RUTGERS, THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW JERSEY
UNIVERSITY SENATE

MINUTES: Regular Meeting of the University Senate

DATE: March 26, 2021

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

MEMBERS PRESENT: Albert; Alizadeh; Allamand; Ameri; Arman; Aubert; Avallone; Bachmann; Baldi; Barbarese; Barone; Bekdash; Bhatt; Bhattacharya; Bhuyan; Bogden; Boikess; Boison; Borisovets; Bridgeman; Brienza-Arcilla; Britton; Castaneda; Chefitz; Chen; Chintalapudi; Choo; Cifelli; Cooper; Crews; Dane; Davidson; Ding; Dool; Drazer; Dreyer; Ebert; English; Esposito; Everett; Farmer; Farris; Fernandez Arroyo; Figueira; Foster; Fox; Garcia; Garner; Gillett; Giraud; Gohel; Gomes; Goonetilleke; Guo; Gursoy; Haley; Hara; Hatefi; Hicks; Holloway; Huang; Hunter; Hurd; Ibrahim; Jarrín Montaner; Joergensen; Kane; Kettle; Kiss; Kosar; Kothari; Kovacs; Kustka; Lamar; Lawson; Linardopoulos; Lutz; Lyles; Maglione Rico; Mahajan-Cusack; Mansukhani; Marchetta; Markert; Markowitz; Marsic; Matto; Mayes; McKeever; Mendicino; Miller; Miranti; Moghe; Molloy; Morton; Mutcherson; O’Connor; Oberle; Oliver; Ozel; Parsa; Patel; Pedro-Santiago; Pichugin; Pinto-Figueroa; Piotrowski; Potter; Rabinowitz; Ribau; Rivera; Rizvi; Roth; Ryan; Sagarra; Sahota; Saltzman; Schroth; Schwartz; Schwartz; Sesti; Shapses; Shinbrot; Shobut; Siederer; Simonds; Sinacori; Song; Spiegel; Stephens; Struble; Szatrowski; Thompson; Todorinova; Tommasi; Trees; Valverde; Van Stine; Vellangany; Ventura-Martinez; Vidal; Virani; Volino; Wang; Wang; Ward; Warde; Wayne; White; Willett; Winters; Wirtenberg; Yamaoka

EXCUSED: Buyske; Coleman; Granadeiro; Hunter-Fratzola; Immidisetti; Mena-Segovia; Silver; Stephenson; Takhistov

ABSENT: Adya; Ahmed; Alexander-Floyd; Anderson Eloy; Atkins; Ayad; Bator; Beegan; Blanchett; Cabrera; Cantor; Cavanagh; Chadalvada; Chiu; Cole; Eafrati; Eaton; Fadahunsi; Farley; Feldman; Fellenz; Flynn; Gower; Halkitis; Henderson; Hodes; Holdom; Hsueh; Johnson; Kaplun; Kashalikar; Kaye; Kukor; Lei; Liu; Lopez; Maddox Douglas; Madson; Mahon; Maloney; March; Marchitello; Marsh; Mazurek; Menifield; Moore; Murphy; Nath; Nelson; Nickitas; Paskhover; Ponzio; Potter; Quincy; Rajan; Sacks; Shankar; Shapiro; Stern; Strom; Tan; Thakuriah; Vargas; Veysey; Walkup; Williams

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

Senate Chair Jon Oliver called the meeting to order at 1:12 p.m. remotely via Zoom. Oliver announced reports to be presented by President Holloway and New Brunswick Chancellor Molloy. In continuing his recent celebration of the positive contributions Senators have made to Rutgers and to the world, he asked all to send him any senators they feel deserve recognition for their work and accomplishments. He mentioned that for the 12^th consecutive year Rutgers is the recipient of Fulbright Student Grants and recognized Senator Federico Sesti as a Fulbright Scholar in 2014, representing Rutgers internationally. Due to the length of the agenda, Oliver asked all Senators who speak to be brief and to the point, and only speak to a report if they have suggestions to amend the report. Oliver reiterated, the importance of sending any amendments to the Executive Secretary in advance of the meeting which negates the need for on-the-fly wordsmithing. He wished all senators who are running for re-election to the Senate the best of luck.

