| Senator | Constituency |
|---|---|
| Katie Anderson, Co-Chair | Libraries, Faculty |
| Adrienne Esposito, Chair | New Brunswick Staff |
| Robert Boikess, Member | School of Arts and Sciences-NB, Faculty |
| Stephanie Bonne, Member | New Jersey Medical School, Faculty |
| Brian Everett, Member | Camden Staff |
| Masanori Hara, Member | School of Engineering, Faculty |
| Shubon Husan, Member | School of Engineering, Student |
| Galathara Kahanda, Member | Newark At-Large, Faculty |
| Nicholas Linardopoulos, Member | New Brunswick At-Large, Faculty |
| Aman Shah, Member | Rutgers Business School: Undergraduate Newark, Student |
| Martin Siederer, Member | Alumni Association |
| Zhiqiang Tan, Member | School of Arts and Sciences-NB, Faculty |
| Cassandra Vega, Member | School of Arts and Sciences-NB, Student |
| Senator | Present | Excused | Absent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anderson, Katie | Libraries, Faculty | 0 | 0 | 9 |
| Esposito, Adrienne | New Brunswick Staff | 0 | 0 | 9 |
| Boikess, Robert | School of Arts and Sciences-NB, Faculty | 0 | 0 | 9 |
| Bonne, Stephanie | New Jersey Medical School, Faculty | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| Everett, Brian | Camden Staff | 0 | 0 | 9 |
| Hara, Masanori | School of Engineering, Faculty | 0 | 0 | 9 |
| Husan, Shubon | School of Engineering, Student | 0 | 0 | 9 |
| Kahanda, Galathara | Newark At-Large, Faculty | 0 | 0 | 9 |
| Linardopoulos, Nicholas | New Brunswick At-Large, Faculty | 0 | 0 | 9 |
| Shah, Aman | Rutgers Business School: Undergraduate Newark, Student | 0 | 0 | 9 |
| Siederer, Martin | Alumni Association | 0 | 0 | 9 |
| Tan, Zhiqiang | School of Arts and Sciences-NB, Faculty | 0 | 0 | 9 |
| Vega, Cassandra | School of Arts and Sciences-NB, Student | 0 | 0 | 9 |
| Charge Number | Title | Description | Committees Being Charged | Charge Status | Due Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S-2403 | AI and Cheating | There is an epidemic of students using “Artificial Intelligence” in order to cheat at Rutgers. This does not apply to legitimate uses of AI, especially in the sciences. In the humanities, we are seeing more and more students using generative AI (grammarly, ChatGPT, QuoteBot, etc.) to write entire papers, doing nothing other than cutting and pasting the paper prompt into AI. In recent semesters, some Rutgers professors have reported a majority of students in a given class for using AI as an academic integrity violation. The academic integrity issue here is three fold. One, we have students passing off the work of another (in this case, a computer algorithm) as their own, which is a clear violation of Rutgers Honor’s code. Two, many Rutgers instructors (especially in the humanities) ban all use of AI, and students are violating that ban. Three, students are not learning anything; they even use AI to fabricate quotes rather than doing the reading (this is a major way I catch it). The Senate should (1) Investigate how common AI use is in academic integrity violations across Rutgers campuses. Anecdotally, it seems to be exploding, but data would be useful. (2) Recommend steps to curb the cheating use of AI on campus. The goal here should not be to ban AI for legitimate purposes. But the Senate might consider, for example, requiring students to disclose when they use AI, just as they would have to disclose having a person help writing their papers. (3) Recommending how university administrators can help support faculty better and incorporate appropriate training on AI into orientations and the such. | Academic Standards, Regulations and Admissions Committee | Pending | November 5, 2025 |
| S-2402 | Institutional Neutrality | Should Rutgers adopt a policy of institutional neutrality similar to the principles set forth in the University of Chicago’s Kalven Report, which would require the University, schools, academic units, and departments to refrain from taking stances on controversial political issues, so as to protect the right of individuals in the university community to pursue the fullest extent of inquiry and debate? Such a restriction, it should be noted, would not preclude individuals from taking positions on such issues. | University Structure and Governance Committee | Pending | December 4, 2024 |
| S-2401 | Automatic Textbook Billing | The University Senate should explore the nature and impact of automatic textbook billing by investigating the following issues: 1) Why automatic textbook billing was initiated; 2) Whether and the university and professors can better inform students about enrollment in automatic textbook billing; and 3) What steps can be taken to transform this program from “opt out” (automatic charges) to “opt in” (voluntary charges). | Student Affairs Committee | Pending | January 8, 2025 |
