Updates from your Lead Senator, Dawn:

  • I met with many of the Senators and Senate Reps last week to get an update on their councils and committees.
  • I attended a CAA (Council on Academic Assessment) meeting tomeet with the committee and observe what they are working on.
  • Looking towards 2017-2018, I will be putting together a “call for applications” to fillSenate Council Representative seats via campus-wide (GSA Notices) and the GSA listserv, mid to late Summer. Currently, the following seats are available:
  • University Academic Council – (1) Senate Representative
  • Council on Academic Assessment – (1) Senate Representative
  • Graduate Academic Council – (2) Senate Representatives
  • University Life Council – (2) Senate Representatives (encourage international students to apply)
  • We have (2) openings on the 2017-2018 J-Board. If interested in serving, contact Pascale Maximim:

Dawn – UPPC (University Planning and Policy Council)

  • Vice President for Finance and Administration Jim Van Voorst provided an update on the recently passed NY budget; many questions remain about how the Excelsior program will be implemented.
  • Related to graduate students: The Council voted to approve a proposal for an Advanced Graduate Certificate in Community College Leadership (SOE) andproposal for the Semester in Washington Program to run fall semester too (currently only spring) (Rockefeller College and CEHC). They would hire a Resident Advisor to live with the students while in Washington D.C. like they do for spring semester.
  • Board of Trustees approved SUNY to increase Undergraduate tuition, but not Graduate.

Sydney and Merve– GAC (Graduate Academic Council)

  • A discussion on changing the format of the Political Science Capstone course. Students will create a portfolio or utilize short papers from a previous class and expand the papers through research into more in-depth analysis.

Amani – ULC (University Life Council)

  • Nothing to report. ULC will meet one more time before the semester ends.

Tom and Amanda – COR (Council on Research)

  • A discussion on the Center for Technology in Government change to an institute and then create Centers under within the Institute on different areas of expertise.

Dylan – UAS (University Auxiliary Services)

  • UAS provided in 2016-2017 $190,000 in assistance for events and programming on campus. Also, collaborating with offices to be open during International Student orientation in August.

Chad – GOV (Governance)

  • Worked on updating the University Senate Handbook to include how students also are part of the Senate representation.

Cathleen – LISC (Council on Libraries, Information Systems, and Computing)

  • The Library Hours Task Force has completed its work and submitted recommendations to the Library Policy Group. As part of its work the Task Force conducted a survey of faculty, staff, and students, receiving 803 responses from students and 548 from faculty and staff. They will be reviewing their recommendations with the goal of implementing any changes to Library hours in the fall.
  • The Virtual Research Consultations Task Force was created to investigate the ability to offer virtual research consultations. Currently, the Library offers in person research consultations by appointment in addition to chat, email, phone, and in-person reference assistance. The ability to offer virtual research consultations will allow the Library to reach more of students, including those enrolled in online courses.