RUTGERS UNIVERSITY SENATE
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
MINUTES
October 6, 2023

MEMBERS PRESENT: Boxer, Esposito, Foster (Chair), Giraud, Godoy, Haley, Kiss, Parsa, Thompson

ALSO ATTENDING: T. Ayorinde (BOT Graduate Student Representative), R. Boikess (BOT Faculty Representative), V. Hewitt (University Senate Executive Secretary), H. Pierce (BOG Faculty Representative), R. Schwartz (BOT Faculty Representative), S. Searcy (BOG Student Representative), M. Smith (University Senate Administrative Assistant), A. Tillis (Camden Chancellor)

The regular meeting of the University Senate Executive Committee was held on Friday, Oct. 6, 2023 at 12:00 p.m. remotely via Zoom.

Chair’s Report– Lucille Foster, Senate Vice Chair

Vice Chair Foster called the Oct. 6, 2023 Senate Executive Committee meeting to order at 12:01 p.m.

Secretary’s Report– Vicki Hewitt, Senate Executive Secretary

• The October 6, 2023 Executive Committee Agenda was approved, with the addition of two items of New Business.
• The Sept. 8, 2023 Senate Executive Committee Minutes were approved.
• September 22 Senate Administrative Report – Prabhas Moghe, Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs
• October 6 Executive Committee Administrative Report – Prabhas Moghe, Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs

New Business

Senator Pierce reported on the recent Board of Governors meeting. The Executive Committee will ask Chair Simonds to invite BOG Chair Best to meet with them. The Executive Committee plans to respond to BOG Chair Best’s letter; a draft response will be circulated by email.

Discussion – Antonio Tillis, Camden Chancellor

Follow-Up on Pending Administrative Responses to Senate Reports

Feedback on Discovery Advantage Preliminary Report and Discovery Advantage Synopsis Report

Selection of Additional Members of the Chancellor’s Commencement Committees 

Senator Boxer and Senator Schwartz also volunteered for the Chancellor Commencement Committees.

Standing Committees/Panels

Proposed Charge:

Proposed Charge on University Vision Benefits– Submitted by Senator Brian Everett, Camden Staff

Charge: Investigate the policies which currently govern the University’s practice of reimbursing employees for eye exams, glasses and contact lenses, frames, and coatings. Determine if current policies match industry practices. Investigate how many employees actually receive reimbursements, and explore possible recommendations for new policies, plans, or programs related to vision and eye care for Rutgers employees.

Rationale: Presently, the University does have a program of which employees can submit an application to be partially reimbursed for eye glasses. However, there are a number of items related to such a healthcare visit which the university will not reimburse for. Depending upon individual providers, especially larger providers, various promotional commercials and sales events result in eye glasses being “free”, while other parts of the visit are still charged for, which can exceed several hundred dollars. The university currently will not reimburse for these parts of the journey to get new glasses. In a workplace where a large majority of employees will need eyeglasses of some sort as a result of their professional work, Rutgers should find more ways to minimize the costs of something which should just be a part of health insurance.

Outcome: The Faculty and Personnel Affairs Committee was issued this charge with a deadline of October 2024.

Proposed Charge:

Proposed Charge on University Senate Representation on Formal Governance Boards – Submitted by Senator Brian Everett, Camden Staff

Charge: Determine if there should be University Senate representation, as there currently is for the Rutgers University Board of Governors and Board of Trustees, for 1) The Rutgers University Board of Directors (Foundation); 2) The Camden Board of Directors; and, 3) The Rowan University / Rutgers-Camden Board of Governors. Additionally, make recommendations regarding the make-up of Board membership.

Rationale: Currently, the University Senate elects representatives to the Rutgers University Board of Governors and Board of Trustees. The Senate does not have representatives tasked with reporting on the work of these other 3 similar bodies. In the spirit of shared governance, the Senate should consider the pros and cons related to electing representatives to these bodies, too. The Senate should consider any potential issues related to individual Board members serving on several of these bodies at the same time. This charge matters for shared governance, especially when considering that Rutgers-Camden is legally obligated to appropriate $2.5 Million each year to the Rowan University / Rutgers-Camden Board of Governors, which also holds the legislatively-granted power of eminent domain within the City of Camden.

Outcome: The Executive Committee amended this charge to: “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.” The Executive Committee also removed the last sentence of the Rationale.

The University Structure and Governance Committee was issued this charge with a deadline of April 2024.

Proposed Charge:

Proposed Charge on the Cost to Come to Rutgers as a Instate Student – Submitted by Richard Nagelbush, Non-Senator

Charge: Bring the cost down and put ac in the dorm rooms.

Rationale: If the students have a good grade point avg bring the cost down.

Outcome: The Executive Committee declined to charge this to a committee, noting that it was similar to a charge that would be brought up under New Business.

