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Faculty Senate
Minutes
February 7, 2012

• The Faculty Senate approved the Minutes of December 6, 2011 with one correction.  The Secretary incorrectly cited Steven Durbin as attending.

Adly Fam requested an additional correction subsequent to the meeting.  The Secretary stated incorrectly under the Report of the Faculty Senate Fall Plenary Session that “Expressing his own feelings, Fam thought that SUNY needs a University-wide privacy policy that protects faculty and staff records.”  The corrected minutes read “Fam noted that a speaker believed SUNY needs a University-wide policy to protect faculty and staff records.”

• Chair’s Report (Ezra Zubrow)

• Zubrow expressed his dissatisfaction with commercialism on college campuses that conflicts with the role of a research university.
• He also conveyed his dissatisfaction with UUP’s decision to dissociate with AAUP.  He believes this could be harmful financially to AAUP’s future.
• The Chair attended Governor Cuomo’s speech where the $1 billion aid package to Buffalo was announced.  The Governor referred to SUNY as an economic engine.
• Zubrow stated that the Governor’s proposed 2012-2013 Budget is the best SUNY has seen in years.
• The Chair said that possibilities for shared services remain a concern among all SUNY campuses.
• Zubrow reported on Faculty Senate Executive Committee discussions of January 25, 2012. 

• Interim Provost McCombe said that the transition from Harvey Stenger was smooth. 
• Edward Schneider, Executive Director of the UB Foundation, spoke to FSEC about the role of UBF in the University.  Despite being excluded from coverage under the Freedom of Information Law, he emphasized that Foundation activities are transparent through its Web postings and 990 forms.   Responding to Zubrow’s hypothetical question about a shortfall in funds to move the Medical School to the Downtown Campus, Schneider said that the Foundation would be willing to assist. Schneider will continue the conversation at a subsequent meeting.
• Diane Christian, Chair of the Faculty Senate Academic Planning Committee, reported that the search for Director of the Honors College is progressing, and that the position should be filled by the summer.
  
• Report of the President (Satish Tripathi)
  
• Tripathi thanked Bruce McCombe for accepting the Interim Provost position.
• The President spoke about recent progress at UB.

• The Governor signed the NYSUNY 2020 agreement that gave the University $35 million.
• UB still hopes to hire 300 new faculty across all disciplines.
• The Medical School should relocate to its Downtown Campus by the summer, 2016.  The University expects to raise $50 million to support this through contributions.  The Governor’s proposed 2012-2013 budget includes a $250 million bond that supports the project.  The University and the SUNY Construction Fund hope to hire an architect soon.  Expectations are that the Medical School will be constructed over the Metro Rail stop adjacent to Buffalo General Hospital.
• The recent $40 million anonymous gift to the Medical School will be used to improve education and research, not construction of the new campus.

• The Regional Institute played a key role in helping the Regional Economic Development Council complete its plan for economic development in the Western New York 5-county area.  These include Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie and Niagara Counties.  Legislation provides $1 billion dollars to the ten councils throughout the state.  Moreover, the Western region received an additional $40 million dollar grant made available to each of 4 councils that prepare the most competitive proposals.  
• The Governor’s 2012-2013 Budget provides maintenance of effort for SUNY.  This is the first time in 4 years SUNY funding has not been cut.  The tuition increases will improve the quality of both education and research.  Zubrow asked if the reallocation of moneys by SUNY will be harmful to UB.  Tripathi responded that UB, in collaboration with Stony Brook, must convince the Chancellor that these campuses require funds to meet AAU metrics and expectations.  Interim Provost McCombe stated that he and Sean Sullivan made a favorable impression when discussing this with SUNY administrators.
• Multidisciplinary Center for Earthquake Engineering Research (MCEER)—The President said that SUNY removed MCEER from UB’s budget 2 years ago, but the Center is not in jeopardy.  SUNY now funds it as a University-wide activity, rather than a local one.
• Tripathi summarized the Chancellor’s State of SUNY address.

