RUTGERS UNIVERSITY SENATE
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
MEETING AGENDA
Friday, June 7, 2024, 12:00 p.m. via Zoom

https://rutgers.zoom.us/j/99068164783?pwd=VHV1YUphLzJmWVgrUDM0VGcyUE01Zz09

Chair’s Report– Adrienne Simonds, Senate Chair

Secretary’s Report– Vicki Hewitt, Senate Executive Secretary

• Approval of Agenda
• Approval of the April 5, 2024 Senate Executive Committee Minutes
• Approval of the April 26, 2024 University Senate Organizational Meeting Minutes
• Approval of the April 26, 2024 University Senate Meeting Minutes
• Approval of the May 3, 2024 University Senate Special Meeting Minutes
• Approval of the May 10, 2024 Senate Executive Committee Special Meeting Minutes
• Administrative Response
  • Response to S-2203: Examining the Efficacy of the GRE
• Policy Updates
  • University Policy 40.4.2 Rutgers University-Sponsored International Travel Policy

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

Discussion – Saundra Tomlinson-Clarke, New Brunswick Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs

Selection of Members of the Chancellor’s Commencement Committees – Final roster of volunteers will be distributed prior to the meeting by email

Workshop on Academic Freedom

New Senator Orientation

Format of the 2024-25 Executive Committee and University Senate Meetings

2024-25 Chancellor and Administrative Reports

Policy Development Committees (PDC) Panel – Call to Join

Senate/Senate EC Involvement in the Search for a New Chancellor in Newark

Re-engagement with the President and Engagement with the Board of Governors

Resolution to Protect Jews at Rutgers – Submitted by Senator Cynthia Saltzman, Lecturer-Camden, Faculty

Standing Committees/Panels

Draft of 2024-25 Standing Committee Rosters and EC Liaisons – Final draft rosters will be distributed prior to the meeting via email.

Review 2023-24 Reports of Standing Committees

Proposed Charge:

Automatic Textbooks Billing – Hakim Hines, Non-Senator

Charge: Why is there not any protocol for the university and/or for professors to notify students who are enrolled in this program? Why when students opt-out of this program, they are still charged and then they are refunded? Why can the charge not be taken off the bill? Why is there not a list of which professors sign up for this program so students can better know what to expect in terms of their textbooks and term bills?

Rationale: Tuition is already expensive for students, textbooks are expensive as well. Combining the cost of textbooks into the tuition bill seems like a smart idea, but it has been handled poorly by this institution. Students are never notified of their inclusion in the Automatic Textbooks Billing program unless they are lucky enough to have a professor who cares to alert them. Even then, students go through a drawn-out process to still have to pay for their opted-out program and have to wait to get their refund. And for the ones that are not fortunate enough to have professors with a heart, they are left in the dark even more about the institution’s failed system. The Senate should look into the Automatic Textbooks Billing on campus because regardless of who is at fault, students are the victims of a system that is doing a lot more harm than good.

Proposed Charge:

Rutgers University and its Schools, Departments, Centers, and Programs Making Statements on Controversial Political Topics – Senator Wayne Eastman, Rutgers Business School:Newark/NB, Faculty,  and Senator Cynthia Saltzman, Lecturer-Camden, Faculty

Charge: Conduct an investigation to develop information relevant to a future Senate resolution on whether Rutgers University administrators, schools, departments, centers, and programs should be authorized to make, be forbidden from making, or be discouraged from making statements on behalf of the University or its units that take positions on controversial political issues not directly connected to the mission of the University or the unit.

Proposed Charge:

University Senate’s Communication with Constituents Through Social Media – Senator Abigail Fulton, School of Arts and Sciences-NB, Student

Charge: Charge an ad hoc committee to explore and recommend how the University Senate can utilize social media platforms (i.e., Instagram) to create and enhance communications to foster awareness and engagement.

Rationale: The University Senate currently faces a problem where it is unable to maintain a line of communication with its constituents. A significant reason for this is that the Senate has a very limited presence on modern communication platforms, which hinders both engagement and the effective dissemination of information. By considering social media, the University Senate opens an accessible and available direct line of communication to its senators and constituents. This proactive approach enhances transparency and awareness, as well as enriching the Senate’s overall impact.

Proposed Charge:

Tuition Benefits for “UMDNJ Legacy” Roles – Catherine Jones, Non-Senator

Charge: I would like to propose for the tuition benefits that are associated with staff roles designated as “Legacy UMDNJ”, to be reviewed due to equity reasons, as well as adjustments based on the upcoming merger between NJMS and RWJ Medical Schools.

Rationale: The following proposal should be reviewed by the senate because it can address issues regarding equity among Rutgers staff/schools and will provide an opportunity for staff to further their education. Currently, for positions associated with the designation of “Legacy UMDNJ”, staff are only allocated tuition reimbursement (up to $3,120 per calendar year), in comparison to Rutgers positions in which tuition is covered at 100%. There are similar positions to that of “Legacy UMDNJ” designated roles in other Rutgers schools, that provide their staff with 100% tuition remission. For example, roles within NJMS that are similar to roles within RWJ have different tuition benefit coverages.

Additionally, as the medical schools are merging this would be a great opportunity to examine positions that may need to be reclassified, and that are associated with the designation of “Legacy UMDNJ”, as well as an opportunity to revise the tuition benefits available for staff.

Proposed Charge:

University Senate Badge – Senator Suja Patel, Newark Staff

Charge: I am not sure which committee to assign this charge (or whether it is an actual charge).
I would like to have a Senator Badge be created for senators to use as part of their Rutgers email signatures. To promote the University Senate, as well as provide a sense of belonging to all members of the Senate.

Rationale: Perhaps research if other universities utilize a badge.

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-2334: Senate Communications

Old Business

Open Charge Request:

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.

New Business

Adjournment