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The
meeting was called to order at 4:08 PM.
I. Approval of Agenda
The agenda was approved unanimously.
II. Approval of Minutes, General Faculty Meeting
of February 4, 2008
The minutes were approved unanimously.
III. President’s Report – D. Stanley
President Stanley began her report by noting how busy the past weeks have
been for SUNY Oswego and the SUNY system in general. The budget process has
been changing quite a bit in recent weeks, and the most recent update is that
there will definitely be a cut to SUNY funding. The SUNY system is fighting to
restore the capital and tax revenues, which would be lost in the budget cut.
According to the Enacted Budget for the 2008-2009 year, SUNY Oswego will suffer
a 2.9% cut on operating expenses; along with the energy allocation funding that
has been pulled back by the state. Other cuts to campus revenues include
tuition, health fees, technology fees, etc., which have never been taken from
SUNY Oswego before. The total cut for all of SUNY ends up at a loss of about
$109 million. However, the BAP related has increased by $25.1 thousand, and the
net reduction to SUNY Oswego will be about $394.8 thousand.
President Stanley as met with a Budget Advisory Group, in preparation for a
cut of this magnitude. Their research has indicated that there will be no cuts
to the CUNY system, because that money is out of their reach. There are also no
cuts to any community colleges, because local authority handles the money.
Independent colleges receive Bundy Aid and are not assessed. The cuts seem to
only affect upstate New York. One course of action could be to ask
politicians not to take the SUNY money just because it is available. It might
even be possible for families of students to sue the state to make sure the
money stays in the system. President Stanley and presidents of other SUNY
universities will be meeting to discuss a course of action. The problem is that
the state wants each budget by March 31st, because the state fiscal
year beings on April 1st. Dealing with the budget cut should
be somewhat painless for SUNY Oswego, because for some time the campus has been
reserving against possible budget cuts.
On a lighter note, President Stanley was pleased to announce that the
application rate has increased 32% since 2005 for SUNY Oswego, and admission
deposits have increased 11% since that year as well. Because of this rise in
applications, the acceptance rate has fallen 8.7%. The construction crews will
be breaking ground soon on the new apartment buildings; currently they are
moving the wetlands away from the planned area of construction. The plans for
renovations to the Science and Education buildings are also well
underway.
President Stanley extended her thanks to the faculty for another good year
and expressed that she hopes the forward progress will continue next fall.
IV. Faculty Senate Report – Gwen Kay
Senator Ryniker delivered the report for Faculty Senate. She expressed the
need for faculty to join the UFS Standing Committees. She also updated the
faculty about the progress of the Voluntary System of Accountability: several
campuses have been cross-comparing their results, which is frowned upon because
each campus is to only be concerned only with their own progress. Senator
Ryniker then spoke about an issue raised at the meeting regarding school safety
and HIPPA laws. The question raised is whether or not students who are believed
to pose a threat should be assessed, recommended by faculty and the
school. (complete University Faculty Senate report is posted at
http://www.oswego.edu/academics/faculty/assembly/)
V. UUP Report – C. Spector
Chuck Spector opened the UUP report with website information that can be
used to tell the Governor to maintain funds in the SUNY system. Anyone
interested can go to <uupinfo.org> and follow the link provided.
The first order of business is in regards to the retroactive 3% salary
increase news from Albany. As of yet, it has not been signed nor approved. No
payment date or instructions have been determined either.
Mr. Spector went on to discuss the IDAP Awards. There is currently $31,384
for 07/08 per web site. It will be used towards the 08/09 year. A committee
will further discuss this in the fall of 2008.
He will also be sending out an email with a newsletter sent as an attachment
in regards to what UUP has done within the current budget situation. There was
a march on Albany with NYSUT, Cal. Faculty Association, and NYPIRG. There were
news releases, press advisories, editorials and TV advertisements all speaking
against the budget cut. Mr. Spector recommends that everyone send a Fax to the
Governor asking him to not cut the funds or take SUNY money. He is also
considering advertisements to do the same for student newspapers, or advising
families of SUNY students to sue the state.
On a final note, there will be a retirement party on May 12th at
3:30 in the Forum of Hewitt Union. All RSVPs should be sent to the UUP
office.
VI. Chair of Faculty Assembly Report – S.
Camp
Dr. Camp began her report by mentioning a few items of interest, including
that e-mail is now the official means of communication for SUNY Oswego. The
faculty will be voting on By-law amendments for the new school and the library.
There will be some proposals today and some at the meeting next fall.
Dr. Camp then noted that at the Faculty Assembly meeting held prior to this
meeting, the College Hour proposal was voted down.
Hewitt Quad visioning continues to be a priority of the Campus Concept
Committee, they have been meeting with department heads in all the buildings of
the Hewitt Quad.
The Assembly continues interest in hiring and retaining faculty that are in
interdisciplinary positions.
Graduation outcomes continue to be discussed at Faculty Assembly meetings,
along with an official academic appeals process that will be brought back to FA
in the fall.
One final action from the Assembly was the approval of the policy on
non-Oswego repeated courses.
VII. New Business
Election of Faculty Assembly Chair- Susan Camp was unanimously
re-elected for the 2008-2009 academic year.
Proposed Amendments to Appendix A of Faculty Bylaws- Paragraph C
changes were passed unanimously. Paragraph “new,” which will soon be named
Paragraph “H” was also passed unanimously.
Approval of Candidates for Degrees
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences:
R. Mandel made a motion to approve 585 candidates for undergraduate degrees.
The motion was passed unanimously
School of Business: R. Skolnik moved
the approval of 299 undergraduate degrees. This motion was passed
unanimously.
School of Communication, Media and the
Arts: F. Messere moved approval of 281 undergraduate degree candidates. The
motion was passed unanimously.
School of Education: L. Markert moved
the approval of 410 candidates for undergratuate degrees. The motion was passed
unanimously
Division of Continuing Education: Y.
Petrella moved the approval of 22 candidates for evening and online degrees.
The motion was passed unanimously.
Division of Graduate Studies: D. King
moved the approval of 401 candidates for graduate degrees. This motion was
passed unanimously.
The meeting was adjourned at 5:06 PM.
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