RUTGERS UNIVERSITY SENATE
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
MINUTES
November 3, 2023

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

ALSO ATTENDING: R. Boikess (BOT Faculty Representative), V. Hewitt (University Senate Executive Secretary), P. Moghe (Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs), K. O’Halloran (Vice President for Academic Planning & Administration, EVPAA), H. Pierce (BOG Faculty Representative), R. Schwartz (BOT Faculty Representative), S. Searcy (BOG Student Representative), M. Smith (University Senate Administrative Assistant)

The regular meeting of the University Senate Executive Committee was held on Friday, Nov. 3, 2023 at 12:00 p.m. remotely via Zoom.

Chair’s Report– Adrienne Simonds, Senate Chair

Chair Simonds called the Nov. 3, 2023 Senate Executive Committee meeting to order at 12:01 p.m.

Secretary’s Report– Vicki Hewitt, Senate Executive Secretary

• The November 3, 2023 Executive Committee Agenda was approved.
• The October 6, 2023 Senate Executive Committee Minutes were approved.
• Administrative Response
  • Response to 10.2.4 Units of Credit (Clean) and 10.2.4 Units of Credit (Changes Tracked)
• Policy Update
  • 60.5.3 Other Academic Titles and Definitions of Academic Titles

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

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

• Rutgers Office for Research’s new Research Core Services policy
• Rutgers Office for Research Community Involvement in Research Training
• Research grants and awards
• Rutgers-Newark named Fulbright Hispanic-Serving Institution Leader
• Rutgers Climate and Energy Institute (RCEI) launched
• Rutgers-New Brunswick Chancellor Challenge cluster on data science and artificial intelligence
• Humanities Action Lab Climate of Inequality 2023 National Convening held at Rutgers-Newark
• Disability Studies minor created at Rutgers-New Brunswick and in development at Rutgers-Camden
• Rutgers Summit on Student Success held at Rutgers-New Brunswick
• Rutgers-New Brunswick survey for incoming first-year students
• Doctor of Nursing Practice students’ community engagement with public school students in Camden
• Raptor Rising Awards at Rutgers-Camden
• Building an Inclusive Academy: Diversity Plan Progress Summit on Nov. 15
• Administrative responses to Senate reports
• Questions received through the Suggested Topics for the Senate Administrative Report form:
  • Questions addressed at the Oct. Senate meeting
  • Questions shared with the Office of Labor Relations
    • Converting lecturers teaching full-time loads to full-time non-tenure-track positions
    • Lecturers’ classes or sections cancelled
  • Questions concerning the budget shared with the CFO
  • Remaining questions
    • Problems with disbursement of financial aid
    • Administrative responses to Senate resolutions

Dr. Moghe then answered questions on the following topics:

• Data on cancellation of lecturers’ classes or sections
• Unavailability of non-tenure-track faculty lines
• Administrative response to the Senate’s Resolution of a Vote of No Confidence in the Leadership of Rutgers President Jonathan Holloway
• Recognition of teaching in the Administrative Reports
• Administrative responses to reports submitted during Dr. Barchi’s administration
• Recruitment of lecturers when hiring non-tenure-track faculty
• Problems with disbursement of financial aid
• Dismissal of Chancellor Cantor
• President Holloway’s engagement with the Senate
• Access to the questions received through the Suggested Topics for the Senate Administrative Report form
• Requiring departments to hire more full-time non-tenure-track faculty
• Administrative responses to Senate resolutions
• Anchor mission of Rutgers-Newark
• President Holloway’s engagement with Newark students and town hall invitation
• Problems getting data for an RWJMS committee studying equity issues
• Effect of the tuition increase on students
• President Holloway taking questions at the Feb. Senate meeting

Reconsideration of Deadline for Submitting Agenda Items

The deadline for the Executive Committee agenda will change to noon on the Wednesday preceding the Executive Committee meeting. The agenda will be distributed on the same day. Executive Committee members may add items of New Business after the agenda deadline without a 2/3 vote until the agenda is approved at the beginning of the Executive Committee meeting. After the agenda is approved, a 2/3 vote will be required to amend the agenda.

Roles and Relationship Between the Senate Chair and the Executive Committee Regarding Decision-Making

Communication Between the BOG Chair and the Senate Chair Prior to the September Senate Meeting

Communication from the Senate to the Rutgers University Community

Senator Esposito gave an update on ITC’s progress with a charge concerning this issue. Senators Esposito and Pierce will meet with Senate office staff to discuss intra-Senate communications.

Standing Committees/Panels

Proposed Charge:

Proposed Charge on Poor Student Busing Services – Submitted by Laura Micharski, Non-Senator

Charge: The inadequate busing offered by Rutgers University.

Rationale: Why are students waiting sometimes over an hour for buses? Drivers leaving full buses of students to take a break, oftentimes upwards of 10 – 15 minutes without warning or notice. Students are being disciplined by professors for being late when it is completely out of their hands. Even worse, students are not receiving the full education they paid to receive because of the inadequate buses causing tardiness and undo stress. Do better Rutgers.

Outcome: The Executive Committee amended:

• the Charge Title to: “Poor Student and Employee Transportation Services.”
• the Charge to: “Exploring effective, timely, and safe student and employee transportation issues across the campuses.”
• The Rationale to: “Why are passengers waiting sometimes over an hour for buses? Students are being disciplined by professors for being late when it is completely out of their hands.”

