Minutes of a Stated Meeting of the Senate of New York University October 4, 2012
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NEW YORK UNIVERSITY __________________________________________________________ Minutes of a Stated Meeting of the Senate of New York University October 4, 2012 A stated meeting of the Senate of New York University was held on Thursday, October 4, 2012, at 2:00 p.m., in the Colloquium Room of the Global Center for Academic and Spiritual Life, 238 Thompson Street. The meeting was convened with Dr. Sexton in the chair. Faculty Senators Council Members Present: Mark Alter, Awam Amkpa, Susan Anton, Efrain Azmitia (for Hasia Diner), Pamela Cowin, Rajeev Dehjia (for Victor Rodwin), Christine Harrington, Carol Hutchins, Jim Jacobs, Warren Jelinek, Mary Anne Jones, Angela Kamer, Rebecca Karl, Wen Ling, Achiau Ludomirsky, Ted Magder (Chair), Marie Monaco, William Nelson, Laurin Raiken, Carol Sternhell, David Stokes, Arthur Tannenbaum, Paul Thompson (for Charlton McIlwain), George Thurston, Alexander Tuzhilin (for Raghu Sundaram), Jim Uleman, and Nancy Van Devanter. Student Senators Council Members Present: Christian Acevedo, Alicia Bell, Anthony Beshay, Corey Blay, John Boyd, Tai Cooper, Mariam Ehrari, Mason Dettloff, Jameson Lee, Stephanie Gent, Brian Plaut, Calaena Powder, Rhoen Pruesse-Adams, Rocco Puno, Seyyed Ali Sajjadi, Griffin Simpson, Nishant Thakkar, Patrick Ryan Totaro, Ashley Valencia, and Malina Webb (Chair). Deans Council Members Present: Charles Bertolami (Chair), Mary Brabeck, Thomas Carew, Randy Hertz (for Richard Revesz), Joanne Hvala (for Peter Blair Henry), Carol Mandel, Ellen Schall, Kenneth Tabachnick (for Mary Schmidt Campbell), Gabrielle Starr, Lynn Videka, Diann Witt (for Geeta Menon), and Susanne Wofford. Administrative Management Council Members Present: Hilarie Ashton, John De Santis, Anita Dwyer, David Vintinner, and David Vogelsang (Chair). University Administration Members Present: Mike Alfano, Bob Berne, Bonnie Brier, and David McLaughlin In Memoriam The General Counsel and Secretary of the Senate, Bonnie Brier, read the names of the members of the University community whose deaths were reported since the Senate Meeting of October 2011. After reading the names, the Senate observed a moment of silence. A list of names is attached to these minutes as Exhibit A. Minutes, University Senate October 4, 2012 Page 2 Review and Approval of the Minutes of the May 3, 2012 Meeting Upon motion duly made and seconded, the Minutes of the May 3, 2012 meeting were approved unanimously as presented. COMMITTEE REPORTS Executive Committee Vice President of the Senate Professor Ted Magder reported that a meeting of the Executive Committee of the Senate was held on September 25, 2012, at which the University Senate officers for the 2012-2013 academic year and all committee assignments were approved, and were transmitted to all senators with the materials for this meeting. Dr. Magder noted that the Student Senators Council (SSC) requested three changes to the Senate committee assignments after the Executive Committee meeting, and that the committee unanimously approved these SSC changes by email ballot. The list of officers is attached to these minutes as Exhibit B and the list of committee assignments as revised is attached to these minutes as Exhibit C. Dr. Magder moved for the adoption of the revised 2012-2013 Senate meeting schedule, which was included in the mailing. Upon motion duly made, the schedule was approved unanimously and is attached to these minutes as Exhibit D. Public Affairs Committee Professor Arthur Tannenbaum read and asked the Senate to pass the Commencement Resolution that was included in the mailing. Upon motion duly made and seconded, the Senate unanimously adopted the following resolution: RESOLVED, that upon the recommendation of the Public Affairs Committee, the 2013 All-University Commencement Exercises will take place on Wednesday, May 22, 2013 in Yankee Stadium. Accordingly, Grad Alley will take place on Tuesday, May 21, 2013. The All-University Commencement Exercises are also projected to take place on Wednesday, May 21, 2014 and Wednesday, May 20, 2015 in Yankee Stadium, subject to the stadium’s availability. Grad Alley would be held the evening before Commencement each year. COUNCIL REPORTS Administrative Management Council Administrative Management Council (AMC) Chair David Vogelsang reported that the AMC hosted a Welcome Breakfast for all new Senators, Alternate Senators, Minutes, University Senate October 4, 2012 Page 3 Representatives, and Alternate Representatives on September 27. He advised that the first AMC general meeting was held on October 2 and Ann Kraus, Senior Director, Global Compensation & Benefits, and Trish Halley, Director, Health & Welfare Benefits, presented on the upcoming Benefits Open Enrollment. Following the Benefits presentation, Associate Vice President of the Student Health Center Carlo Ciotoli and Allison Smith, Administrator of Public Health Initiatives and Assessment, spoke about the Student Health Center’s “Live Well Initiative” for students. Mr. Vogelsang announced that this year, the AMC is