Minutes #9 -- February 16, 2010

                                                            FACULTY SENATE MINUTES #9

                                                      February 16, 2010

The ninth meeting of the Faculty Senate 2009-2010 was called to order by Chair Kathleen Lawrence on Tuesday, February 16, 2010 at 1:15 PM in the Hall of Fame Room, Park Center.

SENATORS AND MEMBERS PRESENT: K. Lawrence, D. Miller, T. Vigars, D. Driscoll, W. Miller, D. Berger, R. Kendrick, M. McGuire, R. Grantham, S. Wilson, B. Buxton, R. Borden, L. Klotz, D. Harrington, E. McCabe, J. Walkuski, M. Ware, P. Schroeder, G. Magnanti, A. Batchelder, J. Campanaro, M. Prus, G. Sharer, J. Hendrick, R. Spitzer, G. Clarke, S. Anderson, T. Phillips

SENATORS AND MEMBERS ABSENT:  V. Videto, J. Reese, S. Rayl, O. White, J. Kim, K. Hempson, K. Pristash, T. Slack, B. Schecter, E. Bitterbaum, R. Franco, W. Shaut

GUESTS PRESENT:  P. Koryzno

I  APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES:  There was a motion for approval of the minutes from February 2, 2010, as amended (Approved)

II SENATE ACTIONS:

There was a motion from R. Kendrick to refer the resolution, to reduce the total credit hours required to graduate from SUNY Cortland from 124 credit hours to 120, to the Educational Policy Committee for review and recommendation (Approved; 3 against)

III CHAIR’S REPORT:  

Chair Lawrence reported on a meeting she attended with all three schools, as well as UUP Executive Officers, including Jamie Dangler, President, to talk more about the budget.  The President and Provost have been informed that a letter will be submitted on behalf of the Senate/Steering Committee and request for answers regarding the budgets cuts that have been done, with the Steering Committee meeting last week to review the questions.  The Chair also distributed another sign up sheet for Tuesday, March 23 for faculty and staff to travel to Albany to advocate for SUNY. She also announced that the referendum results would be read in the Committee on Committees report and thanked everybody for their response.  She announced Women’s History Month and Black History Month with a tentative calendar which she distributed and encouraged everyone to attend the events.  The final business concerned an item that was forwarded from David Ritchie and Jamie Dangler regarding the Long Range Planning Committee and its role in the past, its original charge and history of creation. It discussed the first time the goals were revised and amended in 1983, and updated in 2001, with no record of revisions since.  She mentioned that she believed the LRPC was struggling this year for direction to find out where they stand in relation to the Strategic Planning Committee. She has brought this item to the attention of the current committee members and reminded everyone of the LRPC’s  important role relevant to budgets cuts and related issues.

IV. VICE CHAIR:  D. Miller – No report.

V. TREASURER’S REPORT – D. Videto – No report (absent)

VI SECRETARY’S REPORT: - T. Vigars –  No report.

VII.  PRESIDENT’S REPORT:   The Mark Prus gave a brief report on behalf of the President.

VIII.  STANDING COMMITTEE REPORTS:

Student Affairs Committee  - T. Phillips – No report.

Academic Faculty Affairs Committee – R. Collings – No report (absent)

Long-Range Planning Committee – No report (absent)

Educational Policy Committee –  R. Spitzer – The chair gave a brief report regarding proposals related to re-admission requirements and dual degrees.

Professional Affairs Committee – G. Clarke – No report.

IX. OTHER COMMITTEE REPORTS:

Committee on Committees -  J. Barry, Chair – The Committee on Committees report was read by Secretary Vigars. {See Appendix 1}

College Research Committee – P. Ducey – L. Klotz, representing the committee, had no report.

