College Senate

Meeting Minutes

September 26, 2011

Senators present: J. Backus-Foster, A. Burger, J. Burgess (proxy held by D. Stein), S. Carlson, M. DeFreece, D. Dougherty, L. Goodwin-Burwood, T. Hamblin, C. Levitt, K. MacLeod , M. McKenna, A. Mitchell, J. Morgan, K. Ogborn, S. Poe (proxy held by C. Levitt), S. Shoemaker, D. Sivers, D. Stein, S. Swayze, A. Thompson, C. Vesterfelt, M. Wake, J. Yando, K. Zuber

Senators absent: S. Babcock, E. Hodges, A. Sohns

Guest: T. Nicholson

Meeting called to order by Presider J. Miller at 4:18 p.m.

Motion to approve the minutes of the September 12, 2011 meeting minutes; motion: M. DeFreece; seconded: S. Swayze

Discussion on Action Items from September 12, 2011 meeting

• New Mission Statement for the College is public; some Senate suggestions have been incorporated
• Concern from some Senators in regards to the timeline to discuss and approve was very rushed
• Discussion on the purpose of the Mission Statement (what we are currently doing) and how it fits with the Strategic Plan (our aspirations)

Proposed New Committee of the Senate

• Professional Staff Permanent and Term Appointment Committee
• Trying to remain consistent between faculty and professional staff in terms of ongoing employment
  • Will mirror the faculty committee—Continuing and Term Appointment
  • Information will be sent out to professional staff Senators to discuss with functional area
  • Suggest to administration that they go over the information on how work assessment is currently done or created
  • Discussion on performance reports being copied and given to faculty and how this is not consistent around the campus

Senate Membership

• Discussion on by-laws changes to qualify which job titles can serve
• Discussion on statement of conflict of interest
• Discussion on allowing the staff represented by the College Senate to use their discretion when voting for new membership
• Discussion on sending out a survey/e-mail to get feedback—M. Wake to draft
• Each Senator should check in with their functional area to see if there are any other concerns

UFS Draft Resolution on Shared Services

• Executive Board of UFS will discuss with the UFS membership at plenary in October
• Discussion on shared academic services with Cobleskill
• Board of Trustees Resolution
  • Question on how to submit concerns to Chancellor—as a group or individually?
  • Send any questions about BOT Resolution from your functional areas to T. Hamblin
  • Send comments about shared services—attrition, cost, consolidation, etc. to J. Miller

UFS Alternate Senator

• Senate currently needs one
• Discussion on job duties
• Speak with T. Hamblin if interested or you have questions

Common Hour feedback

• Positives—good turnout for Activity Fair
• Uncertainties—takes time out of the teaching schedule; some students feel left out because they have class at that time (this was problematic when students were required to attend a Common Hour event and the student had a class conflict)

Old Business

• Chancellor Committees
  • M. DeFreece approved unanimously by Senate to chair the Excellence in Professional Service and Excellence in Classified Service Committee
  • D. Brower approved unanimously by Senate to chair the Excellence in Faculty Service, Excellence in Librarianship, Excellence in Creative and Scholarly Activity Committee
  • Committee membership status—Operations Committee is currently working on this

Next meeting October 24, 2011

Meeting adjourned at 5:59 p.m.