Rutgers University Senate Minutes, February 22, 2013

EXCUSED: Abu El-Haj, Angell, Aubry, Bagchi, Barcy, Beachem, Bell, Cachel, Dantzler, DeLisi, DiVito, Fagley, Figueira, Hackworth, Hetling, Hinch, Hudson, Hughes, Hyndman, Janes, Kenfield, McKeever, Messer, Midlarsky, Minsky, Moran, Mullen, Naus, Navrot, Niederman, Pavlovic, Pottick, Robinson, Roth, Sahi, Scherrer, Schurman, Schwartz, Shamshair, Sikorski, Spellmeyer, Tancs, Vodak, Wagner, Wang, Wasserman, Wei, Yabut, Zimmerman

PRESIDING OFFICER: Paul Panayotatos, Chairperson

CALL TO ORDER, DETERMINATION OF A QUORUM, AND CHAIRPERSON’S REPORT - Paul Panayotatos, Chairperson

Chairperson Panayotatos called the meeting to order at 1:25 p.m. He mentioned the strategic planning discussion held at the previous Senate meeting, as well as the strategic planning forum held at this month's Executive Committee meeting. He said that the strategic planning process continues, including completed formation of a faculty committee on the strategic plan, and that the committee is expected to meet before March 6.

SECRETARY'S REPORT - Ken Swalagin, Executive Secretary

Agenda: The meeting's agenda was approved as distributed by the executive secretary.
Minutes: The January 25, 2013 Senate Minutes were approved as distributed by the executive secretary.
Communications: The following communications were presented by the executive secretary, and acted upon as indicated:
Communications:

Schedule of 2013-14 Senate and Executive Committee Meetings - Swalagin asked all continuing Senators to place the Senate dates on their calendars.
Administrative Responses to Senate Reports and Recommendations:

President Barchi's February 11, 2013 response to the Senate's Report and Recommendations on Charge S-1103A, Academic Calendar, Part 2 - Noted.
President Barchi's February 11, 2013 response to the Senate's Report and Recommendations on Charge S-1201, Senate Size and Composition - Noted.

SPECIAL ELECTION TO REPLACE CAMDEN FACULTY MEMBER OF THE SENATE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE - A special election was held to replace Senator Daniel Bubb, formerly Camden faculty member of the Executive Committee, who had left the Senate. Senator Yuchung Wang (Graduate School - Camden, Faculty) was placed in the position by acclamation.

COMMITTEE REPORTS:

Instruction, Curricula and Advising Committee (ICAC) Report and Recommendations on Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) [Link goes to report as amended and adopted at this meeting.] - Natalie Borisovets, ICAC Chair
ICAC Chair Natalie Borisovets summarized her committee's report and recommendations on Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs). The report was produced on ICAC initiative, and therefore did not refer to a charge issued by the Executive Committee. A motion to amend by replacing one clause of the recommendations with "Any Rutgers course using lecture or other materials from a non-Rutgers MOOC must also include significant additional material" was accepted as friendly. The report, as amended, was then adopted by the Senate with few opposed.

Faculty and Personnel Affairs Committee (FPAC) Report and Recommendations on Charge A-0812B on Evaluation of Administrators, Part II: Evaluation of Upper Administrators [Link goes to report as amended and adopted at this meeting.]- Ann Gould and Paul Panayotatos, FPAC Co-chairs
FPAC Co-chair Ann Gould summarized her committee's report and recommendations on Charge A-0812B on Evaluation of Administrators, Part II, Evaluation of Upper Administrators. She said that the report and remaining portion of this charge were now limited to evaluation of the president, and that the remainder of the charge would be withdrawn now because of the evolving relationship structure of the upper administration relating to integration of UMDNJ units and other legislated changes. Several amendments were moved, and were either accepted as friendly, or seconded and adopted on card vote. The report, as amended, was then adopted by the Senate with few opposed.

ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT - President Robert L. Barchi

President Barchi presented an administrative report which included comments on the following topics:

his meetings at various schools and campuses, including one the previous night with the Rutgers University Student Assembly;
updates on administrative searches;
integration of UMDNJ units; and
strategic planning processes, forums, retreat, and surveys.

President Barchi then responded to questions, or heard comments on subjects including:

use and confidentiality of the results of the strategic planning surveys;
use of the term "flagship" to refer to the Rutgers-New Brunswick campus;
Rutgers' debt load and budget, particularly as relate to integration of UMDNJ;
aspects of Rutgers membership in the CIC; and
plans for new diversity initiatives.

NEWARK CAMPUS REPORT - Interim Newark Chancellor Philip Yeagle

Interim Newark Chancellor Philip Yeagle presented the Newark Campus Report, the full text of which is online here.

OLD BUSINESS: There was no old business.

NEW BUSINESS: There was no new business.

REPORTS OF THE REPRESENTATIVES TO BOARDS OF GOVERNORS AND TRUSTEES: Senator Samuel Rabinowitz, Faculty Representative to the Board of Governors, reported that the Board of Governors had not met since the previous Senate meeting. Senator Martha Cotter, Faculty Representative to the Board of Trustees meeting, reported that there had been no Board of Trustees meetings since the previous Senate meeting.

CAMPUS FACULTY LIAISON REPORTS: Senator Rabinowitz, chair of the Camden Faculty Council, reported on recent activities of that group, including discussion of a common campus general education curriculum.

ADJOURNMENT: The meeting adjourned at 3:13 p.m.

Minutes written and submitted by:
Ken Swalagin
Executive Secretary of the University Senate