The Student Affairs Committee was issued this charge with a deadline of November 2024.

Proposed Charge:

Proposed Charge on Coordination of Shared Governance Entities – Submitted by Senator Robert Boikess, School of Arts and Sciences-NB, Faculty

Charge: The possibility of establishing a formal mechanism for the coordination of the Senate, the Faculty Councils, and any other shared governance groups. Among the possibilities the committee could consider is a coordinating council with representation from each shared governance group. They should also determine whether any change in University Regulations would be needed to accomplish this goal.

Rationale: The Senate needs to find ways to resist and reverse the recent disregard for the norms of shared governance on the part of the President and the Board of Governors.

Outcome: The Executive Committee amended:

• the Charge to: “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.”
• the Rationale to: “The Senate, as well as other shared governance entities, needs to find ways to resist and reverse the recent disregard for the norms of shared governance on the part of the President and the Board of Governors.”

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

Proposed Charge:

Proposed Charge on Definition of Environmentally and Socially Responsible Materials and Products (University Policy 20.1.11 Procurement and Payment Policy) – Submitted by Senator Wendy Purcell, School of Public Health, Faculty

Charge: Section 6A. University Policy 20.1.11 Procurement and Payment Policy states “…that Rutgers uses environmentally and socially responsible materials and products.” How are these materials and products defined? There is no statement given in the policy and as such it is hard to determine whether the policy is being enacted as described.

Rationale: There is no statement given in the policy as to how environmentally and socially responsible materials and products are defined. As such it is hard (nigh on impossible) to determine whether the policy is being enacted as described.

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

Proposed Charge:

Proposed Charge on Naming of Facilities and Programs (University Policy 20.1.13) – Submitted by Senator Wendy Purcell, School of Public Health, Faculty

Charge: University Policy 20.1.13 ‘Naming of Facilities and Programs’ policy does not include a statement on ethical guidelines for naming nor reference such elsewhere.

Rationale: It is typical for universities to have a statement on ethical guidelines in relation to naming or facilities and programs. Typically, this is aligned with the guidelines that support acceptance or otherwise of philanthropic gifts/donations.

Outcome: The Executive Committee declined to issue this charge; the proposer will be asked to revise and resubmit.

Proposed Charge:

Proposed Charge on Immunization for University Affiliates (University Policy 60.1.36 Immunization Policy for University Affiliates) – Submitted by Senator Wendy Purcell, School of Public Health, Faculty

Charge: University Policy 60.1.36 Immunization Policy for University Affiliates does not exclude those affiliates who contribute virtually/online only.

Rationale: The University Policy 60.1.36 Immunization Policy for University Affiliates in defining affiliates does not exclude those who contribute virtually/online only. Given many courses include external speakers and others who would be captured by the broad ‘affiliate’ definition, the policy should clearly exclude those who contribute virtually/online only. While it may be inferred from the statement “This Policy is intended to enhance the health and safety of all members of the Rutgers community and protect them from exposure to specified Communicable Diseases while present in our facilities.” that the policy relates only to those “present in our facilities” this is ambiguous in the context of affiliates.

Outcome: The Executive Committee declined to issue this charge; the proposer will be asked to revise and resubmit.

Proposed Charge:

Proposed Charge on Investigate Sunsetting of Academic Credit Across Campuses and Review Any Proposed Changes – Submitted by Senator Robert Schwartz, New Jersey Medical School, Faculty

Charge: Review how earned course credits can be sundowned across all Rutgers campuses, recognizing many students are unable to complete a desired academic degree in the usual time sequence. Report and explain the rationale for any proposed changes and offer possible recommendations concerning changes to policy of earned credit toward graduation.

Rationale: Investigate the need to allow for courses to become expired after 7-10 years. Working adults with families rarely enroll in as fulltime status and usually take 3-6 credits per academic semester which extend their time on graduation.

Outcome: The Executive Committee amended the charge to: “Review how course credits earned at Rutgers can be sundowned across all Rutgers campuses, recognizing many students are unable to complete a desired academic degree in the usual time sequence. Report and explain the rationale for any proposed changes and offer possible recommendations concerning changes to policy of earned credit toward graduation, with consideration of potential complexities with respect to professional/graduate studies that are externally accredited.”

The Academic Standards, Regulations and Admissions Committee was issued this charge with a deadline of December 2024.

Proposed Charge:

Proposed Charge on Explore the Current Virtual Senate Meeting Format and Develop Best Practices and Meeting Format Recommendations – Submitted by Senator Adrienne Esposito, New Brunswick Staff

Charge: Review the existing Senate meeting format and existing Senate Handbook meeting procedures and develop recommendations in support of virtual meetings.

Rationale: The Senate shifted to meeting virtually in 2020 because of the COVID-19 Pandemic. The Senate handbook includes guidance for in-person Senate meetings, but not for virtual meetings. The Senate Meetings section of the Senate Handbook refers to procedures for in-person meetings (voting cards, cancellation in bad weather, etc.) that have changed since the implementation of virtual Senate meetings.

Explore the current format of the virtual meetings via the Zoom application to ensure it aligns with defined Senate practices.

Outcome: The Executive Committee amended this charge to remove the last sentence of the Rationale.

The Information Technology Committee was issued this charge with a deadline of October 2024.

Old Business

None.

New Business

None.

Adjournment

The Executive Committee adjourned at 4:02 p.m.

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