FACULTY SENATE MINUTES #6

��  November 13, 2007

1. CALL TO ORDER: The sixth meeting of the Faculty Senate for 2007-2008 was called to order at 1:10 PM on November 13, 2007 in Brockway Hall, Jacobus Lounge by Chair Karla Alwes.

SENATORS AND MEMBERS PRESENT: K. Alwes, B. Buxton, E. McCabe, D. Berger, I. Jubran, K. Lawrence, H. Botwinick, J. Shedd, D. Miller, D. West,

J. Walkuski, J. Governali, J. Hendrick, O. White, J. Rayle, J. Duncan, A. Dahlman, T. Vigers, D. Ritchie, S. Snell, A. Marsh, C. Hahl, J. Riddoch, E. Bitterbaum, E. Davis-Russell, D. West, G. Clarke, J. Ford, S. Anderson, M. Connell, M. McGuire

SENATORS AND MEMBERS ABSENT: N. Helsper, J. Reese, B. Langhans, D. Harrington, T. Slack, D. Videto, M. Ware, B. Schecter, R. Franco, R. Peagler, W. Shaut

GUESTS PRESENT: R. Olsson, P. Koryzno

II. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES:

The Minutes from October 30, 2007 were approved.�

III. SENATE ACTIONS:

There was a vote to close debate regarding the amendment from H. Botwinick regarding external review� (Approved)

There was a roll call vote on the amendment from H. Botwinick regarding external review, as follows:� APPROVED:� B. Buxton, D. Berger, I. Jubran, K. Lawrence, H. Botwinick, J. Shedd, D. Miller, D. West, O. White, J. Rayle, J. Duncan; NOT APPROVED: E. McCabe, J. Walkuski, J. Governali, J. Hendrick, D. Ritchie, S. Snell (Approved 11/6)

There was a vote to postpone discussion and vote on the resolution regarding hiring tenured track faculty from the Concerned Teaching Faculty, endorsed by the Faculty Senate Steering Committee, until the next meeting (Approved)

IV. CHAIR�S REPORT:

Chairwoman Alwes had no report. She introduced and welcomed newly elected Senator Orvil White from Education.

V. VICE CHAIR'S REPORT

B. Buxton � No report.

VI. SECRETARY�S REPORT:

E. McCabe - no report

VII. TREASURER�S REPORT:

D. Berger reported that he is in the process of making a call for Senate dues which will be in the mail shortly.

VIII. PRESIDENT�S REPORT:

The President gave a brief report.

�

There was a question from� I. Jubran regarding the emergency notification system conducted recently on campus.� Jubran reported that he had difficulty hearing the siren and President Bitterbaum encouraged the Senator and others to contact D. Sidebottom with such feedback which would be very useful.

�

IX. STANDING COMMITTEE REPORTS:

Long Range Planning Committee � Janet Ford, Co-chair Ford reported that her committee has been in the process of disseminating a questionnaire regarding faculty and the development of strategic plans. She explained that her committee is attempting to use feedback they have received from faculty.� Ford encouraged faculty having questions about departmental procedures and policies and how to go about developing them to participate.

Educational Policy Committee � Richard Kendrick, Chair � Donna West reported that her committee met last Friday and discussed a proposal returned to them from the Associate Deans regarding the change of the incomplete policy.� West further announced that the EPC Committee supports the changes and will be sending it to the Graduate Committee.

Student Affairs Committee � M. Connell, Chair � No report.

Faculty Affairs Committee � G. Clarke, Chair -� Clarke read a report from the meeting of the Faculty Affairs Committee on November 7 and announced his resignation effective December 12{SEE Appendix 1)

College Research Committee � No report.

General Education Committee � General Education Committee � M. McGuire, Chair -� McGuire reported that the GE Committee received a charge regarding the review of assessment of the GE program.� She stated that the main object of the GE Committee's discussion is to make the assessment process more in tune with the internal assessment processes used by GE faculty at SUNY Cortland.� She indicated that her committee reviewed the assessment process that has been accepted by SUNY System and determined that the description of the process to be used in the three areas scheduled for assessment in spring 2008�History, Art and Foreign Language�is sufficiently broad to allow for alternatives to the essay questions we have used in the past.� She ended by indicating that those faculty members teaching in those three GE areas will be contacted by the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment and given the option of using the traditional essays that have always been used for assessment purposes, or using instruments that faculty currently use in their own classrooms.� She said the option to select alternative assessment instruments will be a pilot this year.� Faculty response will be used to determine if a change in the current assessment process is warranted. The motion regarding changing assessment at SUNY Cortland was distributed {SEE Appendix 2}

X. OTHER COMMITTEE REPORTS:

Committee on Committees -� E. McCabe, Faculty Senate Secretary, read the report for the Committee on Committees {SEE Appendix 2}

Review of Governance � H. Botwinick, Chair � No report.� There was a question that came up during the discussion on external review regarding publication of the results of the recent survey on Governance Review, whether or not the comments would also be published, and what the final outcome would be.� Senator Botwinick responded that his committee would be publishing the survey results but his committee is not sure yet how the comments section would be handled. He also explained that the committee would make recommendations at the final Faculty Senate meeting in November.

