MINUTES:  Organizational Meeting of the University Senate

DATE:  April 23, 2004

TIME AND PLACE:  1:10 p.m., Multipurpose Room, Rutgers Student Center,126 College Avenue, College Avenue Campus

MEMBERS PRESENT:  Ambar, Axelrod, Baro, Barone, Bay, Bell, Blasi, Bodnar, Boikess, Borisovets, Boylan, Brazier, Bucko, Cannon, Caprio, Chabal, Chen, Colaizzi, A. Cooper, K. Cooper, Cotter, Curry, Darien, Dayal, DeLisi, Dellane, E. Dennis, Deshmukh, Dess, Dholandas, Diner, DiVito, Dutta, Dykhne, N. Ellis, Ezgilioglu, Farrell, Feinberg, Fishbein, Flanagan, Forero, Furmanski, Gaunt, Gillett, Goldin, Gould, Greenhut, Guo, Hall, Hallmark, Herb's, Hirsh, Huang, Hughes, Hyndman, Jackson, Jessen, Kagan, Katz, Kauffman, Kavanagh, Kirby, Kirschner, Krucher, LaSala, Leath, Liepmann, Maher, Mangin, Markett, Markowitz, McCormick, McKay, Messer, Miller, Morris, Nedick, Nerurkar, Norville, Ocone, Odutola, O’Connor, Panayotatos, Perlman, Phillips, Philps, Potenza, Rabii, Samuel Rabinowitz, Sidney Rabinowitz, Schaich, Scott, Akash Shah, P. Simmons, R. Simmons, Simon, H. Smith, N. Smith, Spero, Stauffer, Szatrowski, Tuckman, Turner, Turpin, Vodak, Volk, Wang, Whang, Winterbauer, Zaborszky

EXCUSED:   Cerulo, Chism, Cronk, Crown, R. Dennis, Deutsch, Erlichson, Forman, Friedrich, Hodgson, Hornichter, Jesse, Johnson, J. Jones, R. Jones, Lashley, Lee, Leontiades, Manhoff, Marsh, McCabe, Oren, Puniello, Rubin, Schock, Sifuentes-Jauregui, Stark
 
ABSENT:   Banerjee, Bravo, Breton, Butler, Davidson, Diamond, Evans, Freeman, Kennedy, Klein, Kressel, Laguna-Diaz, Lake, Leustek, Maradonna, McKeever, More, Ozbay,  Reed, Sherman, Solomon, Tsurumi, Webb, Worrall, Zolad

ATTENDANCE SUMMARY:   Faculty:  Of  82 total:  48 present (55%), 18 excused (22%) 16 absent (20%)
Students:  Of  36  total:  33 present (92%), 1 excused (3%), 2 absent (5%)
Administrators:  Of 39 total:  24 present (61%), 8 excused (21%), 7 absent (18%)
Alumni:  Of 6 total:  5 present (83%), l excused (17%), 0 absent

NON-VOTING MEMBERS PRESENT:  Innerfield, Seto

PRESIDING OFFICER:  Paul Panayotatos, Chairperson

CALL TO ORDER AND CHAIRPERSON'S REPORT:   Chairperson Panayotatos called the meeting to order.  He welcomed new and returning Senators to the first meeting of the 2004-2005 University Senate, commented on the importance of committee work, and informed the Senate that its bylaws are being revised in committee, and that a policy had been instituted by the Senate Executive Committee whereby each year the Newark and Camden campus reports would be delivered at Senate meetings on their respective campuses.

REPORT OF THE SECRETARY:  Agenda:  The agenda was approved as distributed.  Communications:  Secretary Swalagin introduced himself, and welcomed new and returning Senators.  He asked all Senators not yet assigned to a standing committee to complete a committee preference form and send it to him before committee assignments are finalized in late May.  He asked all Senators to review the online schedule of 2004-2005 Senate meetings and enter those on their calendars, also reiterating that each year's meeting schedule would now include one meeting in Newark and one in Camden.  He invited all Senators to call or e-mail him at the Senate office if they have questions about the Senate, or would like issues to be brought to the Executive Committee.

