RUTGERS UNIVERSITY SENATE
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
M I N U T E S
February 4, 2022

MEMBERS PRESENT: Boikess, Daughety, Den Bleyker, Ewins, Foster, Giraud, Hauck, Oliver, Schwartz, Simonds, Struble, Thompson, White, Willett

ALSO ATTENDING:  F. Amjad (BOT Undergraduate Student Representative), G. Bachmann (BOT Faculty Representative), P. Moghe (EVP Academic Affairs), S. Rabinowitz (BOG Faculty Representative), M. Smith (Senate Interim Executive Secretary),

The regular meeting of the University Senate Executive Committee was held on Friday, February 4, 2022 at 12:02 p.m. remotely via Zoom.

Chair’s Report– Jon Oliver, Senate Chair

Senate and Executive Committee Chair Jon Oliver called the meeting to order at 12:02 p.m. He welcomed all to the meeting and mentioned the Gillett family and ways they have requested to pay tribute to former Senator Peter Gillett. Senator Tom Struble was able to contribute information about late Alumni Senator Bruce Marich and the scholarship that has been created in his name. Chair Oliver also spoke briefly about Senator Paul Miranti and his passing.

Secretary’s Report – Morgan Smith, Senate Interim Executive Secretary

Communications:

• • The agenda was approved with no corrections
  • The January 7, 2022 Senate Executive Committee Minutes were approved with no corrections
  • President Jonathan Holloway’s response to ASRAC Report S-2021
  • RBHS Faculty Council’s response on Joint Chairs

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

Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Prabhas Moghe presented an administrative report, which included comments on:

• The University’s excitement for the transition of students and seniors to be back for in person classes
• Rutgers Summer Service Internship Initiative has been launched
• The Part Time Lecturer Award message that went out
• Camden was able to keep their R2 Status for the research program
• Rutgers Camden has been designated as a Minority Serving Institution
• The continued search for the new University Librarian
• Eduardo Molina appointed as Vice President for Institutional Research and Decision Support
• Dean Jonathan Potter is stepping down as Dean at the end of the academic year
• Affirmative Action in Higher Education
• Diversity and Inclusion across the University including projects and initiatives
• Health Equity focus throughout the University

He then answered questions on the following topics:

• Compensation, job security and healthcare among PTL’s and people of color at the University
• The concerns about overpacked busses, mask wearing, air quality and lack of social distancing
• Wholistic and Affirmative Action hiring
• Teacher evaluations and the politics behind them that now include COVID-19 restrictions in classrooms
• Issues behind hiring adjunct faculty and PTL’s to fix the diversity and inclusion problem
• The NTT promotion process at RBHS

NJPIRG Concept Plan

This was discussed amongst the Executive Committee and it was decided it should go forward to the President.

Ad Hoc Committee on Senate Culture and Leadership– Presented by Senator Adrienne Simonds, Ad-Hoc Chair

The Executive Committee discussed the report and decided that they endorse the recommendations. It was suggested that language be worked on, and for the Chairs to decide if this would be a policy change.

Standing Committees/Panels

Issues/Proposed Charges:

Proposed Charge to Information Technology on Approved Electronic Notebook Programs – Submitted by Senator Monica Roth, RWJMS (F)

Charge: 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.

Background: Has Rutgers has approved electronic lab notebook programs?

Normally the lab notebooks must be kept on campus and are the property of the school. If you take the notebook off campus and something happens to it, it is your fault since you shouldn’t take it off the campus.

However, electronic lab notebooks are stored on offsite servers in the cloud. Therefore, I wanted the opinion from Rutgers what are approved electronic notebooks for the storage of Rutgers data.

This is an additional concern if Rutgers no longer continues their contract with Box.

The Executive Committee discussed the proposed charge and it was decided to charge this to the Information Technology Committee along with Research, and Graduate & Professional Education Committee with a due date of October 2022.

Committee Reports/Resolutions:

Faculty and Personnel Affairs Committee (FPAC) Response to Charge S-1909 Searches for University Leadership – Farid Alizadeh, FPAC Co-Chair

The FPAC was charged as follows:

Investigate the processes, including those used by the Big 10 and AAU Institutions, to identify senior leaders and recommend best practices at Rutgers.

The Executive Committee decided that more information is needed.

Old Business

New Business

• Senator Laura Willett suggested that there be a charge about super chairs and joint chairs at RBHS. She also suggested that Senator Bob Boikess work with her on this.

University Senate February 18, 2022 Agenda

• Regular Senate Meeting via Zoom
• Administrative Report by University President Jonathan Holloway
• Brian Ballentine and Michele Norin – Online Learning Strategies
• EVP-CFO Presentation on University Finances – Mike Gower
• RUAA and Foundation Presentation

Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned at 2:25 p.m.

Minutes written and submitted by,

Morgan Smith

Interim Executive Secretary of the University Senate