �Labor Day was not on the survey. Initially it was a quick survey to confirm what was already brought out involving data that was brought so these options were the only ones on the board still. It was put to the committee with comprehensive exploration, only exploratory confirmation was mentioned, so that�s where this came out of. Ginny and I worked together on this. I appreciate your concerns, and for responding a second time, the survey was complete. Other comments we used as tools to do the survey. I guess we initially thought there was additional concern. People have to be identified.

Bitterbaum said in speaking to Dr. King�s concern, �In a perfect world it would have been nice to have data, Mel, but to put it to rest, 70% of those surveyed don�t want to give up Labor Day. We did get a lot of written comments to Ginny and I think that 50 indicated to leave it (Labor Day) alone, 4 or 5 said otherwise, so we had a feeling that was the sense of things.�

S. Brown said from the student�s point of view it made more sense to retain October break where students would have plenty of time to unwind rather than having Labor Day off with little or nothing to do in one day�s time.�

Bitterbaum responded to what Labor Day means in the labor movement, expressing a strong sentiment with UUP, encouraging them to speak up.�

J. Governali indicated he liked the attempt at compromise.

Bitterbaum responded that initially a pilot was supposed to be reviewed but it never was.� He also talked about going to 15 minutes between classes which tends to be a national norm.

J. Hendrick said, �I would like us to retain the 20 minutes between classes. Students are finally getting to classes on time allowing for wonderful interaction after. When we went to this proposal we didn�t touch class time. I can�t see it affecting this at all. You can call me out of order. I am not concerned with the calendar.�

G. Gleason said, �I think that your proposal offers several compromises and is a good one.�

L. Ashley said, �I won�t make a passionate appeal for Labor Day, we�ve made that appeal over the years. There are hidden ways the college has benefits from Labor Day particularly the absence of support staff early in the semester which is always a problem with students needing help and limited need. We argued for it both on grounds and recognition for Labor Day and utility grounds for the college and I am happy we�ve settled into Labor Day being day off. It is not clear to me whether the 23^rd is on the table anymore. I have a number of reasons to think it would be a disaster moving earlier into August. It�s incredibly hard on new employees of the college. They have a 42 day clock before they get health coverage which commences on their contract start day of 9/1. UUP has dealt with issues statewide with colleges going back and forth on September 1, to give labor prior to the actual contractual start date, adding another whole week to that. People are giving services to the college outside of the umbrella of health coverage. All of our contractual coverage beings on September 1, so if we go back to the earlier start time the more problems, it�s family unfriendly in the sense that schools don�t begin until after Labor Day. You impose on people working at time when they have to provide child care, one disagreeable aspect of this. I saw a New York Times article� recently that had major coverage of our k-12 colleges starting earlier under pressure of increased standards, starting school earlier, getting a roar of dissatisfaction, because of family consequences of that, shortening that when you can be with families. For us the additional issue of the professional development we do during the summer months. If you are teaching summer school or if you are in summer seminars, all of your times will start to get eclipsed when you move begin of semester into that time frame. I would be surprised that students are not outraged. It is diminished by a week their time to gain money towards their college education and jobs during the summer. As we continue to raise tuition, there are a positive bouquet of reasons I think we would have against the initiative to move the beginning of our semester a whole week earlier. A lot of problems people don�t see at first, say okay, why don�t start earlier, a million reasons we shouldn�t issues start to rise in terms of genuine options. I think it�s a disaster for Cortland.�

S. Patrick said, �I would like to share for everybody here an important main component of job here is to run outdoor education program PE program. There are114 students scheduled to be at Requite Lake in August. Had these days been on the table since October 2004 when our current calendar was published, set those days with the Registrar�s Office October 2005 publication for students enrolled in courses right now, 58 students are supposed to be at Raquette Lake on the 26^th of august. By a quick count, data for those students immediately after, two that are scheduled for our final course, I am not sure if we move that day forward what�s going to happen to those 58 students. I explored the matter with Dr. Sheltmire from the Outdoor Education Center, if we move (a week) forward, he assured me that over his dead body that would happen.� I know the alumni boards there in the last week of July. The Board of Directors will not be able to go on Retreat. You can imagine Dr. Sheltmire�s disagreement with that as well as other groups scheduled around our attendance.� I know really have any sense how would accommodate those students if we move a day forward. One concern is that I wanted to bring forward an earlier start date for just this year. Next year concerns were previously raised, it would be very disastrous for our group of students and we ought to have other alternatives.�

