The next meeting of the Buffalo State College Council will be held at 4:00 p.m. Tuesday, February 24, in Cleveland Hall 518.
Agenda
When I talk with faculty and staff members, the discussion often turns to how today’s students and the teaching-learning process have changed dramatically in the last decade. Students come to campus familiar with using technology to communicate, solve problems, gather information, and navigate the complexity of their lives....
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At its February 13, 2015, meeting, the College Senate approved a resolution to revise the policy on minors and forward the recommendation to the president for review and final action.
The following excerpt from a motion by the College Senate Curriculum Committee in December 2014 provides the rationale for this recommendation:
“WHEREAS, there has been an increase in available elective hours for many major programs due to changes in the Intellectual Foundations program, and many departments wish to develop minor programs to increase the learning opportunities for Buffalo State College students; and
WHEREAS, minors are intended as introductory to their topics; and
WHEREAS, the current requirements limiting minors to no more than two courses at the lower-division level cause a hardship in developing accessible minor programs and have led to an excessive number of exceptions to this rule…”
The original language in DOPS IV:05:00, Section E, of the requirements reads as follows:
E. A minor may include no more than two courses at a lower-division level.
The proposed revision to the language appears in boldface type below:
E. A minor may include no more than half of its credit hours at the lower-division level.
I accept the recommendation of the College Senate regarding changes to the requirements for minors. I hereby authorize the provost to oversee the implementation and communication of this change in policy to become effective with the fall 2015 semester.
At its February 13, 2015, meeting, the College Senate approved a resolution to revise the Policy on Extra Service and forward the recommendation to the president for review and final action:
The original policy DOPS VI:07:00 Guidelines for “Extra Service” Compensation, Item 2, reads as follows:
2. These special assignments must not interfere with the individual’s regular professional responsibilities. It must be clearly demonstrated that such research or other service exceeds that which is normally performed under the regular obligation.
The proposed revision to the policy appears in boldface type below:
2. These special assignments must not interfere with the individual’s regular professional responsibilities. It must be clearly demonstrated that such research or other service exceeds that which is normally performed under the regular obligation. The approval of extra service must include consideration of the employee’s current workload and job performance. Specific guidelines include the following expectations:
I accept the recommendation of the College Senate regarding changes to the Guidelines for “Extra Service” Compensation. I hereby authorize the provost to oversee the implementation and communication of this change in policy to become effective immediately.
At its February 13, 2015, meeting, the College Senate approved a resolution to revise the policy on Mid-Semester Appraisal of Student Progress and forward the recommendation to the president for review and final action.
This was a request to consider a revision of DOPS I:16:02 Evaluation of Students. Two items of interest are the time and means for mid-semester evaluations. This is item 3 in the current statement. The original policy language follows:
3. Mid-Semester Evaluations: Mid-semester appraisal of students regarding their academic standing is required. This must be done no later than the end of the ninth week of the semester or the third week of a summer session. These dates correspond to dates for course withdrawal and thus give students the opportunity to withdraw without academic penalty.
The proposed revision to the policy appears in boldface type below:
3. Mid-Semester Evaluations: Mid-semester appraisal of students regarding their academic standing is required. Appraisal should be by use of a midterm grade corresponding to the grading system defined for the course. This must be done at least a week prior to the published deadline for students’ withdrawal from a course. This date, which is in advance of the designated course withdrawal date, gives students the opportunity to assess their performance and, if desired, withdraw without academic penalty.
I accept the recommendation of the College Senate regarding changes to the time and means for mid-semester evaluations. I hereby authorize the provost to oversee the implementation and communication of this change in policy to become effective with the commencement of Summer Session in 2015.
As I move around campus this cold and snowy winter, I am noticing that the campus community is seriously attacking the work at hand. Perhaps a positive side of wintry days is a lessened temptation to procrastinate or to engage in spontaneous playfulness...
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Last week, I had the pleasure of seeing how Buffalo State extends its reach and fosters exposure to science within the Buffalo community...
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When I began my role as president, I shared with you my belief that Buffalo State is an extraordinary college that reaches for the stars in ways that elevate the work of all programs and divisions while supporting our students. I want to touch on that theme now as we head into the 2015 Faculty and Staff Appeal.
Reaching for the stars means supporting our students in layered and deliberate ways. It means ensuring that our students can experience all aspects of the excellent education we offer at Buffalo State. It means ensuring that they have the resources to complete their degrees and pay for books and materials, and have opportunities for learning inside and outside the classroom. It means preventing students from falling through the cracks by closing gaps of all kinds.
Now in its 27th year, the Faculty and Staff Appeal contributes not only to important scholarships for students but also to an array of funds for projects, domestic and international travel, and a wide range of supportive services. Additionally, departments across campus depend on the appeal to augment resources for equipment, competitions, master classes, and conferences that enable Buffalo State to push the envelope of excellence.
Giving to this essential campaign means you join with others to weave your support into a fabric that makes a difference for our students. Whether you make a one-time gift or opt for deductions through the year, please join your colleagues and me in contributing to the 2015 Faculty and Staff Appeal. With your help, we can truly reach for the stars, and as a campus, we can hold the ladder of support for each and every one of our students as they reach for the stars.
At its February 13, 2015, meeting, the College Senate approved a resolution to support changes to broad-based student fees for fiscal year 2015–2016 as presented by the college administration as follows:
WHEREAS, enrollments have declined for the past three years, causing a reduction in revenues for the broad-based fee accounts; and,
WHEREAS, fringe benefit costs continue to increase expenses; and
WHEREAS, in the past two years, administration has balanced accounts by reducing administrative overhead expenses, internal reallocations, expenditure controls, and fee increases,
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the College Senate support the administration’s broad-based fee increase of 2.1 percent ($22) for the 2015–2016 fiscal year, with the following individual changes: increases for Athletics = $11, Health = $4, and Technology = $7.
I thank the College Senate, especially the Student Welfare and Budget and Staff Allocations committees, for its careful review, consultation, and action on the proposal to increase broad-based fees. I have charged the vice president for finance and management with the responsibility of implementing the process within SUNY guidelines and deadlines to effect this change with the 2015–2016 academic year.
You may have noticed significant activity on the grounds of the Richardson Olmsted Complex, located directly across campus. This 140-year-old National Historic Landmark is widely considered to be one of Buffalo’s most important and beautiful structures...
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