Response to Senate Recommendations
At its October 20, 2006, meeting, the College Senate voted to approve and forward to the president for approval the following recommendation to establish a President's Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Mentoring and to authorize course priority registration for student leaders:

PRESIDENT'S AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE AS AN UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH MENTOR

The President's Award for Excellence as an Undergraduate Research Mentor will be presented annually to publicly recognize and reward those individuals who have accumulated an exemplary record of guiding and supporting students as they develop the skills, methods, and techniques needed to carry out research, scholarship, and creative activities. This award recognizes the pivotal role of faculty in ensuring the success of the student experience and the high value placed on this endeavor by the college.

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CRITERIA FOR SELECTION:

1. Quality of Mentoring
   There should be evidence that the faculty member promoted intentional learning by the student researcher, contributing to their intellectual growth, problem solving ability, and communication skills, while creating new knowledge or development of new ideas or creative works. Evidence should also describe how a faculty mentor's role evolved through the stages of mentoring, from initially giving significant guidance and direction and during later stages, changing their role to more similar to a colleague as the undergraduate researcher gains confidence, greater independence, and takes "ownership" of their research.

2. Experiential Benefits to Students
   There should be evidence that former students increased their confidence in ability to contribute new knowledge or creative works in their discipline and gain an understanding of how knowledge and new works of art are developed and evaluated within their discipline. Evidence should be presented that describes how students confirmed and strengthened their desire to pursue a chosen career field and/or continue their education at the graduate level as a result of their participation in an undergraduate/graduate research experience that involved the close mentoring of a faculty member.

3. Communicating Research/Creative Activity
   There should be evidence that the faculty member encouraged students to present their work not only to their peers within their disciplines, but also to colleagues in other fields, and to the public. Such evidence can be performances, visual exhibits, oral presentations, posters, abstracts, and other appropriate outlets.

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NOMINATION AND SELECTION PROCESS:

A committee composed of five teaching faculty and a minimum of two undergraduate students appointed by the provost and vice president for academic affairs will solicit and evaluate candidates' credentials. That committee will examine applicant support files for evidence of quality and comprehensiveness and make recommendations to the provost and vice president for academic affairs. As many as two full-time faculty members may be selected in any one academic year.

Individual faculty may apply for the award, or faculty members may be nominated by their respective departments with the consent of the faculty member being nominated. Nominations may also arise from students, with the consent of the faculty member being nominated. Nominees must have been full-time teaching faculty members for four years prior to the nomination.

Data provided should include but not be limited to:

1. Nomination form provided in this packet.
2. Letter of nomination detailing the specific characteristics that qualify the faculty member for the award and examples of how these characteristics are demonstrated.
3. A detailed summary of research projects/creative activities mentored (including name of student, title of project, brief description of project, outcomes [including presentations/performances/exhibits and any publications]).
4. A current vita detailing candidate's professional career.
5. Support from colleagues (at least three letters).
6. Support from students (at least five letters).

I hereby approve the recommendation to establish a President's Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Research Mentoring. I authorize the provost to implement the nomination and selection process outlined above for the academic year 2006–2007 award cycle. Nominations for all President's Awards for Excellence are due to the provost by March 5, 2007.

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Course Priority Registration for United Students Government Leaders

Resolution by United Students Government

A student leader shall receive priority registration. A student leader is a matriculated undergraduate student enrolled in at least nine credit hours and has been elected to a USG or campus position. This totals at most but no more than 55 students. Elected positions are those students elected through the student government annual elections.

Upon completion of the student elections the election chair of USG shall forward all names and information to appropriate persons on campus. If any discrepancies arise both the elections chair and the USG president may inquire about status or information.

Justification:

Our student leaders provide critical direction each year for the college. These leaders elected to various positions volunteer their time and sit most often on more than three campus committees each. While on these campus committees these students not only have to balance their school, work, and study schedules, they also have to balance their volunteer on campus involvement schedule which may include up to 25 hours a week of time.

Priority registration would give assistance to these students to help them arrange a schedule applicable to their involvement and would allow them to register for sections that would not prohibit their involvement or stop it.

I hereby approve the recommendation to provide course priority registration for United Students Government elected leaders, and I authorize the provost to implement this process for the registration period beginning with the spring 2007 semester.

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New Media Consortium Membership
The New Media Consortium (NMC) has invited Buffalo State to become a member following a peer-reviewed application process. The successful application was a collaborative effort.

The NMC is a not-for-profit group of leading colleges, universities, museums, corporations, and other organizations who share a dedication to the "exploration and use of new media and new technologies," according to the NMC Web site. Its mission is "to advocate and stimulate the use of new learning and creative technologies in higher education," to demonstrate a passion for learning, and to seek and build collaborations and partnerships that further its work.

"I am very excited to have our campus recognized by and accepted into the New Media Consortium," said Maryruth Glogowski, associate vice president for library and instructional technology. "Buffalo State has a unique group of expert, talented, and dedicated people who will benefit from their interaction with members of this group. It will help us to realize our vision of excellence in teaching, research, and service in a creative and innovative fashion." Melaine Kenyon, associate director for instructional technology, will be Buffalo State's official liaison to NMC.

