Resolutions & Statements
As a governance body, the Centerwide executive committee is charged to articulate the opinion and will of the constituents it represents through resolutions and statements. Resolutions are focused, structured, evidence-based documents that bring to light specific issues of interest or concern that affect our campus and/or the SUNY system. They culminate in recommendations to resolve those issues with specific actions, and in this way serve as an important means to communicate concern and intent with campus and SUNY administration on matters that impact our core missions. Resolutions can be developed for issues of local concern, but can also be brought to the University wide faculty senate if of broad enough interest. Senators vote on Resolutions brought to the SUNY-wide UFS, and the Centerwide executive committee also votes to weigh in on UFS resolutions. Resolutions are archived by year.
Statements are positions that are made by the governance body to indicate the sentiment or direction taken based on a specific topic or agenda on behalf of the broader group. These public statements provide clarity on our stance as faculty and professional staff in relation to an action, behavior or event which impacts us as a whole. As an example, in the Fall of 2020, The Centerwide executive affirmed its commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion through its Statement on Racial Equity and Social Justice, posted here.
In the Fall of 2020, The Centerwide executive affirmed its commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion through its Statement on Racial Equity and Social Justice.
Patent Resolution
It is resolved on Monday 26thFebruary 2018 in Executive session that the Center-wide committee of faculty and Professional staff will bring it to the attention of the President of SUNY Downstate, after correspondence with several patent holders, that a local Downstate committee (Chaired by Dr. Mark Stewart) to align Downstate’s policy on patent revenue with the rest of the SUNY system has made a recommendation. It is our understanding that the recommendations of this committee have failed to reach your office. The Faculty of Downstate support a policy that is in line with the rest of SUNY.
For inclusion in the minutes and transmittal to Dr. Wayne Riley President.
Complaint Resolution
The Centerwide Committee of Faculty and Professional Staff met on October 9, 2018 to consider a junior faculty member’s appeal seeking intervention in improper handling of a complaint against her. Specifically, the faculty member maintained that the process specified in the Faculty Handbook (2016) and the Local Policy on Scientific Misconduct was not adhered to (or followed).
After lengthy discussion of the faculty member’s appeal and weaknesses of the Local Policy on Scientific Misconduct, as currently formulated, the Centerwide Committee unanimously passed two resolutions.
These are:
- The Presiding Officers of the Centerwide Committee and the College of Medicine Executive Committee will present agreements reached in this meeting to the Dean of the College of Medicine and President Riley (if needed), and seek immediate discontinuation of the current process of handling the complaint against a faculty member. A request will be made to re-initiate the process under the direction/supervision of Dean Lucchesi or the Chief Academic Officer Dr. Imperato to ensure impartial and fair process in accordance with the policies in effect at the time of filing of the complaint.
- The Downstate Local Policy on Academic Misconduct appears to have been changed and we do not know if any Faculty consultation occurred. This policy is one of the few policies that has an important impact on Academic Rights and Responsibilities which is a bed-rock principle of SUNY policy. Faculty, through its governing bodies, must be given the opportunity to provide advice and/or modify certain aspects of the policy to provide impartial, fair and transparent mechanisms for handling of such cases and to improve confidence that due process is followed.