Senate Structure

Executive Committee
The function of the Executive Committee is to act for and to further the activitiesof the University Senate.

Coordinating Council
The function of the Coordinating Council is to facilitate the sharing of information and the coordination of activities among the standing committees of the University Senate.

Standing Committees
A major part of the Senate’s work is done by its Standing Committees, which consist of elected representatives of faculty, staff, and students.

• Executive Committee

  2024-2025
  Senate Executive Committee

  The function of the Executive Committee is to act for and to further the activities of the University Senate. The Executive Committee shall consist of the President, four Vice-Presidents, the Secretary and Treasurer of the Senate, the President of the Undergraduate Student Government or designee, and the President of the Graduate Student Organization or designee. The Stony Brook representatives on the SUNY Faculty Senate shall choose one of their number to represent them as a voting member of the Executive Committee. In addition, the President-elect shall serve on the Executive Committee as a voting member immediately upon election. The immediate past-President shall serve on the Executive Committee until a new President is elected. If, for any reason, the immediate past-President cannot serve until a new President is elected, the Executive Committee will identify another past-President to serve for this period. The President of the University Senate shall chair the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee normally will meet with the campus President once a month and the campus Provost once a month during academic terms.

  Current Executive Committee members

   

  Brenda Anderson, President

  Brenda Anderson is a Professor of Integrative Neuroscience in the Department of Psychology, and a member of the Program in Neuroscience. She has been at Stony Brook University since 1996. Dr. Anderson has served as the area head for the Integrative Neuroscience PhD program. She teaches introductory statistics, and functional neuroanatomy. She has been a member of the Academy of Teacher Scholars at SBU, received recognition for Educational Effectiveness, and received the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching. In the senate, Dr. Anderson has served on four standing committees, and as Chair of the Graduate Council. She served as the Institutional Accreditation Liaison Officer for two and a half years. She served as a member of the Pediatrics Study Section for the National Institute for Child Health and Human Development. Dr. Anderson received her PhD at the University of Illinois where she studied how experience affects the brain and behavior. Her expertise lies in behavior analysis, learning and memory, and quantitative neuroanatomy. Using these approaches, and animal models she developed for motor skill learning and psychological stress, she has investigated how experience modifies behavior, neural metabolic capacity and the number of synaptic connections. Her work has been supported by the National Institute of Mental Health.

   

  Richard Larson, Past President
  

  Richard Larson is Professor of Linguistics. He held previous appointments at University of Pennsylvania and MIT and has been at Stony Brook University since 1989. His research has spanned a wide range of topics in natural language syntax and semantics,. Languages of investigation include Warlpiri, Japanese, Turkish, Haitian, Russian, Mandarin, Iranian Persian, Gilaki and Zazaki. In addition to linguistics research, Larson has worked in undergraduate science education in connection with the NSF-sponsored  Grammar as Science Project.  He is also chair of the Linguistic Society of America's newly established  AP Linguistics Committee,  which is working in partnership with the  College Board  and with students, teachers and faculty across the nation to create an AP Linguistics course and examination.

   

  Richard Stein, Secretary/Treasurer
  
  Richard Stein is a professional employee within the Division of Information Technology, whose primary role is in providing support, training, and innovation in the use of enterprise-level Academic Technology applications such as Blackboard, Echo360, E-Portfolios, VoiceThread, Qualtrics, and Zoom. He has a background in classroom technology, and serves as a consultant to faculty on course development and design, especially in the age of hybrid and online coursework. He also serves as a member of the Course Evaluation administration team. Outside of formal duties, Richard instructs in the School of Health Professions as Clinical Adjunct Faculty for the Paramedic Program while also serving on the Program’s accreditation committee, facilitates the Introduction to Stony Brook seminar courses within the Undergraduate Colleges, and oversees the operational administration of a local volunteer ambulance company. Richard is a proud alumnus of Stony Brook with a degree in Linguistics.  

   

  Nancy Tomes, Vice President, Arts and Sciences Senate

  Nancy Tomes is a Distinguished Professor of History.  She has been at Stony Brook University since 1978.  Her research specialty is the history of American medicine, health and disease.  She is the author of four books, most recently Remaking the American Patient (2016) which won the Bancroft Prize.  Her scholarship has been supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the National Library of Medicine, the National Humanities Center, the Rockefeller Foundation, and the National Institute for Mental Health.  She teaches a wide range of courses on American history, including “The History of the American Mental Hospital” and “Presidential Assassinations in Historical Perspective.”  She has served as director of undergraduate studies, department chair, chair of the Arts and Sciences Curriculum Committee, and associate dean of arts and sciences.