Proposed Charge:

Proposed Charge on Faculty Governance, Executive Appointments and Proposed Dual Positions within MGSA – Submitted by Senator Eduardo Chama, Mason Gross School of the Arts, Faculty

Charge: Recently appointed Dean of MGSA Jason Geary is to become Senior Vice Provost of academic Initiatives, while still maintaining the Deanship (albeit part-time) of MGSA. The faculty has not been consulted or asked to vote on this highly unusual arrangement. In addition, the Dean has appointed his Associate Dean of Academic Affairs (a position only created under his Deanship) to effectively serve as part-time Dean of MGSA in his absence. Again, the faculty has not been consulted on this change of arrangements and was merely informed.

Rationale: MGSA with it’s four schools and four divisions, deserves a full-time Dean. The recent national search that appointed Jason Geary was not advertised, nor is structured as a ‘part-time’ appointment. We feel Dean Geary should step down as Dean to devote himself full-time in his Vice Provost position and MGSA be allowed to embark on a new Deaconal search. Furthermore, while Dean appointed executive positions within his office are envisaged to stand-in for the Dean, it was not envisaged in the by-laws that an un-elected Associate Dean, gaining the position without faculty oversight or consultation should effectively become a part-time Dean of the entire school. We find this highly unusual and unacceptable and feel at the very least such a proposed change in a executive governance structure should be put to a vote requiring 2/3rds majority or abandoned.

Outcome: The Executive Committee amended the title of this charge from “within MGSA” to “at Rutgers,” and added a sentence to the charge: “Offer recommendations on this situation or a statement on whether this is appropriate.”

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

Proposed Charge:

Proposed Charge on Increasing Student Representation on the Rutgers University Senate Executive Committee – Submitted by Senator Fauzan Amjad, Student Charter Trustee

Charge: 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.

Rationale: The need to increase student representation on the Rutgers University Senate Executive Committee is driven by the university’s commitment to inclusivity and equitable governance. Students make up the most significant portion of the university community and bring unique perspectives and concerns that deserve a more robust platform within the Rutgers University Senate Executive Committee. The current structure disproportionately favors faculty representation, potentially overlooking the interests and needs of the diverse student body. By investigating and making recommendations on this issue, the Senate demonstrates its dedication to fostering a more inclusive, democratic, and student-centric governance model at Rutgers University. This inquiry aligns with the university’s mission to provide all members of its community with an equitable and meaningful voice in the decision-making process.

Outcome: The University Structure and Governance Committee was issued this charge with a deadline of October 2024.

Proposed Charge:

Explore Mechanisms, Methods and Processes for Senators to Communicate Senate Work and Information to their Constituents – Submitted by Senator Adrienne Esposito, New Brunswick Staff

Charge: The Senate should explore mechanisms, methods and processes for senators to communicate senate work and information to their constituents.

Rationale:

One of the primary responsibilities of Rutgers Senators is to “report on Senate meetings and actions to their constituencies.” See: https://senate.rutgers.edu/information-for-senators/

Currently, there are no mechanisms available to senators to enable them to report on the meetings and actions to their constituents.

Outcome: The Information Technology Committee was issued this charge with a deadline of April 2024.

Open Charge Request:

S-2111-1: Late Course Add/Drop Policies

ASRAC and SAC were charged as follows: Investigate current practices for approval of late course add/drop policies and determine best practices for their approval and adjudication when they are not approved. Consider best practices used by peers to guide approval of late course add/drop requests and whether an appeal process (or an alternative mechanism) would be appropriate for evaluating, approving and adjudicating late add/drop requests. As appropriate, propose such a process, including procedures, factors to be considered in adjudication, and appropriate levels of discretion to be exercised by deans, advisors, instructors, and other.

ASRAC requests to be discharged.

Outcome: The Executive Committee discharged both ASRAC and SAC.

Old Business

None.

New Business

Proposed Charge:

Proposed Charge on Timing and Process for Recommending Tuition, Fees, Housing Charges, and Dining Charges – Submitted by Senator Rob Scott, School of Arts and Sciences-NB, Faculty

Charge: Review the process and timing whereby recommendations are developed and made for annual changes in tuition, fees, housing charges, and dining charges, 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.

Rationale: An April 27, 2023 “Open Hearing on the University’s Tuition, Fees, and Housing and Dining Charges” was dominated by testimony of the harms of cost increases to students, yet President Holloway still recommended increases of 6% in tuition and fees, 7% in dining charges, and 5% in housing charges. University Policy 40.1.1 is also silent on procedures for developing recommendations about tuition, fees, and housing and dining charges. Given the critical nature of this issue, this charge calls for a full review of how and when recommendations are developed.

Such a review is also supported by the University Senate report pursuant to charge S-2307, which recommended:

Full disclosure of each annual budget shall be presented to the Senate before submission of the budget for approval, and

Rutgers community members be involved in decision making before decisions are made.

Outcome: The Executive Committee amended “tuition, fees, housing charges, and dining charges” to “tuition, required fees, and room and board.”

The Budget and Finance Committee and the Student Affairs Committee were issued this charge with a deadline of March 2024.

Adjournment

The Executive Committee adjourned at 3:15 p.m.

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