The Provost’s Committee on Technology met from September 2000 through January 2001 to consider the Wickler report, and the committee’s recommendations, reported in Dr. Berliner’s letter to the faculty of November 28, 2000, defined the functions of CAIR in these words:

If there are differences of opinion or if there are problems associated with a School/College’s request, the issue will be referred to a new entity, the Council for Academic Information Resources (CAIR), which will serve as the University’s chief policy recommendation and planning body for academic information resources.  The Council, in those cases where there are differences of opinion, will make a recommendation to the Provost. The CAIR, which will also be chaired by the Provost, will establish protocol and ensure quality control over all academic information technology, including faculty-related issues for the Help Desk and academic department Web services to ensure that consistent information is delivered over the Internet.  The CAIR’s mandate includes engaging in substantive deliberations to ensure that the benefits of our investment in technology are fully realized as well as keeping the University community fully informed about technology issues and initiatives.

In his letter of November 5, 2001 inviting prospective members to join the newly-formed Council for Academic Information Resources (CAIR), Dr. Herman A. Berliner, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, wrote:

One key aspect of the new organizational structure to promote academic technology advancement is the establishment of a Council for Academic Information Resources which will review the major policy issues in regard to technology and make recommendations regarding those issues to me and to President Stuart Rabinowitz.  Some of the issues which the Council will deal with include operating systems and browsers.

Dr. Berliner further noted that the Council would meet on a monthly basis, that he would chair the Council and that Senior Vice President for Planning and Administration M. Patricia Adamski would serve as an ex officio member (without vote).

CAIR MEMBERSHIP: 

Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs (Chair): Herman A. Berliner, Ph.D.

Speaker of the Faculty: Harold M. Hastings, Ph.D., Professor of Mathematics; Chairperson, Department of Physics and Astronomy

Chair of the Senate Executive Committee: Carol Ferrand, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences

Dean:  George L. Back, Ph.D., School of Communication

Dean:  Bernard J. Firestone, Ph.D., Hofstra College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Dean of Library and Information Services: Daniel R. Rubey, Ph.D., Professor of Library and Information Services

Executive Dean of Academic Technology Advancement: Daniel R. Rubey, Ph.D. (Acting)

Executive Dean for Administrative Computing: Eugene R. Ingoglia

Faculty Member: Janice Koch, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Curriculum and Teaching

Faculty Member: Stephen B. Krull, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Finance; Chair of the Senate Sub-committee on Academic Computing (SCAC)

Faculty Member: William F. Orr, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Mathematics; Teaching Fellow in New College

Faculty Member: Nancy Stern, Ph.D., Professor of Business Computer Information Systems and Quantitative Methods; Brodlieb Distinguished Professor of Business

Director of the Center for Teaching Excellence: Liora P. Schmelkin, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology; Leo A. Guthart Distinguished Professor of Teaching Excellence

Chair’s Representative: M. David Burghardt, Ph.D., Professor of Engineering; Chair, Department of Computer Science; Co-Director, Center for Technological Literacy

M. Patricia Adamski, Senior Vice President for Planning and Administration

Anneliese Payne, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Curriculum and Teaching; Associate Dean of Faculty Computing Support (FCS)

Lanny R. Udey, Ph.D., Associate Dean, Internet Technology