PRIVILEGE OF THE FLOOR:  Privilege of the floor was granted to Nominating Panel Chairperson Daniel O’Connor, a member of the 2003-04 and 2004-05 Senates.

REPORT OF THE NOMINATING PANEL:  Nominating Panel Chairperson Daniel O’Connor presented the report of the Nominating Panel.

Senator O’Connor gave a brief overview of the nominating and election process.  He said that if any of those elected are not currently elected Senators, if not elected to the Senate prior to the beginning of next academic year, a replacement would be elected in September.  He noted the requirement that at least one member of the Executive Committee must be from Newark, and at least one must be from Camden.  He said that candidates for positions which are uncontested are not be required to make statements in support of their candidacies, but may do so if they wish.

Senator O’Connor placed in nomination for the Nominating Panel, to the office of Chairperson (who serves ex officio as Representative to the Board of Governors):  Martha Cotter, Graduate School-New Brunswick, Faculty.  Senator O’Connor asked for nominations from the floor.  There were no nominations from the floor for the position of Chairperson.  Senator Cotter made a brief statement in support of her candidacy.

Senator O’Connor placed in nomination for the Nominating Panel, to the office of Vice Chairperson:  Samuel Rabinowitz, School of Business-Camden, Faculty.  Senator O’Connor asked for nominations from the floor.  There were no nominations from the floor for the position of Vice Chairperson.  Senator Rabinowitz, in support of his candidacy, echoed the comments made previously by Senator Cotter.

Senator O’Connor placed in nomination for the Nominating Panel, for four positions to the office of Faculty Member of the Executive Committee:  Joseph Barone, Pharmacy; Joseph Blasi, School of Management and Labor Relations; Natalie Borisovets, Libraries-Newark; Haym Hirsh, Rutgers College; and Norman Markowitz, Livingston College.  Senator O’Connor asked for nominations from the floor.  There were no nominations from the floor for the position of  Faculty Member of the Executive Committee.  Senators Barone, Blasi, Borisovets, Hirsh, and Markowitz made statements in support of their respective candidacies.

Senator O’Connor placed in nomination for the Nominating Panel, for two positions to the office of Student Member of the Executive Committee:  Andrew Bucko, Rutgers College; and Donald Curry, University College-New Brunswick.  Senator O’Connor asked for nominations from the floor.  There were no nominations from the floor for the position of Student Member of the Executive Committee.  Senator Curry made a statement in support of his candidacy.

Senator O’Connor placed in nomination for the Nominating Panel, for one position to the office of Alumnus Member of the Executive Committee:  Raymond Bodnar, Alumni Federation; and Susan Darien, Alumni Federation.  Senator O’Connor asked for nominations from the floor.  There were no nominations from the floor for the position of Alumnus Senator Member of the Executive Committee.  Senators Bodnar and Darien made statements in support of their respective candidacies.

Senator O’Connor placed in nomination for the Nominating Panel, to the office of Faculty Representative to the Board of Governors:  Paul Leath, Rutgers College; and Jorge Pieczenik, Cook College.   Senator O’Connor asked for nominations from the floor.  There were no nominations from the floor for the position of Faculty Representative to the Board of Governors.  Senator Leath made a statement in support of his candidacy.  Senator O'Connor, as chair of the Nominating Panel, read to the Senate a statement prepared previously by Professor Pieczenik (who had not been elected to the 2004-05 University Senate).

 Senator O’Connor placed in nomination for the Nominating Panel, to the office of Student Representative to the Board of Governors:  Shashi Dholandas, Livingston College; Joseph Nedick, Rutgers College; and Nicole Smith, Livingston College.  Senator O’Connor asked for nominations from the floor.  There were no nominations from the floor for the position of Student Representative to the Board of Governors.  Senators Dholandas, Nedick, and Smith made statements in support of their respective candidacies.

