2020-2021 Executive Committee and Board Representatives

(Executive Committee members are elected by the Senate. Senators should select from among the other standing committees when indicting a committee preference.)

Standing Charge: To perform those duties defined in University Policy 50.2.2., to coordinate the activities of the Senate and its committees, and to exercise such powers as the Senate may delegate to it.

The Executive Committee shall act on behalf of the Senate between meetings of the Senate, and report these actions to the Senate. (Note: On September 29, 1970, the Senate passed a motion authorizing the Executive Committee to act on its behalf between meetings of the Senate as provided in University Policies 50.2.1.F. and 50.2.3.F., and requiring the Executive Committee to report these actions to the Senate.) Although the Executive Committee is empowered to act for the Senate in exceptional circumstances, it shall minimize responding to emergency situations that require its independent, precipitous action, and shall strengthen and publicize its planning, referral, evaluation, and liaison functions, as follows:

a. Planning Function of the Executive Committee

To review the annual reports from Senate committee chairpersons and decide which charges should be continued or modified, and to anticipate and propose other matters needing Senate attention. The Secretary will transmit these matters as charges to the appropriate committee with background information.
To assign members to Senate standing committees and panels, ensuring broad representation on each of the committees (to the extent possible within the limitation in the third paragraph of “Committees of the Senate”).
To take responsibility for assuring standing committees, and the Senate as a whole, sufficient time in which to study and advise on all proposals brought to it.
To issue, at its discretion, a rule calling for a specific voting procedure on a resolution pending before the Senate, including voting by secret ballot, to ensure an efficient voting procedure, and to protect the integrity of the vote whenever issues of extreme sensitivity or confidentiality exist.

b. Referral Function of the Executive Committee

To refer new matters to the committees throughout the year. The Secretary will transmit these referrals in writing with appropriate supporting information.
To establish ad hoc committees and charge them appropriately. In keeping with its referral function, the Executive Committee shall generally refrain from initiating discussion of new issues on the Senate floor but rather move all business through the committee structure.

c. Evaluation Function of the Executive Committee

To review and evaluate the performance of Senate committees and the Senate body as a whole periodically throughout the year. To report to the Senate the results of such evaluations.

d. Liaison Function of the Executive Committee

To arrange for and monitor compliance with liaison arrangements among Senate committees, the Administration, and University committees.
To be the buffer between the Administration and other University groups and the Senate, guarding the Senate’s rights and responsibilities from encroachment by keeping in close touch with persons and events in the University community.
To appeal to the Board of Governors as provided in Section 2.2.2 Paragraph B, item (2) when the President does not consult the Senate in the areas defined for such consultation.

Senator	Constituency
Natalie Borisovets, Newark Full-time Faculty Member	Libraries, Faculty
Russell Crews, Staff Member	New Brunswick Staff
Peter Gillett, Vice Chair	Rutgers Business School: Undergraduate NB, Faculty
Amanda Immidisetti, RBHS Student Member	Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Student
Jon Oliver, Chair	New Brunswick Staff
Adrienne Simonds, Full-time Faculty Member At-Large	School of Health Professions, Faculty
Thomas Struble, Alumnus	Alumni Association
Karen Thompson, Part-time Lecturer Faculty Member	Lecturer-New Brunswick, Faculty
Michael Van Stine, Camden Student Member	Graduate School-Camden, Student
Laura Willett, RBHS Full-time Faculty Member	Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Faculty
Marie Yamaoka, New Brunswick Student Member	School of Arts and Sciences-NB, Student
Robert Boikess, Board of Governors Faculty Representative	School of Arts and Sciences-NB, Faculty
Ralph Giraud, Board of Governors Faculty Representative	School of Business-Camden, Faculty
Robert Schwartz, Board of Governors Faculty Representative	New Jersey Medical School, Faculty
Sarah Shobut, Board of Governors Faculty Representative	Newark College of Arts and Sciences, Student

Senator	Present	Excused	Absent
Borisovets, Natalie \| Libraries, Faculty	9	0	0
Crews, Russell \| New Brunswick Staff	7	2	0
Gillett, Peter \| Rutgers Business School: Undergraduate NB, Faculty	9	0	0
Mickelsen, Mary \| Senate Office	0	0	9
Oliver, Jon \| New Brunswick Staff	9	0	0
Simonds, Adrienne \| School of Health Professions, Faculty	8	1	0
Struble, Thomas \| Alumni Association	8	1	0
Thompson, Karen \| Lecturer-New Brunswick, Faculty	9	0	0
Willett, Laura \| Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Faculty	9	0	0

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: How common are dual full-time faculty leadership role situations at Rutgers, and what are the rationales under which such dual roles are undertaken? What is the process by which such dual role leadership situations are undertaken, regarding (but not necessarily limited to): the potentially unfilled portion of FTE in one or both positions; the identification and selection of other individuals to supplement one or both of the dual roles, including how existing procedures for filling such positions are or are not followed (e.g., is one or both role in such situations reverted to being appointed rather than competitively hired in any circumstances); the clarification of the work tasks required for each of the leadership roles held, and evaluation of performance in those roles, given that they are engaged at less than 100% FTE; assurance that potential conflict of interest is identified and pre-empted or managed? Note: This charge focuses on faculty specifically, excludes roles fulfilled through funding buy-outs and/or by involving summer work for those on 9-month contracts, and also omits focus on within-unit dual leadership roles unless each role historically constitutes 100% FTE (e.g., a department chair assuming the chairship of a second department within a school or college).	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-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

Senator	Present	Excused	Absent
Borisovets, Natalie \| Libraries, Faculty	9	0	0
Crews, Russell \| New Brunswick Staff	7	2	0
Gillett, Peter \| Rutgers Business School: Undergraduate NB, Faculty	9	0	0
Mickelsen, Mary \| Senate Office	0	0	9
Oliver, Jon \| New Brunswick Staff	9	0	0
Simonds, Adrienne \| School of Health Professions, Faculty	8	1	0
Struble, Thomas \| Alumni Association	8	1	0
Thompson, Karen \| Lecturer-New Brunswick, Faculty	9	0	0
Willett, Laura \| Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Faculty	9	0	0

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2020-2021 Executive Committee and Board Representatives

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