149th Plenary Meeting SUNY Delhi - April 17-19, 2008
149th Plenary Meeting SUNY Delhi - April 17-19, 2008
149-01-1 Resolution for Resources for Mental Health Counselors – April 19, 2008
149-02-1 Resolution on Credit/Contact Hour Relationship – April 19, 2008
149-03-1 Resolution on Course Transfer Concept– April 19, 2008
149-01-1 Resolution for Resources for Mental Health Counselors – April 19, 2008
University Faculty Senate
Student Life Committee
149h Plenary Meeting
SUNY Delhi
April 19, 2008
Resolution
Whereas, the national accreditation standards from the International Association of Counseling Services has recommended a ratio of one licensed mental health counselor to every 1000 students at average four-year institutions of higher education for the mental health of college students in communities where community based resources are limited and 1:1500 students in communities where such services are available and
Whereas, the State University of New York’s Chancellor’s Task Force on Critical Incidence Management (2007) recommended increasing the number of licensed mental health counselors on campuses "to meet the significant campus needs and to achieve nationally recognized standards relating to the ratio of students to counselors" for the prevention on S.U.N.Y campuses of a tragic incident such as occurred at Virginia Tech and
Whereas, the current ratio of licensed mental health counselors to students is approximately 1:1625 across S.U.N.Y. campuses according to a survey by System Administration
Be it so resolved that the University Faculty Senate endorses and supports a recommendation to the Chancellor of the State University of New York that state operated campuses make resources available to hire additional licensed mental health counselors to achieve these nationally recognized standards.
149-02-1 Resolution on Credit/Contact Hour Relationship – April 19, 2008
University Faculty Senate
Undergraduate Committee
149h Plenary Meeting
SUNY Delhi
April 19, 2008
Resolution
FROM THE UNDERGRADUATE ACADEMIC PROGRAMS AND POLICIES COMMITTEE
PREAMBLE
The State University Policy on Credit/Contact Hour Relationship as articulated in Memorandum to Presidents Vol. 76, No. 8 (codified as SUNY Academic Affairs Policy Document 1305) upon which this SUNY policy was founded is now more than thirty years old. In that time there have been significant advancements in higher education related to various formats of instruction and evaluation.
In light of new pedagogical formats like distance learning and online instruction, faculty, administrators and program planners are concerned with meeting the goals and standards intended for the curricula of their various schools and departments. This is especially important as it relates to credit/contact hours and its interpretation. Program developers require clear and consistent guidance for determining how credit is to be awarded.
Memorandum to Presidents, Vol. 76, No. 8. does not:
- address distance learning or online instruction
- recognize or cite the Regulations of the Commissioner
Following consultation with the New York State Department of Education, the State University of New York Office of Finance, and the State University of New York Office of Institutional Analysis, the University Faculty Senate proposes the following resolution.
RESOLUTION
Whereas the State University Policy on Credit/Contact Hour Relationship as articulated in Memorandum to Presidents Vol. 76, No. 8 (codified as SUNY Academic Affairs Policy Document 1305) is more than 30 years old, and
Whereas, in that time there have been significant advancements in higher education related to various formats of study and evaluation of study including:
- Experience-based learning
- Distance Learning
- Online instruction
- Other technology-enhanced instruction
- Learning outcomes and assessment of learning, and
Whereas, the Memorandum to Presidents, Vol. 76, No. 8 does not clearly establish the context of the University policy in the State of New York or the Regulations of the Commissioner and is inconsistent with respect to:
- 8 NY ADC 50.1 (n) and (o)
- 8 NY ADC 52.2 (c) (3,5)
- 8 NY ADC 52.2 (b) (3), and
Whereas, faculty, administrators, and program planners are concerned, in light of new pedagogical strategies like distance learning and online instruction, that they are meeting the goals and standards intended within the curricula in their various schools and departments as relates to the credit/contact hour and its implementation in these changing times, and
Whereas, faculty, administrators, and program planners require clear and consistent guidance for determining how credit is to be awarded and for calculating time on task, therefore
Be it resolved that the Memorandum to Presidents, Vol. 76, No. 8. be reviewed and revised as needed by the University Faculty Senate in collaboration with the appropriate offices designated by the Chancellor to align SUNY policy with the current Regulations of the Commissioner, and
Resolved that any change in policy recognize Commissioner's Regulations Title 8, Chapter II, Pt. 52.2 (c) (3,5) [8 NY ADC 52.2 (c) (3,5)] that call for accomplishment of college-level earning objectives or outcomes as a necessary part of earning semester credit, and
Resolved that any change in policy recognize Regulations Title 8, Chapter II, Pt. 52.2 (b) (3) [8 NY ADC 52.2 (b) (3)] that vests responsibility for the curriculum and measurement of achievement in the faculty and academic officers of the institutions, and
Resolved that there be an appropriate explication of law and policy that will be more accessible and transparent to faculty, administrators, and program planners, and
Be it further resolved that the University Faculty Senate will make recommendations for changes to Vol. 76, No. 8.
149-03-1 Resolution on Course Transfer Concept– April 19, 2008
University Faculty Senate
Special Joint Committee on Articulation and Transfer
149h Plenary Meeting
SUNY Delhi
April 19, 2008
Resolution
FROM THE SPECIAL JOINT COMMITTEE ON ARTICULATION AND TRANSFER
Resolved:
The University Faculty Senate endorses the concept of System-wide transfer for 100 and 200 level courses within the major recommended by the Special Joint Committee on Articulation and Transfer.
Course Transfer Concept
Because articulation agreements among SUNY campuses have been in existence for a while and are generally considered to be successful, the committee recommends building upon that structure. Namely, the committee recommends that courses which are currently accepted most often in articulation agreements for transfer as credit should also be accepted as fulfilling the requirement of the comparable course within the major throughout the SUNY system and the course transfer information should be made available on a common website which is updated annually. For the limited number of courses where there is not widespread agreement among articulation agreements, the committee recommends developing a timely procedure for course alignment that would remain within the domain of the faculty and would be subject to approval by the University Faculty Senate and the Faculty Council of Community Colleges.