Minutes from Sept. 17, 2010
STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AT OSWEGO
College Council Meeting
September 17, 2010
PRESENT ABSENT
Mr. James McMahon, Chair Mrs. Jane Backus, excused
Ms. Darlene Baker
Mr. Saleem Cheeks
Mr. Paul Culligan
Mr. Steven DiMarzo
Mr. Michael Goldych
Mr. David Poleto
Ms. Carolyn Rush
Mr. Gary Sluzar
Ms. Deborah F. Stanley, President
Dr. Joseph Grant, Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment
Mr. Nicholas Lyons, Vice President for Administration and Finance
Ms. Mary Canale, Associate Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations
Dr. Susan Camp, Faculty Assembly Chair
Ms. Julie Harrison Blissert, Director of Public Affairs
and College Council Recorder
1. Mr. McMahon called the meeting to order at 12:40 p.m.
2. The minutes of the meeting of April 30, 2010, were approved.
3. Faculty Report
Dr. Camp reported on academic program revisions and initiatives such as a new minor in audio design and production and a proposed graduate certificate in integrated media and design. She noted that Faculty Assembly had received the report from the General Education Visioning Task Force. Discussion touched on the curricular impact of the women in STEM initiative, the approval process for minors, and the departments involved in the new minor and proposed certificate.
4. Student Association Report
Mr. DiMarzo introduced himself and reported that Centro bus passes for students are now entirely underwritten by the Student Association so that students may ride free anywhere; that the free fall concert outdoors near the Campus Center on Saturday attracted 1,200 people; that civic engagement is again an SA priority, focused so far on registering students to vote, either on campus or by absentee ballot, and on filling student vacancies on campus committees; that over 1,000 attended the Student Involvement Fair promoting student organizations; and that the ALANA conference would start the next week. Discussion covered student voting and the new polling place in the Campus Center as well as on Mr. DiMarzo: his major is human development with two minors, conflict management and business administration, and he plans to go into student affairs after graduate school.
5. Old Business
The chair drew attention to the letter from Chancellor Nancy Zimpher thanking the College Council for its resolution supporting the Empowerment Act.
6. New Business
The chair encouraged members to attend the ACT conference coming up in Albany and to let the President's Office know of their plans.
Council person Poleto moved a resolution expressing outrage at the pay increases for three top SUNY administrators as reported in the Times Union. Council person Goldych seconded the motion, suggesting to amend to express disappointment. President Stanley noted the lack of information surrounding the decisions behind the raises, suggesting any resolution be limited to forward-looking language in a positive tone. Mr. Goldych proposed an amendment to have the resolution composed by the President's Office and Ms. Rush seconded. In discussion, Mr. Sluzar proposed tabling the matter. Mr. Poleto rescinded the original motion, and Mr. Goldych withdrew his second. The council decided to work on a resolution by e-mail before the next regular meeting.
Mr. Sluzar asked for an update on plans for developing Rice Creek Field Station. President Stanley, Vice President Lyons and Dr. Camp said it is part of the overall upgrade of science facilities and is in the design phase, working closely with the director and faculty who use the station for teaching and research. Mr. Goldych noted that students often mention the director, Dr. Lucina Hernandez Laundre, to him as a favorite professor.
Mr. Goldych suggested, in view of the state not approving a War of 1812 Commission, that, firstly, a local committee of people from the city, the college and the schools coordinate activities about the war and, secondly, the college offer a course about the war if it does not already. President Stanley suggested that involvement on such a committee would be compatible with civic engagement and asked Mr. DiMarzo to pursue it. She noted that curriculum emanates from the faculty and asked Dr. Camp to see if the college offers a current course on the War of 1812.
The chair noted he had attended the Leadership Oswego County reception and encouraged members to attend other events on campus.
7. President's Remarks
President Stanley noted the auspiciousness of the day, with the groundbreaking for the Science, Engineering, and Innovation Corridor. She reported that Dr. Lorrie Clemo, formerly special assistant to president and chief of staff, was interim provost since July 15. She updated the council on fall enrollment, growing number of applications and selectivity, more students living on campus, the increasing diversity of incoming students, advancing diversity in hiring, how the college has managed a $3 million reduction in state revenues this year, five-year capital funding of $205 million for academic and $90 million for residential buildings, upcoming construction and renovation projects, the pilot wind turbine on Lee Hall's roof, the status of the proposed degree program in electrical and computer engineering and of the online MBA, and sesquicentennial celebration plans for 2011. Discussion involved the impact of demographics on enrollment in teacher education, where underrepresented students come from and what colleges Oswego competes with to enroll them, the number of international students, how the college might handle future budget cuts, the need for reappropriating the capital budget, and the Culkin family reunion.
The meeting adjourned at 1:30 p.m.
