RUTGERS, THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW JERSEY
UNIVERSITY SENATE

MINUTES: Regular Meeting of the University Senate

DATE: March 25, 2022

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

PRESENT: Abdel-Wahab, Alizadeh, Allamand, Amjad, Anderson, Andrews, Askew, Aubry, Bachmann, Barlow, Bernstein, Bhattacharya, Bhavaraju, Bhuyan, Bogden, Boikess, Boison, Boxer, Bridgeman, Brienza-Arcilla, Broggi, Buyske, Castellano, Charles, Chefitz, Cimer, Clarke, Conway, Cooper, Crawford, Dane, Davidson, Davis, Bleyker, Dool, Drazer, Edelstein, English, Esposito, Everett, Farmer, Fatahzadeh, Fellenz, Field, Figueira, Foster, Fougnies, Fudge, Garner, Giraud, Gomes, Goonetilleke, Gower, Granadeiro, Guo, Haley, Hara, Haviland, Hein, Hewitt, Holloway, Hu, Huang, Hurd, Joergensen, Kahanda, Kahng, Kelly, Kettle, Kiss, Kothari, Kovacs, Kozlosky, Kustka, LaMorte, Laraia, Lawson, Lei, Lino-Barbosa, Lutz, Mahajan-Cusack, Mansukhani, Manzini, March, Markert, Markowitz, Marsic, Matto, Mazurek, McKeever, Miller, Morton, O’Connor, Oberle, Oliver, Ozel, Parsa, Patel, Pichugin, Pinto-Figueroa, Poole, Potter, Prihoda, Rabinovich, Rabinowitz, Rizvi, Roth, Ryan, Saltzman, Schroth, R. Schwartz, S. Schwartz, Scott, Shah, Shapses, Sharma, Shih, Shinbrot, Siederer, Simonds, M. Smith, J. Smith, Sonnenberg, Spiegel, Stephens, Stroiman, Struble, Swamy, Szatrowski, Taipe, Takhistov, Thompson, Todorinova, Torres, Tsakalakos, Valverde, Vellangany, Volino, White, Willett, Wirtenberg, Woortman, Yamamoto.

EXCUSED: Choo, Levine, Marchetta, Sinacori.

ABSENT: Abuilak, Adya, Ameri, Anderson Eloy, Ardeshna, Azer, Baldi, Barbarese, Barone, Beegan, Blanchett, Bonne, Cabrera, Campbell, Cantor, Cardoso, Carrero, Chowdhury, Cole, Crews, Daughety, Eaton, Elsaid, Emedom-Nnamdi, Ewins, Farris, Feldman, Fernandez, Flynn, Fox, Gursoy, Halkitis, Halprin, Hatefi, Hauck, Henderson, Hsueh, Hunter, Husan, Irizarry, Javeri, Johnson, Kaye, Knode, Leibman, Linardopoulos, Liu, Lopez, Lyles, Maddox Douglas, Mahon, McCarthy, Menifield, Mignogna, Molloy, Moore, Mutcherson, Nath, Nickitas, Patel, Pintar, Potter, Riedel-Prabhakar, Rivera, Robalino, Sagarra, Samlin, Shah, Shah, Shapiro, Shawl, Strom, Sutton, Tadros, Tan, Tewfik, Thakuriah, Valle, Vega, Virani, Wang, Warde, Westrich, Whitehead.

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

Senate Chair Oliver called the meeting to order at 1:13 p.m. He noted the committee reports that would be discussed at the meeting and thanked the committees for their hard work. He introduced President Jonathan Holloway for an administrative report and Chancellor-Provost Francine Conway for the New Brunswick Campus Report. He also announced a presentation on the Rutgers Alumni Association by Kimberly Hopely, President of the Rutgers University Foundation and Executive Vice President for Development and Alumni Engagement, and Joshua Harraman, Vice President for Alumni Relations, Annual Giving, and Communications. He announced that Brian Ballentine, Senior Vice President in the Office of University Strategy, and Michele Norin, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer, will be inviting interested members of the Senate to join them for a discussion about current online education activities, best practices, and opportunities at Rutgers. Oliver noted that on Fri. April 29, the Senate will hold two meetings. An organizational meeting in the morning will elect new Senate leadership, whose terms begin on July 1, 2022, and welcome the new Senate class. He encouraged Senators to nominate themselves or another for leadership positions. The final Senate meeting of the academic year will be held in the afternoon, in hybrid format with both remote and in-person participants. On Saturday, April 30, the Senate will participate in its first Rutgers Day, and anyone who would like to volunteer should let him know. Finally, he welcomed Dr. Vicki Hewitt as the new Executive Secretary for the Senate, and thanked Morgan Smith for taking on the responsibilities of the role during the search process.

