RUTGERS UNIVERSITY SENATE
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
MINUTES
April 7, 2022

MEMBERS PRESENT: Boikess, Den Bleyker, Foster, Giraud, Oliver (Chair), Schwartz, Simonds, Thompson, Willett

ALSO ATTENDING: G. Bachmann (BOT Faculty Representative), V. Hewitt (University Senate Executive Secretary), P. Moghe (EVP Academic Affairs), S. Rabinowitz (BOG Faculty Representative), M. Roth (Senator), M. Smith (University Senate Administrative Assistant)

The regular meeting of the University Senate Executive Committee was held on Thursday, April 7, 2022 at 12:00 p.m. remotely via Zoom.

Chair’s Report– Jon Oliver, Senate Chair

Chair Jon Oliver called the April 7, 2022 Senate Executive Committee meeting to order at 12:03 p.m. He welcomed all to the meeting and thanked them for their hard work during this academic year.

Secretary’s Report– Vicki Hewitt, Senate Executive Secretary

• The April 7, 2022 Executive Committee Agenda was approved.
• The March 4, 2022 Executive Committee Minutes were approved.
• The Call for Nominations for Senate Leadership Positions was sent on March 29. The deadline to submit nominations is Fri. April 22.

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

Prabhas Moghe, Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs, provided the Administrative Report consisting of the following topics:

• May 4 Mobilizing the University for Climate Transformation conference.
• Student award recipients, including Fulbright Grants and Goldwater Scholarships.
• Second booster shots for COVID-19 are available, but not required.
• An agreement to waive two COVID-impacted teaching terms (Fall 2020 and Spring 2021) from instructors’ performance reviews.
• Ramadan guidance.
• Admissions updates.
• Rutgers Forward: University Diversity Strategic Plan.
• Discussion sessions for members of the University Senate about online education at Rutgers.
• Wind Institute fellowships.
• A unified University patent policy.
• Hila Berger, new Assistant Vice President for Research Regulatory Affairs in the Office for Research.
• A new Research Administration Handbook.

Executive Vice President Moghe then answered questions on the following topics:

• The agreement to waive two COVID-impacted teaching terms from instructors’ performance reviews.
• Streamlining IRB applications among Rutgers units and RWJBarnabas sites.
• The clinical income agreement with RWJBarnabas Health.
• The Student Instructional Rating Survey (SIRS).
• Regulations on research overseas.
• Response to the invasion of Ukraine.

The 2022-2023 Senate Calendar was approved.

Standing Committees/Panels

Proposed Charges:

Proposed Charge to the Student Affairs Committee on Resolution to Allow Students’ Ability to View Their Own Work – Submitted by Senator Omer Abdel-Wahab, School of Pharmacy (Student)

Charge: What can be done to prevent professors from disallowing students from viewing their exams after they have been graded so that they may see what they got wrong.

Background: Exams are a critical part of a students work-life. The ability to learn from one’s mistakes is even more critical. Unfortunately, many students are prevented from viewing their exam results after taking exams. The rationale appears to be that professors would like to reuse questions for the next academic year without exam questions being compromised. This is a very backwards practice that does not promote student learning. I recommend the senate should research what legislation exists giving professors the ability to hide exam results and how we can amend this legislation to give students the ability to view their own work.

The Executive Committee did not support moving this charge forward at this time. Chair Oliver will respond to Senator Abdel-Wahab to inform him of the committee’s discussion and ask for more information.

Committee Reports/Resolutions:

Budget and Finance Committee (BFC) Recommendation to Upgrade/Update the Presentation of Rutgers University’s Annual Budget

The Executive Committee agreed this did not need to go to the Senate for a vote. Chair Oliver will send this recommendation to J. Michael Gower, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer.

Information Technology Committee (ITC) Response to S-2201: Approved Electronic Notebook Programs

The ITC was charged as follows: Investigate the use of electronic lab notebooks. Review the current policies and practice of notebook creation and cloud storage. Recommend the best practices for maintaining the security, integrity, and accessibility of these notebooks.

