College Council Minutes of Sept. 18, 2015

PRESENT                                        ABSENT

Mr. James McMahon, chair       Mr. Brian McGrath, excused
Ms. Darlene Baker                        Mr. Baye Muhammad, excused
Mr. Saleem Cheeks
Mr. Christopher Collins-McNeil
Mr. Richard Farfaglia 
Mr. Michael Goldych
Mr. William Scriber
Mr. Gary Sluzar

Ms. Deborah F. Stanley, President
Dr. Lorrie Clemo, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost
Dr. Jerald Woolfolk, Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management
Mr. Nick Lyons, Vice President for Finance and Administration
Ms. Kerry Dorsey, Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations
Ms. Kristi Eck, Chief of Staff
Ms. Pamela Caraccioli, Deputy to the President for External Partnerships and Economic Development Dr. Kristen Eichhorn, Faculty Fellow Ms. Ellen McCloskey, Assistant to the President
Ms. Joan Carroll, Faculty Assembly Chair Mr. Christopher Collins-McNeil, Student Association President
Mr. Rick Yacobush, Alumni representative
Ms. Julie Harrison Blissert, Director of Public Affairs and College Council Recorder      

1.  The chair called the meeting to order at 1:09 p.m. in Room 425, Shineman Center.

President Stanley introduced Dr. Eichhorn, who talked briefly about her activities as Faculty Fellow.  

2.  The minutes of April 29, 2015, were unanimously approved.   

3.  Wireless Lab Presentation
Dr. Clemo introduced Dr. Pat Parimi, director of the Advanced Wireless Systems Research Center. Dr. Parimi described the center's education and research activities in wireless science, engineering and technology. Its mission includes workforce training in high needs fields. The center is part of the Institute of Environmental Medicine and Environmental Health, established by a SUNY 2020 grant in collaboration with SUNY Upstate Medical University and the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry. In partnership with the University of Calcutta, two doctoral students are currently on staff. The center is conducting research in biomedical technology, transportation systems and commercial mobile applications and expects to pursue military wireless applications. He described the labs in Shineman Center and Wilber Hall, the latter including an anechoic chamber for wireless research, and several current projects, including a wireless power transfer device. Council members visited the labs following the meeting.  

4.  Student Association Report: Mr. Collins-McNeil reported on his goal for Student Association to promote an activist culture that empowers students, involvement with U.S. Student Association and an upcoming workshop on challenging power, promoting SA at orientation, planning Homecoming with Alumni Relations, hiring a cabinet, creating an SA web page, moving purchasing online, the Student Involvement Fair, a WTOP-TV upgrade, the Vote Oswego Project, training for student officers and senators, Civic Engagement activities, a new barber hired by Auxiliary Services, plans for OzFest, transfer student engagement, outreach with city police and the Campus-City Relations Committee, the upcoming housing fair, and Future Oswego Leaders Conference. Discussion focused on funding of the WTOP upgrade.  

5.  Alumni Report Mr. Yacobush reported on reunion planning, Homecoming Nov. 14 and Spirit Week Nov. 8 to 13, Alumni in Residence and Alumni Sharing Knowledge activities for this year, regional events, senior orientation with Career Services Sept. 24, the best Welcoming Torchlight Ceremony ever, GOLD events, Future Alumni Network plans, Athletic Hall of Fame induction Nov. 14, legacy student reception Oct. 24, Oswego Connect with 6,110 registered members, alumni social networks, and the next alumni magazine. Discussion included definition of legacy students, housing for Homecoming alumni, the growth of GOLD alumni and participation in regional events.  

6.  Faculty Report: Ms. Carroll reported on developing policy on undergraduate teaching assistants, bylaw consistency on promotion and tenure and faculty contribution to those decisions, the re-election of history professor Gwen Kay as vice president of SUNY Faculty Senate and Dr. Eichhorn's election as a Faculty Senator, the Senate's work on family leave and patent policy, and good student participation in Faculty Assembly activities. Discussion included SUNY patent policy and patenting wireless technology being developed at Oswego, the retirement of U.S. Patent Commissioner Margaret Focarino '77, and the ramifications of family leave policy at Oswego.  

7.  President's Remarks: President Stanley reported on the SUNY Excels/Tomorrow Advisory Group's work on strategic plan metrics and on proposals for funding from SUNY's Investment and Performance Fund -- six Oswego-led proposals are going forward to the next phase plus three joint proposals with other campuses; strong applications and enrollment of well-prepared students; growing student diversity due to demographics and recruitment; growing enrollment in STEM fields; fewer transfer and graduate students; full residence halls; weak enrollment in the School of Education; variables impacting international enrollment; budget; Start-Up New York prospects with a Chinese biotechnology firm and an expanding local company; the fundraising campaign at nearly $37 million; endowment growth; ALANA conference; and Tyler Hall renovations. Discussion included the varying regional demand for teachers, diversity growth outstripping former targets, recruitment at CUNY community colleges, chief diversity officers for all SUNY campuses (Dr. Woolfolk is interim diversity officer at Oswego and a search is to come), Native American recruitment, SUNY Faculty Senate diversity efforts, Paul Smith's name change, insufficient capital funds and SUNY's next five-year capital fund request, a cybersecurity program, the recent email phishing attack, and wind damage to Shineman's solar panels.    

8.  Old Business: None  

9.  New Business: Mr. Lyons reported on the Oswego Guardian mobile safety app and how students are made aware.   

The meeting adjourned at 3:30 p.m.