RUTGERS, THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW JERSEY
UNIVERSITY SENATE

PRESIDING OFFICER:Samuel Rabinowitz, Chairperson

CALL TO ORDER, DETERMINATION OF A QUORUM, AND CHAIRPERSON’S REPORT - Samuel Rabinowitz, Chairperson

Chairperson Rabinowitz called the meeting to order at 1:18 p.m. He thanked Newark Chancellor Diner for the hospitality, and President McCormick and Executive Vice President Furmanski for lunch. Rabinowitz referred the Senate to a recent email from Vice President for Undergraduate Education Barry Qualls, and asked the Senate to access and complete the related survey on services to disabled students.

SECRETARY'S REPORT - Kenneth Swalagin, Executive Secretary

• Agenda: The meeting's agenda was approved as distributed by the executive secretary.
• Minutes: The January 23, 2009 Senate Meeting Minutes were approved as distributed by the executive secretary. The November 21, 2008 Senate Meeting Minutes, which had been amended late in the November meeting to include the tally of a roll-call vote conducted on the referendum guidelines action item, were approved as so amended.
• Communications: The following communications were presented by the executive secretary:
• President McCormick's Response to Senate Response to Charge S-0504, All-Funds Budgeting
• Student Senators Eligible to Self-Nominate for Student Charter Trustee (See the Senate's recent report and recommendations on Student Charter Trustee nominations, which includes the new nomination process now being used.) Student Senators who wish to self-nominate for the Student Charter Trustee position should follow these instructions and eligibility requirements, and respond to Ken Swalagin no later than March 6, 2009. Note: Nominations are also being solicited from student governing associations and all undergraduate students through the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs. Student Senators can self-nominate through either avenue (but not both, please).

ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT - President Richard L. McCormick 

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

• U.S. News and World Report's continued ranking of Rutgers-Newark as the most diverse in the nation;
• the 40th anniversary of the Black Organization of Students' takeover of Conklin Hall, and the positive effects on Rutgers, particularly in the area of diversity;
• efforts underway to increase faculty diversity;
• recent recommendations of a Rutgers committee formed to address the needs and challenges of military veteran students;
• the federal stimulus package, and potential benefits for Rutgers from that funding; and
• appointment of Tim Perneti as Director of Athletics.

President McCormick then responded to questions regarding:

• diversity of faculty;
• efforts to fix the system which currently can result in deregistration of students whose financial aid is delayed, and other financial-aid and registration issues; and
• the recent Senate recommendations on tuition remission for part-time faculty. 

NEWARK CAMPUS REPORT - Newark Chancellor Steven Diner

Newark Chancellor Steven Diner presented the Newark Campus Report, which included comments on:

• a tribute to late student Russell Yancey;
• Rutgers-Newark's missions of opportunity, diversity, urban engagement, and commitment to research;
• Rutgers-Newark's 100th anniversary, and related milestones;
• U.S. News and World Report's continued ranking of Rutgers-Newark as the most diverse in the nation;
• the 40th anniversary of the Black Organization of Students' takeover of Conklin Hall;
• new programs;
• improvements to facilities and services; and
• faculty awards and honors.

Diner then responded to questions or comments on topics including:

• campus parking facilities;
• planning for the east side of the campus, particularly the space to be vacated by the School of Business;
• efforts to attract LGBT faculty; and
• athletics.

COMMITTEE REPORTS

University Structure and Governance Committee (USGC) Response to Charge S-0810, Including Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration as Administrator Senator - Tricia Nolfi and Jonathan Tittler, USGC Co-Chairs.
Tricia Nolfi, co-chair of the USGC, was unable to attend the meeting. USGC Co-chair Jonathan Tittler summarized his committee's report on Charge S-0810, on including the Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration (SVPFA) as an ex-officio administrator Senator. The recommendations in the report included a change to Senate Bylaws/University Regulations, so, in accordance with established parliamentary procedure, this report was introduced and discussed at this Senate meeting, but not be up for adoption until the March 27, 2009 meeting. Senator Paul Panayotatos moved to amend the recommendations to also reduce the number of administrative-appointee Senators from two to one. Senator Kevin Wild seconded the motion. The amendment was adopted on card vote. Senator Paul Leath's motion to amend the recommendations to make the SVPFA a member of the Senate's Budget and Finance Committee, as well as administrative liaison to that committee and the Senate Executive Committee, was accepted as friendly. The revised report and recommendations will be docketed for vote, and amendment of the Senate bylaws, at the March 27, 2009 meeting.

Faculty and Personnel Affairs Committee (FPAC) Response to Charge S-0705-2, Full-time Tenure- and Non-tenure-track Appointments - Ann Gould and Paul Panayotatos, FPAC Co-Chairs.
FPAC Co-chairs Paul Panayotatos and Ann Gould summarized their committee's response to Charge S-0705, part 2, on full-time tenure- and non-tenure-track appointments. No changes to current University policies or practices were recommended in this report, so this item was presented for information only, and required no vote by the Senate.  

OLD BUSINESS: There was no old business.

NEW BUSINESS: There was no new business.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE REPORT: Vice Chairperson Paul Leath reported on the February 6, 2009 Senate Executive Committee meeting.

REPORTS OF THE REPRESENTATIVES TO BOARDS OF GOVERNORS AND TRUSTEES: Senator Martha Cotter, Faculty Representative to the Board of Governors, reported on the previous day's Board of Governors meeting, which was also held in Newark. There had been no Board of Trustees meetings since the previous Senate meeting.

CAMPUS FACULTY LIAISON REPORTS: Chairperson Rabinowitz, Senator Panayotatos, and Senator Stan Hall reported on activities of the Camden Faculty Senate, the New Brunswick Faculty Council, and the Newark Faculty Council, respectively.

ADJOURNMENT: The meeting adjourned at 3:02 p.m.


Kenneth Swalagin
Executive Secretary of the University Senate