Academic Plan 2011-2015 (PDF 524kB) - SUNY Empire State College
Academic Plan 2011-2015 (PDF 524kB) - SUNY Empire State College
Academic Plan 2011-2015 (PDF 524kB) - SUNY Empire State College
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38 <strong>SUNY</strong> <strong>Empire</strong> <strong>State</strong> <strong>College</strong>: <strong>Academic</strong> <strong>Plan</strong> <strong>2011</strong> - <strong>2015</strong>In short, we need to use the most effective ways to provide faculty with up-to-date information onboth internal and external funding possibilities, as well as the support to apply for these funding/release sources. We need to ensure that the timeline/calendar for applications for funding meet theneeds of the majority of faculty. Overall, we need to ensure that the current system of providing facultydevelopment funds is sufficient, and that there is a clear understanding of the types of activities suchfunds can be used for. The system of fund distribution, approval criteria and process for requestingfunding for faculty development should be understood clearly by all faculty.Objective C2.4: Develop a plan and timeline to analyze and address faculty obligation ina sustainable and comprehensive sense.The Blue Ribbon Panel recommended changes to create manageable and transparent instructionalschedules to promote faculty satisfaction and to enhance opportunities for reflective mentoring andscholarly work. Faculty must be able to balance scholarly activities, teaching and mentoring, anduniversity service successfully within the present resources of the college.Institutional service is a particular issue at <strong>Empire</strong> <strong>State</strong> <strong>College</strong>, where innovation requires activeengagement on the part of faculty in academic policy and where the number of full-time faculty maybe insufficient for the task. Service is a task that requires time for reflection and articulation. It iscritical that the need for faculty service be supported by the college in terms of how faculty balanceservice with their work with students or scholarly engagement. It also is critical to consider whether theallocation of time among the roles of the mentor should vary over the academic lifecycle to help ensurea better balance and more resources.Objective C2.5: Examine faculty retention and reappointment successThe provost’s Blue Ribbon Task Force recommendation – that <strong>Empire</strong> <strong>State</strong> <strong>College</strong> and college facultyundertake research to identify issues and problems related to recruitment and retention of high qualitymentors who are prepared to engage with all of the college’s multiple modes of teaching and learning– should be implemented. There is a belief among faculty that criteria for reappointment, tenure andpromotion, while explained in the faculty handbook, are not clear or consistently applied. This mightbe alleviated by valid and transparent measures of effectiveness in teaching, service and scholarship forboth full and part time faculty.Objective C2.6: Provide ongoing support for all faculty and academic professionalemployees in terms of their ongoing learning, development and renewalThe college is relatively generous in its support of professional development, although that supportis threatened in difficult budgetary times. We urge the college leadership to continue supportingprofessional development to the widest extent possible.Objective C2.7: Leadership in adult learningIt is vital that we strengthen <strong>SUNY</strong> <strong>Empire</strong> <strong>State</strong> <strong>College</strong>’s leadership and recognition in adult andhigher education, which would include highlighting our flexible, progressive and technology-enhancedapproaches to learning. This includes the need to support research, presentations, publication andgrant writing as related to mentoring, teaching and learning, as well as supporting the work of the