November 2025 Senate Report | Office of the Provost

Provost’s Initiatives and Leadership Appointments

TBI Interim Director

Gabrielle A. Russo has been named interim director of the Turkana Basin Institute. Most recently, she served as deputy director of TBI and associate professor of anthropology. Dr. Russo has been a longstanding member of the TBI research community. She is a biological anthropologist who studies the functional and evolutionary anatomy of apes and humans, and conducts paleontological fieldwork at Miocene (~23-5 million years ago) sites in the Turkana Basin known for yielding ape fossils.

Academic Affairs

AI Teaching and Learning Advisory Committee charged

The AI Teaching and Learning Advisory Committee has been charged with providing thoughtful guidance and campus leadership around Stony Brook’s approach to AI in the teaching and learning space. This AI Guidelines and Statement of Values document will not be a Policy, but will suggest some basic agreements, best practices, and expectations regarding Generative AI. With nominations from Deans, the Senate Committee on Educational Services and Information Technology (SCEDIT), Undergraduate Council, Grad Council, Division of Information Technology (DoIT), the Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching (CELT), Undergraduate Student Government and Graduate Student Organization, we have a diversity of voices with varying degrees of AI experience.

Apply to be an AI Technology Champion

The university invites applications for a new AI Technology Champions Award and Network, an initiative led by the Coastal Athletic Association Academic Alliance. Faculty and staff who are using AI in innovative ways to support student or institutional success are invited to apply to win a $10,000 stipend and join a network of AI innovators across the 13-member association.

Learn more and apply.

Listening Tour is underway

Our first two Listening Tour sessions happened September 22 in Light Engineering and October 27 in the HSC. Our last two sessions of the semester will be at SBS and Endeavour Hall.

Attend a session or submit an anonymous comment.

Deadline Approaching for Promotion to Full Professor

Reminder: files for Promotion to Full Professor are due to the Provost’s Office by January 15 for consideration in 2026.

Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching Events and Resources

Check our calendar for upcoming events, or contact us to schedule a program for your department.

Teaching and Learning Symposium

CELT’s Annual Teaching and Learning Symposium will be held on Friday, March 27, with José Antonio Bowen as the keynote speaker. A special hands-on workshop with Bowen will be available to all Thursday, March 26. If you are interested in sharing your innovative teaching practices during the symposium, the deadline to submit a proposal is December 15.

Accessibility Support for Course Content

CELT is here to assist you with making your course content digitally accessible. Keep checking CELT’s Accessibility webpage and upcoming workshops.

Do you need to make your PDFs accessible? Submit them to CELT’s PDF Remediation.

Apply for SUNY Academic Innovation Grants

From SUNY: The SUNY Academic Innovation Grants Programs, including the Innovative Instruction Technology Grants (IITG) and Open Educational Resources (OER) Impact Grants, will be offered for the 2026–2027 academic year. These programs provide over $1 million in competitive funding to support innovative projects that advance teaching, learning, and student success. This year’s objectives emphasize harnessing AI, openness, and accessibility to advance affordable, innovative, and equitable education across SUNY.

Key Dates:

Nov–Dec 2025: Ideation site open to share and connect on project ideas.
Jan 4 – Mar 1, 2026: Request for Proposals open.
May 2026: Awards announced.

Take our Survey

CELT is committed to supporting the campus community in enhancing teaching and learning. One way we aim to do this is by helping faculty utilize supported technology tools with researched-based effective practices. Complete this survey to help us create meaningful, targeted resources that can help enhance your teaching practices. Thank you for your time. Please reach out to celt@stonybrook.edu if you have any questions.

Academic Programs

The Provost’s Office received a departmental request to formally deactivate the MA in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies while the program is redesigned. Deactivations are internal to SUNY and limited in duration to no more than three years, by which time the programs must be reactivated or discontinued.

Climate & Sustainability Programming

Earth in the Emergency field trip

As part of the Collaborative for the Earth's (C4E) "Earth in the Emergency Room" theme, this year's field trip brought participants to Long Beach and Far Rockaway - two coastal areas heavily impacted by Superstorm Sandy. The group spoke to the town of Long Beach’s city manager and representatives from RISE Rockaway about climate change’s impact on coastal infrastructure and local communities, as well as efforts to mitigate the risk to residents. In Far Rockaway, we visited housing complexes built after the storm and spoke with local organizers about climate equity: how location and demographics impact a community's ability to respond to climate change.

Contaminants of Emerging Concern conversation

On October 3, C4E co-hosted a workshop with faculty from the School of Atmospheric Sciences (SoMAS) that brought together members of the Stony Brook University community who are interested or already working on understanding the effect that Contaminants of Emerging Concern (CECs) pose to the environment and human health.

Collaboration with the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute

In collaboration with the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) and the School of Atmospheric Sciences (SoMAS), the Collaborative for the Earth (C4E) is organizing a lecture series in spring 2026 entitled Planet in Focus: Climate, Culture, and Sustainability. Scientists, researchers, and practitioners will present topics covering varied perspectives on the future of planet Earth.