| S-2335 | University Senate’s Communication with Constituents Through Social Media | Charge an ad hoc committee to explore and recommend how the University Senate can utilize social media platforms (i.e., Instagram) to create and enhance communications to foster awareness and engagement. | Ad Hoc Committee | Pending | April 2, 2025 |
| S-2334 | Senate Communications | An ad committee will be created with broad representation to evaluate procedures to regulate use of the Senate listserv. | Ad Hoc Committee | Pending | January 8, 2025 |
| S-2333 | Cost Cutting and Budget Deficits | Identify cost cutting measures that are being imposed on departments by their schools. Investigate the budgetary rationales for these cuts and their impact on the quality of academic programs. | Instruction Curricula and Advising Committee | Pending | March 5, 2025 |
| S-2333 | Cost Cutting and Budget Deficits | Identify cost cutting measures that are being imposed on departments by their schools. Investigate the budgetary rationales for these cuts and their impact on the quality of academic programs. | Faculty and Personnel Affairs Committee | Pending | March 5, 2025 |
| S-2333 | Cost Cutting and Budget Deficits | Identify cost cutting measures that are being imposed on departments by their schools. Investigate the budgetary rationales for these cuts and their impact on the quality of academic programs. | Budget and Finance Committee | Pending | March 5, 2025 |
| S-2331 | Research Trainee Compensation and Benefit Inequity | Investigate current practices in postdoc and current doctoral student remuneration, in particular as it relates to inequality following fellowship funding and to develop solutions to reward talent. | Research, and Graduate and Professional Education Committee | Pending | March 5, 2025 |
| S-2330 | Expanding Access to University Libraries Across Campuses | Investigate current University library hours across all campuses. Determine if those hours are adequately meeting student needs (access to collections; access to study spaces; access to technology) on each campus. Make recommendations as appropriate. | Student Affairs Committee | Pending | March 5, 2025 |
| S-2330 | Expanding Access to University Libraries Across Campuses | Investigate current University library hours across all campuses. Determine if those hours are adequately meeting student needs (access to collections; access to study spaces; access to technology) on each campus. Make recommendations as appropriate. | Instruction Curricula and Advising Committee | Pending | March 5, 2025 |
| S-2329 | Senate Role in the Policy on Policies Processes and Procedures | Study and provide recommendation to increase University Senate’s role on the Policy on Policies in the matters related academic affairs, educational and research matters. | University Structure and Governance Committee | Pending | April 2, 2025 |
| S-2325 | Explore the Current Virtual Senate Meeting Format and Develop Best Practices and Meeting Format Recommendations | Review the existing Senate meeting format and existing Senate Handbook meeting procedures and develop recommendations in support of virtual meetings. | Information Technology Committee | Reissued | January 8, 2025 |
| S-2322 | Coordination of Shared Governance Entities | The possibility of establishing a formal mechanism for the coordination of the Senate, the Faculty Councils, the student governing associations, and any other shared governance groups. Among the possibilities the committee could consider is a coordinating council with representation from each shared governance group to facilitate collaborative interaction with the President and the Boards of Governors and Trustees. They should also determine whether any change in University Regulations would be needed to accomplish this goal. | University Structure and Governance Committee | Pending | October 30, 2024 |
| S-2321 | Poor Student Busing and Employee Transportation Services | Exploring effective, timely, and safe student and employee transportation issues across the campuses. | Student Affairs Committee | Pending | October 30, 2024 |
| S-2320-1 | Timing and Process for Recommending Tuition, Fees, Housing Charges, and Dining Charges | Review the process and timing whereby recommendations are developed and made for annual changes in tuition, required fees, and room and board, including mechanisms for input from students, parents, and other stakeholders (including tenants with rents affected by Rutgers housing rates) and including the role of shared governance in this process. Make recommendations for any changes in this process to increase transparency and confidence in the process. | Student Affairs Committee | Reissued | April 3, 2024 |
