Guydosh's Report on 
The SUNY University Faculty Senate
Spring 2001 Meeting

I was pleased to again have the opportunity to represent the Plattsburgh campus as your representative to the University Faculty Senate. The University Faculty Senate met for its Spring plenary session April 19 through 21 at the Cobleskill campus.

The University Faculty Senate passed five resolutions, complete copies of which are available on my web site: http://faculty.plattsburgh.edu/ray.guydosh  The resolutions concerned 1) lifting the prohibition against SUNY faculty serving as expert witnesses against the State of New York, 2) supporting the Association of Governing Boards policy statement concerning the selection of Boards of Trustees at public universities, 3) indicating support for the report of the Provost's Advisory Council on Teacher Education (in contrast to any Trustee initiated proposals), 4) reaffirming rejection of system-wide assessment, 5) calling on the Chancellor to meet with local campus governance leaders to discuss the excellence of SUNY's teacher education programs.

In his report representing both the Chancellor and himself, Provost Peter Salins discussed the report of the Provost's Advisory Council on Teacher Education and the intended Trustees' resolution from Trustee deRussy. Provost Salins indicated that the Chancellor had requested that he develop an action plan based on the Provost's Committee's own report, rather than on the deRussy resolution. Salins also commented on financial issues involving students taking courses across SUNY units (in response to one of my questions), on technology initiatives (including an Internet2 system-wide backbone), on centralized marketing for international students, on addressing SUNY Learning Network intellectual property issues, and on clarifying the role of the Provost's Advisory Committee on General Education by Fall semester and possibly getting PACGE "out of the business of approving courses".

There were also reports by various University Faculty Senate standing committees. I did mention any significant committee business in connection with the resolutions above.

With respect to Senate leadership, current Senate President Joe Flynn was defeated for reelection by Joe Hildreth from Potsdam. Joe Hildreth had formerly been a member of the University Faculty Senate Executive Committee and currently chaired the University Faculty Senate governance committee. The various SUNY campus types are organized into sectors, groups having common concerns, such as the Colleges of Arts and Science. All of the four sectors selected new sector chairs and representatives to the executive committee. I was honored to be chosen to chair the four-year Arts and Science College sector and to serve on next year's Senate executive committee.

If you would like further information about the meeting or any of the issues, please feel free to contact me. Thank you again for the honor of representing you.