Nanocollege to split from UAlbany ?

[UAalum72]

Maybe Kalayeros thinks that by splitting off he can avoid scrutiny of stuff like this

 

Comptroller: $1M sabbatical gravy train at UAlbany

[danefan]

TU is preaching to the choir on paid sabbaticals. I think its a much abused process throughout the higher education system in this country.

 

If you're paid to teach - then teach.

 

If you want to write a book, do it when you're not teaching.

[alum73]

by splitting off, ualbany will avoid CSNE's audits.

[Eli]

In case some of you don't get emails from the school (I'm a student)...regarding the reports in the media:

 

Dear UAlbany Faculty, Staff, and Students,

 

I am writing to you following yesterday’s media reports about the NYS Comptroller’s audit of UAlbany’s compliance with SUNY Policies for Sabbatical Leaves and for Other Leaves. We strongly disagree with the Comptroller’s findings and with the manner in which they have been portrayed in the media—particularly the characterization of UAlbany as abusing the Policies and providing a “gravy train” for our faculty. This is clearly not the case.

 

Let me assure you that our campus has carefully followed long-standing SUNY policy requirements for Sabbatical Leaves and for Other Leaves, and also has complied with the terms of the statewide collective bargaining agreement between the United University Professions and New York State that address these Leave programs. This is confirmed in the first line of the Comptroller’s report:

 

“We found officials complied with applicable formal guidance for most of the sabbatical and other paid leave we reviewed.”

 

This affirmation of our compliance seems to have been overlooked in the recent portrayal of the findings.

 

While there were a few oversights and clerical errors identified in the audit, which we acknowledged, they were minor in nature, and we have installed corrective procedures to guide us going forward.

 

I provided a detailed16-page response to the Comptroller’s audit finding, addressing each individual case, which is included in the published report at [http://www.scribd.com/doc/157230206/130731-UAlbany-Sabbatical-Audit]. I encourage you to read it in full.

 

I also encourage you to read the controlling documents that govern these Leave programs:

 

· SUNY Trustees’ Policies related to leaves [http://www.suny.edu/board_of_trustees/pdf/policies.pdf; the policy at issue is found in Article XIII, Title E and Title F, beginning at page 33.]

· The collective bargaining agreement between the statewide UUP and the State of New York [the most recent copy available is at http://uupinfo.org/negotiations/agreement.pdf; the relevant section is Article 23, beginning on page 35.]

 

The Policies define the requirements for two types of leave, a “Sabbatical Leave” and an “Other Leave,” both of which are nearly universal in both public and private U.S. higher education and have served you and other New York State citizens well for many years in recruiting and retaining high quality faculty and staff, and in ensuring the continuing excellence of our instructional, research and service missions. The requirements and eligibility for the “Sabbatical Leave” and for the “Other Leave” are quite different, but unfortunately the two types of leaves were co-mingled in the media reports.

 

As a public institution, UAlbany expects and is accustomed to regular review and oversight of our practices. In this case, however, what began as a performance audit within the framework of the SUNY Trustees’ Leave Policies, evolved into a disagreement with those Policies, dating back 22 years to a prior audit, and into divergent judgments about the implementation of those Policies. In brief, the Comptroller argues to install more restrictive requirements, particularly for “Other Leaves.” While this may be a point of consideration for the Board of Trustees and the collective bargaining process in their state-level discussions, it is not something that we as an individual campus would arbitrarily impose. Indeed, we would disagree with the Comptroller’s view, arguing that this would reduce flexibility for the University and diminish our competiveness for faculty and professional staff in the higher education market.

 

Why Are “Sabbatical Leaves” and “Other Leaves” Critical to our Success?

 

Sabbatical Leaves and Other Leaves provide valuable opportunities for faculty and staff development—in service of campus mission--at UAlbany, across the SUNY system, and at most other public and private colleges and universities. Throughout SUNY, Sabbatical Leaves are limited to teaching and library faculty and can be for one semester at full pay or two semesters at half pay. Other Leaves are open to faculty and other professional employees and are less restricted as to duration and pay.

