RUTGERS UNIVERSITY SENATE
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
MINUTES
March 1, 2024

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

ALSO ATTENDING: S. Andreassen (Vice Chancellor and Chief of Staff, RBHS), 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), B. Strom (RBHS Chancellor)

The regular meeting of the University Senate Executive Committee was held on Friday, March 1, 2024 at 12:00 p.m. remotely via Zoom.

Chair’s Report– Adrienne Simonds, Senate Chair

Chair Simonds called the March 1, 2024 Senate Executive Committee meeting to order at 12:02 p.m.

Secretary’s Report– Vicki Hewitt, Senate Executive Secretary

• The March 1, 2024 Executive Committee Agenda was approved, with the addition of four items of New Business.
• The February 2, 2024 Senate Executive Committee Minutes were approved.
• Administrative Response
  • Response to S-2201-1: Approved Electronic Notebooks
• Communications
  • The Call for Nominations for Senate Leadership Positions was sent this morning. Nominations are due by 12:00 noon on Fri. April 19.

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

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

• Open access agreement with Elsevier
• Institute for the Study of Global Racial Justice has developed a Rutgers Researchers on Race database
• Educational Equity and Excellence Collaborative (E3C) Innovation Fund Grants
• “Meet the Moment with Humanity” Campaign
• Newark City of Learning Collaborative
• Rutgers Weight Management Center of Rutgers New Jersey Medical School (NJMS)
• Naa Oyo Kwate wins 2024 Best Book Award in Urban Affairs
• Cheryl A. Wall Memorial Fellowship
• University-wide Faculty Year-End Excellence Awards
• Strategic Research and Academic Alliance with Army DevCom
• Grants Awarded to Investigate the Spread of Tobacco Disinformation
• Ousseina Alidou named Kluge Chair at the Library of Congress
• TODAY Show Book Club Pick – We Must Not Think of Ourselves by Prof. Lauren Grodstein
• Student awards and fellowships
• Alumni AI Movement in South Africa
• Hall of Distinguished Alumni Inductees
• 2024 Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders
• Marion Thompson Wright Lecture Series
• Administrative responses to Senate reports
• Comparison between Spring 2023 and Spring 2024 course section data

Dr. Moghe then answered questions on the following topics:

• Separating out courses taught by lecturers in the course section data
• Financial data on the Elsevier open access agreement
• Correlating course section data with enrollment in majors

Discussion – Brian Strom, RBHS Chancellor

Review Pending Committee Charges and Deadlines

The Executive Committee reviewed and updated all outstanding committee charges where the deadlines have passed:

• S-2002-2: Challenges Related to Parking and Transportation. This charge was reissued as S-2002-3, with a new deadline of Nov. 2024.
• S-2020-1: Investigation of Changes to the Rutgers University Patent Policy. This was discharged.
• S-2115-1: Academic Freedom. This charge was reissued as S-2115-2, with a new deadline of Oct. 2024.
• S-2116-1: SIRS. This charge was reissued as S-2116-2, with a new deadline of Oct. 2024.
• S-2204-1: Impact of CourseAtlas. This charge was reissued as S-2204-2, with a new deadline of April 2024.
• S-2205-1: Review of the University Senate’s Governance Documents and Formulation of University Senate Bylaws. This charge was reissued as S-2205-2, with a new deadline of April 2024.
• S-2206: Socially Responsible Investment. This charge was reissued as S-2206-1, with a new deadline of March 2025.
• S-2207: Office of Climate Action. This charge was reissued as S-2207-1, with a new deadline of April 2024.
• S-2208: Divestment of Retirement Funds from Fossil Fuels. This charge was reissued as S-2208-1, with a new deadline of March 2025.
• S-2209-1: Implementing Democratic Standards for University Senate Committee Governance. This was discharged.
• S-2301: Science Communication Efforts at Rutgers University. This charge was reissued as S-2301-1, with a new deadline of April 2024.
• S-2304: Common Hour Exams. This charge was reissued as S-2304-1, with a new deadline of December 2024.
• S-2305: Auditing Courses at Rutgers. This charge was reissued as S-2305-1, with a new deadline of October 2024.
• S-2308: Conflict of Interest Declarations. This charge was reissued as S-2308-1, with a new deadline of April 2024.
• S-2309: Increased Representation of Graduate Students and PTL Faculty in the University Senate. This charge was reissued as S-2309-1, with a new deadline of November 2024.
• S-2311: Professional Development Opportunities. This charge was reissued as S-2311-1, with a new deadline of March 2025.
• S-2314: Continued Assessment of Ongoing Merger Process of New Jersey Medical School and Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. This charge was reissued as S-2314-1, with a new deadline of March 2025.
• S-2317: Faculty Governance, Executive Appointments and Proposed Dual Positions at Rutgers. This charge was reissued as S-2317-1, with a new deadline of March 2025.
• S-2317-1: Prevalence, Procedures, and Challenges of Faculty Occupancy of Dual Leadership Roles. This charge was reissued as S-2317-2, with a new deadline of March 2025.
• S-2320: Timing and Process for Recommending Tuition, Fees, Housing Charges, and Dining Charges. This charge was reissued as S-2320-1, with a new deadline of April 2024.
• S-2326: Senate Officer Elections – Candidate Eligibility. This was discharged.

