RUTGERS, THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW JERSEY
UNIVERSITY SENATE

MINUTES: Regular Meeting of the University Senate

DATE: September 24, 2021

TIME AND PLACE: 1:10 p.m., Remote via Zoom

MEMBERS PRESENT: Abdel-Wahab, Alizadeh, Ameri, Amjad, Anderson, Andrews, Ardeshna, Azer, Baldi, Barbarese, Barlow, Bhavaraju, Bhuyan, Bogden, Boikess, Boison, Borisovets, Boxer, Bridgeman, Brienza-Arcilla, Britton, Broggi, Campbell, Cantor, Charles, Chefitz, Choo, Clarke, Cole, Conway, Cooper, Crawford, Crews, Dane, Davidson, Davis, Den Bleyker, Drazer, Edelstein, Esposito, Everett, Ewins, Farmer, Fatahzadeh, Fernandez, Field, Figueira, Foster, Gillett, Giraud, Gomes, Goonetilleke, Gower, Granadeiro, Guo, Haley, Halprin, Hara, Hatefi, Haviland, Holloway, Hu, Hunter, Hurd, Irizarry, Kahanda, Kelly, Kettle, Kiss, Kothari, LaMorte, Laraia, Leibman, Levine, Linardopoulos, Lino-Barbosa, Lutz, Lyles, Maddox Douglas, Mahajan-Cusack, Mansukhani, Manzini, Marchetta, Markert, Marsic, Matto, Mazurek, McKeever, Mickelsen, Miller, Miranti, Moghe, Morton, O’Connor, Oberle, Oliver, Ozel, Parsa, Patel, Pichugin, Pintar, Poole, Prihoda, Rabinowitz, Robalino, Roth, Ryan, Sagarra, Saltzman, Schroth, Schwartz, Schwartz, Scott, Shapses, Sharma, Shinbrot, Siederer, Sinacori, Smith, Spiegel, Stephens, Stroiman, Struble, Swamy, Szatrowski, Takhistov, Tewfik, Thompson, Todorinova, Torres, Tsakalakos, Valverde, Van Stine, Vega, Vellangany, Virani, Volino, Walkup, Wang, Warde, Westrich, White, Willett, Wirtenberg, Woortman, Yamamoto

MEMBERS EXCUSED: Bhattacharya, Buyske, Chowdhury, Fox, Javeri, Rivera, Simonds

MEMBERS ABSENT: Adya, Allamand, Anderson Eloy, Aubry, Bachmann, Barone, Beegan, Blanchett, Cabrera, Carrero, Daughety, Dool, Eaton, Elsaid, Emedom-Nnamdi, English, Farris, Feldman, Fellenz, Flynn, Fudge, Gursoy, Halkitis, Hein, Henderson, Hsueh, Huang, Husan, Johnson, Kaye, Knode, Kovacs, Kukor, Kustka, Lawson, Lei, Liu, Lopez, Mahon, Maloney, March, Marchitello, Marich, Markowitz, Menifield, Molloy, Moore, Mutcherson, Nath, Nickitas, Patel, Pinto-Figueroa, Potter, Potter, Riedel-Prabhakar, Rizvi, Samlin, Shah, Shah, Shah, Shapiro, Shih, Sonnenberg, Strom, Tadros, Tan, Thakuriah, Tommasi, Valle, Veysey, Whitehead

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

Senate Chair Oliver called the meeting to order at 1:10 p.m. He welcomed everyone to the first Senate meeting of the academic year especially those present for the first time. He was thrilled to announce the continuing efforts of the University during COVID-19 and was excited for the next year on campus. Oliver spoke on the work of the Senate and shared governance and emphasized the ongoing relationship with upper Administration. Oliver then introduced Senate Vice Chair and Parliamentarian Peter Gillett, Senate Executive Secretary Mary Mickelsen thanking her for her dedication to the Senate over the last eight years. In addition, he introduced Senate Administrative Assistant Morgan Smith thanking her for her hard work and for her willingness to take over as Interim Executive Secretary until a formal search is underway. Lastly, he noted that the highlight of the meeting would be the President’s Address by Rutgers’ President Jonathan Holloway. Oliver went over the process of the Q&A sessions and thanked everyone for their cooperation.

REPORT OF THE SECRETARY – Mary Mickelsen, Executive Secretary

• Agenda: The meeting’s agenda including time limits, was approved by the Senate.