The Provost said, �My response is only last week I spoke with Jack Sheltmire giving him the version of the calendar as we move forward. As to the issue that it would be impossible to reschedule, he assured me that could happen. There were no dead bodies.�

L. Anderson said, �One concern is that other many of our students are employees, our kids we use through the summer, many of students on this campus work� speaking to the issue of the problem starting earlier would cause.

B. Baxter made a metaphor that if you worked for Ford Motor Company and they had to reduce costs you, as an employee, would have no recourse but to comply with cost savings initiatives.

Bitterbaum made reference to other ideas to defray costs such as lowering the temperature in the swimming pool.

The Provost spoke to the academic mission of the college still being in place and ground rules being sacrosanct.

D. Berger mentioned that if school starts a week earlier professors in Old Main have said they would be bringing in air conditioners, driving up energy costs.

Bitterbaum expressed that he felt it was good to hear these concerns as a group.

Patrick spoke of cost benefits during winter session.

Bitterbaum referred to a variety of positive benefits that could be utilized to save money.

N. Tirado asked if the 20 minutes between classes was being retained?

G. Gleason mentioned 15 minutes between classes.

S. Brown indicated he was in favor of a 20 minute break between classes.

R. Spitzer was in support of a number of options.

D. Margine went over how the plan would work.

R. Spitzer asked how the plan would work?

Margine said that but cutting 1 day they would realize 5 days.

Hendrick agreed the change would be viable shortening the October break.

Phillips asked what the deadline was for deciding?

Margine said she had to begin scheduling with chairs the following Monday.

G. Avery spoke to important Financial Aid procedures which have to be in place before the plan can be instituted.

J. Governali asked if this was an interim calendar?

Ritchie asked about ideas for the spring.

M. Yacavone mentioned area high schools being closed for recruitment day.

Bitterbaum said the campus could go to a one year calendar to see� how it works out.

Margine said doing it for one year would cause problems.

Bitterbaum said the campus might have to live with the new calendar in place.

J.Sitterly asked if the spring semester remained untouched?

Bitterbaum said the 5 day exam period in the spring would remain.

L. Ashley indicated he thought the additional monies needed for fuel and energy is $100,000.

President Bitterbaum remarked, �While the state claimed to help us take care of energy costs for buildings and residence halls, the change in the calendar will help us keep down increased costs of students.�

D. Berger said, �Speaking about budgetary issues, it seems like since the state and everybody in it is in this energy crunch, one thing to ask each college is to do something to save money. Another is to lobby on our budgetary costs, say well it�s the state that should be bailing us out on this and doing that rather strongly, because I mean it doesn�t make sense for them to say you�re going to have higher budget costs for energy, work it out yourself, we are a state institution and the state should back us up. It�s a state problem not a Cortland problem.��

President Bitterbaum recommended Dr. Berger ask the political scientist seated next to him (Dr. Spitzer.)

D. Berger said,� �Well it doesn�t mean we can�t try.�

Bitterbaum expressed that he thinks the deficiency budget is a good example of state senators and assembly people who do care about SUNY and CUNY and do come forward, mentioning Ron Constar.� He mentioned not raising tuition and the need to find money for SUNY and CUNY in the hope that everybody will listen is words that will penetrate. He said that the position in the budget came about as a result of a visit to campus on what we projected our increased energy costs might be.

D. Berger said, �We�re not really politically strong.�

Bitterbaum replied,� �We�re doing it all. UUP is doing it. Twice a year state senators have our assembly people come to round robins and share issues on campus. We are very fortunate to have legislative delegative concerns we didn�t think would be put on the table. So, everybody is working very hard. There are just so many resources we can use to help, but it isn�t for lack of trying.��

G. Clark said, �I�m a little confused. The actual calendar we are talking about, it will start on the 28^th, with a five day final?�

Bitterbaum replied in the affirmative.

