UFS Spring Plenary Meeting May 6-May 7, 2016

  1. Vice President/Secretary Election
  2. Gwen Kay from SUNY Oswego elected as Vice President/Secretary Election
  3. Presidents Report
  4. Budget, 18M for the investment, but not decided how this should be allocated. President Knuepfer is advocating that this should go back into the campuses to supplement maintenance of effort.
  5. Advocacy efforts, Executive committee of UFS, FCCC and CUNY drafted a joint statement about the issues of budget.
  6. SUNY in midst of hiring leadership in Research, new president to research foundation. Also, in closing stages of appointing a Vice Chancellor for economic development.
  7. Board of Trustees has put off a vote on Presidential search processes. This process should ensure the diversity pool and CDO have a role. CGLs have been given a broader role for representation, so their role will be amplified and working with the council chair in the search process.
  8. Ban the box movement—admission asks you to check a box if you have been convicted of felonies. So, it prevents people from completing their applications. Board meeting there were testimonials.
  9. Looking for someone that would like to help the UFS get more involved in social media.
  10. Introduction to Resolutions
  11. Resolution on SUNY’s need for a Public Statement of Ethical Values
  12. Resolution on Inclusion of Clinical Faculty for the Chancellor’s Awards for Service and the Chancellor’s Award for Scholarship and Creative Activity.
  13. Resolution to Revisit Amendments to Article VII of Policies of Board of Trustees
  14. Resolution on the Inclusion of Non-Tenured and Non-Tenured Track for the Chancellor’s Award for Teaching.
  15. Thomas Mastro, President SUNY Student Assembly
  16. Resolution on Ban the Box, 60% of students that check the felony box don’t end up finishing the process because there are numerous additional steps.
  17. Community College Resolution to improve student voice and shared governance.
  18. SUNY DC day for advocacy.
  19. COBALT—official publication to advertise student achievements. Portal for student government leaders to log into and communicate.
  20. Fact2 Panel Presentation: Mark McBride, Monroe CC; Tony DeFranco, Tompkins
  21. Through SUNY Learning Commons
  22. Faculty, Support, Institutional Readiness
  23. The Faculty Advisory Council on Teaching and Technology (FACT2) is an advisory group to the SUNY Provost advocating and acting as a resource for University stakeholders at the nexus of technology, pedagogy and research. The FACT2 Council includes representatives from faculty, librarians, and IT staff across the SUNY system and serves as an umbrella organization, distributing information from other system-wide governance and advisory organizations. Our purpose is to:
    – Improve the learning environment and expertise of faculty and instructional support staff.
    – Enhance the teaching and learning process through the use of technology.
    – Increase networking, collaboration and sharing of best practices.
    – Advocate for appropriately equipped and designed learning spaces.
  24. OER-Open Education Resources
  25. MOM-My Open Math
  26. Success and Retention—increased from 63%-78% in Intermediate Algebra, 50%-71% in Psychology.
  27. Open Textbooks-two faculty have open source textbooks, but need more support with editorial, time, transitioning to LSM.
  28. HeForShe—Charles Robbins, Stony Brook University
  29. HeForShe campaign for gender equality, UN program.
  30. Working toward full equality and elimination of gender based violence.
  31. Stony Brook one of two universities involved in the program (10 globally).
  32. Budget Report—Eileen McLoughlin, CFO
  33. Essentially held even, but 4.7M cut from Comprehensives. Hoping for increases in legislative session.
  34. SUNY Investment Fund—ongoing incentive program for doing the work we’ve promised to do.
  35. Chancellor’s Report
  36. Disappointment in the budget, despite lots of advocating. Outdated financing of public education. We are in a dangerous spot without maintenance of effort.