General Education Committee – J. Hendrick, Chair – J. Hendrick reported that the GE Committee met recently and approved two new GE courses (CIN 101 and CIN 102 for GE 8) and reviewed articles for students to read for assessment of critical thinking in GE12 courses this spring. She further reported they are organizing this year’s round of GE course syllabi review – departments teaching in GE 8, 9 and 10b will be asked to review and submit syllabi to the committee later this semester. The committee continues to work on closing the loop with the last round of GE assessment. The next meeting will be on Friday, February 26 at 8:00 AM in Old Main 127.  Chair Hendrick also mentioned the vacancies in Social Behavioral Sciences and Education and encouraged nominees to sign up.

X. AREA SENATOR’S REPORTS: .D. Berger reported on the longer than usual lines in the Red Dragon room during lunchtime. There was a follow-up discussion regarding facilities on campus for faculty and student dining.

XI. SUNY SENATOR’S REPORT – No report. 

XII. STUDENT SENATOR’S REPORTS:  J. Campanaro gave a brief report.

XIII. OLD BUSINESS: There was no Old Business.

XIV. NEW BUSINESS: The Resolution to reduce the total credit hours required to graduate from SUNY Cortland from 124 credit hours to 120 was introduced and questions were addressed.  There was a motion from R. Kendrick to refer the resolution to the EPC Committee for review and recommendation which was approved. The Chair reminded everyone to contact R. Spitzer, Chair of EPC, with their input {SEE Senate Actions; See Appendix 2}

The following reports are appended to the minutes in the order they are submitted:

(1)    Committee on Committee’s report, submitted by J. Barry, Chair.

(2)    Resolution to reduce the total credit hours required to graduate from SUNY Cortland from 124 to 120, submitted by R. Spitzer on behalf of the Steering Committee

Respectfully Submitted:

Barbara Kissel

Recording Secretary

APPENDIX 1

Committee on Committees – Report to the Faculty Senate

February 16, 2010

submitted by J. Barry, Chair

Item #1

Current Vacancies - The Committee on Committees issued a call for nominations for current vacancies as listed below.  No nominations were received:

             GE Committee

            Social/Behavioral Sciences – one semester sabbatical replacement (Spring 2010)

            Education – one semester sabbatical replacement (Spring 2010) 

             Committee on Committees

            Library – complete unexpired term (2009-11)

            Social/Behavioral Sciences – complete unexpired term (2009-11)

The Academic Faculty Affairs Committee also has a vacancy, and the Library has been notified that a representative is needed to complete an unexpired term (2009-11).

Anyone interested in serving on these committees should contact Joanne Barry by phone or email (ext. 2302, Joanne.barry@cortland.edu) as soon as possible.

Item #2

Ballots have been distributed for the Director of Networking and Telecommunications search, and they will be counted after the ballot deadline of February 17, 2010.  Results will be announced later this week. 

Item #3

The results of the campus-wide referendum on Articles X, XI, XIII, and XIV were announced last week.  All revisions were adopted. 

Respectfully submitted,

Joanne Barry

Chair

APPENDIX 2

Resolution to reduce the total credit hours required to graduate from SUNY Cortland from 124 to 120, submitted by R. Spitzer on behalf of the Faculty Senate Steering Committee

 Whereas, SUNY Cortland is in the grips of a protracted and difficult financial situation, and

Whereas, 120 credit hours is a widely accepted standard for total credit hour accumulation for student graduation at institutions of higher learning, and

Whereas, SUNY Cortland’s minimum graduation total of 124 credit hours (and higher for some externally accredited programs) was set at that number to make allowance for a four-credit physical education requirement that no longer exists; and

Whereas, when the physical education requirement was eliminated several decades ago the total graduation credit number was not adjusted down to reflect the requirement’s elimination, and

Whereas, the reduction by four credit hours of the total number of credit hours required for graduation would result in a much-needed, institution-wide 2.4 percent savings in curricular offerings resources by the college, and

Whereas students would universally welcome any effort to reverse the trend of ever-increasing curriculum requirements, be it therefore

RESOLVED, that the college should implement, as soon as is practicable, a 4 credit hour reduction in the Bachelor’s Degree total credit hours required to graduate (with allowable exceptions to be handled by special appeal if such programs consist, in their entirety, of required coursework).

  http://www.cortland.edu/senate/minutes/0910min9.html