celebrating its 40th anniversary by asking administrators to be proactive in learning about and engaging in the initiatives of the Global Network University. He concluded by noting two upcoming AMC activities: for the fifth year in a row, the AMC has organized an NYU team of administrators, faculty, staff, students, and alumni for the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk on October 21 in Central Park; and the AMC will continue its tradition of giving back to the community by contributing to Community Board 2’s Children’s Halloween Parade. Deans Council Deans Council Chair Charles Bertolami reported that the Deans Council met on September 19. He advised that Dean Lynn Videka led a discussion at the meeting on integrating global study into professional school curricula. He noted that Deans Videka and Schall will lead a small group of professional school deans to discuss this matter and, if appropriate, to bring recommendations back to the Deans Council. Dr. Bertolami related that Dean Tom Carew led a discussion at the meeting on global hiring and faculty appointments, which included updating the Council on efforts to assure that relevant parties at the portal campuses are consistent regarding employment offers to new and existing NYU faculty. Dr. Bertolami advised that Dean Carol Mandel provided a brief update on the University Space Priorities Working Group at the meeting. Faculty Senators Council Dr. Ted Magder, Chair of the Faculty Senators Council (FSC), related that over the summer the FSC reviewed and commented on a new Intellectual Property Policy and a new Conflict of Interest Policy for Faculty, both of which were approved by the Board of Trustees in late June. He noted that the FSC is completing its review of a proposal from the School of Medicine to create non-tenure track lines for library faculty in the School of Medicine, and is working with the administration to clarify the procedures for making revisions and amendments to the Faculty Handbook. He advised that Faculty senators also met with Matthew Santirocco, Senior Vice President for Undergraduate Academic Affairs, to discuss the FSC’s recommendation to make all course evaluations available to students. Dr. Madger concluded by reporting that the FSC urges the administration to involve faculty in its strategic overview of on-line education. Minutes, University Senate October 4, 2012 Page 4 Student Senators Council SSC Chair Malina Webb advised that the SSC and the University Committee on Student Life (UCSL) met on September 27, at which Diane Yu, Chief of Staff and Deputy to the President, and Lynne Brown, Senior Vice President for University Relations and Public Affairs, presented on the NYU Core Plan. Ms. Webb noted that this year the SSC will focus on educating the student body about University initiatives and looks forward to the inclusion of NYU Abu Dhabi’s senator at the next SSC meeting. She advised that the next UCSL meeting is scheduled for October 25, at which Linda Mills, Vice Chancellor for Global Programs and University Life, and Nancy Morrison, Vice President for Global Programs, will present on the Global Network University. REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT Dr. Sexton referred to the memorandum that was circulated to each Senator, and is attached to these minutes as Exhibit E, outlining some of the individual and collective achievements at the University since the Senate’s last meeting. PRESIDENT’S QUESTION TIME Dr. Sexton responded to the FSC’s question about the University Space Priorities Working Group, which will work on fulfillment of the University’s space needs. The Working Group includes members appointed by the deans as well as each of the Senate councils (FSC, SSC and AMC) and Robert Berne, Executive Vice President for Health, and Diane Yu, Chief of Staff and Deputy to the President, will represent the administration. He noted that the Working Group will determine processes but he hopes that the group will be as transparent as possible. On the substantive matter before the group, Dr. Sexton advised that the University has considerable immediate space needs in its core area for which it will rent space on a temporary basis. It will be these and other pressing space needs in the core area that the Working Group will address. Answering a question on the cost of the Core Project, Dr. Sexton stated that the Working Group will have all of the relevant financial information. But, he noted that the question of the cost and financing is a highly complex one, turning on the nature and quantity of the space need that is met. For example classroom space for existing programs is a cost that must be borne fully, since we do not have plans to increase the size of existing programs as a general matter; classroom space for a new program is paid for by the introduction of additional students; lab space is paid for in part by grants; dorm space is amortized over time and paid for by the rents; and, of course, philanthropy alleviates costs. He stated that current interest rates are very low, making it a good time to engage in building projects, rather than to continue to rent space.