  37. Performance reports—interested in how much faculty government has been engaged.
  38. Issue that we are still receiving underprepared students and we are having to compensate, so need to eradicate remediation.
  39. Commitment to completion and access to increase number of degrees.
  40. Need to be concerned with the teacher shortage.
  41. Discussions with Student Assembly about ban the box—change it to move the box, so it is moved outside of the initial admissions process.
  42. Question raised about having a faculty member be a voting member of College Councils instead of just a guest.
  43. Chancellor and Sector Reports
  44. Tech Sector—Advocacy be consistent with information on the economic impact of campuses on the local communities. SUNY has an opportunity to make SUNY most inclusive system by building on LGBTQ positive policies.
  45. Campus Governance Leaders—while procedures for search and review for Pres are clear at SUNY, provost and other upper levels are not, would you be willing to create procedures for upper level admin, similar to Pres. Also, would you be willing to support review of upper level at the SUNY level.
  46. Comprehensive—Invite to sit down with comprehensive college sector reps in Albany this summer. Serious declines in enrollment, what can SUNY due to leverage systemness to help with enrollments? How will comprehensive colleges be involved with teaching issues such as Teach NY?
  47. Hospitals—Issues on changes in health care funding. Also, concern about Downstate and Brooklyn.
  48. Special/statutory—relationship between SUNY and Statutory colleges—how do you see it continuing?
  49. University Center--Would you be will to review the ratio of admin to faculty and determine what would be a rational balance?
  50. Provost’s Office Report
  51. SUNY Excels Performance framework: ACSIE Access, Completion, Success, Inquiry, Excellence. SUNY Inquires, Includes, Innovates/Creates, Impacts.
  52. Diversity and Inclusion policies—CDOs going to be in place at all campuses.
  53. Seeking our Ideas and Advice on SUNY Excels and goals:
  54. SUNY Micro-credentialing Task Force, Why are we even doing this?
  55. Open SUNY 2.0-Why are we looking at this?
  56. Faculty Council of Community Colleges
  57. CUNY University Faculty Senate—Terry Martell
  58. Term finished as Chair of CUNY Faculty Senate
  59. Issues of budget
  60. No contract-previous contract runs out this summer, so no raises in the past 6 years.
  61. Importance of climate, diversity officer on every campus, focus on maintaining diversity. But, problem with intellectual diversity.
  62. Remediation task force—just receiving report (after the end of the semester), need to share in a timely manner.
  63. UUP—Jamie Dangler
  64. Paid Family Leave—info that explains what the new law does and doesn’t do, grants pay for private sector employees. Not public, but it is a big turning point.
  65. Proposed patent policy changes, extensive member survey in the fall, continuing to move forward
  66. Budget
  67. UUP did not support tuition increase, because they knew there would not be an increase during an election year.
  68. Not successful with Maintenance of Effort, but continuing to advocate for that and working toward getting collective bargaining increases.
  69. Endowment proposal for funding of SUNY, UUP believes this is the only alternative with static state funding.
  70. $50M going to state ops and community colleges for green technology
  71. Teacher education—17 state ops with teacher ed programs, attack on teachers and teacher education is a crisis. Enrollment in teacher ed programs declined by 46% since 2009 and new teacher certification exams imposed in 2014 is in many ways a disaster—all Pearson exams, flaws in the exams, this has contributed to the declining interest. Or finishing and then going elsewhere to teach. There is actually a net increase in K-12, particularly in urban centers, but shortage of teachers in Special ed, English language and STEM. Willing to come to campuses for help with teacher advocacy.
  72. Resolutions
  73. Resolution to Revisit Amendments to Article VII of Policies of Board of Trustees

