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Chair: Susan Camp
Recorder: Sarah Lewis
The meeting was called to order at 4:04P.M.
I. Approval of Agenda
The agenda was approved unanimously.
II. Approval of Minutes of
General Faculty Meeting of September 15th, 2008
The minutes were approved unanimously as amended with correction of “3008”
to “2008.”
III. President's Report – D.
Stanley
President Stanley began her report by saying that Oswego’s goals are to
mentor, care and teach students, and in order to be able to do this she
explained how we recruit students to Oswego in the first place. President
Stanley stated that there has been an increase in student applications to
Oswego.
The makeup of students that are attending Oswego has changed throughout the
past few years, but that is the same occurrence throughout most northeastern
colleges. She stated that a growing number of students that attend Oswego come
from Long Island and Downstate. The amount of 18-year-old high school
graduates in Central New York is projected to decline 12.9% through 2013,while
Long Island and Mid-Hudson are projected to show a positive increase in the
amount of 18-year-old high school graduates by 20% and 27.8% respectively, over
the same time period. Oswego is also part of the common application
program that enables prospective students to apply to Oswego in a much easier
online form than in years past. The amount of applications reflects
the heavy recruitment in Long Island and Downstate region. Applications numbers
are up 9.8% in 2009.
She then addressed the Assembly about the letter she sent home to families
about the $310 increase in tuition this coming semester. She wanted to
let families know about how the financial crisis is affecting the state and how
it personally hits Oswego students and their families.
President Stanley reported that SUNY has faced $210 million in cuts since
Spring 2008. The Deficit Reduction Plan is currently in front of the
state legislature. This past December the Governor proposed a budget for next
year that calls for additional cuts to SUNY. She then updated the
Assembly on where the budget for SUNY Oswego stood today. In the
2007-2008 FY there was $57.8 million in state funds based on the Budget
Allocation Process. This money is supplied in tax dollar support and
tuition dollars that the college collects. As of right now,
approximately$34 million of the $57.8 million comes from student tuition, and
the other $23 million is actually from state funds.
She continued to say that in 2007-2008 we faced additional cuts including a
2.9% state tax cut of $652,100, an energy reduction of $522,700, a
revenue interest reduction of $195,000 and an additional reduction of
$188,700. This brought the 2008-2009 new financial plan base down to
$56,986,800. On top of this, another state cut was imposed, resulting in
a loss of $1.7 million to Oswego. This left the college with a base
budget of $55.2 million dollars. When the new base budget was presented
to the budget committee, they began talks about how the cuts were going to be
broken down within the budget at Oswego. Each division was initially
asked to cut by 4.3% and then cuts by division were adjusted to diminish
Academic Affairs share of cut by 10%.
However, the $310 dollar increase in tuition, only 10% would actually stay
on campus for the campus budget. The other 90% would be transferred to
Albany to the general fund, which may include road maintenance, construction
and other various state projects. If 100% of the tuition increase
collected is kept on campus, it would generate $1.9 million dollars for the
campus. With only 10% allowed to stay on campus, that is only $190,000 in
additional tuition revenue. However, the college is stepping up efforts
to voice opposition to this proposal, currently in front of the
legislature. Meanwhile, any remaining shortfall in 2008-2009 will be
closed by campus reserves.
President Stanley then talked about the upcoming 2009-10 budget.
She stated that by all projections additional cuts are likely to occur in
2009-2010. There might be possible additional tuition revenues at 20%, which
would total to $826,000. The adjusted 2009-10 state tax cut would equal
$1.5 million less to the SUNY System. She then asked the question if
Oswego is really doing things that are really worthwhile. This includes
new programs, new technology, and new initiatives. Faculty and
departments will continue to be involved in budget discussions.
She then continued to say that the actions for the upcoming 2009-10 year
include national tenure track searches--11 going forward, and 17 other being
deferred/ suspended. There were other searches suspended in other
divisions as well. Also, there are OTPS cuts being considered as
well. She then mentioned that there is an SUNY Oswego Advocates website
and a full lobbying effort going on for the budget cuts that are being
proposed. With this website there is a chance to show support of the increase
in tuition with no additional cuts. We will encourage the SUNY Oswego
community to send letters to their legislators.
She then moved on to talk about the Metro Center. There is a Course to
Connect initiative going on at the Metro Center. This initiative is
allowing recent graduates with bachelor’s degrees to sit in on a free class in
the Metro Center, as long as there is an opening in the class. She then
moved on to talk about how zip cars are being brought to the campus this
upcoming semester, and many other events are in the works, including a
week-long Martin Luther King Jr. celebration.
She then concluded that there is much construction going on around
campus. The townhouse project located over by the Glimmerglass Lagoon is
well underway. There are also renovations at Rice Creek Field Station
planned for the upcoming year.
IV. FA
Senate - M. Ryniker
Professor Ryniker had no report
V. UUP
Report- C. Spector
Chuck Spector began his report by telling a story about how when he walks
his dog around the city of Fulton, his dog only sees the good things that
happen in his immediate life, and doesn’t see the broader view of the world
that he does. His dog doesn’t see the hospital closing, the Nestles plant
closed; P&C, Miller Brewing and the Ethanol plant all closing within the
city.
He then went on to say that he had dinner with some friends over the weekend
and he had a friend that was a doctor state that he is considering closing his
practice, a lawyer that works for a large insurance company that pays $600 a
month in medical insurance, and an editor of the Post Standard who has had to
cut back hours in his department, and contemplates if the paper will even
survive.
Mr. Spector then continued to say that when he addressed the Assembly last
September, the market had dropped 500 points and he had warned the Assembly
about the New York State budget and Wall Street. He then continued to say
that things are much worse now than what they were in September. He had a
colleague who took all his money out of the market last summer. He said
it would drop to 4000 points. The market however, it at 8000 points
now.
He then continued to say that the union newsletter “The Voice” distributed
posters as centerfold in its last issue, and have been seen in Fulton at the
Thai Restaurant, Karpinski’s, and his front lawn. Mr. Spector handed out
a lot more, and is sure that some people posted their posters. His point
however, was to stress to the assembly that the union membership doesn’t read
“The Voice” and didn’t take the time to place one advertisement with a local
business or place it in their own window.
He then said that both the college and the union have set up websites for
you to contact your legislators. If any assembly members want to preserve
your benefits and your job and that of your colleagues, you’ll start sending a
fax a day. This is very much a political issue and politicians need out
votes and the votes of our students. He wanted to have the Assembly
become proactive with this issues, and help save jobs.
Mr. Spector lastly said that the Individual Development Advancement Program
Awards are coming up, and faculty members should consider applying for
it. He also then talked about nominations for Union Office, and to
contact the Union Office with any questions that faculty might have.
Chair Report - S.
Camp
The Chair of Faculty Assembly had no report.
VII.
Unfinished Business
The Chair addressed the assembly that since the new school of Communications
opened last spring, the Assembly needs to change the language of the bylaws to
assure that the Deans search committees are appropriately configured. The
Faculty By-laws Appendix A: Section I, Paragraphs D. E. G. H. were all approved
unanimously.
VIII.
New Business
There was no
new business
The meeting was adjourned at 5:13 P.M.
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