Faculty Senate convenes fall
term Sept. 21

Chronicle staff

he Faculty Senate will hold its first meeting of the academic year Sept. 21 in Herter 227 at 3:30.

     The meeting will feature an address by state Rep. Ellen Story (D-Amherst), remarks by the campus's principal administrative officers and outgoing Rules Committee chair Joseph Larson, the election of two members and a chair for the Rules Committee, and annual reports, in addition to other business.

     "This is an opportunity for faculty or other members of the campus community to question our representative to the legislature and the members of the senior campus administration about what is 'really going on,'" senate secretary Ernest May said. "If the right questions are posed, our administrative leaders are frequently quite frank about what is on their minds."

     Interim Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Javier Cevallos will report on admissions and enrollment figures. Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Provost Cora Marrett will discuss, among other things, recent recognition for excellence in undergraduate engineering, the factors involved in the program's success and how to maintain and improve the campus's standing in the field. Robert Helgesen, vice chancellor for Outreach, anticipates providing an update on the president's initiative on distance learning. And Paul Page, vice chancellor for Administration and Finance, will report on facilities work completed over the summer and upcoming projects.

     The Rules Committee elections are important, May said, because that group is the executive committee of the senate.

     "It serves in an advisory capacity to the chancellor, provost, and occasionally also to the Board of Trustees and president and thus stays in touch with the 'big issues' facing campus," he said. "It coordinates the work of the senate's 27 councils and committees, sets the agenda for meetings..., and, from time to time, it produces special reports on 'hot-button' issues."