Whereas, the University Faculty Senate, via Resolution 171-03-1, passed on October 24, 2015, requested that the SUNY Board of Trustees make changes to Article VII of the Policies of the Board of Trustees regarding the position of Vice President/Secretary of the University Faculty Senate; and

Whereas, the Board of Trustees approved the requested changes by resolution on January 12, 2016; and

Whereas, the Board of Trustees approved final rule-making of the changes by resolution on March 14, 2016; and

Whereas, during discussion of the final rule-making during the Academic Affairs Committee of the Board of Trustees on March 13, 2016, members of the Board asked the University Faculty Senate to consider using more common wording than “minor portion of a term” and to clarify whether it is the intent of the UFS that the Vice President/Secretary be a member without vote;

Therefore be it resolved that the University Faculty recommends to the Board of Trustees that Article VII, Title C of the Policies of the Board of Trustees be amended as indicated below, and

Be it further resolved that effective upon approval by the Board of Trustees the same changes are made to Article III, Section A of the University Faculty Senate Bylaws.

New York Codes, Rules and Regulations

Title 8 (Education Department), Sections 331.8 and 331,9 (Officers of the University Faculty Senate, State University of New York, Policies of the Board of Trustees)

331.8 President of the senate. Before July 1st of each odd-numbered year, the senate shall elect one of its elected members or the current VicePresident/secretary as President of the senate for a term of two years. Upon election as President of the senate, an elected member shall vacate the position as the representative of his or her unit in the senate. The President of the senate shall preside at all meetings of the senate and shall exercise such other powers and duties as may be vested in the President by this Part and the bylaws of the senate. The President shall be an ex officio member of all senate committees. The President of the senate may be reelected for a second term, but may not thereafter be eligible for a successive term provided however that a President initially elected to fill less than one-half of a term arising from a vacancy is eligible to serve two additional successive full terms.

331.9 Vice president/Secretary. Before July 1st of each even-numbered year, the senate shall elect one of its elected members to serve as VicePresident/Secretary for a term of two years. Upon election as Vice-President/Secretary, the elected member shall vacate the position as representative of his or her unit in the senate and shall serve as a voting member of the senate. The vice president/secretary shall take and keep minutes of the senate and shall exercise such other powers and duties as the senate shall provide in its bylaws. The vice president/secretary shall serve as president of the senate during that officer’s absence or inability to act. The Vice-President/Secretary of the senate may be reelected for a second term, but may not thereafter be eligible for a successive term provided however that a Vice-President/Secretary initially elected to fill the minor portion less than half of a term arising from a vacancy is eligible to serve two additional successive full terms.

  1. Resolution on SUNY’s Need for a Public Statement of Ethical Values

Whereas, The State University of New York is the largest comprehensive university system in the United States, with 64 institutions, including research universities, academic medical centers, liberal arts colleges, community colleges, colleges of technology and an online learning network; and
Whereas, SUNY’s mission of education, research and service speaks to the need for individual choice and the needs of society, the enhancement of the well-being of the people of New York, the health of local economies, and the need for cooperative relationships with other educational and cultural institutions; and
Whereas, SUNY’s Strategic Plan (The Power of SUNY) has articulated SUNY’s commitment to a set of five core values to act as a guide in pursuit of its mission: student centeredness, community engagement, diversity, integrity, and collaboration; and
Whereas, SUNY’s mission and the shared desire to increase the visibility and prestige of SUNY requires that we conduct our research, classes, athletics, creative endeavors, service and daily operations responsibly and ethically; and
Whereas, no entities within SUNY have a clearly articulated public Statement of Ethical Values; and
Whereas, such a Statement of Ethical Values would enable SUNY to move forward as a leader in higher education and provide greater opportunities to nurture the mutual values, traditions, virtues, beliefs, telos, and practice that exemplify an ethical university; and Whereas, the development of SUNY’s public Statement of Ethical Values should be collaborative with representatives from all constituencies participating in this effort; therefore

Be It Resolvedthat the attached public Statement of Ethical Values indicate the commitment of the University Faculty Senate to uniformly adopt and model these values and serve as a model for other SUNY entities currently without Ethical Values statements to develop and enact their own in accordance with the five core values of the SUNY Strategic Plan.

Statement of Ethical Values

The University Faculty Senate of the State University of New York has developed a set of Core Values. Our Core Values of Student-Centeredness, Community Engagement, Diversity, Integrity, and Collaboration underlie the work we do and how we interact with each other, students and our stakeholders. They articulate the basic elements of how we go about our work.

