RUTGERS, THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW JERSEY
UNIVERSITY SENATE

MINUTES: Regular Meeting of the University Senate

DATE: February 21, 2020

TIME AND PLACE: 1:10 p.m., Multi-purpose Room, Camden Campus Center, Camden Campus

MEMBERS PRESENT:  Agboste, Akbar, Alexander-Floyd, Alizadeh, Aubert, Barbarese, Bhuyan, Boikess, Borisovets, Britton, Bugel, Buyske, Castaneda, Chaudhary, Colley, Crews, Dasari, DiLalo, Dool, Doumit, Dowlin, Ebert, Esposito, Everett, Felder, Gillett, Giraud, Goldfarb, Gonzales, Gould, Govil, Graber, Gursoy, Haddon, Haley, Hunter, Hunter Fratzola, Jarrin, Johnson, Kane, Kashalikar, Kovacs, Lamar, Lewis, Maglione Rico, Mahajan-Cusack, Markert, Matto, Mayes, Moomjy, Norris, Oliver, Omotoso, Pappas, Parsa, Perez, Posluszny, Prasad, Rabinowitz, Rivera, Roth, Saltzman, Schwartz, Simonds, Sinacori, Speigel, Struble, Takhistov, Tharney, Thompson, Titus, Torres, Tracey, Trees, Tsakalakos, Van Stine, Walkup, Wang, Wang, White, Willett, Wirtenberg, Zheng

EXCUSED: Acosta, Albert, Ardeshna, Avallone, Bachmann, Bekdash, Bora, Brewster-Bauzyk, Bridgeman, Coleman, Dreyer, Figueira, Fox, Goodman, Goonetilleke, Guo, Hara, Kettle, Kosar, Langer, Lutz, Mammis, Marchetta, Markowitz, Mazurek, McKeever, Mena-Segovia, Miranti, O’Brassill-Kulfan, O’Connor, Oukil, Pinto-Figueroa, Powell, Puar, Romanko, Shankar, Shapses, Shobut, Silver, Song, Sztatrowski, Thuravil

ABSENT: Adya, Alidou, Akbar, Assaf, Atkins, Barchi, Barone, Bator, Beegan, Bembry, Blanchett, Cantor, Cohen, Conway, Cotter, D’Anna, DeFilippis, Eaton, Emmons, Henderson, Farris, Feldman, Fischer, Adya, Gotur, Gower, Halkitis, Hartman, Hatefi, Henderson, Hsueh, Huang, Joergenson, Johnson, Kane, Kartik, Kaul, Kaye, Kukor, Kustka, LaPointe, Lee, Lei, Liu, Lopez, Maddox Douglas, Madsen, Mahon, Maloney, Mandalapu, Manek, Mansukhani, March, Marchitello, Marsic, Masiello, Menifield, Mitra, Molloy, Moore, Murphy, Murphy, Mutcherson, Nath, Nickitas, O’Rourke, Ozel, Pandey, Pardlo, Paskhover, Patel, Pichugin, Ponzio, Porumbescu, Potter, Potter, Pradhan, Rajan, Ravichandran, Robbins, Sanchez, Sass, Schiavo, Schneider, Schwartz, Sen, Sesti, Shapiro, Shinbrot, Sinnott, Steinberg, Stephenson, Stoprya, Strom, Tan, Thakuriah, Tomasko, Umarov, Vargas, Veysey, Vidal, Volino, Wang

ATTENDANCE SUMMARY: Faculty: Of 114 total: 46 present (40%), 27 excused (24%), 41 absent (36%); Students: Of 51 total: 24 present (47%), 6 excused (12%), 21 absent (41%); Administrators: Of 40 total: 2 present (5%), 2 excused (5%), 36 absent (90%); Staff: Of 18 total: 10 present (56%), 4 excused (22%), 4 absent (22%); Alumni: Of 6 total: 2 present (33%), 3 excused (50%), 1 absent (17%

CALL TO ORDER, DETERMINATION OF A QUORUM, INTRODUCTION OF COMMITTEE CHAIRS AND CHARGES, AND CHAIR’S REPORT – Jon Oliver, Chair

Senate Chair Jon Oliver called the meeting to order at 1:10 p.m. in the Multi-purpose Room of the Camden Campus Center, Camden Campus. He thanked Chancellor Phoebe Haddon and her leadership team for hosting and noted how saddened we are that this will be her last address to the Senate as Chancellor since she will be stepping down to return to the faculty in July. He asked all Senators to check out the Camden Campus to appreciate all it has to offer as well as all the incredible accomplishments of the Chancellor and her team.

