Presidential Committees

Co-Chairs:

Vice President of Student Affairs and Dean of Students, Student Government Association President or designee, Vice President of DEI, Associate Provost for Research and Strategic Academic Initiatives, and Assistant Provost for Student Success

Charge:

The Campus Life and Culture Committee will provide oversight of and advise the President on the plan, direction, policies, and issues relating to advancing a residential college model at Old Westbury.  

The Committee will support the physical, emotional, social, health, and well-being of students by employing evidence-based best practices, maintaining an overview of the broader student experience, reviewing existing policies and practices, and making policy recommendations on matters pertaining to student life on campus that enhance the student experience for both residential and commuter students alike.  

The Committee will monitor DEI metrics at the University, advance DEI and social justice initiatives, address equity gaps within the OW community, and oversee the effort to cultivate social justice and environmental responsibility. 

The Committee will monitor and advance the safety of the university community and foster a broad array of programs and policies that improve the experience and well-being of the faculty and staff of Old Westbury. 

Objectives:

1. Advance the evolving residential college enterprise of the University, guided by the principles of Liberal Education, Integrity, Participatory Governance, Intercultural Understanding, Sustainability, and Social Justice. This effort includes corresponding assistance for faculty engagement and training. 

2. Realize the student experience-based goals of the strategic plan. 

3. Create and advance a DEI&J Strategic Plan that embeds the principles within ever aspect of the University.  

4. Establish priorities, procedures, and programs that positively impact faculty and staff, including health and wellness, childcare, transportation accessibility, and other work/life balance issues. 

5. Advance approved Faculty Senate resolutions as assigned by the President. 

Minutes: 

Coming Soon...

Co-Chairs:

Chief Information Officer, Director of Facilities, Director of Capital Planning, and Vice President for Communications and University Relations.  

Charge:

The Operational Excellence Committee will act in an advisory capacity regarding operations/planning/infrastructure projects.  

The Committee will aid and advise the President on matters of safety and health pertaining to the operations of SUNY Old Westbury. Perform essential monitoring, educational, investigative, and evaluative tasks related to the campus operations while seeking opportunities to create and maintain active employee and student participation in developing a safe and healthy campus environment. 

The Committee will manage a comprehensive Academic and Student Success Assessment Plan focused on structure, technology, and accountability efforts across the University. 

The Committee will oversee the implementation of the EIT Accessibility Plan to ensure equal and integrated access for persons with disabilities and to sustain an ongoing accessibility program within each EIT Accessibility Standard (EAS) subcommittee area: 

• Websites and Software: Web Accessibility Standards (WAS) 

• Digital Content: Digital Content Accessibility Standards (DCAS) 

• Classroom Technology & Design: Classroom Accessibility Standards (CAS) 

• Libraries: Library Accessibility Guidelines (LAG) 

• Procurement: Procurement Accessibility Conformance Standards (PACS) 

Objective:

1. Inform and consult the campus community regarding ongoing projects related to campus stakeholder issues. 

2. Advance approved Faculty Senate resolutions as assigned by the President. 

3. Advise on how to Showcase faculty and student achievements in branding and marketing. 

4. Decide any requested exceptions to the Brand Policy as recommended by the Office of Communications & University Relations and 

5. Approve substantive updates to branding and identity as recommended by the Office of Communications & University Relations; 

6. Recommend changes to the University brand to the President for review and approval; Approve graphical marks to be included in the University Brand Manual as recommended by the Office of Communications & University Relations; 

7. Ensure alignment of the University brand with the institution's strategic direction and values. 

8. Recommend changes to the University brand to the President for review and approval; Approve graphical marks to be included in the University Brand Manual as recommended by the Office of Communications & University Relations; 

9. Approve substantive updates to branding and identity as recommended by the Office of Communications & University Relations; 

10. Decide any requested exceptions to the Brand Policy as recommended by the Office of Communications & University Relations and 

11. Advise on how to Showcase faculty and student achievements in branding and marketing. 

12. Advance approved Faculty Senate resolutions as assigned by the President. 

Minutes: 

Coming Soon...

Co-Chairs: 

Executive Vice President and Chief of Staff (EVP/COS), Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Vice President for Administration, Faculty Member (appointed) 

Charge: 

The Planning and Budget Committee (PBC) is a presidential committee with two standing subcommittees: SPAAR and Budget Committees.  Through the PBC, the University's administration, faculty governance, students and Union representatives join efforts to 1) help shape the Universitys annual budget and 2) co-facilitate (with Executive Vice President and Chief of Staff) the annual strategic to budget planning. The PBC will function as an advisory body to the President and the Cabinet to facilitate the Performance Planning to Budget process (PPB) by providing evidence-based, data-driven analysis, assessment, and recommendations.    

Objectives: 

1. Provide the President with input on budgetary matters and concerns.  

2. Work with the Provost to recommend academic priorities.   

3. Operate with transparency and in compliance with the University's confidentiality and conflict-of-interest policies.  

4. Coordinate and oversee the activities of its subcommittees:  

5. Advance approved Faculty Senate resolutions as assigned by the President. 

6. SPAAR Committee  (Strategic Plan Analysis, Assessment, and Review):  In partnership with the EVP/COS, SPAAR is responsible for monitoring and reporting on the University's progress in implementing its Strategic Plan ("Plan"). Its purpose is to help the University advance its mission and strategic goals. SPAAR supports the PPB process, which is intended to plan the upcoming year's strategic initiatives and priorities and the related budget/expenditures.   