Clark said, �And then two study day so a weekend instead of during the week, and then one shortened day holiday, October break, whenever it falls, fall break, when is that scheduled for now? Instead of a Friday, a Monday?�

Bitterbaum replied, �It�s a Monday.�

Clark said, �If we would be moving to a Friday how would we figure out which Friday?�

Erik: Usually same time frame just be the Friday before Monday and Tuesday, will look at super schedules in this area, thing that makes it difficult Syracuse does on thing, Ithaca something else, no true calendar, after labor day, my children had Thursday or and Monday last few days, but Cincinnati�s wasn�t whose schedule do we look at, can look at what is there, have faculty that live in Syracuse, everywhere, that becomes really hard, the state would come up with a calendar, lived in Missouri was calendar for all k-12 really easy to coordinated across the board with universities.�

G. Clark asked for clarification, �The 5^th day is the subtraction from 71 days to 70 days, is that deciding where that day is?�

Bitterbaum said, �We turn to the experts.�

D. Margine indicated that eliminating 71^st days of instructional days we will have 70 days instruction on campus. We count five days that the President is talking about.� That allows us to end on Friday, December 8, with study days being Saturday the 9^th and Sunday the 10^th and exams running Monday thru Friday the 11^th thru the 15^th. In reference to your former question, talking about Friday the 13^th being the first day of October break, the 13^th, 14^th and 15^th and we will resume classes on Monday the 16th of October.

N. Tirado asked a question if Scholar�s Day was included in the 70 days?

S. Brown asked if, rather than reducing the 20 minutes between classes, if classes couldn�t start at 7:30?�

Bitterbaum said that G. Levine pointed out to him that some systems do that�some but very few.

President Bitterbaum said, �We used to have Saturday classes, our older colleagues remember that. I don�t know how we gave that up.�

C. Degouff asked, �Have we exhausted the ability to save more money over the Christmas and New Year time frame? I found it very interesting when I got a little flier in with my son�s application for Binghamton where it says Binghamton University offices will close Friday December 23 and not open again until Tuesday some time in January 2.�

E. Bitterbaum said in reference to closing longer over Christmas break, �Binghamton is forcing their employees to take vacation time, we not want to do that. If you work at Binghamton you have to go to the union and the union has not been able to do anything, the employees are forced to take vacation time. I looked into that.�

C. DeGouff said, �They don�t provide them an alternative work place?�

Bitterbaum replied, �You can go to work in the cold and dark. I was here. I came in on the 27^th� to work. It was cold, 55 degrees. I�m not ready to tell everyone have to take vacation now.� We might have to, Colleen, at some point, if we don�t get the dollars we need, we�ll be brainstorming.� When they tell you, you don�t have to go home, but everybody does. They�re telling them you�ll be working in the cold.�

Chairman Rayle offered the Senate two options when they vote, to vote it up or down. The other possibility is that the Senate can vote in support of the recommendations with no formal recommendation. He asked if the Senate wanted to go with the second option?

J. Governali asked what the second option was?�

Rayle instructed the Senate when they vote they will be voting on the recommendation of a committee making a formal recommendation as to an August 28 start date.

The President just reiterated for the sense of consensus that the committee�s recommendation is to start on August 28, moving from 71 to 70 days in the fall, gaining two study days during final periods, going to a five day final period, with October break being either that Monday or Friday, with Friday being the consensus from the sounds of it, expressing, �We need to be fair to everybody.�

J. Rayle said, �Are we okay with that?�

N. Tirado said, �The students will not be happy with this. When this issue came to Student Senate the students the students want just Friday, they don�t want Thursday, Friday, Monday, and Tuesday.�

E. Bitterbaum said, �As I said we can�t solve everything but we�ll look at it and do best we can.�

The recommendation from the Calendar Committee to endorse the new energy savings calendar was moved, voted on and passed for endorsement.

VIII. STANDING COMMITTEE REPORTS: