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144th Plenary Meeting Buffalo State College - October 26-28, 2007

144^th Plenary Meeting Buffalo State College - October 26-28, 2006

• Resolution on Orienting and Mentoring New Campus Presidents
• Resolution on Supporting the Addition of the FCCC President to the SUNY Board of Trustees
• University Faculty Senate Senator Emeritus Award
• University Faculty Senate Senate Fellow Award
• Resolution on Enhancing SUNY Access to Electronic Databases

University Faculty Senate
Governance Committee
144th Plenary Meeting
Buffalo State College
October 26-28, 2006

Resolution on Orienting and Mentoring New Campus Presidents

Whereas the SUNY system has many complicating factors such as its size, its structure, the regulatory climate in the State of New York, the nature of state budgeting and accounting, the scale and scope of collective bargaining, the multiplicity of governing boards (the SUNY Board of Trustees and the local College Councils) with differing responsibilities, and

Whereas it is in the best interests of all members of each campus community that new presidents have a smooth transition into their new offices,

Now therefore be it resolved that the University Faculty Senate respectfully recommends to the Chancellor the development of an orientation and mentorship program for new campus presidents to assist them in adapting to the new campus and to the State University of New York, and to share the wisdom and experience of other SUNY presidents to facilitate that transition and reduce the isolation of new presidents.

144-01-1  Passed without dissent
Resolution on Orienting and Mentoring New Campus Presidents
October 28, 2006

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University Faculty Senate
Governance Committee
144th Plenary Meeting
Buffalo State College
October 26-28, 2006

Resolution on Supporting the Addition of the FCCC President to the SUNY Board of Trustees

Rationale

Legislation enacted earlier this year added the President of the University Faculty Senate as a non-voting member of the SUNY Board of Trustees.

The Senate is mindful that, while on most issues, the perspectives of the academic and professional staff on the State-operated and contract colleges are congruent with those of our community college colleagues, statutory differences in structure and in funding make our interests diverge at times.

The Senate has consistently supported parity between the State-operated and community college sectors and accordingly it is

Resolved that the University Faculty Senate strongly supports the efforts of the Faculty Council of Community Colleges to add its President to the SUNY Board of Trustees with the same status as the President of the University Faculty Senate.

144-02-1  Passed without dissent
Resolution on Supporting the Addition of the FCCC President to the SUNY Board of Trustees
October 28, 2006

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University Faculty Senate
Awards Committee
144th Plenary Meeting
Buffalo State College
October 26-28, 2006

University Faculty Senate Senator Emeritus Award

Purpose of the Award

The Senator Emeritus Award is bestowed by the University Faculty Senate to a retired former UFS Senator who has achieved a reputation for outstanding service to the Senate in several capacities over a period of at least ten (10) years.

Nature of the Award

The Senator Emeritus Award will consist of an emblematic gift to honor the candidate’s service.  The name of the individual selected for the award shall be announced in the Senate Bulletin and on the UFS website. Further, a recognition letter from the Senate President will be sent to the Fellow and the Fellow’s home campus president.

Eligibility

A candidate must be a retired SUNY faculty or professional staff member, and have served at least one term as a Senator.   A candidate for the Senator Emeritus award must have made significant contributions to the Senate or System in several capacities over a period of at least ten (10) years, which do not need to be consecutive.

Selection  Process

Nominations may be made by any member of the University Faculty Senate to the President of the University Faculty Senate. The nomination letter must detail and set forth the candidate’s merit for selection.  Eligible service may include both the UFS and System levels.  Nominations will be accepted on an on-going basis.  The recipient will be chosen by the University Faculty Senate Executive Committee from the nominees.  Questions can be referred to the President of the University Faculty Senate.

Presentation

The President of the University Faculty Senate will endeavor to arrange for the award recipient to be present at the Plenary meeting at which the award is to be given.