| S-2318 | Increasing Student Representation on the Rutgers University Senate Executive Committee | The University Structure and Governance Committee of the Rutgers University Senate is charged with investigating and making recommendations on the need to expand student representation on the Rutgers University Senate Executive Committee. Currently, faculty members have representation on the Rutgers University Senate Executive Committee through seats allocated to each chancellor-led unit, in addition to two at-large positions. In contrast, students are limited to four seats representing New Brunswick, Camden, Newark, and RBHS. Given that students constitute the largest constituency at Rutgers, this committee is tasked with examining whether the current representation adequately reflects the student body’s diversity, concerns, and interests. The committee shall explore potential modifications to the Rutgers University Senate Executive Committee structure to ensure a more equitable and comprehensive student representation. | University Structure and Governance Committee | Pending | September 25, 2024 |
| S-2317-2 | Prevalence, Procedures, and Challenges of Faculty Occupancy of Dual Leadership Roles | FPAC is charged with investigating and making recommendations it deems necessary on the following two issues:
| Faculty and Personnel Affairs Committee | Reissued | March 5, 2025 |
| S-2316 | University Senate Representation on Formal Governance Boards | Determine if there should be University Senate voting representation on all of the governing boards: Rutgers University Board of Governors and Board of Trustees, The Rutgers University Board of Directors (Foundation), The Camden Board of Directors; and, The Rowan University / Rutgers-Camden Board of Governors. Additionally, make recommendations regarding the make-up of Board membership, including faculty, staff, students, and alumni. | University Structure and Governance Committee | Pending | March 27, 2024 |
| S-2313 | Whether Students Should Substitute for Workers in Urgent Situations | This charge, to FPAC and USGC, is to explore and provide recommendations for the appropriate deployment of any students during crisis situations. Exceptions to this must also be examined, in light of national emergencies, such as the COVID pandemic. However, a recent nursing strike over staffing issues at RWJ-Barnabas would not fall into this category. | University Structure and Governance Committee | Pending | May 29, 2024 |
| S-2313 | Whether Students Should Substitute for Workers in Urgent Situations | This charge, to FPAC and USGC, is to explore and provide recommendations for the appropriate deployment of any students during crisis situations. Exceptions to this must also be examined, in light of national emergencies, such as the COVID pandemic. However, a recent nursing strike over staffing issues at RWJ-Barnabas would not fall into this category. | Faculty and Personnel Affairs Committee | Pending | May 29, 2024 |
| S-2311-1 | Professional Development Opportunities | Review the university’s policies regarding professional development opportunities to attend conferences and meetings. Investigate and, when appropriate, make recommendations regarding campus and unit rules on (i) How long a faculty member may be absent for professional development opportunities? (ii) What are the policies for making alternative arrangements if a faculty member is absent? (iii) Who covers costs if a guest lecturer is hired? (iv) Can all faculty members, including PTLs, teach occasional classes online if necessary due to justified absences? (v) How do policies about professional development opportunities differ among schools and Chancellor-led units? | Faculty and Personnel Affairs Committee | Reissued | March 5, 2025 |
| S-2309-1 | Increased Representation of Graduate Students and PTL Faculty in the University Senate | Evaluate the current criteria, bylaws, and policies that decide graduate student representatives and PTL faculty in the Senate. Make appropriate changes to increased graduate student representation and PTL faculty in the Senate. | University Structure and Governance Committee | Reissued | October 30, 2024 |
| S-2308-1 | Conflict of Interest Declarations | Investigate and make recommendations on public declarations of conflicts of interest by politically exposed persons at Rutgers, including all members of the BoG and all those involved in significant financial decision-making. | Budget and Finance Committee | Reissued | April 2, 2025 |
| S-2305-1 | Auditing Courses at Rutgers | Review course auditing at Rutgers. Make any appropriate recommendations. | Instruction Curricula and Advising Committee | Reissued | October 9, 2024 |
| S-2304-1 | Common Hour Exams | Review the experiences of students, faculty, and staff with common hour exams at Rutgers University. Make any appropriate recommendations. | Student Affairs Committee | Reissued | December 4, 2024 |
| S-2304-1 | Common Hour Exams | Review the experiences of students, faculty, and staff with common hour exams at Rutgers University. Make any appropriate recommendations. | Instruction Curricula and Advising Committee | Reissued | December 4, 2024 |