Continuing, Professional, and Online Education

December 12: Pre-College Program Summit

Join us for the inaugural AY and Summer Pre-College Program Summit on Friday December 12 from 11 am to 1 pm in SAC Ballroom B (lunch will be provided). Stony Brook offers a relatively large number of programs for middle and high school students during the academic year and in the summer. This summit is designed for faculty and staff affiliated with former or existing programs, and those interested in learning more about current programs and opportunities for participation, collaboration, outreach, and operational coordination. RSVP if you can join us.

Get involved in the Pre-College STEM Program

The Pre-College STEM program (formerly Pre College WISE) is an on-campus after-school STEM enrichment program offered during the academic year for 10th, 11th, and 12th grade students interested in STEM disciplines. The program currently has approximately 150 students from seven partner high schools. Its funding comes from an Eastern Suffolk BOCES supported services contract. For more information or to get involved, contact the program director Haiwen Lu.

Faculty Development

Excellence in Teaching Program

This successful year-long workshop series, offered in collaboration with CELT,centers on best practices and innovative approaches to teaching and learning. The most recent session, held October 17, focused on the use of AI in the classroom. The next session, on November 14, will cover experiential and innovative learning.

Emerging Leaders

This cohort-based program offers development opportunities for the next generation of higher education leaders in research, education, and administration. Its most recent session, on October 17, focused on career opportunities and was facilitated by the Career Center. Upcoming sessions will discuss effective communication and strategies for navigating difficult conversations. Participants from last year’s cohort are actively engaged in community and university activities this fall and representing their academic units in a variety of contexts.

Associate Deans Workshops and Networking

We kicked off this new program on October 10. The program offers a platform for associate deans to engage in professional development, share best practices, and strengthen connections across disciplines. We will offer another session in the spring semester and host a retreat at the end of the academic year.

Academic Staff Development

This program provides academic staff with resources and tools to support their daily work and professional growth. The first session, on October 2, focused on budget and financial resources. Upcoming sessions will include presentations and conversations about the Interfolio platform, practical applications of AI, effective communication strategies, and other topics designed to strengthen efficiency and collaboration.

Provost’s Talks

This series highlights experts who have made significant contributions to their fields. The November 20 Provost’s Lecture Series will showcase Distinguished Faculty Clinton Rubin from the Department of Biomedical Engineering and Chang Kee Jung from the Department of Physics and Astronomy. The Distinguished Faculty Council is convened and will meet before the event.

Departmental and Staff Workshops: Generative AI for Teaching and Learning

Academic departments may request customized workshops on the use of generative AI in the classroom and for course preparation, as well as training sessions for academic staff on how AI can support administrative tasks, streamline processes, and enhance student services. For more information or to schedule a workshop, contact facultyaffairs@stonybrook.edu. These programs are offered in collaboration with the Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching.

Distinctions and Awards

The deadline to submit nomination files for the SUNY Chancellor's Awards for Excellence is November 12.
The fall application deadline for the UUP Individual Development Awards (IDA) Program is October 31.

Educational and Institutional Effectiveness

Submit your proposal for love Data Week

Have a great data story to tell? Submit a proposal to present at SBU’s International Love Data Week, February 9-13, hosted by the Division of Educational and Institutional Effectiveness. Share how you collect, use, analyze, and communicate data in your work through a 30-minute Zoom session, a data-themed table at our Open House, or a featured student poster presentation. Submit your proposal by December 1 to join the celebration and spread the data love!

Coffee with Coordinators

Join the Office of Educational Effectiveness for Coffee with Coordinators Wednesday, November 5, from 10 – 11 am in the OEE Conference Room (N3070 Melville Library). This informal monthly gathering offers assessment coordinators a space to connect, share ideas, and discuss the highs and lows of program-level assessment over coffee.

Register here.

4th Annual Assessment Symposium: Mapping Our Future

On October 30, the Office of Educational Effectiveness hosted its 4th annual Assessment Symposium: Mapping Our Future, with over 105 participants registered. The event featured Dr. Zach Justus, who delivered a dynamic keynote, “Are students learning what we think we’re teaching?” The program included a panel discussion with members of the Student Assessment Council, who shared insights on student AI usage and skill development. The symposium concluded with a hands-on curriculum mapping workshop co-facilitated by Catherine Scott that offered participants practical strategies for aligning learning outcomes with program goals.

General Education Assessment

OEE will begin the next general education assessment cycle this fall for SNW, TECH, STAS, EXP+, and WRT. In mid-October, deans and department chairs will be notified of the spring 2025 assessment approach, and assessment coordinators will receive faculty lists to identify participants. Student focus groups will take place in November, and faculty will receive a reminder in early December to begin compiling fall data. In February, our assessment consultant will hold 45-minute guided conversations with faculty, followed by upper-division student focus groups in mid-April 2025.