   

  Alan Tucker, Vice President, Engineering

  Alan Tucker is Senate Vice-President for Engineering and Applied Sciences.  He is a Distinguished Teaching Professor of Applied Mathematics and Statistics.  He came to Stony Brook in 1970 and was the Applied Math Dept chair or deputy chair from 1978 to 2010.  In the 1970's, he developed an innovative major in Applied Mathematics & Statistics, since widely copied, that now graduates over 400 B.S.'s a year, 10% of all U.S. applied math degrees. He is a Fellow of the American Mathematical Society and the American Association of the Advancement of Science.  He is editor-in-chief of the journal Applied Mathematics Letters.  He has chaired and served on dozens of advisory committees of the National Science Foundation, the National Research Council and the Mathematical Association of America.  He was lead author of two influential national reports on mathematics education: Recommendations for a General Mathematical Science Program that catalyzed a re-orientation of the U.S. mathematics major away from pre-doctoral training and towards preparation for a broad range of mathematical careers; and The Mathematical Education of Teachers that debunked the prevaling view that if future school teachers studied beginning college-level mathematics or majored in mathematics, there would be a trickle-down effect giving them mastery of primary school or secondary school mathematics, respectively.  While directing projects to improve the pre-service education of mathematics teachers, he organized workshops that sketched out the foundation for the Common Core Curriculum in Mathematics.

   

  Vacant, Vice President, Health Sciences

   

  
  Pamela Wolfskill, SUNY University Faculty Senate (State-Wide) Senator

  Pamela Wolfskill began her career at Stony Brook University  in 1998. She has worked as a Department Administrator in Applied Math and Statistic, Polical Science and is currently in the Department of Biochemistry and Cell biology as an Administrative Specialist. She has been a SUNY Statewide Senator for 8 years. She is also a UUP professional delegate for the last 20 years.

   

  Vacant, Professional Employees Governing Board - East Campus

   

  Tracey Iorio,  Professional Employees Governing Board - West Campus

  Tracey Iorio has been working at Stony Brook University for 17 years. She worked within the Admissions Office in her first role as a Transfer Advisor. Later she and her other transfer colleagues became part of Academic and Transfer Advising in 2012. Tracey is currently an Assistant Director and works primarily as an transfer credit evaluator and academic advisor. Tracey has served on the Administrative Review Committee for the last 3 years and the Professional Employees Governance Board for the last year. Tracey received her Masters in Mental Health Counseling from CW Post in May 2009. She is a licensed counselor and has her own practice. Tracey graduated with her Bachelor of Arts in Art History and Studio Art from Fairleigh Dickenson University in May 1987.

   

  Stephen Walker, UUP East (Ex Officio)

   

  Fred Walter, UUP West (Ex Officio)

  Fred Walter has been a professor of Astronomy at Stony Brook University since 1989. His research involves observations of stellar magnetic activity, the formation of stars and planets, the galactic novae, and neutron stars. He teaches courses in Astronomy, Science Fiction, and Surviving the Anthropocene. He became involved in faculty/staff governance when first elected to the Senate in 1998. He served as President of the Arts & Sciences Senate from 2004-2006 and President of the University Senate from 2010-2014. He was a SUNY Faculty Senator 2014-2020.He currently serves on the Intercollegiate Athletics Board, the Campus Environment Committee, and chairs the Faculty Rights and Responsibilities Policy Committee of the Arts & Sciences Senate. He was elected Academic Vice President of the Stony Brook West Campus chapter of the UUP 2017-2019. He is a UUP academic delegate, and sits on the statewide committee on the Future of Public Higher Education. He is an advocate for closer ties and better communication between shared governance and the UUP.

   

  Vacant, President, Graduate Student Organization

   

  Vacant, President, Undergraduate Student Government

   

• Coordinating Council

  Senate Coordinating Council

  The function of the Coordinating Council is to facilitate the sharing of information and the coordination of activities among the standing committees of the University Senate. The Coordinating Council shall consist of the members of the Executive Committee as defined above, and the chairperson or another representative of each standing committee. The President of the University Senate shall chair the Coordinating Council. The Coordinating Council shall meet twice per semester.

  Current Coordinating Council members

  Academic Planning and Resource Allocation:  Alan Tucker & Axel Drees
  Administrative Revie: Madeline Turan & Stephen Walker
  Graduate Council: Brenda Anderson
  Library Services: Philip Doesschate
  Research Committee: Brittain Mahaffey & Qiaojie Xiong
  SPD Council: Lisa Berger & Madeline Turan 
  Student Life Committee: Robin DeLuca-Acconi
  Undergraduate Council: Hanna Nevasil
  University Affairs: Richard Laskowski
  Campus Environment: Thomas Wilson

• Standing Committees

  Senate Standing Committees

  Committee Minutes can be viewed here.

  Academic Judiciary More >>

  Academic Judiciary Committee (AJC), which shall adjudicate and take appropriate action in cases originating in areas which involve charges of academic dishonesty by a student, or unfair treatment of a student by a faculty member.

  Academic Planning and Resource Allocation (CAPRA) More >>

  This Committee shall review budgetary procedures and priorities for planning and resource allocation in the Presidential, Provostial, and Vice-Presidential areas. It shall be consulted by the University Administration on these matters and on proposals for new colleges, schools, and inter-collegiate programs, and it shall seek advice from other University Senate committees whenever appropriate.

  Administrative Review More >>

  This Committee shall be the chief body of the Senate for reviewing and evaluating administrative performance and proposed reorganizations. It shall be consulted about and represented on all search committees at the level of Dean or above.

