RUTGERS UNIVERSITY SENATE
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
MINUTES
September 8, 2023

MEMBERS PRESENT: Boxer, Esposito, Foster, Giraud, Haley, Kiss, Parsa, Roth, Schroth, Simonds (Chair), Thompson

ALSO ATTENDING: K. Anderson (ITC Committee Chair), D. Boison (RGPEC Committee Chair), N. Borisovets (ICAC Committee Chair), T. Cooper (ICAC Committee Chair), V. Hewitt (University Senate Executive Secretary), P. Moghe (Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs), K. O’Halloran (Vice President for Academic Planning & Administration, EVPAA), M. Poole (SAC Committee Chair), R. Schwartz (ASRAC Committee Chair), M. Smith (University Senate Administrative Assistant), B. Strom (RBHS Chancellor),
M. Van Stine (SAC Committee Chair), C. White (BFC Committee Chair)

The regular meeting of the University Senate Executive Committee was held on Friday, Sept. 8, 2023 at 12:00 p.m. remotely via Zoom.

Chair’s Report– Adrienne Simonds, Senate Chair

Chair Simonds called the Sept. 8, 2023 Senate Executive Committee meeting to order at 12:01 p.m. She welcomed members of the Executive Committee and Senate committee chairs.

Secretary’s Report– Vicki Hewitt, Senate Executive Secretary

• The Sept. 8, 2023 Executive Committee Agenda was approved, with the addition of one item of New Business.
• The June 2, 2023 Senate Executive Committee Minutes were approved.
• The July 7, 2023 Senate Executive Committee Minutes were approved.
• The July 21, 2023 Senate Executive Committee Minutes were approved.
• Administrative Responses:
  • Response to S-2110: Research Information Systems
  • BOG Chair Best’s Response to the Resolution on Remediating University Policy Violations Related to the Proposed Medical School Merger
• The following University policies were updated:
  • 20.1.11 Procurement and Payment Policy
  • 20.1.13 Naming of Facilities and Programs
• Announcements
  • A Special Election for Board Representatives and EC Student Reps will be held at the Fri. Sept. 22 University Senate meeting.
  • New Senator Orientation will be held on Fri. Sept. 15 from 10:00 – 11:30 a.m.
  • Committee Chair Group Meetings will be held on Thu. Oct. 12 from 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. and Mon. Dec. 4 from 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
  • We are looking for volunteers to serve on the Ad Hoc Committee on Senate Officer Compensation.

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

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

• Examples of role models in academic collaboration
• Process for responding to Senate reports
• EVPAA providing the Administrative Reports to the Senate
• Transforming the research university and elevating the academic standing of Rutgers
• Strategic diversity hiring program
• Working with Chancellors on strategic interdisciplinary initiatives
• Update on enrollment
• 18^th anniversary of Rutgers Research Council Awards
• Revitalizing research centers and institutes

Dr. Moghe then answered questions on the following topics:

• Administrative map of Rutgers, RBHS, and RWJMS
• Rejection of candidates submitted by search committees
• Rebranding of RBHS to Rutgers Health
• Academic freedom
• President Holloway stepping back from attending Senate meetings
• Unrecognized and uncompensated service by lecturers
• Bus transportation for students in New Brunswick
• Problems with student financial aid
• Decision not to renew Chancellor Cantor’s contract
• Concerns about shared governance
• Enrollment of international students

Discussion – Brian Strom, RBHS Chancellor

Due to time constraints, the Executive Committee asked Dr. Strom to return to continue this discussion.

EC Members to Convene Representative Caucuses and Hold Elections for Caucus Leaders

Senator Esposito will convene the Staff Caucus. Senator Parsa will convene the Alumni Caucus. Senator Boxer was nominated to convene the Faculty Caucus.

Nominations for University Senate Parliamentarian

Senator Heather Pierce was nominated to serve. Senator Robert Schwartz also self-nominated to serve if she is unable to do so.

