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Friday
Nov 1st
12:00 pm

Executive Committee Meeting – Chancellor Strom

Zoom

Agenda Items Due On
Noon on Wednesday, October 30th 2024


Agenda Distributed On
Wednesday, October 30th 2024

RUTGERS UNIVERSITY SENATE
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
MEETING AGENDA
Friday, November 1, 2024, 12:00 p.m. via Zoom

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

Chair’s Report– Lucille Foster, Senate Chair

Secretary’s Report– Vicki Hewitt, Senate Executive Secretary

Administrative Report – Prabhas Moghe, Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs (12:05 – 12:20 p.m.)

Discussion – Brian Strom, RBHS Chancellor (12:20 – 12:45 p.m.)

Senate Representation on the Presidential Search Committee (12:45 – 12:55 p.m.)

Recording Senate Meetings (12:55 – 1:10 p.m.)

Communications with the University community, including but not limited to information sharing through Rutgers Today and our relationship with the central PR office (1:10 – 1:25 p.m.)

University Senate social media outreach, including but not limited to whether the ad-hoc committee is in need of a new chair (1:25 – 1:30 p.m.)

Changes to the Academic Calendar (1:30 – 1:40 p.m.)

University Senate Parliamentarian (1:40 – 1:45 p.m.)

Standing Committees/Panels

2024-2025 Committee Chair Positions (1:45 – 1:50 p.m.):

FPAC: Christine Morales and Arturo Osorio-Fernandez

Committee Report and Recommendations (1:50 – 1:55 p.m.):

Budget and Finance Committee – Thomas Figueira and Troy Shinbrot, Co-Chairs

Report on S-2208-1: Divestment of Retirement Funds from Fossil Fuels (Information Only)

The committee was charged as follows:

Investigate whether the investment companies utilized by Rutgers for university employees should divest from fossil fuel companies within their retirement portfolios that are known to contribute to climate change. Report back to the Senate Executive Committee.

Proposed Charge (1:55 – 2:05 p.m.)

AI and Cheating – Senator Audrey Truschke, School of Arts and Sciences – Newark, Faculty

Charge: There is an epidemic of students using “Artificial Intelligence” in order to cheat at Rutgers. This does not apply to legitimate uses of AI, especially in the sciences. In the humanities, we are seeing more and more students using generative AI (grammarly, ChatGPT, QuoteBot, etc.) to write entire papers, doing nothing other than cutting and pasting the paper prompt into AI. In recent semesters, some Rutgers professors have reported a majority of students in a given class for using AI as an academic integrity violation.

The academic integrity issue here is three fold. One, we have students passing off the work of another (in this case, a computer algorithm) as their own, which is a clear violation of Rutgers Honor’s code. Two, many Rutgers instructors (especially in the humanities) ban all use of AI, and students are violating that ban. Three, students are not learning anything; they even use AI to fabricate quotes rather than doing the reading (this is a major way I catch it).

The Senate should (1) Investigate how common AI use is in academic integrity violations across Rutgers campuses. Anecdotally, it seems to be exploding, but data would be useful. (2) Recommend steps to curb the cheating use of AI on campus. The goal here should not be to ban AI for legitimate purposes. But the Senate might consider, for example, requiring students to disclose when they use AI, just as they would have to disclose having a person help writing their papers. (3) Recommending how university administrators can help support faculty better and incorporate appropriate training on AI into orientations and the such.

Rationale: AI use is exploding at Rutgers (see Charge Description).

Open Charge Request (2:05 – 2:10 p.m.):

ICAC requests edits to the charge language of S-2330: Expanding Access to University Libraries Across Campuses.

The current charge is: 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. 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 across all Rutgers campuses to be open as often as possible with complete equitable access (same days, same hours) across all Rutgers campuses. 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 and with an eye to equity.

The requested charge language is: Investigate current University library hours across all campuses. Determine if those hours are adequately meeting student needs (access to collections; access to study spaces; access to technology) on each campus. Make recommendations as appropriate.