• The Chancellor expects the system to save 5% through administrative efficiencies.  Savings will remain on the respective campuses.
• Expectations are that campuses improve performances to acquire additional funding.  Measurements include graduation rates, quality of students, and quality of research. 
• SUNY would like to acquire an IT system that enables the various campuses to communicate with each other.  That is not now possible.
• Remediation that improves student skills is expensive.  The University must cooperate more closely with K-12 educators to solve this problem.
• Campuses must determine which courses to offer and which to drop.  This affects particularly technical colleges that teach skills not currently in demand.
• SUNY must develop a more seamless method for transferring community college graduates into 4 your schools.
• The University must determine which courses to offer online and acquire an appropriate infrastructure for doing so.

• The President spoke about recent construction.

• The new engineering facility, Davis Hall, is now occupied.
• Red Jacket has a new dining area.
• The new solar energy complex will be unveiled formally in April. 

All construction follows guidelines in the long range master plan developed by Robert Shibley, Dean and Professor--School of Architecture and Planning.

• New hires include the Vice-President for Finance and Administration, Laura Hubbard, and the Vice-President for Development and Alumni Relations, Nancy Wells.
• The search of a Provost is progressing.  UB recently held open sessions where interested parties provided input.  Tripathi said that 3 or more candidates will visit UB in late February/early March.

• The Faculty Senate authorized the Chair to forward a letter of appreciation to Robert Wagner, Senior Advisor to the President, for his contributions to UB.

• Report of the Interim Provost (Bruce McCombe)

• McCombe began by expressing his deepening respect of the position of Provost.  He shadowed Harvey Stenger in December to get a feel for the responsibilities.
• McCombe travelled to Albany with Sean Sullivan, Associate Vice President for Academic Planning and Budget, to discuss SUNY’s plan for reallocating moneys throughout the system that could hurt UB and Stony Brook.  They, along with their Stony Brook, counterparts emphasized the importance of funds dedicated towards improving AAU metrics.  President Tripathi and Samuel Stanley, Stony Brook's President, will discuss the same with the Chancellor in the near future.
• 3E proposals:  Nine reviewers read the 101 proposals.  McCombe read 40 himself.  Fifteen will be funded at a total cost of $2 million.  The University hoped to fund additional applications, but enrollment shortfalls reduced the amount of money available.  The Interim Provost will negotiate with successful grantees to determine the allocations of money between his office and those units.  Zubrow commented that the proposals contributed towards improving morale among faculty and professional staff.

The next round will be announced in March.  It will include clearer guidelines and descriptions of the evaluation metrics.

• Personnel: Marsha Lewis, the new Dean of the Nursing School, is now on board, and the University is forming a search committee for the position of Dean of the School of Engineering. 
• Finish in Four:  Postcards will soon be mailed to incoming freshman expressing the University’s commitment to help students graduate in four years.  Students must also commit to doing so.  The policy will eliminate bottlenecks that prevent students from enrolling in classes.  In the past, lab sections were especially problematic.  Improvements in the advising process will contribute to the success of Finish in Four.  McCombe agreed with Jennifer Gottdiener that graduation time frames for transfer students create challenges because UB has no control over previous course histories.
• Edward Fine asked if development moneys would contribute towards helping students finish in four should they or their families become financially strapped.  McCombe responded that when he was Dean of Arts and Sciences his school provided to students struggling financially funds for two courses.
• Report of the SUNY University Faculty Senate (UFS) 160th Plenary Session (Jennifer Gottdiener)
• Time constraints prevented Gottdiener from presenting her report. However, she submitted the following for the record.

• Appendix A Report of the SUNY University Faculty Senate (UFS) 160th Plenary Session (Attached to the mintes)
• Appendix B The State University of New York Guide to Presidential Searches at State-Operated Institutions (File Guide_Presidential_Search.pdf
• Appendix C Presented at Cornell Plenary—January 27, 2012. From Carey Hatch, Office of Library and Information Services. (File Library_Information_Services.pdf)

Prepared by
Edward Herman,
Secretary to the Faculty Senate

Faculty Senate
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University at Buffalo (North Campus)
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Email: faculty-senate@buffalo.edu
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