XI. AREA SENATOR�S REPORTS:

There were no Area Senator�s reports.

XII. SUNY SENATOR�S REPORT � M. Ware � No report (Absent)

XIII. STUDENT SENATOR�S REPORTS:

A. Marsh gave a brief report.

M. Connell asked Marsh a question regarding campus policies relating to formals.� Chairwoman Alwes encouraged the Senators to address it after the meeting concluded.

XIV. OLD BUSINESS � There was a lengthy discussion regarding the amendment on external review proposed by Senator Botwinick.� After a roll call vote the amendment was approved calling for formation of an ad hoc committee to review and make recommendations on policies and procedures relating to external review.

XV. NEW BUSINESS �

The resolution from the Concerned Teaching Faculty and endorsed by the Senate Steering Committee was introduced.� After a vote it was decided to postpone discussion and vote until the next meeting.

Respectfully Submitted:

Barbara Kissel

Recording Secretary

The following reports are appended to the minutes in the order they are submitted:

(1)� Report from G. Clarke, Chair, Faculty Affairs Committee

(2)� Charge from the Faculty Senate Steering Committee to the GE Committee regarding changing assessment procedures at SUNY Cortland, submitted by M. McGuire, Chair.

(3) Report from the Committee on Committees, submitted by J. Barry, Chair.

(4) Amendment to the motion regarding external review, submitted by H. Botwinick.

(5) Amendment to the motion regarding external review, submitted by D. Ritchie

(6)� Resolution from the Concerned Teaching Faculty, endorsed by the Faculty Senate Steering Committee, regarding the hiring of tenured track faculty submitted by W. Buxton

�� APPENDIX 1

Report of November 7, 2007 Faculty Affairs Committee meeting

Glen C. Clarke, Chair

The Faculty Affairs Committee devoted virtually its entire session on November 7, 2007 on Item 4.a. of its agenda, namely, �Discussion re Clarke�s continuing tenure as committee chair.�

I advised the committee that there were two impending developments which led me to bring this matter up for discussion.

First, I informed the committee that it had become patently obvious to me that the Faculty Senate will charge an ad hoc committee with the responsibility for making recommendations to the Senate regarding adopting procedures for implementing external review in the evaluation of candidates for promotion from associate professor to professor or from associate librarian to librarian on the SUNY Cortland campus.� I said that I believe that the Faculty Affairs Committee is the appropriate body to which this matter should be referred.� It was clear to me during the discussion that not all members agreed with my position.

Second, I advised the committee that, although no final decision had yet been reached, it is virtually certain that the Review of Governance Structure Committee, of which I am a member, will recommend to the Faculty Senate that the SUNY Cortland Faculty Bylaws be amended such that only a faculty member with academic rank be eligible to serve as chair of the Faculty Affairs Committee.� I shared the results of the Review of Governance Structure Committee�s recent survey findings that only 53 of the 242 (or 22% of the) survey respondents who answered this question and only 18 of the 61 (or 30% of the) professionals who answered this question believed that a professional should be eligible to chair the Faculty Affairs Committee.� Thus, fewer than one in three professionals�and fewer than one in four faculty members overall�believe that I should be chair of the Faculty Affairs Committee according to the survey results.

Given these realities, I make the following statement:

Because it appears that my continued service is neither welcomed nor warranted, I will resign as chair of the Faculty Affairs Committee on December 12, 2007.� At the committee�s meeting on that date, I will conduct an election of a new chair to succeed me.� Immediately upon that individual�s election as chair, I will give the assembled record of all agendas, minutes, and annual reports of the committee during my tenure as chair to my successor.� If for any reason such an election is not held beforehand, I will resign as chair effective at 4 pm on that date and will give the assembled record of all agendas and minutes of Faculty Affairs Committee meetings during my tenure as chair to Senate Chair Alwes as soon after the meeting as is practicable.

