RUTGERS UNIVERSITY SENATE
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
MINUTES
October 3, 2025 

MEMBERS PRESENT: Foster (Chair), Andrews, Boxer, Davis, Gordy, Haley, Hussain, Kiss, Ntiwunka-Ifeanyi, Olivera, Pierce, Purcell, Salas-de la Cruz, Schwartz

ALSO ATTENDING: T. Cooper (University Senate Executive Secretary), S. DeMatteo (ITC Committee Chair), M. Gittelman (BFC Committee Chair), T. Knievel (ITC Committee Chair)

The regular meeting of the University Senate Executive Committee was held on Friday, October 3, 2025 at 12:00 p.m. remotely via Zoom.

Chair’s Report– Lucille Foster, Senate Chair

Chair Foster called the September 5, 2025 Senate Executive Committee Meeting to order at 12:05 p. m.

Secretary’s Report– Taryn Cooper, Senate Executive Secretary

• The September 5, 2025 Executive Committee Agenda was approved.
• The September 5, 2025 Senate Executive Committee Minutes were approved.
• Communications announced:
  • Qualtrics survey results concerning Senate socials and merchandise to be distributed
  • Website Updates- Smartsheet for EC agenda submission compromised
  • Social Media Subcommittee of EC- Volunteers needed

Nomination of Executive Committee Faculty At-Large Position

Four Senators offered their candidacy for the position. Senator Rob Scott was nominated by Senator Paul Boxer and was voted by majority of the Executive Committee. Senator Scott will be put forward as the nominated individual at the October 17^th Senate meeting to be voted on.

Senate Action on CFL and NEH Grant Rescissions

Senator Paul Boxer offered to reach out to Professor Balog for any updates regarding the matter and will also check with the Office for Research, Mike Zwick, and Mike Gower for any updates to determine if further action from the Senate is needed.

Emergency Executive Committee Meeting Protocol

Chair Foster reviewed the process for emergency Executive Committee meeting gatherings, adding an additional step of gathering additional information before an action is taken by the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee determined that the group has a responsibility to act quickly during time sensitive situations, particularly when advocating for constituents navigating power imbalances.

NJ PIRG Presentation during October 17 Senate Meeting

The Executive Committee approved without objection to add a presentation by the student group on the agenda for the October Senate meeting.

MADC Taskforce Update-Draft Resolution

Senator Anna Haley reported that there is an attempt to engage with other university Senate bodies across institutions in New Jersey, who are passing similar resolutions similar to the current draft prepared by the MADC Taskforce. The Executive Committee approved without objection to add the draft resolution and New York Times article to the agenda for the October Senate meeting. 

Collaborative Efforts at Rutgers to Promote Academic Freedom

Senator Anna Haley reported concerns received by the New Brunswick Faculty Counsil regarding academic freedom. Chair Foster invited the Executive Committee to a planned meeting with Rutgers Law School professors to discuss topics of academic freedom and potential collaboration.

Standing Committees/Panels

Chair Foster welcomed the attending committee co-chairs present for the meeting: Senator Michelle Gittelman, Senator Susan DeMatteo, and Senator Tim Knievel and thanked all the co-chairs for their work.

2025-2026 Committee Co-Chairs

ABIDE: Malica Dock and Ronald Quincy
ASRAC: Robert Schwartz and Jose Torres
BFC: Brian Everett and Michelle Gittelman
FPAC: Christine Morales and Sara Campbell
ICAC: Natalie Borisovets and Alexander Pichugin
ITC: Susan DeMatteo and Tim Knievel
RGPEC: Enrique Curchitser and Monica Mazurek
SAC: Rachel Maeng Brown and Gary Santos Mendoza
USGC: Wendy Purcell and Patricia Morton

Committee Report and Recommendations:

University Structure and Governance Committee – Wendy Purcell and Patricia Morton, Co-Chair

Report on S-2406 Senate Role in Shared Governance

Presentation on S-2406 Senate Role in Shared Governance

The USGC was charged as follows:

Request that the University Structure and Governance Committee closely review and evaluate University policy 50.2.2 with the goal of further clarifying, verifying, and delineating the Senate’s official role in shared governance.