144-03-1  Passed without dissent
University Faculty Senate Senator Emeritus Award
October 28, 2006

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University Faculty Senate
Awards Committee
144th Plenary Meeting
Buffalo State College
October 26-28, 2006

University Faculty Senate Senate Fellow Award

Purpose of the Award

This is the Senate’s highest honor to give to one of its own.  The University Faculty Senate from time to time may bestow the status of Fellow on a current or former UFS Senator.  An individual so honored must have achieved a reputation for exceptional service in the area of faculty governance. 

Nature of the Honor

The Fellow will be recognized with a plaque and other suitable gift.  The name of the individual selected for the honor shall be announced in the Senate Bulletin and on the UFS website.  Further, a recognition letter from the Senate President will be sent to the Fellow and the Fellow’s home campus president.

Eligibility

Only SUNY faculty and professional staff will be eligible. A Fellow must have made extraordinary and distinguished contributions to the area of faculty governance in several capacities for a minimum of ten (10) years, which do not need to be consecutive.  Eligible service may include both the UFS and System levels. 

Selection Process

Nominations may be made by any member of the University Faculty Senate to the President of the University Faculty Senate. The nomination letter must detail and set forth the candidate’s merit for selection.  Eligible service may include both the UFS and System levels.  Nominations will be accepted on an on-going basis.  The recipient will be chosen by the University Faculty Senate Executive Committee from the nominees.  Questions can be referred to the President of the University Faculty Senate.

Presentation

The President of the University Faculty Senate will endeavor to arrange for the honoree to be present at the Plenary meeting at which the status of Fellow is bestowed.

144-04-1  Passed without dissent
University Faculty Senate Fellow
October 28, 2006

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University Faculty Senate
Operations Committee
144th Plenary Meeting
Buffalo State College
October 26-28, 2006

Resolution on Enhancing SUNY Access to Electronic Databases

Preamble:

Traditionally within SUNY the libraries of the University Centers have acquired material both to support faculty research and to support their teaching mission. The libraries of the other SUNY institutions have focused more on acquiring materials supporting general research and pedagogy.  However, both institutional expectations and research opportunities for both faculty and undergraduate students have prompted all SUNY institutions to access to a wider range of research materials. Additionally, to a greater degree than in the past, SUNY institutions are emphasizing research in undergraduate as well as graduate level education.

At the same time, in response to the growing importance of electronic materials, SUNY libraries and SUNY’s Office of Library Support (OLIS) have undertaken cooperative funding of SUNY-wide access to a limited number of electronic resources that support SUNY’s teaching mission.  This strategy has proven cost effective and has allowed greater and more equitable SUNY-wide access to these materials.

The following resolution addresses the need for expanding SUNY-wide access to  electronic databases that more appropriately support both SUNY’s teaching and research needs.

Resolution:

Whereas faculty in all SUNY institutions are actively involved in research; and

Whereas currently SUNY libraries, other than those at the University Centers, are neither charged with nor funded to support faculty research; and

Whereas at its Fall 2005 Plenary Meeting, recognizing that the ability of SUNY’s libraries to provide library collections adequate to support the research needs of SUNY faculty and students has been weakened by chronic under-funding, the University Faculty Senate adopted a resolution recommending that State support for SUNY’s libraries be commensurate with actual costs, including State support of a one-time catch-up allocation of $8 Million for library acquisitions; and

Whereas no such remedial catch-up funds were included in SUNY’s 2006-2007 budget allocation; and

Whereas electronic resources are an increasingly important component of library collections;

Therefore Be it Resolved, that in order to more adequately support the teaching and research needs of SUNY students and faculty, the University Faculty Senate recommends that SUNY institutions and the SUNY Provost, working together, give priority to developing both a strategy and funding mechanism to provide greater SUNY-wide access to a broader range of scholarly databases and other electronic resources than those currently available.

144-05-1  Passed without dissent
Resolution on Enhancing SUNY Access to Electronic Databases
October 28, 2006

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