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Rescheduled: SMRT Training for Department Chairs and Directors
Previously announced training for the SUNY Management Resource Tool (SMRT) Application has been rescheduled. This training is appropriate for all new department chairs, directors, and designated administrative assistants managing state-appropriated funds. Please call either James Thor at ext. 4117 or Rebecca Schenk at ext. 4312 with questions.

Training will be held in E. H. Butler Library (CyberQuad) 318 on the following dates:

Friday, November 17, 9:00 a.m. to noon
Tuesday, December 5, 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.

Please register at http://bscintra.buffalostate.edu/registration.

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From Institutional Advancement and Development Bulletin announcements from Institutional Advancement and Development will appear under the Finance and Management heading while the unit reports to the vice president for finance and management.

Call for Nominations: Distinguished Alumnus Award
The Buffalo State College Alumni Association welcomes nominations from faculty and staff for the Distinguished Alumnus Award, presented annually at Commencement. This prestigious honor is awarded to alumni who have distinguished themselves professionally, within their communities, and in support of the mission of Buffalo State College.

A maximum of three awards may be presented each year (no posthumous awards are given), and all nominations are active for three years, including the initial year of nomination. Recipients must also be able to attend the Commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 12, 2007.

The ideal candidate will meet the following criteria:

• Achievement of high honors or recognition in his or her professional field.
• High honors or recognition for outstanding community service.
• Demonstration of ongoing support for and service to Buffalo State College.

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Grant Allocation Committee Request for Proposals
The Auxiliary Services Grant Allocation Committee (GAC) is requesting proposals from individuals, departments, and student clubs and organizations for funding of programs, speakers, and events to take place during the 2006–2007 academic year. Application guidelines and materials are available online.

The deadline to submit applications under this funding cycle is Tuesday, November 21. Questions about the GAC may be addressed to Daniel Velez, assistant to the vice president for student affairs, Cleveland Hall 519, ext. 5550.

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Curricular Items
The following have been received in the College Senate Office and forwarded to the Senate Curriculum Committee for review and approval:

New Courses:
MUS 122 Introduction to Music Studies and Careers. Historical, philosophical, and practical foundations for a career in music. Integrates library, research, teacher observation and analysis, reading, and writing skills with regard to the profession to assist students' exploration and confirmation of their decision to enter the field.

MUS 220 Technology Applications for Music Education. Current technology applications suitable for music instruction, including administrative applications, software for notation and composition, and MIDI-based sequencing, as well as teaching methods and strategies for using technology in music classrooms and ensembles; incorporates extensive hands-on activities.

MUS 346 Field Experience in Elementary Music. Observation and application of instructional procedures learned in MUS 345 Elementary Methods of Music Instruction through on-site participation in local schools.

MUS 353 Field Experience in Music for Exceptional Learners. Observation and application of adaptations and instructional procedures appropriate for music with exceptional learners through on-site participation in local schools.

MUS 361 Field Experience in Secondary Instrumental Music. Observation and application of instructional procedures learned in MUS 360 Secondary Instrumental Methods through on-site participation in local schools.

MUS 362 Secondary Choral Methods. Knowledge and skills in the area of teaching methods and strategies for secondary choral music education; includes extensive hands-on and writing activities.

MUS 363 Field Experience in Secondary Choral Music. Observation and application of instructional procedures learned in MUS 362 Secondary Choral Methods through on-site participation in local schools.

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Course Revisions:
FRE 309 Literature and Culture of France in the Twentieth Century. Survey of the literature of France in the twentieth century and its relationship to French history and culture.

MUS 302 Music History I: Antiquity through Baroque. Study of musical styles, composers, and genres from the medieval, renaissance, and baroque eras; includes cultural and social contexts and parallel developments in other arts.

MUS 303 Music History II: Classic through Contemporary. Study of musical styles, composers, and genres from the classic, romantic, and modern eras; includes cultural and social contexts and parallel developments in other arts.

MUS 321 Composition, Improvisation, and Arranging. Skills and techniques for composing, improvising, and arranging music, with study of representative music examples.

MUS 360 Secondary Instrumental Methods. Knowledge and skills in the area of teaching methods and strategies for secondary instrumental music education; includes extensive hands-on and writing activities.

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Intellectual Foundations Designations and Course Revisions:

ARTS
MUS 201 Survey of Western Music History. Introduction to music from Middle Ages to the present; study of forms and styles, composers and performers, cultural and social backgrounds, and parallel developments in other arts. Lectures and listening assignments. Concert attendance required.

MUS 208 Survey of World Music Cultures. Survey of representative art and popular music cultures of Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America. Lectures and listening assignments. Concert attendance required.

MUS 210 Theory for Non-Majors. Music notation, aural and written. Scales, intervals, triads, seventh chords, rhythms, simple and compound meters, elementary recitation, dictation, analysis, and composition.

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