Last year’s assessment results will be shared in the coming weeks.

Enrollment Management

Office of Financial Aid & Scholarship Services

The current negotiated rulemaking session is debating the definition of a "Professional Student/Program," which determines access to higher federal student loan borrowing limits. The final rule must be published soon to ensure the changes can take effect by the mandated date of July 1, 2026.

Office of the Registrar

Auto Degree Application

The automated degree application process has been implemented for Fall 2025, streamlining the graduation application workflow for students.

Degree Audit Review

A comprehensive review of the current degree audit process is underway to ensure it more effectively supports student progress and institutional needs.

FERPA Training

Campus-wide roll out of the new online FERPA training has begun, ensuring consistent compliance and awareness across all academic and administrative units.

Modern Campus – Catalog

The Spring 2026 Undergraduate, Graduate, and Health Sciences Catalogs are scheduled for publication on October 27.

Modern Campus – Curriculum

Project implementation is on track for completion by October 29, following comprehensive testing. User training and documentation development will begin in November, with colleges, schools, and departments transitioning to the new curriculum system for all curricular changes the spring 2026 semester.

Undergraduate Admissions

We hosted fall open house programs on September 13 and October 13 for more than 1,000 total guests. Students were a combination of high school juniors, seniors, and transfers.

School counselor programs will continue through the end of October across New York and in select out-of-state markets to help introduce and promote the university’s offerings.

SUNY Free App Weeks are from October 20 to November 3. In alignment with our early action deadline, we will consider those who submit during this period by November 1 as on time for early action.

Global Affairs

International Student Success

International Education Week is November 17-21. ISS will host several events throughout the week in the International Student Center for students and will partner with Visa and Immigration Services to offer a workshop for professional staff: Navigating Employment Authorization for International Students.

For a full list of events, visit International Student Success.

Visa and Immigration Services

Update on H-1B Presidential Proclamation and Fee Implementation

This information was shared on 10/21/25 to all Deans, Chairs, Center/Institute Directors, & Department Administrators.

The $100,000 fee applies to H-1B petitions filed on or after September 21, 2025, for individuals outside of the U.S. requesting consular or port-of-entry notification.
The fee does not apply to petitions for individuals already in the U.S. seeking a change of status, change of employer, or extension of status.
If US Customs and Immigration Services (USCIS) denies a change or extension of status but approves the underlying petition (converting it to a consular case), the fee becomes required.
If a change or extension of status is approved, and the individual later departs and applies for an H-1B visa abroad, no fee is required to obtain the visa.
USCIS established a mechanism to pay the fee through Pay.gov, and proof of payment must be submitted with the H-1B petition for cases subject to the fee.

National Interest Exceptions

USCIS introduced a process to request “national interest exceptions” via email. Criteria, required documentation, and adjudication timelines remain undefined. Exceptions will reportedly be granted only in extraordinarily rare circumstances where requiring payment would “significantly undermine the interests of the United States.” At this time, there is no indication of industry-wide exceptions.

Ongoing Litigation

Two lawsuits have been filed challenging the Presidential Proclamation, including one by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The timeline for any judicial action remains uncertain.

We will continue to monitor developments closely and share updates as new information becomes available. For more information, contact vis_scholar@stonybrook.edu.

IEW Webinar: Navigating Employment Authorization for International Students

Join us on Zoom Thursday, November 20, from 1 – 2 p.m. for a webinar on F-1 and J-1 employment authorization. Learn how to guide students, avoid compliance issues, and streamline the hiring process. Open to all faculty, staff, advisors, and HR professionals who work with international students. Register by November 13.

Graduate School

Guiding Difficult Conversations for Faculty Workshop

Friday, November 7
9:30 am to 4:30 pm
Wang East Hall
After this workshop, participants will leave equipped with tools to have difficult conversations with mentees that are productive and safe. Open to all faculty across disciplines. Morning refreshments and lunch will be provided. Register here.

Research Mentor Training for Graduate Students

Friday, November 14, and Friday, November 21
9:30 am to 1:30 pm
Virtual
Graduate students from all disciplines are invited to join this two-part half-day interactive workshop series and build skills in effective mentoring, including "mentoring up" with advisors. Grounded in the evidence-based CIMER curriculum, this training is a great way to establish evidence of mentoring skills for fellowship/grant proposals. Certificates and digital badges are awarded upon completion.

Register here

Supervising Student Workers for Marketing and Recruitment Projects

Tuesday, November 4, 2025
1 pm to 2 pm
Virtual
Student workers can provide meaningful insight when it comes to designing content to use for marketing and recruitment of academic programs. Understand the process of hiring, training, and supervising undergraduate and graduate student workers to assist with managing new and ongoing projects. Attendees will receive sample job descriptions, training outlines, and guidance on how to create a valuable experience for student employees.