Present: M. Abolafia, V. Aceto, J. Bartow, N. Belowich-Negron, D. Biggs, E. Block, H. Charalambous, S. Coon, J. Doellefeld, S. Doellefeld, K. Douglass, P. Eppard, S. Faerman, M. Genkin, H. Ghiradella, R. Gibson, F. Hauser, R. Hoyt, B. Levine, A. Linken, S. Lubensky, C. MacDonald, S. Maloney, D. McCaffrey, J. Mumpower, C. Pearce, J. Pipkin, J. Place, M. Range, C. Santiago, L. Schell, D. Shub, T. Stephen, R. Toseland, T. Turner, J. Uppal, S. Webber, E. Wulfert

Guests: R. Farrell, R. McFarland,

Chair Wulfert called the meeting to order at 3:35 p.m. She welcomed the Senators to the first University Senate meeting.

1. Approval of Minutes
It was noted that E. Wulfert attended the meeting on May 7. On page 2 under the Chair's Report, the second last line, remove "use to be involved" and replace with "who are no longer involved...". There being no further changes, the 2000-01 University Senate Minutes of May 7 were approved as amended.

On page 1 of the 2001-02 University Senate Minutes under Welcome, change "introduce" to introduced". In the second paragraph, the sentence should read: "She thanked Professor D. McCaffrey for his leadership and assistance in her preparation for the position of Chair of the Senate. Under New Business, the second paragraph, second line, change "Reiss" to "Reese". There being no further changes, the 2001-02 University Senate Minutes of May 7 were approved as amended.

2. President's Report
Provost Santiago reported that President Hitchcock was attending a SUNY President's meeting. On her behalf, he thanked the campus community for their response for the events of September 11. Nine students and two staff members are directly affected by the events. The Alumni Office is compiling a list of alumni on its web site, he said. Provost Santiago said that the response has been supportive on the part of the campus. There will be changes to security on campus and the University will be proactive to reaching out to students.

The University at Albany has received the 2001-02 financial plan from System Administration and it is a no growth budget. The major increase in the budget is the funding of faculty salaries. It is not clear what supplemental items will be funded in light of the events of September 11.

Provost Santiago announced that graduate enrollments have exceeded their targets. Undergraduate enrollment is up although the freshman enrollment is below target.

Provost Santiago met with the Chair of the Search Committee for the Dean for Arts and Sciences and representatives from the search firm. The search firm will be meeting with the search committee this week. A professional firm is assisting the University in the search for a Director of the Office of Affirmative Action, he said. The search for a Dean for Information Science and Policy will begin later in the Fall semester.

3. University Faculty Senate Report
Professor Turner reported on the University Faculty Senate Fall planning meeting. He reported on several points of interest including the Strategic Planning Initiative, which is underway. The group will try to form policy and identify what is essential to the system. The University Faculty Senate wants to be involved in the development of this initiative.

Professor Aceto and his committee are developing a University Faculty Senate web site, reported Professor Turner. The web site will have links to all the campus Senates and the Board of Trustees so that their minutes can be read. The University at Albany is also developing a new web site.

The campus governance leaders (CGL) were also invited to the Fall planning meeting and will be included in all discussions Professor Turner said.

4. Chair's Report
Chair Wulfert reported that the Albany University Senate web page is up and running (www.albany.edu/Senate). She noted that Patricia McAuliff and Bill Schwarz have developed the new site. Chair Wulfert asked for student assistance on updating the web site in a timely fashion. She asked the Council Chairs to send their agenda and minutes to her for inclusion on the Council web pages. She also asked the Council Chairs to send their official web sites to the Helpdesk for linkage to the Senate web site.

Professor McCaffrey wrote a comprehensive report for the 2000-01 University Senate, said Chair Wulfert, and can be found on the Senate web site.

Chair Wulfert reported on the University Faculty Senate Planning Meeting. The governance leaders are concerned about the issue of assessment.

Chair Wulfert asked that topic suggestions for the Faculty Forum be sent to her.

The Fall Faculty Meeting will be held on October 17 at 2 p.m. in the Ballroom, Chair Wulfert announced. A reception for new faculty and staff will be held immediately after the meeting in the Fireside Lounge.

5. Council Reports
a. CPCA: Professor Toseland reported the CPCA is organizing itself and has cases to discuss.
b. EPC: Professor McCaffrey reported that EPC has met and had a discussion on agenda items for the coming year. He then met with Provost Santiago about the agenda items.
c. GAC: Professor MacDonald reported that GAC has met and organized their committees. She also reported on issues to be discussed.
d. UAC: Dean Faerman reported that UAC has work from last year.
e. RES: There was no report.
f. LISC: Dr. Doellefeld noted that LISC's primary focus is to address issues from last year.
g. CAF�: Ms. Place had nothing to report.
h. ULC: There was no report.

6. Old Business
There was no Old Business.

7. New Business
a. University Senate Council Membership Changes. Chair Wulfert noted that undergraduate students have been added to the Council assignments. The Council changes were moved, seconded and approved.
b. Senate Bill No. 0102-01: Proposal to Change Graduate Academic Policy Pertaining to Leave of Absence from a Doctoral Program. Associate Provost Mumpower noted that the previously language was ambiguous and this language will clarify the policy. There being no questions, the Bill was moved and seconded. The Bill was approved with one abstention.

c. Chair Wulfert invited Dean Faerman and Professor Fetterley to give an update on assessment. The University is being faced with requirements from System Administration, the State Education Department and Middle States, said Dean Faerman. The campus view of assessment is for the purpose of obtaining information that is useful for the campus and that is faculty run and reviewed. The University is on a seven-year cycle for assessment in the major and some departments are coming up for review this year. Professor Fetterley has taken the lead for assessment in general education, said Dean Faerman. The Dean has met with her counterparts from other University Centers and they are concerned with the timetable and implementation guidelines for assessment. It is a System Administration initiative. Our focus should be on the information we receive and how we are using that information.

Professor Fetterley reported that for general education the process begins by looking at the areas of disciplinary perspective. Faculty have been identified and have agreed to discuss what the University might want students to get from the general education program. There has to be faculty involvement and faculty commitment. This process is being conducted within the context of improving the quality of education for our students and within the context of Albany being a University Center.

Our goal is to keep people informed and involved as much as possible, said Dean Faerman. All department chairs were sent a list of learning outcomes from the SUNY Provost Task Force. The chairs were asked to look at the degree of courses taught in their department. Albany will approach assessment in a broader way than what is specifically asked.

The SUNY Provost put out an RFP four years ago for a test for students, Professor Aceto said, and he is still committed to this. The information being gathered is accountable and should be used in performance funding. The University Faculty Senate has requested that the Chancellor and SUNY Provost add faculty members to the committees to discuss assessment. The original assessment report had two initiatives - one for campuses and one for System Administration.

Provost Santiago noted that this is an unfunded mandate from System Administration. Assessment should be campus based. Albany is objecting to System Administration's timeframe. Albany is looking for assessment of the major, general education and programmatic review for graduate and undergraduate programs.

8. Adjournment
There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 4:37 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Madelyn R. Cicero
Recorder