 

Both Sabbatical Leave and Other Leave opportunities are available to provide focused opportunities to advance the institution’s research agenda, to maintain and enhance quality in teaching and mentoring at the highest levels, and to provide service and expertise to our various professional and civic communities. They are not “time off.”

 

In the realm of research, they often provide a concentrated block of time for field study, data-gathering and writing. In the realm of teaching, they often provide an opportunity for deep exploration in recent professional literature to update courses or to develop new courses or pedagogical methods. They can also be used to develop grant applications, or to serve a defined term at a national or governmental foundation. Each pursuit provides value not only to the individual faculty or staff, but also to the students and to the University.

 

To demonstrate the value and importance of these opportunities, I’ll soon be sharing with you some of examples of the accomplishments and contributions to the reputation and vitality of our curriculum, service, and research program that have been achieved.

 

I am impressed daily by the outstanding work of our faculty and staff and the academic achievement of our students. While we will continue to comply with the appropriate accountability requirements, I trust that the recent mischaracterization of our work will not diminish our excitement and enthusiasm for expanding the boundaries of knowledge, for assisting students in pursuing educational opportunity, and for serving our professional and civic communities.

 

I hope you are having a productive summer, and I look forward to welcoming you in the early days of the 2013 fall semester.

 

Best wishes,

 

 

Susan D. Phillips, Ph.D.

Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

[UAalum72]

Benefits for UAlbany are uncertain

 

no kidding

[UAalum72]

Indirect costs are critical to colleges in a letter to the T-U, retired UA professor brings up the elephant in the room - who controls the money?

[Dane4ever]

Maybe someone can contact the London bookies to see what the odds would be on how soon we will see "SUNY-Kalyeros University" . . .

[MRSGDG]

Their new logo

 

 

[Clickclack]

Their new logo

 

 

 

They couldn't get out fast enough...their own website and everything...

[UAalum72]

My inclination is to cut all mention of them from the Albany website, as soon as the separation becomes official. Might be petty, but so what?

 

Unless you can get a search for "CSNE" to pop to UAlbany first, so we keep being associated linked to them.

[MRSGDG]

Former UAlbany president concerned about Nanocollege split

http://www.bizjourna...-concerned.html

 

 

Karen Hitchcock: Removal Of College of Nanoscale Sciences A No-Win Decision

http://www.wamc.org/post/karen-hitchcock-removal-college-nanoscale-sciences-no-win-decision

Edited August 10, 2013 by MsGDG

[Clickclack]

Nothing has changed, this remains a disastrous development for UA that will take a long time to recover from. I know it's childish and petty but I wish them ZERO success moving forward without the institution that has spawned them and enabled them to be who they are.

 

If they are so adamant about splitting off have them completely develop outside of UA, no sharing of facilities or support services and most certainly don't allocate a single nickle to them moving forward that would otherwise go to UA. They have bled our school dry long enough...

 

Karen Hitchcock is absolutely correct...no benefits or rational reasoning has been clearly defined (I watched the board of trustees meeting), other research Universities don't spin off successful schools...This is an idiotic decision through and through. No one has been able to explain how UA has held the back.

 

Cut them off...let Keylarose have his fiefdom, maybe our despot Governor can shovel him a few million to hire an English professor or two.

Edited August 10, 2013 by Clickclack

[madDOG]

This was published on Saturday, I must have missed it (maybe some of you did too). It is incredibly insulting to the UA community.

 

http://www.timesunion.com/default/article/LeBrun-This-divorce-was-long-overdue-4723280.php

[Clickclack]

This was published on Saturday, I must have missed it (maybe some of you did too). It is incredibly insulting to the UA community.

 

http://www.timesunio...due-4723280.php

 

I'm completely speechless...an utter disgrace! Shame on him for marginalizing what UA has done to grow NANO.

[danefan]

I saw it this morning and didn't want to repost it.

 

Someone at UA stole Lebrun's girlfriend at one time or something. The guy is the quintessential naysayer.

 

Screw 'em.