Standing Committees/Panels

2023-2024 Committee Chair Positions

ASRAC: Lucille Foster and Robert Schwartz
BFC: Abdelrahman Ibrahim and Carolyne White
FPAC: Paul Boxer and Anna Haley
ITC: Katie Anderson and Adrienne Esposito
ICAC: Natalie Borisovets and Taryn Cooper
RGPEC: Detlev Boison and Monica Mazurek
SAC: Emanuel Meshoyrer, Madai Poole, Michael Van Stine
USGC: Perry Dane and Kevin Schroth

Proposed Charge:

Proposed Charge on Can Students Be Asked to Volunteer to Substitute for Striking Workers and Receive Excused Absences for Clinical Duties – Submitted by Senator Monica Roth, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences At-Large, Faculty

Charge: On 07/26/2023, an email was sent out by Dr. Terregino and Pradhan to the RWJMS medical students offering for students to volunteer as “support staff” for potential striking nurses at RWJUH. In return for their 4 hour period from 5 AM to 9 AM, they were offered an excused absence for their clinical duties.

It seems improper for tuition paying students to be offered exchange of clinical training as MDs for work of nurses. These students have no training in nursing and are not paying tuition to serve as strike breakers.

It is not clear why medical students in the first place would be asked, as there are other health professionals who would be with the same expertise. Who in the hierarchy of RWJMS and RBHS can and has authorize this?

Exceptions to this must also be examined, in light of national emergencies, such as the COVID pandemic. However, a nursing strike over staffing issues, it seems would not fall into this category.

Here is the email:

Dear Students,

As you know a nursing strike is scheduled at RWJUH-NB on August 4, 2023 at 7 am. We are asking for medical student volunteers to assist during the transition from the RWJUH NB employed nurses to the replacement nurses.

This request is to support our patients during this transitional period with activities such as answering call bells, checking in on patients, and supporting the replacement nursing staff.

We are asking for M2, M3 and M4 volunteers to report for duty at 5:00 am for a four-hour period to serve as “support staff.”

If you are an M3 or M4 on a clinical rotation outside of RWJUH-NB, you should continue your educational experience at that site. If you are on a clinical rotation at RWJUH-NB, you may volunteer for the 4-hour shift. You will receive an excused absence from your clinical duties for that four-hour period, and Dr. Pradhan will assign you to a unit and a nurse manager.

If interested in volunteering, please complete the information at this link: Transitions Volunteer Form. A logistics zoom meeting will be scheduled next week for students who volunteer.

Thank you, Dr. Terregino and Dr. Pradhan

Rationale: Although this action was taken towards RWJMS medical students, it can be generalized to all students. Course approvals go through many channels. Proper processes must be followed.

Outcome: The Executive Committee amended this charge to: “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.”

The Faculty and Personnel Affairs Committee and the University Structure and Governance Committee were issued this charge with a deadline of September 2024.

Proposed Charge:

Proposed Charge on Continued Assessment of Proposed Merger of New Jersey Medical School and Robert Wood Johnson Medical School – Submitted by Senator Paul Boxer, School of Arts and Sciences – Newark, Faculty

Charge: Please note that this is co-submitted with Senator Monica Roth, and should also be assigned to a reconvened Ad-Hoc Committee on the Medical School Merger. This charge requests ongoing review of the proposed merger given that prior Senate requests for information have not been fully addressed.

Rationale: In March of 2023 the Ad-Hoc Committee on Reviewing Proposal for the Merger of the Medical Schools filed a report of its work exploring various aspects of the proposed merger of the New Jersey Medical School and the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. The report was inconclusive and identified numerous areas in need of further investigation. The report requested more information from the RBHS Chancellor. In April of 2023 the University Senate informed the RBHS Chancellor that it would be prepared to meet to evaluate and vote on a resolution to approve such a merger once the Chancellor had filed a complete response. In July 2023 the Chancellor submitted a number of documents addressing some elements of the information requested and informed the Senate that he had submitted a resolution for approval of the merger to the Board of Governors. At the time the Senate Executive Committee determined that the documents shared with the Senate were only partially responsive and requested a postponement of the BOG vote per University policy 50.2.2. This policy, specifically part A, grants to the Senate the power to regulate mergers of academic units. The BOG vote proceeded for the first time in Senate history without Senate endorsement, and the merger was approved at that level. However, with several issues still outstanding, the Senate must continue its work. This charge is twofold:

1. Reconvene the Ad-Hoc Committee on Reviewing Proposal for the Merger of the Medical Schools to fully review information obtained from the RBHS Chancellor to date, and offer an evaluative decision concerning the proposed merger.
2. Request that the Structure and Governance committee closely review and evaluate University policy 50.2.2 with the goal of further clarifying, verifying, and delineating the Senate’s official role and powers with respect to mergers of academic units, and the meaning of shared governance in that regard and more broadly.

