RUTGERS UNIVERSITY SENATE
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
M I N U T E S
February 7, 2020

MEMBERS PRESENT:  Bachmann, Boikess, Dasari, Gillett, Gould, Hunter, Oliver (Chair), Parsa, Shobut, Thompson, Van Stine

MEMBERS EXCUSED: Borisovets, Kane, Matto, Stopyra

ALSO ATTENDING:  S. Andreassen (RBHS Vice Chancellor), B. Lee (Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs), M. Mickelsen (University Senate Executive Secretary), B. Strom (RBHS Chancellor)

The regular meeting of the University Senate Executive Committee was held on Friday, February 7, 2020 at 1:10 p.m. in the Berson Board Room of the Center for Law & Justice, Newark Campus.

1. Chair’s Report– Jon Oliver, Senate Chair

Senate and Executive Committee Chair Jon Oliver called the meeting to order at 1:10 p.m. He welcomed all to the meeting in Newark. He acknowledged the widespread concern regarding the potential merger of Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and New Jersey Medical School.  He reminded all in attendance that nothing in regards to this potential merger will be voted on today.  Chancellor Strom and Vice Chancellor Andreassen are in attendance to answer questions prior to sending the proposal to Senate standing committees for comment.

2. Secretary’s Report – Mary Mickelsen, Executive Secretary of the Senate

• Agenda: The meeting agenda was approved
• Minutes: The Minutes of the January 10, 2020 Senate Executive Committee Meeting were approved.
  • Communications:
    • RBHS Chancellor Brian Strom’s Response to the Resolution surrounding Faculty Engagement and Satisfaction with Robert Wood Johnson Medical School/The Association of American Medical Colleges Survey
    • Roberta Leslie’s Response to Questions posed by Senate Executive Committee at the December 6, 2019 meeting
    • Email from Francesca Maresca, Director of Health Outreach, Promotion and Education regarding Suicide Prevention Training c/o Salvador Mena, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs
    • Distribution of Scarlet & Black, Volume 2, courtesy of SVP Barbara Lee

3. Administrative Report – Barbara Lee, Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs

Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Barbara Lee presented an administrative report, which included comments on:

• University’s Response to the Coronavirus
  • President Barchi’s email message sent February 6;
  • group discussions taking place with representatives from all over the university on how to assist student, faculty and staff with the potential effects;
  • students who were in China over the break and have not been allowed to travel back will not be billed for the spring term;
  • currently there are no signs of the coronavirus within the Rutgers community;
  • students, faculty and staff are being asked to self-report symptoms and to seek medical advice if they experience cold-like or flu-like symptoms
• Climate Change
  • The President’s Task Force on Climate Change and Carbon Neutrality have set up four town hall meetings
    • February 12 on the Cook Campus; February 17 on the Busch Campus; February 18 on the Camden Campus; and February 25 on the Newark Campus
  • Rutgers has been invited to join the University Climate Change Coalition (UC3);
  • Primary report by the task force is due in May and the final report next fall

Lee then responded to comments on the above topics as well as the following:

• incidents of discrimination against Asian students by faculty and other students;
• providing faculty with guidance on how to respond to fears regarding coronavirus;
• student participation on the Task Force on Climate Change and Carbon Neutrality;
• policy on divestment in relation to climate change and carbon neutrality.

4. Update on Potential Merger between Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and New Jersey Medical School – Brian Strom, RBHS Chancellor

• The Future of Academic Medicine Committee Report
• Letter from RBHS Chancellor Brian Strom to Senate Chair Jon Oliver requesting Senate input on the integration of RWJMS and NJMS
• Senate Questionnaire for Establishment, Dissolution, Merging, or Major Restructuring of Academic, Administrative, or Business Units

Chancellor Strom presented the recommendations of the Future of Academic Medicine Committee surrounding the possible merger between RWJMS and NJMS and answered questions on the details. The Executive Committee discussed the proposal and asked Chancellor Strom to complete the Senate Questionnaire for Establishment, Dissolution, Merging, or Major Restructuring, of Academic, Administrative, or Business Units with the focus on actually merging the two schools. When the revised version is received the Chair will forward the document to all Senate standing committees for comments and further questions.

