RUTGERS, THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW JERSEY
UNIVERSITY SENATE

MINUTES: Regular Meeting of the University Senate

DATE: February 19, 2021

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

MEMBERS PRESENT: Adya, Albert, Alexander-Floyd, Alizadeh, Allamand, Ameri, Anderson Eloy, Arman, Aubert, Avallone, Bachmann, Baldi, Barone, Bekdash, Bhatt, Bhattacharya, Bhuyan, Bogden, Boikess, Boison, Borisovets, Bridgeman, Brienza-Arcilla, Britton, Buyske, Cantor, Castaneda, Chefitz, Chintalapudi, Chiu, Choo, Coleman, Cooper, Crews, Dane, Ding, Drazer, Eafrati, Ebert, English, Everett, Fadahunsi, Farmer, Farris, Feldman, Figueira, Foster, Garcia, Garner, Gillett, Giraud, Gohel, Gomes, Goonetilleke, Gould, Gower, Guo, Gursoy, Hara, Henderson, Hicks, Holloway, Hunter-Fratzola, Hurd, Ibrahim, Immidisetti, Jarrín Montaner, Kane, Kaplun, Kettle, Kiss, Kosar, Kothari, Kovacs, Kustka, Lamar, Linardopoulos, Lutz, Maglione Rico, Mahajan-Cusack, Mansukhani, Marchetta, Markert, Markowitz, Marsic, Matto, Mena-Segovia, Mickelsen, Miller, Miranti, Molloy, Morton, Murphy, Oberle, Oliver, Ozel, Parsa, Patel, Pichugin, Piotrowski, Potter, Rabinowitz, Ribau, Rivera, Rizvi, Roth, Sagarra, Sahota, Saltzman, Schroth, Schwartz, Schwartz, Sesti, Shapiro, Shinbrot, Shobut, Siederer, Sinacori, Smith, Song, Spiegel, Stephens, Struble, Szatrowski, Takhistov, Thakuriah, Thompson, Todorinova, Tommasi, Trees, Valverde, Vargas, Vellangany, Ventura-Martinez, Virani, Volino, Wang, X. Wang, Ward, Warde, Willett, Winters, Wirtenberg, Yamaoka

EXCUSED: Esposito, Fellenz, Fox, Granadeiro, Haley, Hunter, Moghe, Pinto-Figueroa, Ryan, Simonds, Stephenson

ABSENT: Ahmed, Atkins, Ayad, Barbarese, Bator, Beegan, Blanchett, Cabrera, Cavanagh, Chadalvada, Chen, Cifelli, Cole, Davidson, Dool, Dreyer, Eaton, Farley, Fernandez Arroyo, Flynn, Halkitis, Hatefi, Hodes, Holdom, Hsueh, Huang, Joergensen, Johnson, Kashalikar, Kaye, Kukor, Lawson, Lei, Liu, Lopez, Lyles, Maddox Douglas, Madson, Mahon, Maloney, March, Marchitello, Marsh, Mayes, Mazurek, McKeever, Mendicino, Menifield, Moore, Mutcherson, Nath, Nelson, Nickitas, O’Connor, Paskhover, Pedro-Santiago, Ponzio, Potter, Rajan, Sacks, Shankar, Shapses, Silver, Stern, Strom, Tan, Van Stine, Veysey, Vidal, Walkup, Wayne, White, 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 1:10 p.m. remotely via Zoom. In celebrating the diversity of our Senators and the positive contributions they have made over the years, Oliver highlighted Senators Karen Thompson, PTL-NB (F) and Robert Boikess, SAS-NB (F) for their dedication to the university over their decades of service on the Senate. He plans to continue to share the stories of our senators and the constituencies they serve. He then welcomed the guest speakers of the day which include: President Jonathan Holloway, Newark Chancellor Nancy Cantor, Sr. Vice President Enobong (Anna) Branch, and Sr. Vice President David Kimball. Oliver reminded the Senators to keep their questions brief and on topic. He also reviewed the process by which to ask questions. He mentioned the reports on the docket for this meeting are for information only and will come before the Senate twice, considering, if passed, they will evoke change to the University Policy Library and/or the Senate Handbook.

REPORT OF THE SECRETARY – Mary Mickelsen, Executive Secretary

• Agenda: The meeting’s agenda including time limits, was approved by the Senate.
• Minutes: The January 22, 2021 Senate Meeting Minutes were approved as distributed by the Executive Secretary.
• Communications:
  • Mickelsen reported that the following polices have been updated/added in the University Policy Library:
    • University Policy 80.1.2: Rutgers University Trademark Management and Licensing Policy

ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT – Jonathan Holloway, President of the University

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

• Rutgers is named Fulbright Top Producer for the 12 year in a row
• Rutgers student named a finalist in the running for the Knight-Hennessy Award at Stanford University, the student is also a finalist for the Truman Scholarship – results of both to be announced at a later date
• Physics Professors Blakesley Burkhart and Jedediah Pixley named Sloan Research Fellows
• Hateful Zoom-bombing incident at a Black History Month meeting and the steps being taken to hold those accountable as well as offering support to the students, faculty, and staff who have fell victim to these events
• Announcement of the decision to not have in-person commencement ceremonies across Rutgers
• Possible increased COVID funding through the federal and state governments
• Climate Neutrality and Climate Resilience Task Force Report – requests the University community’s feedback by March 5

President Holloway then answered questions on the above topics as well as:

• On-going pay equity law suit against Rutgers
• Possible in-person commencement for the graduates of 2020 and 2021 in the fall semester

NEWARK CHANCELLOR’S REPORT – Nancy Cantor, Rutgers-Newark Chancellor

DIVERSITY & INCLUSION REPORT – Enobong (Anna) Branch, Sr. Vice President for Equity

SVP Anna Branch delivered a report and answered questions on the mission and initiatives of the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

REPORT ON UNIVERSITY POLICY 50.3.1: PATENT POLICY – David Kimball, Sr. Vice President for Research and Tatiana Litvin-Vechnyak, Associate Vice President for Innovation Ventures

SVP Tatiana Litvin-Vechnyak reported and answered relevant questions on the recent changes to University Policy 50.3.1: Patent Policy.

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. The report was presented for information only and will be debated and voted on at the March 26, 2021 meeting.

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. The report was presented for information only and will be debated and voted on at the March 26, 2021 meeting.

SENATE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE REPORT – Senate Vice Chair Peter Gillett reported on the February 5, 2021 Senate Executive Committee meeting.

REPORTS OF REPRESENTATIVES TO BOARDS OF GOVERNORS AND TRUSTEES: Senator Troy Shinbrot reported on the latest meeting of the Board of Governors. There was no report from the Board of Trustees representatives.

REPORTS OF CAMPUS FACULTY AND STUDENT LIAISONS: Senator Samuel Rabinowitz reported on the January 25, 2021 meeting of the Camden Faculty Council. Newark Student Senator Sarah Shobut reported on the student issues on the Newark Campus specifically the COVID relief efforts through the Newark SGA and mental health services on campus. New Brunswick Faculty Senator Sanjib Bhuyan, reported on the January meeting of the New Brunswick Faculty Council. Senator Laura Willett reported on the RBHS Faculty Council’s current initiatives.

ADJOURNMENT: The meeting adjourned at 3:48 p.m.

Minutes prepared by:

Mary Mickelsen, 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