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

Committee Report and Recommendations:

Instruction, Curricula, and Advising Committee – Natalie Borisovets and Alexander Pichugin, Co-Chairs

Report on S-2305-2 Auditing Courses at Rutgers

The ICAC was charged as follows:

Review course auditing at Rutgers. Make any appropriate recommendations.

Outcome: The Executive Committee docketed this report for the October Senate agenda, though there were concerns regarding the resolutions containing too many steps within them. Senator Rochelle Andrews was advised to report the feedback to ICAC ahead of the Senate meeting.

Proposed Charge:

Implementation of Electronic Student ID Access via Mobile Credentials – Senator Catherine Ivasyuk, Student-RBHS

Charge: Develop and deploy an electronic student identification system that allows students to securely access campus facilities using mobile credentials (e.g., e-wallet, smartphone app) rather than plastic ID cards. Door access points and scanners will be programmed to read electronic IDs, providing students with convenient, sustainable, and user-friendly access to campus spaces.

Rationale: Transitioning from physical plastic IDs to electronic IDs offers multiple benefits: Sustainability: Eliminates the need for printing and reissuing plastic cards, reducing plastic waste and supporting campus environmental goals. Convenience: Students carry their phones more consistently than plastic cards, ensuring access credentials are readily available both on and off campus. Security; Flexibility: Mobile credentials can be updated, deactivated, or reissued instantly in case of loss or security concerns, unlike physical IDs that require reprinting. Enhanced User Experience: Integration with existing e-wallet technology creates a seamless, modern, and familiar process for students while reducing administrative burden on staff.

Outcome: The Information Technology Committee was issued this charge with a deadline of October 2026.

Proposed Charge:

Shared Governance Requires Efficacy to Communicate with Constituents – Senator Debra Keates, Faculty-New Brunswick and Senator Heather Pierce, Faculty-New Brunswick

Charge: The USGC committee should conduct a thorough review of how Senators report to and solicit feedback from their respective constituencies and evaluate the existing methods of communication in terms of their effectiveness in achieving Senators’ representative goals. The report should include consultation with relevant administrative offices and functions, including but not limited to: OIT, decanal IT departments, internal media outlets (e.g. Rutgers Today), etc. to develop a proposal a comprehensive plan through which the 250+ elected delegates—representing faculty, staff, students, alumni, and administrators—serve the broader Rutgers community.

Rationale: The job of Senators at Rutgers University is to serve as a bridge to their constituencies: to represent their concerns and to report back on policies and other university level changes that are important to their work. This charge asks that the Senate review the efficacy of Senators to fulfill their elected obligation to efficiently serve their constituencies and do their democratically charged work.

Outcome:  The University Structure and Governance Committee was issued this charge with a deadline of October 2026.

Proposed Charge:

Artificial Intelligence Usage at Rutgers – Senator Timothy Knievel, Faculty-Camden

Charge: Prepare and conduct anonymous surveys of Rutgers faculty, staff and students to collect baseline data on how A.I. tools are being used at the university.

Rationale: While the growing availability of A.I. tools in higher education has been a topic of discussion (and concern), we do not presently have a clear idea of how (and to what extent) the Rutgers community is making use of them. In order to consider potential policy options down the road, we need to collect data for informed decision-making.

Outcome: The Information Technology Committee was issued this charge with a deadline of September 2026.

Open Charge Request:

FPAC requests to be discharged from:

S-2311-2 Professional Development Opportunities

S-2313-1 Whether Students Should Substitute for Workers in Urgent Situations

Outcome: S-2311-1 and S-2313-1 were discharged from FPAC.

Open Charge Request

ASRAC requests a clarification or discharge from:

S-2409 New Student Onboarding

Outcome: S-2409 was discharged from ASRAC. Chair Foster will follow up with Senator Brian Everett, who originally submitted the charge, to request that he change the language of the charge and resubmit.

Old Business 

Senate Code of Conduct for Senate Virtual Meetings

Senator Katie Anderson requested for the Senate Code of Conduct to be reconsidered at the Executive Committee meeting and to be added to the Senate October agenda. The Executive Committee declined to docket this item to the agenda but encourage Senator Anderson to resubmit the draft with edits.

New Business

None. 

Adjournment

The Executive Committee adjourned at 2:45 p.m.

Minutes prepared by: Taryn Cooper, Executive Secretary of the University Senate