At the University Senate’s second meeting of the year, representatives from the Committee on Athletic Policy and the Committee on Computing Services discussed recent accomplishments and recommendations.

The senate met Wednesday at 4 p.m. in Maxwell Auditorium.

Don Siegel, chair of the Senate Committee on Athletic Policy, spoke to the senate about the accomplishments and changes the committee made during the previous academic school year.

The committee specifically deals with aspects of the athletics department that affect students, Siegel said. Such responsibilities include informing the senate of potential issues, and discussing and evaluating the role of student athletes at the university.

Last year was difficult for the athletics department, Siegel said, due to a “variety of externalities.” He specifically mentioned the circumstances regarding former men’s associate basketball coach Bernie Fine and the issue of academic eligibility that arose during tournaments.

Despite these issues, he said, the committee feels the relationship between the athletics department and Syracuse University students was “very good.”

The circumstances, Siegel said, did not affect the student athletic body financially, academically or athletically.

In December of last year, the committee partnered with the Committee on Women’s Concerns to better handle issues of sexual abuse, Siegel said.

He also explained SU’s movement to the Atlantic Coast Conference. Because other teams were leaving the Big East, the conference as a whole was falling apart, he said.

“SU really had to make a choice on how to decide what to do or be left out of the game,” Siegel said. “Left out of the game means left out of standard revenue, and that could be garnered particularly by television.”

Moving to the ACC, he said, is a better decision for the university both academically and athletically.

“Overall that conference is a stronger intellectual conference than we have now,” Siegel said. “We’ll be able to improve stronger students as well.”

He also addressed the senate’s concern on the amount of travel. Because of the current composition of the Big East, there will not be additional travel for SU teams once they move to the ACC.

The committee will also be “tightening up” on admitting student athletes to the university, Siegel said. In regard to academics, the athletes were “not perfect, but doing fine,” Siegel said.

The committee is currently trying to make the study areas in Manley Field House larger and more accessible to students, with the hopes that it will cut down travel time for athletes between Manley and going on campus to study, Siegel said.

“This is moving in a positive direction,” he said.

One senator raised a concern regarding the large amount of concussions that athletes — specifically football players — have suffered recently. Siegel said he would add the topic to the committee’s agenda to address in the future.

Overall, the committee believes that despite tough circumstances, the athletics department is doing well. The committee, Siegel said, specifically credits the athletes.

“We all thought that it was very commendable how the student athletes handled the difficulties last year regarding the media pressure and so forth,” Siegel said. “We felt that these athletes were very mature in the way they handled some really difficult times. Their performance showed that on the athletic field.”

Fred Easton, a member of the Computing Services Committee, discussed the committee’s goal of focusing on productivity issues.

Throughout the past academic year, the committee focused on dealing with excessive emails, increasing the user’s voice during Information Technology and Services’ policy-making process and individuals having access to instructional materials, Easton said.

The committee made two recommendations: creating email management demonstrations, and training and representing the voice of the faculty regarding decisions made on technology initiatives at SU, according to the report to the senate.

Other business discussed:

-Kal Alston, senior vice president for human capital development, announced new plans to change retirement policies for university faculty and the process it would entail.

-The senate passed a motion allowing committee chairpersons who are non-senators to speak during senate meetings.

 

Published on October 11, 2012 at 3:02 am

Contact Meredith: mhnewman@syr.edu | @MerNewman93