RUTGERS UNIVERSITY SENATE
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
MINUTES
June 2, 2023

MEMBERS PRESENT: Boikess, Cooper, Foster, Gahlawat, Giraud, Oliver, Roth, Schwartz, Simonds (Chair), Struble, Szatrowski, Thompson

ALSO ATTENDING: P. Boxer (2023-24 Executive Committee), A. Esposito (2023-24 Executive Committee), A. Haley (2023-24 Executive Committee), V. Hewitt (University Senate Executive Secretary), P. Moghe (Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs), K. O’Halloran (Vice President for Academic Planning & Administration, EVPAA), T. Ozel (BOT Faculty Representative), H. Parsa (2023-24 Executive Committee), S. Rabinowitz (BOG Faculty Representative), K. Schroth (2023-24 Executive Committee), M. Smith (University Senate Administrative Assistant)

The regular meeting of the University Senate Executive Committee was held on Friday, June 2, 2023 at 12:00 p.m. remotely via Zoom.

Chair’s Report– Adrienne Simonds, Senate Chair

Chair Simonds called the June 2, 2023 Senate Executive Committee meeting to order at 12:01 p.m. She welcomed new members of the Executive Committee and thanked the current members for their service. She asked Executive Committee members to help establish a culture of respect in the Senate for the next academic year.

Secretary’s Report– Vicki Hewitt, Senate Executive Secretary

• The June 2, 2023 Executive Committee Agenda was approved, with the addition of one item of New Business.
• The April 7, 2023 Senate Executive Committee Minutes were approved.
• The April 28 University Senate Organizational Meeting Minutes were approved.
• The April 28 University Senate Meeting Minutes were approved.
• The following policies were updated in the University Policy Library:
  • University Policy 60.1.34 Rutgers University Disability and Reasonable Accommodation Policy
  • University Policy 60.1.35 Immunization Policy for Rutgers Employees and Prospective Employees
  • University Policy 60.1.36 Immunization Policy for University Affiliates

Administrative Report– Prabhas Moghe, Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs

Dr. Moghe provided the Administrative Report consisting of the following topics:

• Commencement celebrations
• Student awards
• Faculty awards and honors
• Upcoming Supreme Court decision on race-conscious admissions
• Processes for new program development
• Rutgers’ accreditation from the Association for the Accreditation of Human Research Protection Programs (AAHRPP)
• Update to promotion and tenure review criteria
• Research grant awards

Dr. Moghe then answered questions on the following topics:

• Recognition of electronic publications in promotion and tenure
• Delays accessing grant funds
• Problems applying for a lecturer position
• Awarding of an honorary doctorate to a member of the Board of Governors
• Advocacy with New Jersey state representatives concerning fringe rates
• Enrollment caps at Rutgers Business School
• Enrollment numbers for all campuses
• International enrollment numbers

Selection of Members of the Chancellor’s Commencement Committees

The final recommendations for the Chancellor’s Commencement Committees were discussed and finalized as follows:

• Camden
  • Bart Everts, Librarian, Robeson Library
  • Sam Rabinowitz, Distinguished Service Professor, Management, School of Business-Camden
  • Cynthia Saltzman, Lecturer, Sociology, Anthropology & Criminal Justice, Camden College of Arts and Sciences
  • Jose Torres, Lecturer, School of Business-Camden
• New Brunswick / RBHS
  • Lauren Adamo, Assistant Teaching Professor, Earth and Planetary Sciences, School of Arts and Sciences
  • Anil Ardeshna, Associate Professor, Orthodontics, Rutgers School of Dental Medicine
  • Gloria Bachmann, Professor, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
  • Robert Boikess, Professor, Chemistry, School of Arts and Sciences
  • Mary Bridgeman, Clinical Professor, Pharmacy Practice and Administration, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy
  • Kangsoo Lee, Student, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
  • Moses Merisier, Student, School of Communication and Information
  • Ronald Quincy, Professor of Professional Practice, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
  • Robert Schwartz, Professor and Head, Dermatology, New Jersey Medical School
• Newark
  • Natalie Borisovets, Humanities & Social Sciences Librarian, John Cotton Dana Library
  • Galathara Kahanda, Associate Teaching Professor, Mathematics and Computer Science, School of Arts and Sciences-Newark
  • Gerard LaMorte, Assistant Teaching Professor, Psychology, School of Arts and Sciences-Newark
  • Safanya Searcy, Student, School of Criminal Justice

University Policy Integration Initiative

Chair Simonds announced that Senate input will be requested as the University undertakes an initiative to update its policies. More information will be forthcoming, but she asked any interested members to contact the Executive Secretary to volunteer.

Format of 2023-24 Executive Committee and University Senate Meetings

Executive Committee meetings and University Senate meetings will be held remotely via Zoom in 2023-24.

Election of Board Representatives and Website Updates

Election of the Board of Governors faculty representative will be held at the September University Senate meeting. The two nominees for the position will be Heather Pierce and Samuel Rabinowitz. Nominations will not be accepted from the floor.

Election of the Board of Trustees faculty representatives will be held at the September University Senate meeting. Nominations will be accepted from the floor but will not be solicited in advance.

Administrative Requests for Follow-Up

None.

Standing Committees/Panels

Draft of 2023-24 Standing Committee Rosters and Assignment of Co-Chairs

Executive Secretary Hewitt reviewed draft committee assignments with the Executive Committee, with particular reference to proposed chairs and EC liaisons. Some election results are still outstanding. Final committee assignments will be announced in the coming weeks.

Review 2022-2023 Reports of Standing Committees

Chair Simonds reviewed reports from committee chairs on their work this academic year and outstanding charges the committees will continue to work on next year.

Evaluate Continued Need for the Information Technology Committee (S-1607)

The Information Technology Committee was made a permanent standing committee of the University Senate.

Committee Report and Recommendations:
Budget and Finance Committee – Sean Valverde and Carolyne White, Co-Chairs
Report on S-2307 RCM Detailed Recommendations

The BFC was charged as follows:

Examine and propose detailed recommendations for implementing two central elements of the 1/20/2023 Senate-approved resolution on S2010-1: “transparency” and “shared governance” in University budget preparation and reporting.

Outcome: The Executive Committee docketed this report for the September 22 Senate agenda.

Open Charge Request:
S-2310: Equitable and Transparent Policies for Grading Appeals

ASRAC was charged as follows: The Academic Standards, Regulations, and Admissions Committee, in conjunction with the Student Affairs Committee, should investigate the state of grading appeals, looking at various policies across campuses and schools to determine better possibilities for standardization as well as a more uniform and fair approach to grade appeals.

After investigating this charge further, ASRAC requests to be discharged.

Outcome: The Executive Committee discharged this charge.

Open Charge Request:

The following was charged to the Budget and Finance Committee without a deadline. The Executive Committee is requested to set a deadline for:

S-2308: Conflict of Interest Declarations

Outcome: S-2308 was assigned a deadline of March 2024.

Open Charge Request:

The following was charged to the Faculty and Personnel Affairs Committee without a deadline. The Executive Committee is requested to set a deadline for:

S-2311: Professional Development Opportunities

Outcome: S-2311 was assigned a deadline of March 2024.

Old Business

None.

New Business

A concern was raised about possible conflicts of interest regarding compensation received by the Senate Chair for their service. The Executive Committee will charge an ad hoc committee on this issue. A draft of the proposed charge will be circulated for Executive Committee members to review and edit. The proposed charge will be voted on by the Executive Committee via email.

Adjournment

The Executive Committee adjourned at 4:39 p.m.

Minutes prepared by: Vicki Hewitt, Executive Secretary of the University Senate