SECRETARY’S REPORT – Vicki Hewitt, Executive Secretary

• Agenda: The meeting’s agenda including time limits was approved by the Senate.
• Minutes: The minutes of the February 18^, 2022 Senate meeting were approved as distributed by the Interim Executive Secretary.
• Communications:
  • The following policy has been added to the University Policy Library:
    University Policy 60.1.36: Immunization Policy for University Affiliates

ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT – Jonathan Holloway, President of the University

President Jonathan Holloway provided the Administrative Report consisting of the following topics:

• Student award recipients, including Fulbright Grants and Goldwater Scholarships
• The Rutgers Summer Service Internship Initiative
• Rutgers Day of Giving
• Changes to COVID-19 pandemic protocols starting April 4
• Response to the invasion of Ukraine

President Jonathan Holloway then answered questions on the following topics:

• Potential merging of the M.D./Ph.D. programs at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and New Jersey Medical School
• Collective bargaining negotiations
• Graduate student raises
• Waiving two COVID-impacted teaching terms (Fall 2020 and Spring 2021) from instructors’ performance reviews
• Potential merger of the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and New Jersey Medical School
• The process for requesting exceptions to the Hiring Freeze and Position Cost Control Presidential Directive
• A succession plan for the retirement of Arthur Casciato, Director of Distinguished Fellowships

CHANCELLOR-PROVOST REPORT – Francine Conway, New Brunswick Chancellor-Provost

RUTGERS ALUMNI ASSOCIATION PRESENTATION – Kimberly Hopely, President of the Rutgers University Foundation and Executive Vice President for Development and Alumni Engagement and Joshua Harraman, Vice President for Alumni Relations, Annual Giving, and Communications

COMMITTEE REPORTS/RESOLUTIONS

University Structure and Governance Committee (USGC)
S-2108 – Senate Procedures for Debate, Amendment and Voting
Perry Dane and Kevin Schroth, USGC Co-Chairs

The USGC was charged as follows: Investigate and make any appropriate recommendations with regard to changes in Senate procedures for debate, amendment, and voting that might improve their efficiency and effectiveness without unduly restricting their democratic nature.

Senator Dane presented this report to the Senate. It will be presented again at the April 29 Senate meeting, as required by the Senate Handbook.

University Structure and Governance Committee (USGC)
S-2019 – Review the Senate’s Relationship with the Rutgers Governing Boards
Perry Dane and Kevin Schroth, USGC Co-Chairs

The USGC was charged as follows: Consider and recommend appropriate communication pathways and relationships between the University Senate and Governing Boards of Rutgers. Recommend policy changes, if any, for improved robust communication and input.

Senator Dane presented this report and resolutions to the Senate. A motion to amend was made to strike Resolution #2. A motion to amend the amendment was made to strike Resolution #2 and replace it with “Calls on the Boards of Governors and Trustees to join with the Senate in an unequivocal commitment to the principle of shared governance.” The motion to amend the amendment carried. The motion to amend carried with unanimous consent.

A motion to amend was made to strike “and without a vote” and “albeit without a vote.” The motion to amend carried.

The motion as amended carried.

Academic Standards, Regulations and Admissions Committee (ASRAC)
S-2101 Units of Credit
Lucille Foster and Robert Schwartz, ASRAC Co-Chairs

The ASRAC was charged as follows: Determine the current viability of University Policy 10.2.4, Section B – Units of Credit and propose changes as appropriate to make the definition consistent with its use in current practice.