One other issue discussed at the meeting was the committee�s May 1, 2007 report to the Faculty Senate pertaining to the charge to the committee to recommend improvements to Section 220.06 of the College Handbook.� Quoting from the minutes of the Faculty Senate meeting of May 15, 2007:� �There was a motion from D. Ritchie, �On behalf of the Faculty Senate Steering Committee I move that the Faculty Senate postpone consideration until the Fall semester of the Faculty Affairs Committee's report,� which passed.�� I advised the Faculty Affairs Committee that I have not suggested reconsideration of the committee�s report during the current Fall semester because a central determinant of how the committee prepared its report was the language pertaining to solicited statements in Article 31 of the Agreement between United University Professions and the State of New York which expired on July 1, 2007.� Until a successor Agreement has been ratified, I believe it is premature to reconsider the committee�s report.� If the language of Article 31 in the successor Agreement remains unchanged, I believe the committee�s report deserves a full airing.

In any event, I have devoted substantial energy and a very considerable amount of my time to the business of the Faculty Affairs Committee over the last three and a half years because I truly believe that the committee provides the best assurance that faculty with academic rank will receive a fair appraisal, and that they will understand the process to be used in conducting that appraisal, when being considered for reappointment, continuing appointment, or promotion.� It is my considered judgment that the current language of Section 220.06 of the College Handbook contains confusing and sometimes contradictory information that may detract from assuring such an appraisal.� As such, I strongly urge the Faculty Senate and the faculty with academic rank at SUNY Cortland, irrespective of the merits of the committee�s recommendations, to carefully study Section 220.06 and revise it so it is clearer and better assures the fair appraisal of candidates.

Thank you.

I yield the floor.

�� APPENDIX 2

�� Faculty Senate Charge regarding GE Assessment

�� Mary McGuire, Chair

The Faculty Senate charges the GE Committee to investigate the way GE assessment is conducted at SUNY Cortland and to recommend to the Senate ideas� revision for retention of the current plan by February 5, 2008.

�

�� APPENDIX 3

�� Committee on Committee�s Report

�� J. Barry, Chair

Committee on Committees � Report to the Faculty Senate

November 13, 2007

Item # 1

The Committee on Committees conducted an election for the Consultative Search Committee for the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs.� The results were announced via e-mail and are also attached to this report.� The committee members from the Faculty Senate election are listed below:

Girish Bhat � Arts & Sciences

Ed Caffarella � Education

Regina Grantham � Professional Studies

Ellen McCabe � Library

Mark Yacavone � Professional Staff

Ray Franco � M/C

Additional committee members are:

Joanne Barry � Human Resources

Sheila Gregoire � Classified Staff

Jason Clark � Student

Virginia Levine � President�s Office liaison

Consultative Search Committee

Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

Election results � November 12, 2007

Arts & Sciences:

*Girish Bhat (19)

Chris Cirmo (13)

Brian Rivest (13)

Tim Philips (11)

Rena Janke (9)
Kevin Halpin (8)

Henry Steck (7)

Louis Gatto (4)

John Hartsock (3)

Donna West (2)

Nancy Meagher (1)

Syed Pasha (1)

Karen Stearns (1)

92 valid ballots; 8 invalid

Education:

*Ed Caffarella (15)

Cynthia Benton (7)

Sheila Cohen (4)

26 valid ballots, 3 invalid

Professional Studies:

*Regina Grantham (12)

Bonni Hodges (11)

Philip Buckenmeyer (8)

Tom Quinn (7)

38 valid ballots; 1 invalid

Library:

*Ellen McCabe (6)

Dave Ritchie (3)

9 valid ballots; 1 invalid

Professional Staff � Academic Affairs:

*Mark Yacavone (29)

Mike Urtz (18)

Laura Gathagan (6)

Hailey Ruoff (6)

Gary Babjack (5)

Howard Lindh (3)

Virginia Marty (3)

John Suarez (3)

73 valid ballots; 2 invalid

M/C:

*Ray Franco (15)

Gerald Porter (6)

Nancy Auman (5)

26 valid ballots; 1 invalid

*denotes elected

��

APPENDIX 4

Amendment to original motion by the Senate Steering Committee regarding creation of

�� Ad Hoc Committee on External Review.� To be proposed by H. Botwinick

�

Please Note:� Revisions to original motion are in bold.

�Because the temper of the faculty on the SUNY Cortland campus is one that desires and strives for individual and departmental autonomy, the Faculty Senate Steering Committee moves that the deliberations of the proposed external review process begin in an ad hoc committee created for and charged with that purpose only, and made up of a broad representation of faculty elected by each of the three schools and each of the subdivisions of the Arts and Sciences.

