The Undergraduate Teaching Resolution would allow undergraduates to assist a faculty member in teaching courses. UTAs must have at least junior status and hold overall QPAs of 3.0 or higher. In addition, UTAs must have received a grade of at least A- in the course in which they are to assist or in an equivalent course taken elsewhere. Students may earn no more than six credits as UTAs.

The Senate also passed the Fresh Start policy, which would allow "forgiveness" for past academic shortcomings to students who have received poor grades at one time in their academic career because of immaturity or factors beyond their control. Students petitioning for the "fresh start" must be at least 25 years old and have taken at least a two-year break between the time when the initial poor grades were earned and their admission or readmission to UB. All grades will remain on the student's transcript as earned, but the average reported on the transcript will be a "recalculated average."

In other business, the Senate held a first reading of its University Governance Report, a measure intended to foster integration between faculty governance and administration as well as to provide input on what circumstances and in what way the Faculty Senate should intervene when an academic unit's structure breaks down.

English Professor Victor Doyno, chair of the university governance committee, briefed the Faculty Senate on specific reforms contained in the report. Proposed reform that generated the most discussion was a measure that would change the way the Faculty Senate chair is compensated, from the current flat stipend of $3,000 per year to a percentage of his or her salary.

"I'm not sure why the stipend should hinge on professional attainments and salary," noted Mathematics Professor Samuel Schack, who suggested the Senate determine what would be a reasonable stipend for the position and tie increases into union-negotiated pay raises.

Lockwood Library Director Judith Adams called it "highly inappropriate" for the university to have the Senate support salary stipends of as much as $20,000 or $25,000. "It makes the Senate appear quite insensitive" to the university's budget concerns, she said.

Philosophy Professor William Baumer suggested that the easiest way to set the stipend would be to use a percentage of the average of UB's academic salaries. "If it's 20 percent, you're looking at a $15,000 stipend. If you think that's too high, then pick a smaller percentage," he said.

In his report to the Faculty Senate, President William R. Greiner updated members on the impact the state budget cut could have on the university and on the status of legislative proposals now before legislators in Albany.

If it goes into effect, the $92 million SUNY budget cut could translate into "$10-14 million worth of problems for UB unless something happens between now and July," Greiner said.

Senior Vice President Robert Wagner has been putting together a history of recent budget restorations, "and it's quite depressing," Greiner said. Last year the university received a budget restoration, but then lost some of the funds mid-year, he added.

The state Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) also stands to lose $260-270 million, with students at SUNY and CUNY institutions suffering the majority of the cut. UB students alone could lose $2.5-3 million in TAP support. Greiner said he has been pushing legislators to restore funding for TAP, and "chances for restoration are fairly good" because of the program's universal appeal.

But restoration of funds to SUNY looks less encouraging, he said. "Chances for much beyond that (restoration of TAP funding) are very, very small. That doesn't mean it's zero, but it's probably very low," Greiner said. "We'd be delighted if there was significant restoration of money to SUNY, but if that is not likely, Greiner said, UB officials will focus their efforts on what he called "Plan B," legislative reform. Without the legislative reforms that have been proposed in Albany, how will SUNY and UB deal with a $92 million budget cut? Greiner asked rhetorically. "Very badly," he said, adding that the federal budget, which could contain "a $2 billion hole in aid to health care," adds to UB's budget anxiety.