2024-2025 Senate Calendar Approval

The Executive Committee set the date of the October Executive Committee meeting for Fri. Oct. 11 from 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. The Executive Committee set the date of the October Senate meeting for Fri. Oct. 18, with committee meetings from 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. and the Senate meeting from 11:10 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. The revised 2024-2025 Senate Calendar was approved.

Nominating Panel Membership

Parliamentarian for March Senate Meeting

Senator Borisovets will serve as Deputy Parliamentarian for the March Senate meeting.

Review Draft Response to S-2319

Standing Committees/Panels

Committee Report and Recommendations:

Ad Hoc Committee on Senate Officer Compensation – Michael Joseph and Suja Patel, Co-Chairs

Report on S-2312: Senate Officer Compensation

The ad hoc committee was charged as follows:

To provide guidelines for appropriate compensation for Senate officers and other Senators whose duties as Senators represent a significant fraction of their university obligations. The resources for such compensation should be provided in a manner that does not create conflicts of interest. Procedures for such compensation already in place at some of our peer aspirant universities may serve as useful models.

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

Committee Report and Recommendations:

University Structure and Governance Committee – Perry Dane and Kevin Schroth, Co-Chairs

Report on S-2202-1: Honors College Student Senators

The USGC was charged as follows:

Investigate and recommend how Honors College Students from each campus can best be represented in the Senate. The creation of the Honors Colleges on each campus has created a new unit and community that students live, learn and participate in within the University. Student entitlements to the Senate are based on their academic association and Honors College Students can participate based on those associations if elected via their student governing associations. However, since student Senators are not specifically elected from the Honors College they may not be able to properly represent the needs of the Honors College community.

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

Committee Report and Recommendations:

Academic Standards, Regulations and Admissions Committee – Lucille Foster and Robert Schwartz, Co-Chairs

Report on S-2324: Investigate Sunsetting of Academic Credit Across Campuses and Review Any Proposed Changes

The ASRAC was charged as follows:

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.

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

Committee Report and Recommendations:

Budget and Finance Committee – Abdelrahman Ibrahim and Carolyne White, Co-Chairs

Report on S-2302: Budgetary Considerations Underlying Potential Merger of the RBHS Subunits Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and New Jersey Medical School into One Medical School

The BFC was charged as follows:

Investigate any relevant financial issues that will emerge if there is a proposed merger of RWJMS and NJMS. Make necessary recommendations to the Senate.

Outcome: At the February 2024 Senate meeting, this report was postponed to the March Senate agenda pending revisions. The revised report was presented to the Executive Committee for information only.

Proposed Charge:

Access to University Libraries 24/7 – Senator Brielle Fedorko, School of Arts and Sciences-NB, Student

Charge: After discussions with Chief Kenneth Cop, Vice President for University Libraries Consuella Askew, and library faculty, the three greatest concerns for keeping libraries open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week involve public safety, staffing, and sanitation. All three of these concerns can be properly addressed with increased budgeting that will allocate the funds to increase staff, safety officers, and custodial services. We must show a need for libraries to be open 24/7 in order to advocate for this increase toward library facilities. Thus, I charge that the University Senate create a survey for each campus (New Brunswick, Camden, and Newark) to explore this need. This survey is to be student-led and disseminated by its student leaders among their respective campuses. Questions should also be personalized to each campus.

Rationale: In terms of New Brunswick, Alexander Library located on the College Avenue campus is currently open Monday through Thursdays, 8:00 a.m. until 2:00 a.m., Fridays 8:00 a.m. until 10:00 p.m., Saturdays 1:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m., and Sundays 11:00 a.m. until 2:00 a.m. Hours past 8:00 p.m. require a night officer to maintain safety in the building. The libraries on the other three campuses in New Brunswick have different hours from these, or are completely closed on the weekends. This inconsistency poses an inconvenience to students on campus. As for Camden and Newark, similar challenges have risen. Having at least one library open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week would provide students a quiet, safe, and productive environment to do their assignments, to study for exams, and encourage more use of library services like the stacks and digital databases. Continuous library hours can foster academic success, which is what this university strives for. It is worth investigating.