Senator Foster presented this report and recommendation to the Senate. A motion to amend was made to strike “along with additional hours of outside work.” The motion to amend carried. The motion as amended carried.

A motion was made to extend the meeting 45 minutes. The motion carried.

Academic Standards, Regulations and Admissions Committee (ASRAC)
S-2012 Procedures Handling Student Complaints Against Rutgers Personnel Regarding Instruction
Lucille Foster and Robert Schwartz, ASRAC Co-Chairs

The ASRAC was charged as follows: Investigate the procedure for reporting and adjudicating student complaints against Rutgers Personnel, specifically in regard to course instruction and/or concerns about faculty.

Senator Foster presented this report and resolution to the Senate. A motion to amend was made to substitute “concern” for “grievance.” The motion to amend carried. The motion as amended carried.

Faculty and Personnel Affairs Committee (FPAC)
S-1909-1 Search for University Leadership
Farid Alizadeh and Joseph Markert, FPAC Co-Chairs

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.

Senator Alizadeh presented this report and resolution to the Senate. A motion to refer this issue back to the committee was made. The motion to refer was lost. A motion to amend was made to add a section concerning the hiring of Vice Chancellors. The motion to amend carried. The motion as amended carried.

A motion was made to extend the meeting 15 minutes. The motion carried with unanimous consent.

Faculty and Personnel Affairs Committee (FPAC)
S-2113: PTL Pay and Recognition
Farid Alizadeh and Joseph Markert, FPAC Co-Chairs

The FPAC was charged as follows: Investigate the scope of recognition and compensation for Rutgers Part-Time Lecturers and make any appropriate recommendations.

Senator Thompson presented this report and resolution to the Senate. The motion carried with unanimous consent.

Ad-Hoc Committee
S-2102 Senate Culture and Leadership
Adrienne Simonds and Samuel Rabinowitz, Co Chairs

The Ad-Hoc Committee was charged as follows: Examine the culture of the Senate, and the roles and responsibilities of senate leaders including: Chair, Vice Chair, Executive Committee members and committee chairs. Determine if revisions need to be made to the current roles and responsibilities, outlined in the Senate Handbook and University Policy 50.2.1: Senate Membership and Organization. Make recommendations as appropriate. Report to the Executive Secretary by December 2021.

Senate Vice Chair Simonds presented this report and recommendations to the Senate.

SENATE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE REPORT – Senate Vice Chair Simonds reported on the March 4, 2022 Senate Executive Committee Meeting

OLD BUSINESS: There was no old business.

NEW BUSINESS: There was no new business.

REPORTS OF THE REPRESENTATIVE TO THE BOARDS OF GOVERNORS AND TRUSTEES: Senator Rabinowitz reported on the Board of Governors meetings on February 23 and March 11. Senator Haley reported on the Board of Trustees meeting on March 8.

REPORTS OF CAMPUS FACULTY AND STUDENT LIAISONS: Camden Faculty Council had no report. Camden Students had no report. Senator Markert reported on the Newark Faculty Council meeting on March 21. Newark Students had no report. Senator Bhuyan reported on the New Brunswick Faculty Council meeting on February 25. Senator Amjad reported on the RUSA meeting on March 3. Senator Willett reported on RBHS current initiatives. RBHS Students had no report.

ADJOURNMENT: The meeting adjourned at 5:09 p.m.

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

Committee Meetings

Academic Standards, Regulations & Admissions Committee Meeting

No location or time for this committee meeting

Budget & Finance Committee Meeting

No location or time for this committee meeting

Faculty Affairs & Personnel Committee Meeting

No location or time for this committee meeting

Information Technology Committee Meeting

No location or time for this committee meeting

Instruction, Curricula & Advising Committee Meeting

No location or time for this committee meeting

Research, Graduate & Professional Education Committee Meeting

No location or time for this committee meeting

Student Affairs Committee Meeting

No location or time for this committee meeting

University Structure & Governance Committee

No location or time for this committee meeting