College Council Meeting Minutes: February, 10, 2023
COLLEGE COUNCIL
Tower Room, Doty Hall
February 10, 2023
PRESENT: Iris Banister
Melisza Campos
Gidget Hopf
Judith Hunter
Alex Ruiz
Christian Valentino
Robert Wayland-Smith, Chair
Jill Yonkers
STAFF: Denise Battles, President
Julie Buehler, Vice President for Finance and Administration
Joe Cope, Interim Provost
Kerri Howell, Chief Communications and Marketing Officer
Wendi Kinney, Chief of Staff
Ellen Leverich, Vice President for College Advancement
Christie Reed, Administrative Assistant to the President
robbie routenberg, Chief Diversity Officer
Amy Sheldon, College Senate Chair
Costas Solomou, Vice President for Enrollment Management (via zoom)
Michael Taberski, Vice President for Student and Campus Life
GUESTS: Sarah Frank, Director of Residence Life
Jocelyn Haines, Student
Amari McFadden, Student
Meg Reitz, Associate Director of Residence Life
CALL TO ORDER
Chair Wayland-Smith called the meeting to order at 1:03 p.m.
Chair welcomed everyone via zoom.
The minutes of the December 9, 2022 meeting were approved.
CABINET/FACULTY/STAFF/STUDENT PRESENTATION
Living Learning Communities at SUNY Geneseo
Sarah Frank, Director of Residence Life
Jocelyn Haines, Student
Amari McFadden, Student
Meg Reitz, Associate Director of Residence Life
Presenters reported on what is a living learning community (LLC); history of LLCs in higher education; and integration of LLCs into Geneseo’s strategic plan. Reitz highlighted existing Geneseo LLCs and plans for additional LLCs in Fall 2023.
Students Jocelyn Haines and Amari McFadden shared their experiences with the Eco House and Umoja House LLCs.
College Council members participated in an interactive discussion that asked them to conceptualize the type of LLC they would have desired to be a member of when they were a student and how they would build out that concept using Geneseo’s LLC model.
The presenters entertained Q&A from College Council.
STUDENT ASSOCIATION REPORT
Ruiz provided an update on the Student Association’s activities. The SA provided support to two affinity spaces (multicultural center and LGBTQ+ lounge). Club sports teams have seen recent success. Student activities fees help to support club sports. The SA is identifying ways to maximize its resources and the resources it funds for student organizations. This is a referendum year and the SA will begin a marketing campaign to seek students’ support for the referendum. The SA continues to focus on student well-being and make sure its services are reaching the full spectrum of students. All students are eligible to receive the benefits of SA’s programs and services. Ruiz continues to advocate for his peers’ involvement in SA and seeking leadership positions.
COLLEGE SENATE REPORT
Sheldon provided a Senate update. Sheldon attended the University Faculty Senate Plenary meeting, which featured a presentation by Chancellor King. The new Chancellor’s goals for SUNY include: student success, DEI and belonging, research and scholarship, and upward mobility. His priorities are well aligned with Geneseo’s. The Student Affairs Committee is looking at food insecurity initiatives and actionable items to recommend from the Campus Climate Survey. The Faculty Affairs Committee has put forth a proposal to allow for student evaluations in courses with low enrollment (4 or fewer students) and is advocating for a return to 3-yr contracts for contingent faculty.
Sheldon entertained questions from College Council.
PRESIDENT’S REPORT
President Battles shared a variety of institutional updates.
Strategic planning and the Equity-Centered Honors College vision
President Battles provided an update on the College’s strategic planning process. The new plan, Redefining the Honors Experience: Celebrating Equity, Advancing Access, Embracing Innovation has been finalized. The plans four themes are: Access, Student Experience, Outcomes, and Infrastructure and Financial Sustainability. Battles further shared the identified near-term priorities. The Equity-Centered Honors College aspiration aligns with the strategic plan. Geneseo continues to engage with SUNY and the Geneseo campus community on this initiative.
SUNY Chancellor King’s visit
The College welcomed Chancellor King to campus on January 30, 2023. Trustees Duffy and Landa joined him for the visit. The Chancellor engaged with faculty and students around the theme of integrative and applied learning.
Selected College updates
President Battles shared updates related to:
-upcoming programming related diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging
-donor and alumni engagement activities
-degree and non-degree program development
-provost search
Accolades
Battles highlighted a few of the many recent faculty, staff, student, and alumni achievements, awards, and recognitions.
The President entertained Q&A from College Council.
CHAIR’S REPORT
The Chair reminded Council members that there is a new form through which they can make recommendations for presentation topics. Additionally, the annual survey will be distributed at the conclusion of this meeting and results will be shared and discussed at the May meeting. Chair Wayland-Smith expects this feedback loop to be an annual process moving forward.
The Chair would like to explore opportunities for Council members to participate in the Diversity Summit on February 28. A link to the scheduled activities was shared.
The next meeting will be May 5.
The meeting adjourned at 3:37 p.m.
Denise A. Battles Wendi Kinney
President Recording Secretary