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Increasing faculty awareness of scholars program urged
By DONNA LONGENECKER
Reporter Assistant Editor
Fostering faculty awareness and participation in the Academic Excellence Scholars Program, as well as highlighting faculty/student research projects—especially at the undergraduate level—were among the recommendations presented by the Faculty Senate Educational Programs and Policies Committee (EPPC) to the senate's Executive Committee at yesterday's meeting.
Ted Steegmann, professor of anthropology and chair of the EPPC, presented the report, which examined ways to enhance the educational experience of students who are part of the scholars program, as well as reviewing the role of other educational programs and initiatives. The scholars program is a merit-based scholarship program offering funds to students whose academic credentials, while strong, placed them just outside of the parameters of the University Honors Program.
The EPPC met in the fall with Regina Toomey, senior associate vice provost of new student recruitment programs, to discuss the scholars program and found that it was instrumental in increasing the quality of incoming and current undergraduates, Steegmann reported. He noted that increasing awareness among faculty members about initiatives like the scholars program offers such programs the best chance for success. He recommended that a system be established to increase faculty mentoring and research partnerships with students, adding that retired faculty could be tapped to help fill this need. "This is something we can really contribute to," said Steegmann, although he pointed out that it would be difficult to mandate faculty involvement and research partnerships at the undergraduate level.
In other business, Peter Nickerson, professor of pathology and co-chair of the senate's Student Life Committee, also updated the FSEC on the committee's work.
A few of the issues covered in Nickerson's report were:
The SUNY-wide Faculty Senate is examining issues related to international students, and may sponsor a conference to establish best practices for handling issues related to these students, given the recent changes in federal laws related to immigration status and tracking of students coming from abroad to study in the United States. At UB, the Student Life Committee hopes to present a resolution for senate consideration regarding its concerns about the dependents of international students and scholars who are no longer allowed to study in the U.S. without a change in their immigration status. This has led to several students at UB dropping out of classes this year.
The Lee Road project will proceed in phases after funds are identified to develop the entire infrastructure for the project.
Drivers for 15-passenger vans now must receive training and be certified by the institution, which also must conduct ongoing reviews of driving records.
The SUNY Board of Trustees has established new regulations for handling funds from student fees. Nickerson noted that UB is in compliance with the new regulations.
Other issues being examined by the committee are the value of the Greek system on campus, the value of block scheduling in enhancing student satisfaction, the creation of stimulating experiences for students who receive scholarship support but aren't part of the honors or scholars programs, the development of a university-wide policy that enables students to move more freely from school to school across the institution (i.e., changing majors or obtaining joint degrees with undergraduate and graduate components).
The report also praised Dennis Black, vice president of student affairs, for his leadership in significantly improving the quality of life for students on campus.
Also at yesterday's meeting, Margaret Paroski, interim vice president for health affairs and interim dean of the School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, updated the FSEC on the results of the school's recent reaccreditation process. A story on the school earning reaccreditation for eight more years from the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) previously was published in the Reporter and can be read at http://www.buffalo.edu/reporter/vol34/vol34n17/articles/medschool.html.