REPORT OF THE SECRETARY – Mary Mickelsen, Executive Secretary

• Agenda: The meeting’s agenda including time limits, was approved by the Senate with the amendment that SVP for Academic Affairs Barbara Lee will not be delivering the Administrative Report due to an urgent personal matter, however Chair Jon Oliver will read her remarks.
• Minutes: The minutes of the January 24, 2020 Senate meeting were approved as distributed by the Executive Secretary.
• Communications:
  • The following polices have been updated/added in the University Policy Library:
    • University Policy 30.1.1: Safety Policies and Guidelines
    • University Policy 30.1.9: Protection of Minors
    • University Policy 60.1.1: Employment of Relatives
    • University Policy 60.1.3: Notification Procedure Upon the Death of an Active or Retired University Employee
    • University Policy 60.1.7: Personal Use of University Telephones
    • University Policy 60.1.9: Commercial and Charitable Solicitations
    • University Policy 60.1.17: Retirement, Pension, Insurance, and Health Benefits
    • University Policy 60.1.20: Credited Leave Carryover for Staff Employees Transferring between Rutgers Schools/Units and Transitions from State, County, and Local Agencies to Rutgers University
    • University Policy 60.1.21: Military Leave – Staff
    • University Policy 60.1.22: Library Facilities – Use of
    • University Policy 60.1.23: Jury Duty
    • University Policy 60.1.25: Athletic Privileges
    • University Policy 60.1.26: Recreational Privileges
    • University Policy 60.1.27: Day Care Facilities

COMMITTEE REPORTS

Instruction, Curricula, and Advising Committee (ICAC) Response to Charge S-1902: Issues Surrounding Prerequisite Course Availability – Natalie Borisovets, ICAC Chair

The ICAC was charged as follows: Consider the issues relating to availability to students of courses that must be completed in sequence. Is there a way to ensure that students who fail a prerequisite course are able to register for that course the next time that it is offered? 

ICAC Chair Natalie Borisovets summarized the work of the committee and the ICAC’s Response to Charge S-1902 on Issues Surrounding Prerequisite Course Availability. Borisovets then read the related resolutions and offered a chance for questions. There were none. The report was then voted on and passed.

Faculty and Personnel Affairs Committee Response to S-1903: Review on Rutgers’ Policy on Workplace Violence – Farid Alizadeh and Joseph Markert, FPAC Co-Chairs

The FPAC was charged as follows: Consider what changes if any in Rutgers policy on workplace violence are appropriate. 

Co-Chairs Farid Alizadeh and Joseph Markert summarized the work of the committee and the FPAC’s response to Charge S-1903 on Review on Rutgers’ Policy on Workplace Violence. Alizadeh and Markert read the resolution and answered related questions. Senator Alexander-Floyd proposed an amendment to add the following to the resolution: “Establish an appeal procedure so that it supports a multi-person, democratic and inclusive process.” The amendment was voted on and subsequently passed.  Senator Everett proposed an amendment to add the following: “Define what a hostile work environment is.” The amendment was also discussed and voted on, and was passed. Senator Tharney proposed an amendment to strike out “preponderance of evidence” from #4 in the resolution. That amendment was discussed, then voted on, however it did not pass. Lastly, Senator Wang proposed an amendment to add the following to the resolution: “Establish an accessible electronic reporting system for workplace violence.” The amendment was discussed and voted on, and passed.

After all discussion the main resolution, as amended, was voted on and passed.

CHANCELLOR’S REPORT – Phoebe Haddon, Camden Chancellor

Chancellor Haddon presented the following Chancellor Report and then offered a chance for questions, of which there was none.

SENATE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE REPORT – Senate Vice Chair Peter Gillett reported on the February 7, 2020 Senate Executive Committee meeting.

REPORTS OF REPRESENTATIVES TO BOARDS OF GOVERNORS AND TRUSTEES: Senator Rabinowitz reported there had been no board meetings since the last Senate meeting.

REPORTS OF CAMPUS FACULTY AND STUDENT LIAISONS: Camden Student Senator Van Stine reported on recent plans and activities of Camden student governing associations. Senator Samuel Rabinowitz reported on the Camden Faculty Council Meeting. New Brunswick Student Senator Kane reported on recent plans and activities of New Brunswick student governing associations. Faculty Senator Tugrul Ozel, New Brunswick Faculty Council Chair, reported on the January 31 New Brunswick Faculty Council meeting. Senator Castanda reported on the recent activities of the Newark students. Senator Roth reported on the RBHS Faculty Council’s current initiatives.

ADJOURNMENT: The meeting adjourned at 2:51 p.m.

Minutes prepared by:

Mary Mickelsen, Executive Secretary of the University Senate

 

Committee Meetings

Academic Standards, Regulations & Admissions Committee Meeting

CCC - South A Conference Room @ 10:30 am

Budget & Finance Committee Meeting

CCC - Viewing Room @ 10:00 am

Faculty Affairs & Personnel Committee Meeting

CCC - North Conference Room @ 10:30 pm

Instruction, Curricula & Advising Committee Meeting

CCC - South C Conference Room @ 10:30 am

Research, Graduate & Professional Education Committee Meeting

CCC - West AB Conference Room @ 10:00 am

Student Affairs Committee Meeting

CCC - South B Conference Room @ 10:00 am

University Structure & Governance Committee

CCC - West C Conference Room @ 10:30 am