  Campus Quality of Life Committee More >>

  This committee shall examine all aspects involved with the quality of life on campus, inclusive of the psychological climate. It shall coordinate, and advise with the Ombuds Office, Office of Diversity & Equity, Student Accessibility Support Center, Counseling & Psychological Services and others involved with quality of life issues on campus.

  Committee on Educational Services and Information Technology (SCEDIT) More >>

  This Committee shall review and evaluate all aspects of the educational and information technology support services including but not limited to (1) implementation of new educational pedagogies, academic technologies, collaboration systems and tools, and administrative systems, (2) development of new learning environments, (3) application of new education & information technologies.  The committee will have appropriate representation from all users of campus technology and educational support services.  The cognate administrative contacts are the Chief Information Officer of the University and the Director of Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching (CELT).

  Council on Faculty Rights and Responsibilities More >>

  This Council shall advise the President, the Provost, or both on behalf of the University Senate on conflicts between members of the academic community in matters relating to the academic rights and responsibilities of all those holding qualified or unqualified academic rank: on possible abuses of these rights, on breaches of ethics, and on questions of conflict of interest. This Council will not, however, infringe on those rights and responsibilities that are incorporated into the bargaining unit agreement.

  Equity, Inclusion, Diversity and Accessibility Committee (EIDA) More >>

  The Equity, Inclusion, Diversity and Accessibility Committee will concern itself with issues pertaining to equity, inclusiveness and access, as they are reflected in the curriculum, student body, and personnel of the State University. Among the activities of this committee will be collecting and disseminating information, organizing periodic meetings and workshops, and providing guidance and recommendations to the Senate so that it may act with the best intentions of all people in mind.

  Faculty Rights, Responsibilities and Policies Comittee (FRRPC) More >>

  Faculty Rights and Responsibilities Policy Committee (FRRPC), which shall review existing policies, practices and procedures concerning faculty rights and responsibilities. It shall formulate guidelines for areas of common concern to full time and part –time tenured and non-tenured faculty or groups of faculty so as to assure that the faculty are fully informed of matters that relate to their working relationship with each other, and departmental and university functions, including but not limited to departmental by–laws, cross-disciplinary appointments, options for promotions, and opportunities for continued university involvement by retired faculty. The committee will focus on policies and guidelines but will not address individual personnel cases, nor will it deal with matters that are the due province of the designated faculty bargaining agent.

  Graduate Council More >>

  This Council shall advise the Dean of the Graduate School and monitor all aspects of the University's graduate program.

  Library Services and Resources More >>

  This committee shall advise on all aspects of the university library and recommend improvements in the resources, services, and operation of the library so as to foster an excellent innovative culture of education and research.

  Research More >>

  This Committee shall consult with and advise the Vice President for Research, the Provost, and other administrators, as appropriate on all aspects of the research enterprise and scholarly activities on campus.

  School of Professional Development (SPD) Council More >>

  This Council shall consult with and advise the Dean of the School of Professional Development on all aspects of the SPD program.

  Student Life More >>

  This Committee shall consult with and advise the Vice President for Student Affairs and shall monitor all co-curricular aspects of resident and commuter student life, both undergraduate and graduate, and shall work with Undergraduate Student Government, the Faculty/Student Association, the Residence Hall Association, the Commuter Student Association, and the Graduate Student Organization.

  Undergraduate Council More >>

  This Council shall review and recommend policy to the Provost and other administrators, as appropriate, concerning all aspects of the University's Undergraduate academic program including: (1) recommending the minimal instructional responsibilities of instructors; (2) monitoring the undergraduate programs through participation in University accreditation and periodic reviews of academic programs; (3) reviewing and coordinating all curricular and other academic matters that are not limited to a single major governance unit; and (4) monitoring policy concerning undergraduate admissions and scholarships.

  University Affairs More >>

  This Committee will examine all aspects of the University's public image and fundraising, including publicity, athletics, and alumni relations.

  University Environment More >>

  This committee shall examine all aspects of the university environment, including but not limited to conservation of natural areas, ecological preserves and historic sites and artifacts; transportation, parking issues, infrastructure, facilities planning, human health issues, safety and security, energy efficiency, recycling, waste management, and general appearance of all university locations. It will consult with and advise the Vice-President for Facilities and Services and the Vice President for Student Affairs.

• 2023-24 Standing Committee Liaisons

  2023-2024 Liaisons and Committee Chairs

  Administrative Review (ARC) - Stephen Walker
  

  Academic Review & Resource Allocation (CAPRA) - Alan Tucker
  

  Senate Committee on Educational Services and Information Technology (SCEDIT) - Kenneth MacDowell

  Graduate Council - Richard Larson
  

  Library Resources & Services - Jason Torre

  Research - Vacant

  School of Professional Development Council - On Hiatus (Richard Stein)

  Student Life - Tracey Iorio

  Undergraduate Council - Alan Tucker

  University Affairs - Pamela Wolfskill
  

  University Environment - Richard Stein