Senator O’Connor placed in nomination for the Nominating Panel, for two positions to the office of Faculty Representative to the Board of Trustees:  Kathleen Scott, Rutgers College; and Mark Vodak, Cook College.  Senator O’Connor asked for nominations from the floor.  There were no nominations from the floor for the position of Faculty Representative to the Board of Trustees.  Senators Scott and Vodak made statements in support of their respective candidacies.

Senator O’Connor placed in nomination for the Nominating Panel, to the office of Graduate Student Representative to the Board of Trustees:  Aaron Domb, Rutgers College; and Franklin Turner, Graduate School of Education.  Senator O’Connor asked for nominations from the floor.  There were no nominations from the floor for the position of Graduate Student Representative to the Board of Trustees.  Senators Domb and Turner made statements in support of their respective candidacies.

Senator O’Connor placed in nomination for the Nominating Panel, to the office of Undergraduate Student Representative to the Board of Trustees:  Adam Blakeman, Rutgers College; and Cait Innerfield, Rutgers College.  Senator O’Connor asked for nominations from the floor.  There were no nominations from the floor for the position of Undergraduate Student Representative to the Board of Trustees.  Senators Blakeman and Innerfield made statements in support of their respective candidacies.

Senator Gillett asked if those voting should consider the requirement of Executive Committee membership from all three campuses when casting their ballots.  Senator O'Connor said they should vote for candidates of their choice, and that the requirement would be handled through interpretation of the results.

Senator O'Connor then instructed the Senate to complete the election ballots and pass them toward the aisles to be collected.

VOTING AND COLLECTION OF BALLOTS:  Voting was done on paper ballots prepared by the Secretary and distributed at sign-in only to voting members of the 2004-05 Senate.  Linda Mickelsen of the Senate Office supervised the collection of the ballots.

RECESS AND COUNTING OF VOTES:  At 2:00 p.m., Chairperson Panayotatos declared the meeting in recess during tabulation of the votes.  Mrs. Mickelsen of the Senate Office supervised tabulation of the ballots.  The Regular Meeting of the 2003-04 Senate took place during the recess.  Chairperson Panayotatos reconvened the Organizational Meeting of the 2004-05 Senate at 3:43 p.m.

REPORT OF ELECTION RESULTS:  Nominating Panel Chairperson Daniel O’Connor announced the following results of the election of 2004-05 officers, Executive Committee members, and Representatives to the Boards of Governors and Trustees:

CHAIRPERSON:  Martha Cotter, Graduate School-New Brunswick, Faculty

VICE CHAIRPERSON:  Samuel Rabinowitz, School of Business-Camden, Faculty

BALANCE OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE:  Joseph Barone, Pharmacy, Faculty; Joseph Blasi, SMLR, Faculty; Natalie Borisovets, Libraries (Newark), Faculty; Haym Hirsh, Rutgers College, Faculty; Andrew Bucko, Rutgers College, Student; Donald Curry, University College-New Brunswick, Student; Susan Darien, Alumni Federation, Alumnus.

REPRESENTATIVES TO THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS:  Martha Cotter, Graduate School-New Brunswick, Faculty, ex officio; Paul Leath, Rutgers College, Faculty; Shashi Dholandas, Livingston College, Student.

REPRESENTATIVES TO THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES:  Kathleen Scott, Rutgers College, Faculty; Mark Vodak, Cook College, Faculty; Franklin Turner, Graduate School of Education, Graduate Student; Cait Innerfield, Rutgers College, Undergraduate Student.

ADJOURNMENT:  There being no further business before the 2004-05 University Senate, Chairperson Panayotatos declared the meeting adjourned at 3:46 p.m.
 

Kenneth Swalagin
Secretary of the University Senate