02 April 2012 Provost's Report to College Senate

Updates – Campus Climate On 16 March the College held its first session with Anti- Defamation League (ADL). ADL will be back this summer to present an intensive train-the-trainer program. Seeking volunteers to participate and earn certification, so that they can co-facilitate workshops using the ADL's "A Campus of Difference" model.

Updates - Campus Climate Participants will be compensated for completing the training program, which will run five days. The expectation is that once certified, co-facilitators will run three workshops a year for the term of the college's three-year contract with the ADL.

Announcements – Campus Climate The President and four cabinet members meet with the Committee for Social Justice (CFSJ) on 15 March. CFSJ students requested that I encourage the faculty to do the following. Hire more faculty from underrepresented groups. Create a more culturally inclusive curriculum.

Summary of Listening Sessions 1 Provost met with all departments between October and January. Primary Topics Academic Affairs restructuring Academic Master Plan Other Topics Graduate programs Teaching load Class sizes Departmental budgets Criteria for tenure and promotion

Summary of Listening Sessions 2 Other Topics (continued) General education Distance learning Experiential learning Academic advisement Assessment Difficulty finding housing in Oneonta Difficulty finding affordable, high quality, child care Difficulty finding employment for spouse/partner

Summary of Listening Sessions 3 The following statement was frequently made regarding restructuring. “We want our own dean but we don’t want too many deans.” The following statement was frequently made regarding the AMP. “Why do we need a plan” or “We have planning fatigue.”

Summary of Listening Sessions 4 Two common themes that surfaced in all departments. Desire for interdisciplinary collaboration. Desire for others across campus to understand and respect the identity/contributions of the department.

Updates Restructuring Update - repeated from 13 February The Office of the Provost has engaged a consultant to review the structure of Academic Affairs (administrative offices and divisions) and make recommendations as to appropriate staffing and reporting lines Dr. Robert Martin, former Vice President for Academic Affairs at Framingham State University in Massachusetts, visited the campus Feb 6 – 8 and Feb His CV, Overview of Consultant Services and other information is posted on the Academic Affairs home page.

Updates Restructuring Update - repeated from 13 February Dr. Martin will submit a written report which will be made available to the campus. Also, he will present the results of his report to the campus community at an open meeting. This will take place on or before 16 April Provost will present a brief summary of his report to College Senate.

Updates Restructuring Update – repeated from 13 February The process of consultation with faculty is ongoing and the consultant’s recommendations will not be final; they will be one more data point to consider. Other data points include the following. Organizational Structure Task Force Report Information from Listening Sessions Written statements submitted to Provost by department chairs. Provost is seeking more faculty input on restructuring and is requesting written comments and/or survey results by 16 April 2012.