SUNY Organization and Roles Policy
Outlines the State University of New York's governance.
Policy Information
| Policy Number | Policy Owner |
|---|---|
| 7000.2 | Management Services |
1.0 Purpose
None
2.0 Revision History
| Date | Version Number | Change Description | Referenced Section |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-1998 | 1.0 | New Document | Entire Document |
| 12/30/16 | 1.1 | Minor Revisions | |
| 12/3/18 | 1.2 | Minor Revisions | |
| 9/18/20 | 1.3 | Minor Revisions | 2.0 |
| 10/8/20 | 2.0 | Major Revisions | Entire Document |
Review Process / Approval
| Action: | Units | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Policy Review |
|
|
| Policy Approval |
|
3.0 Units and Persons Affected
None
4.0 Policy
Overview
The State University of New York (SUNY) is the largest comprehensive system of higher
education in the United States. SUNY is comprised of 64 college and university campuses
(29 state operated campuses, 30 community colleges, and five statutory colleges with
a SUNY campus located within 30 miles of every home, school, and business in the state.
These campuses include research universities, four-year colleges, specialized and
technical colleges, health science centers including hospitals, and land-grant colleges.
The State University of New York was created by statute, Ch. 695 L. 1948, the provisions
of which, as amended from time to time, are codified and set forth in the Education
Law, Art. 8.
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
The State University is a corporation within the State Education Department, and all
of the powers of the State University, derived from the statute, are vested in and
exercised by the Board of Trustees, acting as a whole. All powers and duties of the
Board are set forth in statute.
The Board is comprised of 18 members, 15 of whom are appointed by the Governor with
the consent of the Senate for 7-year terms, the President of the Student Assembly
who serves as student Trustee ex officio, the President of the University Faculty
Senate who serves as faculty Trustee ex officio but without the right to vote, and
the President of the Faculty Council of Community Colleges, who serves as community
college faculty Trustee ex officio but without the right to vote. The Governor designates
the Chair and Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees. The Board is authorized by statute
to elect an executive committee of not fewer than five SUNY Trustees, one of whom
shall be the student Trustee, to transact business between meetings of the Board of
Trustees (Ed. L. §353).
The Board sets its own meeting schedule, and in recent years, the Board has convened
eight or more times annually. As required by statute, the Board holds two public hearings
annually to receive testimony and statements from concerned individuals about State
University issues (Ed.L. §353(2)).
The Board of Trustees has adopted, and from time to time amends, By-Laws. Pursuant
to the By-Laws, the Board has authority to establish standing and special committees
of the Board comprised of Trustees (By-Laws, Art. III). As of 2011, the standing committees
of the Board are the Executive Committee; Academic Affairs Committee; Academic Medical
Centers and Hospitals Committee; Audit Committee; Communications and External Affairs
Committee; Education, College Readiness and Success Committee; Finance and Administration
Committee; and Research and Economic Development Committee. While the primary role
of each committee other than the Executive Committee, and to a limited extent, the
Audit Committee, is advisory, much of the preliminary substantive work of the Board
occurs in committee as members review, with assistance of staff, matters, including
proposed resolutions, which will come before the Board. Generally, all committees
convene prior to each Board meeting.
Through the adoption of By-Laws, Policies of the Board and other resolutions, the
Board of Trustees has delegated, and allowed for sub-delegation of, various of its
statutory powers related to the administration of the State University to officers
of the Board, System Administration staff and campus Presidents and staff.
CHANCELLOR
As set forth by the Policies of the Board, the chief executive officer of the State
University is the Chancellor, who is appointed by the Board and performs such duties
as the Board assigns.
Among the powers of the Chancellor delegated by the Board through the Policies are
the powers to recommend Vice Chancellors for appointment by the Board and to appoint
all executive and administrative officers below the level of Vice Chancellor, who
constitute the senior staff of the University’s System Administration.
The Chancellor is authorized to sub-delegate to such officers and staff powers, duties
and responsibilities (Policies, Art. IV). Both the By-Laws and the Policies provide
for the office of the Secretary, a Board appointee (By-Laws, Art. II, §2; Policies,
Art. IV, Title B).
SYSTEM ADMINISTRATION
In addition to administrative staffs at each campus, System Administration, located in Albany, provides services and support system-wide under the direction of the Chancellor and the Board. System Administration provides centralized financial, legal, academic, external relations, audit, student life and human resources services and support.
CAMPUS ADMINISTRATION
Through the Policies, the Board has delegated responsibility for the administration
of each State-operated campus to its President, a Board appointee. The President determines
what college administrative officers are needed, assigns the powers, duties and responsibilities
of each, and supervises the professional and non-academic staff. The President prepares
and recommends the annual budget request of the campus and makes recommendations concerning
the operation, plans and development of the college (Policies, Art. IX)..
Learn more about SUNY Plattsburgh’s Roles and Responsibilities.
ADVISORY BODIES
UNIVERSITY FACULTY SENATE
The Board of Trustees has established the University Faculty Senate as the official
body through which the faculty participates in governance, particularly with respect
to educational policies and other professional matters. Each State-operated campus
and statutory college is represented in the Faculty Senate (Policies, Art. VII). As
a non-voting ex officio member of the State University Board of Trustees, the President
of the Faculty Senate participates in the deliberations of the Board and its committees.
Learn more about SUNY Plattsburgh’s Faculty Senate.
STUDENT ASSEMBLY
The official organization by which the student body participates in the governance
of the SUNY System is the Student Assembly, established by the Board through its Policies.
The Student Assembly serves as a forum for consultation and the exchange of information
among students, the Chancellor and the Board on matters of system-wide student concerns.
Each State-operated campus, statutory college and community college is represented
in the Student Assembly (Policies, Art. XVII). By statute, the President of the Student
Assembly serves on the Board of Trustees as a voting ex officio member. The student
Trustee is a required member of the Board’s Executive committee (Ed.L. §353(4);By-Laws,
Art.II, §1)
Learn more about the Student Association at SUNY Plattsburgh.
COLLEGE COUNCIL
By statute, there has been created for each State-operated campus (other than the
College of Environmental Science and Forestry) a college council, comprised of ten
members (nine appointed by the Governor and an elected student member). Each college
council is required to meet at least four times annually.
By statute, each council is authorized to recommend presidential candidates for appointment
by the State University Board; to make regulations concerning the management of campus
capital facilities; to make regulations concerning student conduct; and to name buildings
and grounds. The college councils are authorized to review major plans (as determined
by the State University Board) of the campus President and to review the campus President’s
annual budget request and recommend to the State University Board the campus budget.
The exercise of all such powers of the college councils is subject to the general
management, supervision, control and approval of the State University Board of Trustees
(Ed.L. §356).
Learn more about the College Council at SUNY Plattsburgh.
5.0 Definitions
None
6.0 Responsibilities
None
7.0 Procedures
None
8.0 Forms
None
9.0 Appendix
None
10.0 Distribution and Training
| Method | Date |
|---|---|
| Campus Handbook | N/A |
| Faculty / Staff Digest | N/A |
| Student Digest | N/A |
| Other | N/A |
There are no specific trainings identified with this policy.
For additional information about this policy, please contact the Policy Owner listed above.