• Minutes: The Minutes of the April 30, 2021 Organizational Meeting were approved as distributed by the Executive Secretary
• Communications:
  • The full schedule of this year’s Senate meetings is online, and the schedule of remaining meetings for this academic year is appended to the bottom of the agenda of each meeting. Mickelsen asked all Senators to please add these dates to your calendar.
  • The 2021-22 New Senator Orientation was held on September 17, 2021. The presentation can be found here, on the Senate website.
  • President Holloway’s responses to Senate reports/resolutions:
    • Resolution in Support of Dr. Audrey Truschke 
      • President Holloway’s Response
      • President Holloway’s Response to the Executive Committee resolution on mandatory vaccines
  • The following polices have been updated/added in the University Policy Library:
    • University Policy 10.2.11: Code of Student Conduct  (Interim)
    • University Policy 80.1.2: Rutgers University Trademark Management and Licensing Policy 
    • University Policy 20.1.22: No Smoking Policy
    • University Policy 60.1.11: Alcohol and Other Drugs (for employees)
    • University Policy 10.2.14:  Alcohol and Other Drugs Policy for Students
    • University Policy 80.1.4:  Endorsements, Sponsorships, and Advertising in and on University Assets and Communication Materials
    • University Policy 30.1.12: Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act 
    • University Policy 100.3.1: Immunization Policy for Covered Individuals
    • University Policy 40.2.15: Payment Card Acceptance Policy (complete re-write)
    • University Policy 40.2.19: Investment Policy for Operating Funds
    • University Policy 40.2.20: Internal Bank Financing Program

PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS – Jonathan Holloway, University President

Oliver introduced President Holloway and he then proceeded to present the President’s Address. Oliver then explained the format and process for the Q&A period. President Holloway then responded to questions from his report and other Rutgers-community issues such as:

• Service-anniversary receptions for those faculty and staff who marked 50 years at Rutgers
• His introduction to second year students at Rutgers and the New Brunswick Convocation
• The Holloway administration and their core values
• Recognizing all the new members of his cabinet
• His collaboration with Jon Oliver and the University Senate
• The relationship he is building with students across the university
• Fossil fuel divestment and increased transparency on student fees
• His approach to the future of Rutgers regarding the COVID-19 pandemic
• The relationship between Rutgers and their unionized employees
• His continuation of the Task Force on Carbon Neutrality and Climate Resilience and the road to Rutgers becoming a carbon-neutral university
• The Faculty Diversity Collaborative
• The importance of the athletics program
• The ongoing fight in resolving pay equity disputes among faculty and labor relations issues
• Vaccinations among faculty and staff
• The Rutgers core mission mainly concerning the budget

COMMITTEE REPORTS AND RESOLUTIONS

Instruction, Curricula, and Advising Committee (ICAC) S-2104: Best Practices for Asynchronous Instruction – Natalie Borisovets, ICAC  2020-2021 Chair

The ICAC was charged as follows:

Consider and make recommendations on best practices for asynchronous instruction. Respond to the Senate Executive Committee by May 26, 2021.

Former Senator Borisovets reviewed the work of the committee, discussed the background and it was voted on and approved by the Senate.

Proposed resolution on Mandatory Vaccinations for Faculty and Staff – Bob Boikess, SAS-NB Senator

Be it resolved that the Rutgers University Senate urges the administration to require all faculty and staff of the university to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

Senator Boikess presented the resolution, it was voted on and approved by the Senate.

INTRODUCTION OF STANDING COMMITTEES AND THEIR CHAIRS – Oliver introduced the standing committee chairs, who then spoke briefly about their committees’ activities and plans.

OLD BUSINESS: There was no old business.

NEW BUSINESS: There was no new business.

SENATE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE REPORT – Senate Vice Chair Peter Gillett reported on the September 10, 2021 Senate Executive Committee meeting.

REPORTS OF THE REPRESENTATIVES TO BOARDS OF GOVERNORS AND TRUSTEES: Senator Samuel Rabinowitz reported on the Board of Governors meeting on June 22 in which there were multiple resolutions for specific individuals and their involvement with the university. The committee also approved the new officers for the BoG, tuition and fees for the upcoming academic year, the University budget and approved the schedule of mtgs.

There was no report on the Board of Trustees meeting.

Senator Samuel Rabinowitz reported on the Camden Faculty Council’s last meeting and points of interest including the introduction of the new Camden Chancellor. Senator Michael Van Stine stated that there is a new Executive Senator and that she was still getting acclimated and will deliver a “double report” at the next senate meeting. Senator Robert Boikess reported on the New Brunswick Faculty Council’s meeting Saundra Tomlinson-Clarke spoke to the council and they will meet next on October 15. Senator Laura Willett reported on behalf of RBHS and their concerns including compensation equity and COVID testing.

ADJOURNMENT: The meeting adjourned at 4:10 p.m.

Minutes prepared by:

Morgan Smith, Interim Executive Secretary of the University Senate

Committee Meetings

Academic Standards, Regulations & Admissions Committee Meeting

Zoom @ 10:00 am

Budget & Finance Committee Meeting

Zoom @ 10:00 am

Faculty Affairs & Personnel Committee Meeting

Zoom @ 10:00 am

Information Technology Committee Meeting

Zoom @ 10:00 am

Instruction, Curricula & Advising Committee Meeting

Zoom @ 10:00 am

Research, Graduate & Professional Education Committee Meeting

Zoom @ 10:00 am

Student Affairs Committee Meeting

Zoom @ 10:00 am

University Structure & Governance Committee

Zoom @ 10:00 am