Outcome: The Executive Committee amended this charge to: “This charge is twofold:

1. Reconvene the Ad-Hoc Committee on Reviewing Proposal for the Merger of the Medical Schools to fully review information obtained from the RBHS Chancellor to date, and offer an evaluative decision concerning the ongoing merger process.
2. Request that the University Structure and Governance Committee closely review and evaluate University policy 50.2.2 with the goal of further clarifying, verifying, and delineating the Senate’s official role and powers with respect to mergers of academic units, and the meaning of shared governance in that regard and more broadly.

Please note that this is co-submitted with Senator Monica Roth, and should also be assigned to a reconvened Ad-Hoc Committee on the Medical School Merger. This charge requests continued review of the ongoing merger process given that prior Senate requests for information have not been fully addressed.”

The Ad Hoc Committee on Continued Assessment of Ongoing Merger Process of New Jersey Medical School and Robert Wood Johnson Medical School (formerly the Ad Hoc Committee on Reviewing Proposal for the Merger of the Medical Schools) and the University Structure and Governance Committee were issued this charge with a deadline of March 2024.

Open Charge Request:

The following was charged to an ad hoc committee without a deadline. The Executive Committee is requested to set a deadline for:

S-2312 Senate Officer Compensation

Outcome: S-2312 was assigned a deadline of March 2025.

Old Business

Proposed Charge:

Suspension of Anthropology Bylaws to Impose Chair from Outside of Anthropology – Senator Robert Scott, School of Arts and Sciences-NB, Faculty

Charge: Review Anthropology-NB-SAS bylaws at 1:31 pm June 29 to impose an outside Chair on the department despite election of an eligible candidate from within the department who was willing to serve.

Rationale: This is an emergency. I would like the Executive Committee since it is active over the summer in lieu of FPAC to investigate the suspension of Anthropology-NB-SAS bylaws at 1:31 pm June 29 to impose an outside Chair on the department despite election of an eligible candidate from within the department who was willing to serve. We ask for any appropriate action to both preserve the Department Bylaws and the principle of faculty governance. This situation unfolded rapidly starting June 27 following weeks on no communication from any dean regarding Department leadership.

Outcome: As the situation that prompted this charge has been resolved, the Executive Committee declined to charge this to a committee at this time. The Executive Committee suggested that the charge proposer could revise this charge to be more general and relevant to the full University, especially in light of the reorganization of academic units across campuses and schools.

Proposed Charge:

Review of the Current Practices of the University Senate – Abimbola Oladimeji, Non-Senator

Charge: This charge seeks the USGC to review and amend by-law 308: The New Student Senators.

Rationale: The New Student Senators shall identify and develop processes such as fulfillment in student activity and concern as a means for sustenance to the Rutgers community. Public discussions in this matter shall uphold Robert’s Rule of Order. Organization of shared governance within the University Senate shall apply to the matters of the respective committee appointment.

Outcome: The Executive Committee declined to charge this to a committee at this time.

Discussion of Chancellor Cantor and Proposed Resolution in Acknowledgment of Her Long-Standing Service to Rutgers and the Newark Community

Discussion of a proposed resolution acknowledging Chancellor Cantor’s service to Rutgers was postponed to a spring Executive Committee meeting.

New Business

The Executive Committee discussed a response to President Holloway’s letter to Chair Simonds of Sept. 6, 2023. Chair Simonds will draft a letter to President Holloway that will be circulated by email for the Executive Committee to review. The Executive Committee also drafted a resolution that may be brought to the full Senate at its Fri. Sept. 23 meeting as New Business, if needed.

Adjournment

The Executive Committee adjourned at 3:50 p.m.

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