Saturday, March 12, 2011

Nominations for Faculty Trustees, Faculty Representatives/Observers to the Board of Trustees Pratt Institute

Dear Faculty,

We write to solicit nominations for the following faculty positions on Pratt Institute's Board of Trustees for the 2011-2012 term, effective July 1, 2011:

+ Faculty Trustee candidates (the Senate elects up to four candidates, from which the Board approves two).

+ Faculty Representative (Rep) and Faculty Observer (Obs) candidates on non-standing committees of the Board of Trustees:

- Academic Affairs Committee (2 Reps, 2 Obs)
- Buildings and Grounds Committee (2 Reps, 2 Obs)
- Development Committee (2 Reps, 2 Obs)
- Student Affairs Committee (2 Reps, 2 Obs)

GUIDELINES:

The deadline to submit nominations is 5 pm, Sunday March 27, 2011.

Send nominations and questions to the Senate Nominations & Elections Committee.

All full-time and part-time faculty are eligible. Administrative staff with faculty status are not eligible.

Faculty may nominate more than one faculty candidate and may self-nominate. Nominators must confirm that his/her nominee is able and willing to serve if approved by the Board, and provide contact information of nominee(s).

Senate-elected Faculty Trustee candidates are invited to a lunch interview with the Board Nominating Committee Chair, John Morning, and President Tom Schutte. The luncheon is on Thursday, April 7 from noon until 1:30 pm on the Brooklyn campus. Please indicate whether your nominee is able to attend.

All faculty elected by the Senate for board positions (trustees, representatives and observers) are subject to Board approval at its May 5, 2011 meeting.

The Senate shall conduct elections on Tuesday, March 29, 2011.

Further details are available at the Senate website

Please feel free to contact us with questions.

Sincerely,

Nominations & Elections Committee
Jenny Lee, President
Patrick Webb, Vice-president (FT A&D)
Sameetah Agha, Secretary (FT SLAS)
Cheryl Gross, Treasurer (PT A&D)

Academic Senate, Pratt Institute

Thursday, March 10, 2011

APPC Meeting Monday, March 14 [Spring Break] 9:30AM

Dear Colleagues,

The Senate Academic Policies and Procedures Committee (APPC) will be meeting during spring break to address the large volume of courses to review, and the small window of time to review them.

APPC Meeting
Monday March 14, 2011
9:30 am, to go no later than 6:30 pm
Small faculty dining room


Unless otherwise indicated, APPC meetings are open to the community. We serve lunch and refreshments all day. Please contact APPC Chair, Sean Sullivan, ssulliva@pratt.edu , if you have questions or would like to attend the upcoming meeting.

Have a great spring break otherwise.

Best wishes,

Jenny Lee, Professor of Fine Arts
President, Academic Senate
Pratt Institute

Academic Policies and Procedures Committee

Senate Resolutions on Pratt Institute Charter Change

Download PDF of letter

Via electronic mail

Joshua Smith, Chair
Committee on Academic Affairs
Pratt Institute Board Of Trustees
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March 10, 2011

Re: Senate Resolutions on Pratt Institute Charter Change

Dear AAC Chair Smith:

Enclosed are resolutions adopted by the Academic Senate on March 8, 2011, verifying that the Senate was not informed and was not consulted on the matter of the change in the Institute's Charter. In this connection, the Senate also confirms that the program and course applications (program in Master of Arts, Media Studies and related courses) that precede consideration for a change in Institute Charter were incomplete, thus preventing review and action by the Senate (see attached Resolutions on this matter).

Please feel free to contact us with your questions.

For Academic Senate
Jenny Lee, President

Cc: Mike Pratt, Chairman, Pratt Institute Board Of Trustees
President Thomas F. Schutte
Senate constituents, faculty and chairs
AAUP Evaluation Case File

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ATTACHMENT A

SENATE RESOLUTIONS ON PRATT INSTITUTE CHARTER CHANGE

WHEREAS, Faculty representatives reported on the February 10, 2011 Board of Trustees Academic Affairs Committee meeting, where a change in Pratt’s charter was discussed and voted on; and

WHEREAS, It was reported that the Provost indicated that the matter of a change in the Institute's Charter was presented to the Senate when he was asked if it was vetted through the proper governance procedures; therefore, this 8th day of March, 2011; it is

RESOLVED, That the Senate verify for the record that the Academic Senate was not informed and was not consulted on the matter of the change in the Institute's Charter; and it is further

RESOLVED, That the Senate confirm that the program and course applications (program in MA, Media Studies and related courses) that precede consideration for a change in Institute Charter were incomplete, thus preventing review and action by the Senate (see attached Resolutions on this matter).

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

How to Submit Nominations for Senate President 2010-2013 Term

E-MAIL YOUR NEWLY ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES
TO SUBMIT NOMINATIONS. Individual e-mail addresses are here

DEADLINE: 5 PM, MONDAY, APRIL 19, 2010

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Nominations are now open for the position of Senate President to serve a three-year term, July 1, 2010 through June 30, 2013. Election of new Senate officers will be conducted at the Senate meeting of Tuesday, April 20, 2010.

Senate bylaws Article 5-c specifies that the Senate President may be chosen from elected Senators as well as faculty-at-large. Newly elected Senators and their email addresses are listed on this page.


The following are procedures for the nomination and election of Senate President:

+ You may nominate candidates from any category from the pool of elected Senators and faculty-at-large

+ You may nominate yourself or another eligible candidate. Please be sure to confirm that your candidate is willing and able to serve if elected.

+ E-mail your newly elected representatives to submit nominations.

+ During the April 20 Senate meeting, nominations shall be made and seconded by newly elected Senators and election of the Senate President shall be in a secret, written ballot.

+ The deadline for submitting nominations is 5 PM, MONDAY, APRIL 19, 2010

Pratt Institute Academic Senate
200 Willoughby Avenue, ISC 109
Brooklyn, NY 11205

http://www.prattsenate.org
senate@pratt.edu
718-636-3625
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FACULTY GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE
PRATT INSTITUTE'S ACADEMIC SENATE

The Academic Senate serves a vital function as a "faculty/administration governance body that relates directly to the President and Provost without review by any other group” (Senate Bylaw 2A).

As specified in Pratt’s Faculty Handbook, “The charter of Pratt Institute vests the Board of Trustees with the primary responsibility for the educational and financial well being of the Institution. The Board, in turn, authorizes the President and administration to direct the Institute in its many and complex operations. The Board, the President, and the administration recognize the important role of the faculty in developing, implementing, and monitoring the content and quality of Institute programs, curricula, and courses. To this end the Institute has established an Academic Senate composed of faculty and chair representatives elected directly by the faculty and chairs of the Institute."