5. Old Business

Appeal to the University Senate on the Implementation of Course Atlas – Submitted by the New Brunswick Faculty Council

There was discussion as to whether or not the proposal by the New Brunswick Faculty Council was worthy of the creation of the Appeals Panel.  It was decided that, if the NBFC framed their proposal in such a way that Course Atlas was implemented without consultation which is required by well-established practice in the absence of Board policy or University Regulation, the Senate Executive Committee will pull together the Appeals Panel to discuss the validity of the appeal.  Senate Executive Secretary Mickelsen will convey the decision to NBFC Chair Tugrul Ozel.

6. Standing Committees/Panels  

Proposed Charges:

Proposed Charge to the Faculty and Personnel Affairs Committee (FPAC) on PTL Health and Wellness – Submitted by Karen Thompson, PTL-NB (F)

Charge: Investigate the range and awareness of health and wellness services available to part-time lecturers across the University and make recommendations.

Background: PTLs receive no employer contribution toward health insurance in their compensation. This situation leads to many PTLs being uninsured, covering classes while sick since they receive no sick days, and even to unnecessary death. PTLs may be eligible for certain wellness services (flu shots, weight loss programs) but even so many be unaware of such. PTLs are eligible to buy into the State Health Benefit Program but the cost is high and perhaps beyond a PTLs salary. Yes, health benefits is a topic for collective bargaining, but given the RU administration’s resolute refusal to engage with this topic at the bargaining table for 30 years, it makes sense for the Senate to make recommendations.

Thompson summarized the charge and its background. After minimal discussion it was determined the proposal was worthy of charging to the SAC with a report due date of October 2020.

Proposed Charge to the University Structure and Governance Committee (USGC) on How Staff Senators are Elected – Submitted by University Senate

Charge: Investigate and report on how staff not aligned with any chancellor are elected to the Senate and make recommendations based on this investigation.

Background: This charge was part of the Resolutions within the USGC report on S-1907: Composition of the Senate, that was voted on and passed through the Senate at its regular meeting on January 24, 2020.

Vice Chair Peter Gillett reminded all that this proposed charge was already voted on by the Senate as a recommendation in the report on charge S-1907 at the January 24, 2020 Senate meeting.  The charge was subsequently issued to USGC with a report due date of March 2021.

Proposed Charge to the University Structure and Governance Committee (USGC) on Evaluation of Committee Chairs – Submitted by Staff Caucus

Charge: Consider best practices for how Senate Standing Committee chairs and co-chairs are appointed by the Executive Committee. Investigate how the membership and leadership of the committees might best represent the composition of the Senate.  Consider how best to ensure that the voices of all Senate constituencies are properly heard and that none are unfairly ignored. 

Background: The Senate is a diverse body of representatives enacting shared governance at Rutgers University. By nature of its composition, it is assumed that initiatives undertaken by the Senate committees and the body as-a-whole are approached through collaboration and with equal opportunity for member participation. As part of an institution that strongly values diversity and inclusion and eliminating disparity, it behooves the Senate to ensure its leadership follows best practices.

Senator Arlene Hunter, Chair of the Staff Caucus, summarized the charge and its background. The Executive Committee agreed to issue the charge to USGC with a report due date of March 2021.

Proposed Charge to the Budget and Finance Committee (BFC) on Review of RCM Budgeting Model – Submitted by Nicholas Tharney, RBS:UNB (S)

Charge: Review the RCM budgeting model and provide recommendations as to what the administration’s review should address in terms of prospective changes (e.g., the 75/25 split as other competition between units); evaluate the scope of the review, including protocols and procedures, how other universities address RCM and alternative, the boundaries of RCM decision making (both direct and indirect), and how RCM has affected our standing as a university.

Background: RCM as a budgetary framework has had a substantial impact on financial decisions within the university. In accordance with its mission in shared governance, it is imperative that the University Senate provide recommendations ahead of the administrations review. Moreover, the Budget and Finance Committee unanimously voted to recommend this charge to the Executive Committee during its regular meeting on December 13, 2019.