Note that S-2330 is also charged to SAC, so consider whether this change is for both committees.

Open Charge Request (2:10 – 2:15 p.m.):

USGC requests to be discharged:

S-2317-1: Faculty Governance, Executive Appointments and Proposed Dual Positions at Rutgers

This concerns a dean serving as a provost simultaneously, which is a common practice at Rutgers (and other higher education institutions).

Open Charge Request (2:15 – 2:20 p.m.):

USGC requests to be discharged:

S-2322: Coordination of Shared Governance Entities

This advocates for a committee that can coordinate shared efforts and governance across campuses, faculty, and students. That is the Senate. To create another committee would add unnecessary complexity and might dilute the Senate’s power.

Old Business

Allocation of the Board of Governors Representatives’ Seats (2:20 – 2:25 p.m.)

New Business (2:25 – 2:35 p.m.)

University Senate November 15 Agenda (2:35 – 2:40 p.m.)

  • RBHS Chancellor Report – Brian Strom, Chancellor, Rutgers-RBHS
  • Review of Draft Bylaws

Adjournment

RUTGERS UNIVERSITY SENATE
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
MINUTES
November 1, 2024

MEMBERS PRESENT: Boxer, R. Maeng Brown, Esposito, Foster (Chair), Godoy, Kiss, Olivera, Pierce, Rodriguez, Salas-de la Cruz, Schroth

ALSO ATTENDING: S. Andreassen (Vice Chancellor and Chief of Staff, Rutgers Health), R. Boikess (BOT Faculty Representative), V. Hewitt (University Senate Executive Secretary), P. Moghe (Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs), C. Morales (FPAC Committee Chair). K. O’Halloran (Vice President for Academic Planning & Administration, EVPAA), A. Osorio-Fernandez (FPAC Committee Chair), W. Purcell (BOT Faculty Representative), M. Smith (University Senate Administrative Assistant), B. Strom (RBHS Chancellor)

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

Chair’s Report– Lucille Foster, Senate Chair

Chair Foster called the November 1, 2024 Senate Executive Committee meeting to order at 12:06 p.m.

Secretary’s Report– Vicki Hewitt, Senate Executive Secretary

  • The November 1, 2024 Executive Committee Agenda was approved.
  • The October 11, 2024 Senate Executive Committee Minutes were approved.
  • Communications announced:
    • Senate Socials: Fri. Nov. 8 and Fri. April 11 from 12:00 – 2:00 p.m.
    • Provosts’ Roundtable: Fri. Jan. 31 from 12:00 – 1:00 p.m.

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

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

  • Presidential search update
  • Middle States reaccreditation
  • Eagelton Institute of Politics webinar The Morning After in partnership with President Holloway’s Byrne Seminar on Wed. Nov. 6
  • Faculty awards and honors
  • Passing of Ernest Mario, alumnus and supporter of the School of Pharmacy
  • Cheryl Wall Faculty Fellowship
  • Alumni engagement event in South Korea

Discussion – Brian Strom, RBHS Chancellor

Senate Representation on the Presidential Search Committee

Senators will be asked to submit nominations for a Senate representative to the Presidential Search Committee. The Senate will vote at the Fri. Nov. 15 Senate meeting to choose two potential candidates. Of those two, the Presidential Search Committee will select the final Senate representative.

Recording Senate Meetings

The Senate office will develop a written protocol concerning recordings of Senate and Executive Committee meetings.

Communications with the University community, including but not limited to information sharing through Rutgers Today and our relationship with the central PR office

Chair Foster is working with UCM to include an article in Rutgers Today about the next Academic Freedom panel.

University Senate social media outreach, including but not limited to whether the ad-hoc committee is in need of a new chair

Senator Godoy will reach to the chair of the ad hoc committee.