Outcome: The Executive Committee amended:

• Charge Title to “Expanding Access to University Libraries Across Campuses.”
• Charge, first sentence, to: “After discussions with Chief Kenneth Cop, Vice President for University Libraries Consuella Askew, and library faculty, the three greatest concerns for keeping libraries open later involve public safety, staffing, and sanitation.”
• Charge, third sentence, to: “We must show a need for libraries across all Rutgers campuses to be open as often as possible with complete equitable access (same days, same hours) across all Rutgers campuses.”
• Charge, last sentence, to: “Questions should also be personalized to each campus and with an eye to equity.”
• Rationale, fifth sentence, to: “As for Camden and Newark, similar challenges have arisen.”
• Rationale, sixth sentence, to: “Having at least one library per campus open with extended hours would provide students a quiet, safe, and productive environment to do their assignments, to study for exams, and encourage more use of library services like the stacks and digital databases.”

The Instruction, Curricula, and Advising Committee and the Student Affairs Committee were issued this charge with a deadline of March 2025.

Proposed Charge:

Research Trainee Compensation and Benefit Inequity – Senator Monica Mazurek, School of Graduate Studies, Faculty

Charge: Investigate current practices in postdoc and student remuneration, in particular as it relates to inequality following fellowship funding and to develop solutions to reward talent.

Rationale: The recent contract negotiation and the need for trainees on fellowship to be removed from payroll have led to major inequity in compensation and benefits. This needs to be corrected to recruit and retain the best talent. For example, postdocs who have their own F32 grants were excluded from recent salary increases for other non-NIH funded postdocs. This creates a major inequity meaning that our very best postdocs (i.e., those who acquire their own independent federal funding as prestigious fellowships) receive less in compensation compared to faculty grant-supported postdocs.

Outcome: The Executive Committee amended:

• Charge to: “Investigate current practices in postdoc and current doctoral student remuneration, in particular as it relates to inequality following fellowship funding and to develop solutions to reward talent.”
• Rationale, last sentence, to: “This creates a major inequity meaning that internally-funded postdocs and externally-funded postdocs are differently compensated.”

The Research, and Graduate and Professional Education Committee was issued this charge with a deadline of March 2025.

Proposed Charge:

Qualifications of the University Senate Parliamentarian – Senator Natalie Borisovets, Newark At-Large, Faculty; Vicki Hewitt, Senate Executive Secretary; Senator Heather Pierce, Lecturer-New Brunswick, Faculty; Senator Adrienne Simonds, School of Health Professions, Faculty

Charge: Currently, the Parliamentarian must be a Senator. However, under Robert’s Rules of Order, the Parliamentarian cannot make motions or weigh in on discussions in order to maintain neutrality in the role. Consider whether changing the qualifications of the Parliamentarian to allow the appointment of a non-Senator, such as a professional hired for the role or a former Senator, would better allow Senators to participate in Senate business and enhance the functioning of the Senate.

Rationale: Currently per the University Senate Handbook: “The parliamentarian is a member of the Senate appointed each year by the chair with the approval of the Executive Committee. The parliamentarian advises the presiding officer on matters pertaining to parliamentary procedure, and ensures that meetings are conducted in accordance with Robert’s Rules of Order and Senate practice and standing rules. In the absence of the parliamentarian, the Executive Committee can appoint a parliamentarian pro tem.”

Outcome: The Executive Committee amended:

• Charge Title to “University Senate Parliamentarian”
• Charge, second sentence, to: “To maintain neutrality in the role and allow a Parliamentarian senator to speak on the Senate floor, consider whether changing the qualifications of the Parliamentarian to allow the appointment of a non-Senator, such as a professional hired for the role or a former Senator, and/or allowing for a Deputy Parliamentarian would better allow Senators to participate in Senate business and enhance the functioning of the Senate.”

An ad hoc committee was issued this charge with a deadline of April 2025.

Open Charge Request:

The following was charged to USGC without a deadline. The Executive Committee is requested to set a deadline for:

S-2329: Senate Role in the Policy on Policies Processes and Procedures

Outcome: S-2329 was assigned a deadline of April 2025.

Old Business

S-2323: Definition of Environmentally and Socially Responsible Materials and Products (University Policy 20.1.11 Procurement and Payment Policy)

USGC requested clarification on why it had been assigned this charge. The committee was asked to consult with the proposer of the charge, who is a member of USGC. This was postponed to the April Executive Committee meeting.

New Business

Resolution in Support of Staff Representation on University Governing Boards

The Executive Committee docketed this resolution for the March Senate agenda.

Report on S-2327: Develop Nomination Procedures for a Senate Representative for the Policy Approval Committee

The Executive Committee docketed this report for the March Senate agenda.

Email to the Senate Listserv

Chair Simonds will respond to the email from Senator Szatrowski.

Format of the Administrative Report

This was postponed to the April Executive Committee meeting.

Adjournment

The Executive Committee adjourned at 4:16 p.m.

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