7. Budget Committee (BC): In partnership with the EVP/COS and CFO, BC is responsible for providing meaningful, data-driven, evidence-based input and feedback to the President on budget data, benchmarks, resources, assessments, and analysis regarding all-funds budget. Review the University's overall budget to ensure the effective allocation of resources to advance the University's mission, values, and strategic goals. Thus, the Budget subcommittee will focus its recommendations on optimizing the allocation of resources to prioritize strategic initiatives, improve cost efficiencies, and add value to the University.  

Minutes: 

Coming Soon...

Co-Chairs: 

Vice President of Administration and Chief Financial Officer, Chief Information Officer, Faculty Member (Appointed) 

Charge: 

In accordance with the IT Governance and Advisory Committee (ITGAC) Purview, the  ITGAC charge encompasses the following: 

1. To ensure that, for specific purchases, 

   1. The University's technology-related purchases that exceed the University's prevailing cost threshold (https://www.oldwestbury.edu/policies/information-technologypurchasing) are prioritized based on service requirements as understood by the University's functional users, in alignment with the goals of the University's Mission and current Strategic Planning documents, and 

   2. There is a transparent process for submitting and approving technology-related purchase requests (e.g., criteria considered for approval), and 

   3. The submission process is publicized and includes prior ITS technical review and other recommended steps, as well as the criteria considered for approval, and 

2. To ensure that user requirements related to the effectiveness of technology purchases, their implementation, and maintenance are identified through regular and meaningful consultation that solicits and receives information from ITS functional user constituencies (e.g., regular surveys of user needs), and 

3. To ensure that systemic technical problems and maintenance needs are identified through adequate, regular, and meaningful consultation that solicits and receives information from ITS functional user constituencies (the ITGAC has neither authority nor responsibility for managing or interfering in ITS internal decision-making or functions), and 

4. To identify the training and staff development needed to take full advantage of IT resources and 

5. To obtain regular updates from ITS regarding planned major initiatives or changes in a timely manner, as well as responses to ITGAC recommendations,  

6. To conduct all meetings, processes, recommendations, and actions transparently and in accordance with Robert's Rules of Order (e.g., agendas, minutes), and 

7. To make recommendations on its actions to the President and make the same available to the campus community, members of the ITGAC shall also report ITGAC recommendations to their constituencies and 

8. To issue regular (e.g., each semester) reports to the University describing its actions. 

9. Advance approved Faculty Senate resolutions as assigned by the President. 

Minutes: 

Coming Soon..

Co-Chairs: 

 Executive Vice President and Chief of Staff, Director of Institutional Effectiveness, Faculty Member (Appointed) 

Charge: 

To launch a comprehensive Academic and Success Assessment Plan that is focused on structure, technology, and accountability efforts across the University.  

Objectives: 

1. The Institutional Effectiveness Committee will: 

2. Function as the Hub of a "hub and spoke" model to provide oversight, leadership, and support for comprehensive institutional effectiveness processes facilitating the sharing of best practices and collaborating with faculty and staff to improve the quality of assessment to advance student learning and experiences and the overall performance of the University. 

3. Promote institutional effectiveness by supporting a campus culture around assessment. 

4. Support the development and implementation of a systematic, technology-based, and sustainable process of institutional effectiveness. That is, ensure that a goals-driven assessment process is conducted with respect to Institutional Learning Outcomes (ISLOs), Liberal Education Curriculum (LEC PSLOs), Academic Program Curriculum (PSLOS), Administrative and Student Support Outcomes (SOs & PSLOs), including high impact program outcomes (e.g., Study Abroad, Honors, FYE). This will include: 

   1. Identifying and documenting areas of assigned responsibility.  

   2. Identifying and documenting assessment timelines. 

   3. Ensuring the development of benchmarks, criteria, and/or expected outcomes by units and departments. 

   4. Ensuring the development of assessment measures by units and departments. Ensuring departments and units have a process for determining which actions will be implemented as a result of the assessment (e.g., improving student learning, program effectiveness/success).  

   5. Ensuring that departments and units have a process for reviewing the impact of those actions and making any adjustments that may be needed. 

   6. Developing a process for assessing the completeness, effectiveness, and sustainability of the University's assessment processes. 

   7. Supporting the use of a campus-wide technology-based assessment repository system to maintain evidence for continuous improvement. 

5. Guide the adoption, implementation, and assessment of the Institutional Learning Outcomes (as per Faculty Governance Resolution on LEAP; April 22, 2016). 

6. Guide the creation, implementation, assessment , and review of other measures of institutional effectiveness , such as benchmarking to peer and aspirational institutions and the development of key performance indicators. 

7. Provide support in the use of assessment results for strategic planning and other budgeting processes. 

8. Ensure transparent and accurate communication of assessment activities. 

   1. Guide the development of an institutional assessment handbook. 

   2. Guide the development of an institutional effectiveness website to include a campus assessment dashboard. 

   3. Develop strategies for campus-wide engagement in the sharing and discussion of assessment activities and outcomes. 

   4. Communicate institutional effectiveness activities and outcomes to external entities such as SUNY, MSCHE, and NYSED, as per specified reporting times and cycles. 

   5. Ensure compliance with federal guidelines to provide consumer information on the University's website. 

Minutes: 

Coming Soon...