Proposed Charge to the Budget and Finance Committee (BFC) on Evaluation of the RCM Implementation at Rutgers – Submitted by Menahem Spiegel, RBS:N/NB (F)

Charge: Evaluate the implementation of the RCM budget model, at RU. Specify recommendations where improvements should be considered.

Background: The RCM budget model is widely accepted and implemented by many private and public universities since 1974. Theoretically, it is a desired budgeting model. The details of its implementation might affect differently different components of the university. The main objective is to carefully examine cases and situations that will be brought to BFC attention.

Both the above charge proposals to Budget and Finance were evaluated by the Executive Committee simultaneously due to how closely they are related. Senator Spiegel reviewed his thoughts as to why the focus should be on how Rutgers University implemented the RCM model, rather than Senator Tharney’s proposal on evaluating the RCM model itself. The EC decided to issue Senator Spiegel’s proposal on the Evaluation of the RCM Implementation at Rutgers and issue a report due date of May 2020.

Committee Reports:

Instruction, Curricula, and Advising Committee (ICAC) Report on S-1902: Issues Surrounding Prerequisite Course Availability – Submitted by Natalie Borisovets, ICAC Co-Chair

The ICAC was charged as follows:  Consider the issues relating to course availability to students of courses that must be completed in sequence. Is there a way to ensure that students who fail a prerequisite course are able to register for that course the next time that it is offered? Respond to the Senate Executive Committee by February 2020.

Senator Gould, reporting in Senator Borisovets absence, reviewed the background and recommendations on S-1903: Issues Surrounding Prerequisite Course Availability. With some discussion, the report was docketed for the February 21, 2020 senate meeting.

Faculty and Personnel Affairs Committee (FPAC) Report on S-1903: Review Rutgers’ Policy on Workplace Violence – Submitted by Farid Alizadeh and Joseph Markert, FPAC Co-Chairs

Senator Karen Thompson, member of FPAC, reviewed the background and recommendations in the charge on Review Rutgers Policy on Workplace Violence. With some discussion, to docket the report with the addition of “Be it resolved that the Rutgers University Senate recommends:” directly before the committee’s recommendations, for the February 21, 2020 Senate meeting.

Charge Extension Requests

            The below charge extension requests were approved:

• • Academic Standards Regulations and Admissions Committee
    • S-1910: Grade Inflation – Extended to April 2020
  • Faculty and Personnel Affairs Committee
    • S-1909: Senior Leadership Status – Extended to April 2020
  • Student Affairs Committee
    • S-1913: Health & Wellness Support for Rutgers University Students – Extended to May 2020
  • University Structure and Governance Committee
    • S-1901: Follow-up on Completed Unit Mergers or Other Structural Changes – Extended to November 2020
    • S-1904: Review of Proposed Resolution on Rutgers’ Faculty Councils Inclusion in the University Policy Library – Extended to April 2020
    • S-1908: Honorary Degree and Commencement Speaker Selection Process – Extended to April 2020

New Ex Officio Member of the Research and Graduate & Professional Education Committee

Chair Adam Kustka requested the inclusion of Dr. Kathleen Scotto on the RGPEC as an ex officio member due to her interest in the Senate and role as the Vice Chancellor of Research.

The Executive Committee discussed the value of Dr. Scotto’s role on the RGPEC as an ex officio and voted unanimously in favor.

6. Agenda for the February 21, 2020 Senate Meeting

• Regular Senate Meeting held on the Camden Campus
• Chancellor’s Campus Report to be given by Chancellor Phoebe Haddon
• Instruction, Curricula, and Advising Committee Report on S-1902: Issues Surrounding Prerequisite Course Availability
• Faculty and Personnel Affairs Committee Report on S-1903: Review Rutgers’ Policy on Workplace Violence

7. Adjournment

The meeting adjourned at 4:44 p.m.

Minutes written and submitted by,

Mary Mickelsen
Executive Secretary of the University Senate