According to the Director of Human Resources, Joanne Barry, the latest Full-Time, Tenure-Track Faculty numbers are the following:

School�� Number�� Percentage of FT Academics

A & S�� 154�� 60.2%

Prof. Studies�� 55�� 21.5%

Education�� 36�� 14.1%

Library�� 11�� 4.3%�� 

Total�� 256�� 100.1%�� (due to rounding error)

In order to approximately reflect the above numbers of total faculty members in each division, the make up of the ad hoc committee should be the following:

A& S�� 6 members�� (3 elected at-large by A&S faculty; 1 elected from each

�� A& S sub-division)

Professional

Studies�� 2 members elected at-large by faculty in Professional Studies

Education�� 2 members elected at-large by faculty in Education

Library�� 1 member elected at-large by faculty in Library

��

�� APPENDIX 5

��  Amendment regarding external review

�� Submitted by D. Ritchie

ALTERNATIVE Motion on external review - Faculty Senate meeting, November 13, 2007

Because the faculty at SUNY Cortland has been and is committed to departmental autonomy, and

recognizing that departments should be the determinants of whether and how external review

shall be included and in which types of personnel evaluations, and

recognizing that the Faculty Affairs Committee has the responsibility to review and approve

any changes in departmental personnel policies and procedures, and

acknowledging the expressed desire of the Administration to make progress on external

review,

therefore the Faculty Senate urges each department to consider and communicate to the

Faculty Affairs Committee by April 2008 whether (and if so, how) a provision for external

review should be included in their departmental personel poliocies and procedures.

Approved by Memorial Library librarians 11/13/07; Submitted by David Ritchie, Library

faculty senator

�� APPENDIX 6

Resolution from the Concerned Teaching Faculty, endorsed by the Steering Committee, regarding hiring of tenured track faculty submitted by W. Buxton

INTRODUCTION

�� The Concerned Teaching Faculty forwards the following resolution endorsed by 74 SUNY Cortland faculty for consideration by the Faculty Senate. This is in support of President Bitterbaum's stated priority of increasing the number of tenure track faculty at SUNY Cortland (President's Report, Faculty Senate Meeting September 4), Provost Davis-Russell's proposals to the President's cabinet for more than 20 new tenure track lines, the Dean of Arts and Sciences plea for support for existing programs (Provost's Update on Academic Affairs, July 2006-June 2007), and the Dean of Education's documentation of the need for 20 additional lines in one school to meet the college's strategic plan, (Provost's Update on Academic Affairs, July 2006-June 2007).

�� In forwarding this resolution, the Concerned Teaching Faculty wants to emphasize that implementation of the goals in this resolution should not result in the loss of current full time lecturers. A gradual increase in tenure track lines will clearly result in a reduction of additional positions available for contingent faculty, however, contingent faculty with the appropriate qualifications will be eligible to apply for these additional tenure track lines.� As we see it, this proposal increases the potential for current contingent faculty to become full-time, tenure track faculty.

Resolution Calling for Increase of Tenure-Track Faculty as Top Priority

Whereas the primary purpose of SUNY Cortland is to deliver quality higher education programs to the citizens of the State of New York and tenure-track faculty are the primary means of delivering and maintaining these quality programs;

Whereas research by the Cortland Chapter of UUP shows that from 1981 to 2005 the number of tenure-track faculty employed at the College decreased by 14% from 270 to 233, while the number of students rose by 16% from 6070 to 7224;

Whereas the ratio of students to tenure-track faculty was 22.5/1 in 1981, and in 2005 that same ratio had climbed to 33/1;

Whereas it would be necessary to add 88 new tenure-track faculty to the number employed in 2005 merely to return to our student to faculty ratio of a quarter century ago;

Whereas, the current state of affairs where barely over 50% of Cortland�s courses are now taught by tenure-track faculty has significantly reduced the number and quality of student interactions with these faculty members and clearly falls short of any reasonable and satisfactory educational or instructional goal;

Whereas, during the past fifteen years,� the number of administrative staff rose significantly as counted in the Cortland Catalogue, as did the number of support staff positions connected with administrative offices;

Whereas, the number of part-time instructors and full-time lecturers has also risen sharply on this campus, and these increasing numbers of� instructors and lecturers are understandably not obligated to participate in critical areas of college service which include student advisement,� Faculty Senate, and numerous faculty committees which have been suffering from serious long term declines in faculty participation,