In addition, the University Faculty Senate of the State University of New York is committed to ethical and professional conduct. We are all responsible for conducting ourselves with the highest ethical standards and to comply with all legal and regulatory requirements, policies, and procedures appropriate to their relationship with the University.

Among the ethical values to which we commit, and that underlie our ethical conduct, are: fairness, civility, character, respect, honesty, trust, transparency, and inclusivity. We strive to integrate these values into our teaching, scholarship, business practices, and daily interactions among all members of the University. The increasingly necessary relationships that have evolved between the University and outside entities, including but not limited to governmental agencies, community groups and business firms, require that we conduct ourselves in a manner that will withstand the sharpest scrutiny.

Fairness: In our relationships with each other, we are fair and just in our decisions and actions by carefully weighing the circumstances in an equitable manner.

Civility: We achieve an open working and learning environment when each community member feels secure enough to participate in the free exchange of ideas. We ensure an honest and supportive climate which serves the interests of the institution and protects the well-being of all individuals.

Character: In order to support excellence in learning, we act in the colleges’ best interests. As a community dedicated to providing education, we demonstrate professional integrity and exemplary behavior in all that we do.

Respect: We demonstrate a high regard for the rights, diverse opinions, and lifestyles of all community members. It is our responsibility to establish a climate of mutual respect to protect the rights and freedoms of others.

Honesty: We demonstrate our honesty by being truthful with others, acting in good faith, responsibly; and with due care, competence, and diligence.

Trust: The development of trust relies on our ability to treat others equitably and in a non-exploitive manner.

Transparency: Transparency of process inspires confidence. In its simplest sense, transparency is a clear, unhindered honest way in going about the business of the University.

Inclusivity: A diversity of ideas, disciplines and people is valued. The university cultivates a climate and community where everyone has access to educational environments that feel welcome, equitable, valued, supportive, and safe. The university also strives to ensure not only access to entry, but support in ensuring equity of opportunity in all areas of the community.

SUNY is committed to maintaining a reputation for the highest ethical and professional standards of conduct. We rely on each community member's commitment to these values. Each member represented by the University Faculty Senate should operate in good faith, demonstrate respect for the rights of others, and must strive at all times to maintain the highest standards of integrity and ethical conduct in all situations and all relationships.

These values and their descriptions are designed to be principles for SUNY agencies to consider when developing their own ethical values statements, policies, and procedures, and as such do not supercede or invalidate any existing documentation in any SUNY agency. This document is not intended to be used as a policy for compliance or enforcement.

c.Resolution on the Inclusion of Clinical Faculty for the Chancellor’s Awards for Service

and the Chancellor’s Award for Scholarship and Creative Activities

Whereas the Chancellor’s Awards are a system-level honor conferred to acknowledge and provide system-level recognition for consistently superior professional achievement to faculty who have demonstrated professional excellence; and

Whereas the conferral of the Chancellor’s Award publically proclaims SUNY’s pride in the accomplishment and personal dedication of its instructional faculty; and

Whereas Clinical Faculty comprise a significant proportion of the faculty providing medical education in SUNYand contribute significantly to the mission of SUNY; and

Whereas all Chancellor’s Awards nominees must have completed three academic years of full-time faculty appointment out of the five academic years just prior to the year of nomination, therefore

Be It Resolved that Clinical Faculty of the State University of New York’s University Centers and Doctoral Degree Granting Institutions are eligible for the Chancellor’s Award for Faculty Service and the Chancellor’s Award for Scholarship and Creative Activities on the same criteria as other full-time SUNY faculty; and

Be It Further Resolved that the University Faculty Senate requests that the chair of the Programs and Awards Committee work with the SUNY Provost’s office to make the necessary adjustments to the Policies and Procedures, Chancellor’s Awards for Excellence, to effectuate these changes in eligibility.