The Executive Committee docketed this report for information only at the April 29, 2022 Senate meeting. This charge is also being considered by the Research, and Graduate and Professional Education Committee. It was suggested that ITC be invited to attend a future RGPEC meeting to discuss this issue.

University Structure and Governance Committee (USGC) Response to S-2112: Free Speech Issues at Rutgers and the University Senate’s Role

The USGC was charged as follows: Consider the most effective mechanism to enable the University Senate to provide the administration with feedback and advice from the Rutgers University community relating to statement, policy, and implementation on matters of free speech. Look at peer best practices. Make any appropriate recommendations.

The Executive Committee provisionally docketed this report for the April 29, 2022 Senate meeting, pending committee approval of some minor revisions.

Old Business

None

New Business

Proposed Resolution on Academic Freedom and Racial, Gender, and Social Justice – Submitted by Robert Boikess, SAS-NB

Background: Below is a Resolution on Academic Freedom and Racial, Gender, and Social Justice adopted by the Executive Committee of the Rutgers AAUP/AFT. It calls on the University Senate to adopt a similar resolution.

March 24, 2022

Whereas Rutgers University has made the advancing of diversity, equity, and inclusion a key strategic priority; and

Whereas in a nation that has for centuries struggled with issues of racial inequity and injustice, many students do not have adequate knowledge of BIPOC and LGBTQI history and the policies that contributed to inequities, Rutgers faculty have a responsibility and opportunity to help build equity and social justice;

Therefore be it resolved that the Executive Committee of Rutgers AAUP-AFT resolutely rejects any attempts by bodies external to the faculty to restrict or dictate university curriculum on any matter, including matters related to racial, gender, and social justice, and will stand firm against any encroachment on faculty authority; and

Be it further resolved that the Executive Committee of Rutgers AAUP-AFT stands with our K–12 colleagues throughout the country who may be affected by this pernicious legislation; and

Be it further resolved that the Executive Committee of Rutgers AAUP-AFT affirms the Joint Statement on Efforts to Restrict Education about Racism, authored by the AAUP, PEN America, the American Historical Association, and the Association of American Colleges and Universities, endorsed by over seventy organizations, and issued on June 16, 2021; and finally

Be it resolved that the Executive Committee of Rutgers AAUP-AFT urges the University Senate and the Faculty Councils to adopt a similar resolution and calls upon President Holloway and EVPAA Moghe to affirm that they reject any attempts by bodies external to the faculty to restrict or dictate university curriculum on any matter, including matters related to racial, gender, and social justice, and will stand firm against any encroachment on faculty authority.

The Executive Committee provisionally docketed this resolution for the April 29, 2022 Senate meeting, pending committee approval of revisions to make it specific to the University Senate.

Potential Merging of the M.D./Ph.D. programs at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and New Jersey Medical School – Submitted by Laura Willett, RWJMS (with Senator Monica Roth invited for the discussion)

President Holloway and Chancellor Strom are planning to attend the June 3, 2022 Executive Committee meeting. This issue will be added to the meeting agenda.

University Senate April 29, 2022 Agenda

• 2022-2023 Organizational Meeting via Zoom – starting at 10:00 a.m.
• Committees will most likely not meet.
• Caucuses may meet.
• Regular Senate Meeting in person and via Zoom – last meeting of 2021-22
• Administrative Report – President Jonathan Holloway
• Report on Rutgers Research – Michael E. Zwick, Senior Vice President for Research, and José Miguel Román, Vice President, Research Administration
• S-2108: Senate Procedures for Debate, Amendment and Voting
• S-2201: Approved Electronic Notebook Programs (Information Only)
• S-2112: Free Speech Issues at Rutgers and the University Senate’s Role (Provisional)
• Proposed Resolution on Academic Freedom and Racial, Gender, and Social Justice (Provisional)

Adjournment

The Executive Committee adjourned at 2:02 p.m.

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