Changes to the Academic Calendar

Chair Foster will contact the chairs of ASRAC to suggest they invite Amy Brainard (Director, Office of Academic Scheduling and Instructional Space) to the next meeting.

University Senate Parliamentarian

Jon Oliver will serve as Senate Parliamentarian for the November and December Senate meetings.

Standing Committees/Panels

2024-2025 Committee Chair Positions
FPAC: Christine Morales and Arturo Osorio-Fernandez

Committee Report and Recommendations
Budget and Finance Committee – Thomas Figueira and Troy Shinbrot, Co-Chairs

Report on S-2208-1: Divestment of Retirement Funds from Fossil Fuels (Information Only)

The committee was charged as follows:

Investigate whether the investment companies utilized by Rutgers for university employees should divest from fossil fuel companies within their retirement portfolios that are known to contribute to climate change. Report back to the Senate Executive Committee.

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

Proposed Charge

AI and Cheating – Senator Audrey Truschke, School of Arts and Sciences – Newark, Faculty

Charge: There is an epidemic of students using “Artificial Intelligence” in order to cheat at Rutgers. This does not apply to legitimate uses of AI, especially in the sciences. In the humanities, we are seeing more and more students using generative AI (grammarly, ChatGPT, QuoteBot, etc.) to write entire papers, doing nothing other than cutting and pasting the paper prompt into AI. In recent semesters, some Rutgers professors have reported a majority of students in a given class for using AI as an academic integrity violation.

The academic integrity issue here is three fold. One, we have students passing off the work of another (in this case, a computer algorithm) as their own, which is a clear violation of Rutgers Honor’s code. Two, many Rutgers instructors (especially in the humanities) ban all use of AI, and students are violating that ban. Three, students are not learning anything; they even use AI to fabricate quotes rather than doing the reading (this is a major way I catch it).

The Senate should (1) Investigate how common AI use is in academic integrity violations across Rutgers campuses. Anecdotally, it seems to be exploding, but data would be useful. (2) Recommend steps to curb the cheating use of AI on campus. The goal here should not be to ban AI for legitimate purposes. But the Senate might consider, for example, requiring students to disclose when they use AI, just as they would have to disclose having a person help writing their papers. (3) Recommending how university administrators can help support faculty better and incorporate appropriate training on AI into orientations and the such.

Rationale: AI use is exploding at Rutgers (see Charge Description).

Outcome: The Academic Standards, Regulations and Admissions Committee was issued this charge with a deadline of November 2025.

Open Charge Request

ICAC requests edits to the charge language of S-2330: Expanding Access to University Libraries Across Campuses.

The current charge is: 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. 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 across all Rutgers campuses to be open as often as possible with complete equitable access (same days, same hours) across all Rutgers campuses. 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 and with an eye to equity.

The requested charge language is: Investigate current University library hours across all campuses. Determine if those hours are adequately meeting student needs (access to collections; access to study spaces; access to technology) on each campus. Make recommendations as appropriate.

Note that S-2330 is also charged to SAC, so consider whether this change is for both committees.

Outcome: The charge language for S-2330 was updated for both committees.

Open Charge Request

USGC requests to be discharged:

S-2317-1: Faculty Governance, Executive Appointments and Proposed Dual Positions at Rutgers

This concerns a dean serving as a provost simultaneously, which is a common practice at Rutgers (and other higher education institutions).

Outcome: S-2317-1 was discharged.

Adjournment

The Executive Committee adjourned at 2:02 p.m. as there was no longer a quorum.

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

Present Senators

Robert Boikess Paul Boxer Adrienne Esposito Lucille Foster Christopher Godoy Geza Kiss Rachel Maeng Brown Heather Pierce Wendy Purcell David Salas-de la Cruz Kevin Schroth

Excused Senators

Emily Brown Anna Haley Monica Roth Adrienne Simonds

Absent Senators

Brielle Fedorko Tiffany Olivera Wendy Rodriguez Safanya Searcy Nusrath Yusuf