REPORT OF THE SECRETARY – Mary Mickelsen, Executive Secretary

• Agenda: The meeting’s agenda including time limits, was approved by the Senate.
• Minutes: The February 19, 2021 Senate Meeting Minutes were approved as distributed by the Executive Secretary.
• Communications:
  • The following are responses to Senate reports by President Holloway:
    • President Holloway’s response to the Senate’s report and recommendations on charge S-1905: Normal Teaching Loads
    • President Holloway’s response to the Senate’s report and recommendations on charge S-2001: Re-evaluation of Student Fee Consolidation
    • President Holloway’s response to the Senate’s report and recommendations on charge S-2016: Lessons Learned from University-wide Online Learning
    • President Holloway’s response to the Senate’s report and recommendations on charge S-2017: Evaluation of the University’s Continuity of Operations
    • President Holloway’s response to the Senate’s report and recommendations on charge A-2021: Re-Examination of the Add/Drop Period During COVID-19 Crisis and Beyond
  • Mickelsen reviewed the Call for Nominations for 2021-2022 Senate Officers and Executive Committee Members, and Representatives to the Boards of Governors and Trustees and asked for Senators to send nominations by April 16. Senators were reminded that while unit elections for next year are pending, continuing Senators or those who are likely to be elected to the Senate may be nominated.
  • Mickelsen announced that 2021-2022 Staff and PTL Senator Elections are currently underway. Staff Senator results will be posted to the Senate website on April 6 and PTL results on April 22.
  • Mickelsen asked all continuing Senators to please add the Senate dates to your schedules: Schedule of 2021-2022 Senate and Executive Committee meetings .

ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT – Jonathan Holloway, President of the University

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

• Holloway signed a letter along with other University Presidents for more support for Fulbrights;
• Men’s/Women’s Basketball team success;
• Three Rutgers Wrestlers attain All-American Status;
• Two Professors Win National Book Critics Circle Awards;
• Requirement of students returning for Fall 2021 to present proof of COVID-19 vaccination;
• Rutgers has been approved as a distribution site, however the vaccines are not available – hopes that will change in the next several weeks;
• BoG and BoT approved the divestment from fossil fuels;
  • Understand the decision comes with consequences – cost the University over $50M and possible future donors
  • Major focus on fundraising campaigns
  • The work of the Climate Task Force work is ongoing with a final report in the next 6-8 weeks
• Reached a tentative agreement with several union organizations on the Physical Emergency MoA.

NEW BRUNSWICK CHANCELLOR’S REPORT – Christopher Molloy, Rutgers-New Brunswick Chancellor

COMMITTEE REPORTS

University Structure and Governance Committee Response to Charge S-1908: Honorary Degree and Commencement Speaker Selection Process – Peter Gillett, USGC Chair

The USGC was charged as follows: Consider possible improvements to our policy and processes for selection of recipients of Honorary Degrees and Commencement Speakers.

Gillett summarized the work of the committee and the USGC’s Response to Charge S-1908: Honorary Degree and Commencement Speaker Selection Process. This is the second time the Senate has been presented with this report, as per the Senate Handbook. The report was discussed, voted on, and approved with no amendments.

University Structure and Governance Committee Response to Charge S-1904: Review of the Proposed Resolution on Rutgers’ Faculty Councils Inclusion in the University Policy Library – Peter Gillett, USGC Chair

The USGC was charged as follows: Consider and recommend appropriate policy changes relating to the role and status of faculty councils at Rutgers.

USGC Chair Gillett summarized the work of the committee and reviewed the recommendations of the USGC’s response to Charge S-1904: Review of the Proposed Resolution on Rutgers’ Faculty Councils Inclusion in the University Policy Library. This is the second time this report has come before the Senate as per the Senate Handbook. Then after some discussion and clarification, the report was approved.

A meeting extension for 60 minutes was presented and approved.

Academic Standards, Regulations & Admissions Committee Response to Charge S-1910: Grade Inflation – Lucille Foster and Robert Schwartz, ASRAC Co-Chairs

The ASRAC was charged as follows: Investigate the extent of grade inflation at Rutgers over the past 20-years. Determine what factors contributed to whatever grade inflation exists and make appropriate recommendations.

ASRAC Chair Schwartz summarized the work of the committee and their recommendations. After some debate the report was approved with the following amendment to the resolution:

Be it resolved that the Rutgers University Senate endorses the Academic Standards, Regulations, and Admissions Committee’s endorses #2 and 3 of the recommendations listed above and urges the Rutgers University Administration to implement them expeditiously.

Faculty and Personnel Affairs Committee Response to Charge S-2007: PTL Health and Wellness – Farid Alizadeh and Joseph Markert, FPAC Co-Chairs

The FPAC was charged as follows: Investigate the range and awareness of health and wellness services available to part-time lecturers across the University and make recommendations.

FPAC Chair Alizadeh reviewed the charge and the committee’s resolutions. After a lengthy discussion and the passing of the below amendment, there was a call for quorum. It was determined that not enough Senators were present at this point in the meeting to continue.

“*including all part-time faculty (salaried or per course)” where ever it mentions PTLs in the 6 resolutions

 ADJOURNMENT: The meeting adjourned at 5:45 p.m.

Minutes prepared by:

Mary Mickelsen, Executive Secretary of the University Senate

 

Committee Meetings

Academic Standards, Regulations & Admissions Committee Meeting

Zoom @ 10:30 am

Budget & Finance Committee Meeting

Zoom @ 10:00 am

Faculty Affairs & Personnel Committee Meeting

Zoom @ 10:30 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 @ 10:30 am

University Structure & Governance Committee

Zoom @ 10:00 am