| S-2301-1 | Science Communication Efforts at Rutgers University | Review efforts in science communication initiatives across the University and provide recommendations for any measures and limitations to raise awareness of the current limitations in the field of science communication across the entire Rutgers research community. | Research, and Graduate and Professional Education Committee | Reissued | April 3, 2024 |
| S-2301-1 | Science Communication Efforts at Rutgers University | Review efforts in science communication initiatives across the University and provide recommendations for any measures and limitations to raise awareness of the current limitations in the field of science communication across the entire Rutgers research community. | Instruction Curricula and Advising Committee | Reissued | April 3, 2024 |
| S-2208-1 | Divestment of Retirement Funds from Fossil Fuels | Investigate whether the investment companies utilized by Rutgers for university employees should divest from fossil fuel companies within their retirement portfolios that are known to contribute to climate change. Report back to the Senate Executive Committee. | Budget and Finance Committee | Reissued | March 5, 2025 |
| S-2204-2 | Impact of CourseAtlas | Explore the impact of CourseAtlas to benchmark institutional goals of the system, on academic units and departments, on faculty work-life balance, and make recommendations as appropriate. Specifically, (i) Investigate to what degree CourseAtlas has achieved the goals it was designed and implemented to achieve, (ii) explore the impact of CourseAtlas on academic units and departments’ ability to manage their own academic programs, (iii) assess the impact of CourseAtlas on the work-life balance of faculty, and (iv) propose feedback mechanisms which allow timely and meaningful faculty input on scheduling changes. | Faculty and Personnel Affairs Committee | Reissued | April 3, 2024 |
| S-2115-2 | Academic Freedom | Identify and investigate any recent attacks on the academic freedom of our faculty and students with a particular focus on the University's response to these attacks. | Student Affairs Committee | Reissued | October 9, 2024 |
| S-2207-1 | Office of Climate Action | Consider the current funding for the Office of Climate Action and investigate the funding model. Based on the action plan, determine if an adequate level of funding is provided to the office and report back to the Senate with any recommendations. | Budget and Finance Committee | Reissued | April 3, 2024 |
| S-2206-1 | Socially Responsible Investment | Consider the University Investment policy 40.2.14. Investigate whether the current investment policies should be modified by environmental, social and governance metrics to modify, add or remove investments based on the Endowment Justice Collective 2022 Divestment Proposal and the Resolution adopted by the Board of Trustees in March 2021. Report back to the Senate with any recommendations. | Budget and Finance Committee | Reissued | March 5, 2025 |
| S-2204-2 | Impact of CourseAtlas | Explore the impact of CourseAtlas to benchmark institutional goals of the system, on academic units and departments, on faculty work-life balance, and make recommendations as appropriate. Specifically, (i) Investigate to what degree CourseAtlas has achieved the goals it was designed and implemented to achieve, (ii) explore the impact of CourseAtlas on academic units and departments’ ability to manage their own academic programs, (iii) assess the impact of CourseAtlas on the work-life balance of faculty, and (iv) propose feedback mechanisms which allow timely and meaningful faculty input on scheduling changes. | Student Affairs Committee | Reissued | April 3, 2024 |
| S-2116-2 | SIRS | Investigate the validity and accuracy of Student Evaluation of Teaching (SET), as well as the details of how the SIRS is implemented at Rutgers and make recommendations for its role in our new approach to the evaluation and improvement of teaching effectiveness. Please report to the Senate Executive Secretary by March 16, 2022. | Faculty and Personnel Affairs Committee | Reissued | October 9, 2024 |
| S-2115-2 | Academic Freedom | Identify and investigate any recent attacks on the academic freedom of our faculty and students with a particular focus on the University's response to these attacks. | Faculty and Personnel Affairs Committee | Reissued | October 9, 2024 |
| S-2002-3 | Challenges Related to Parking and Transportation | Review the ongoing planning and financial status of parking and transportation, including its use of permits and citations as a source of revenue, and the long-term planning as it relates to transportation and parking, including plans to reduce parking on campus and how the administration plans to meet the challenges this will create. | Budget and Finance Committee | Reissued | October 30, 2024 |