Whereas the tenured and tenure-track faculty at SUNY Cortland, who are obligated to perform both college service and increasing amounts of administrative duties, no longer want to be forced� to choose between excellence in teaching, quality research, and participating in serious matters of faculty governance

Therefore be it resolved:

That the Administration make the net increase of tenure-track faculty (i.e., new lines, not redefined ones) within its current educational programs the central and most important priority in its continuing efforts to improve the quality of education at SUNY Cortland,

That in the immediate future, the current Academic Affairs Strategic Plan is adjusted upwards so that 65% (rather than 60%) of the courses on campus are taught by full-time tenure track faculty by the year 2010,

That no new non-teaching positions be created until the above goal is met (except in the case of a health and safety emergency);��

��

That the President's Cabinet develop a plan to fund and meet this goal, and provide a biannual progress report to the Faculty Senate which clearly outlines the number of courses and students taught respectively by tenure track faculty, full-time lecturers, and part-time faculty;

That in all future Administrative reports dealing with faculty staffing, full-time tenure track positions are carefully distinguished from both full-time lecturer and part-time lecturer positions.

That this resolution be put to a vote of all tenured and tenure-track faculty.

Faculty Endorsements:

Bill Buxton�� Randi Storch�� David Miller�� Howard Botwinick

(Chair, Literacy)�� (History)�� (Chair, Geography)�� (Economics)

��

Karla Alwes�� Cynthia Benton David Berger�� Mechthild Nagel��

(Chair, English) (Chair, Early Child)�� (Psychology)�� (Philosophy)

Larry Ashley�� Judith Best�� Sanford Gutman�� Tom Pasquarello

(Philosophy)�� (Political Science)�� (Chair, History)�� (Chair, Pol. Science)

Gretchen Herrmann�� Denise Knight�� John Shedd�� Michelle Kelly

(Library)�� (English)�� (History)�� (Foundations)

Don Wright�� Michelle Gonzalez�� Ellen Paterson�� Alex Gonzalez

(History, Emeritus)�� (Literacy) �� (Library)�� (English)

Tom Lickona�� Susanne Polley Wes Weaver�� George Feissner

(Early Childhood)�� (Economics)�� (ICC)�� (Math)

Janet Duncan�� Linda Lavine�� Ellen McCabe�� Brian Rivest

(Foundations)�� (Psychology)�� (Library)�� (Biology)

Arnold Talentino�� Susan Stratton�� Tricia Conklin�� Norma Helsper

(Honors Program)�� (Early Childhood)�� (Biology)�� (Chair, ICC)

Beth Klein�� Elizabeth Fraser�� Scott Anderson�� Joseph Rayle

(Early Childhood)�� (Geography)�� (Geography)�� (Chair, Foundations)

Robert Pierce�� Matt Lessig�� Noralyn Masselink�� Michael Toglia

(Geography)�� (English)�� (English)�� (Psychology)

Marni Gauthier Andy Young�� Tim Baroni�� Lynn Anderson

(English)�� (Rec. & Leisure)�� (Biology)�� (Chair, Rec. & Leisure)

Pamela Summers�� Lisi� Krall�� Josh Frank�� German Zarate-Hoyos�� (48)

(Literacy)�� (Economics)�� (Economics)�� (Economics)

Faculty Endorsements Continued:

Mary McGuire Judith Van Buskirk�� Kathy Russell�� Judith A. Ouellette

(Pol. Science)�� (History)�� (Chair, Philosophy)�� (Psychology)

Deborah Spencer�� Larry Klotz�� Girish Bhat�� Vicki Wilkins

(Economics)�� (Biology)�� (Chair, History)�� (Rec. & Leisure)

Terrence Fitzgerald�� Robert Spitzer�� Kevin Sheets�� Mary Kennedy

(Biology)�� Political Science�� (History)�� English

Emilie Kudela�� Andrea Lachance�� Heather Bridge Susana Davidenko

(Early Childhood)�� (Early Childhood)�� (Early Childhood)�� (Early Childhood)

Joy Mosher�� Shufang Shi�� Gail Tooker�� Ibipo Johnston-Anumonwo

(Early Childhood)�� (Early Childhood)�� (Early Childhood)�� (Geography)

Sheila Cohen�� Sharon Steadman�� Peter Ducey�� Caroline Kaltefleiter�� (72)

Literacy)�� (Soc/Anthro)�� (Biology)�� (Communication Studies)

William Sharp�� Mel King

(History)�� (Chair, Psychology)

��

http://www.cortland.edu/senate/minutes/0708min6.html