PRESIDING
OFFICER: Paul Panayotatos,
Chairperson
CALL TO ORDER - Paul Panayotatos, Chairperson
Chairperson Panayotatos called the meeting to order at 1:00 p.m. in
the Multipurpose Room of the Rutgers Student Center, College Avenue
Campus, New Brunswick. There was no chairperson's report.
SECRETARY'S REPORT - Ken
Swalagin, Executive Secretary
COMMITTEE REPORTS
The following committee reports were presented to, and adopted by, the Senate:
[Note: Links refer to the reports as adopted by the Senate at this meeting. Several reports were amended prior to adoption.]
- Response
to Charge A-1102A, Proposal for a New School of Nursing-Camden - University
Structure and Governance Committee
- Response
to Charge S-0914, All-Funds Budgeting Integration - Budget and Finance
Committee
- Response
to ChargeS-0917, Application of the "Ten-Year Rule" in Promotions to Full
Professor - Faculty and Personnel Affairs Committee
- Response
to Charge S-0912, Online Courses in Masters and Professional Degree Programs
- Research, and Graduate and Professional Education Committee
- Response
to Charge A-0906A (Formerly A-0906), Academic Calendar, Commencement Dates,
Updated - Academic Standards, Regulations and Admissions Committee
- Response
to Charge S-1015, Online Education at Rutgers - Instruction, Curricula and
Advising Committee
- Response
to Charge S-1009, NRC Rankings of Graduate Programs
Chairperson Panayotatos thanked all Senate standing committee chairs for their work on the reports and recommendations.
ANNOUNCEMENT OF ELECTION RESULTS:
At 2:43 p.m., Secretary Swalagin then announced the
2011-12 Senate
Leadership and Board Representatives election results.
ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT - President Richard L. McCormick
President
McCormick presented an administrative report, which included comments on topics
including:
- congratulations to those elected to the Senate, its committees, and leadership positions;
- his thanks to the Senate for its work in dealing with some of the most important issues facing Rutgers;
- agreement with the need for an open and available universitywide strategic planning process;
- the need to, and rationale behind, cancellation of Rutgersfest;
- recent controversies relating to payment of appearance fees to Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi and commencement speaker Toni Morrison;
- that week's student occupation of Old Queen's, and efforts he and his office are making to respond to those students' demands;
- the Aresty Research Program, which was also holding a year-end event that day;
- graduating students leaving Rutgers with outstanding opportunities and education; and
- the new Commencement ceremony format.
President McCormick then responded to questions, or heard comments, on subjects which included:
- the recent occupation of Old Queen's by students, and the related
concerns and demands of the students and faculty that were presented by
those students (this subject dominated the question-and-answer period
following President McCormick's administrative report.);
- Rutgers Day plans;
- the emerging issue of taxation of fringe benefits for faculty
summer salaries (McCormick said he would ask Vice President Fehn to
look into the matter);
- details of the criminal activity following Rutgersfest, which led to its cancellation;
- an AAUP communication to its members about anti-Semitic incidents at three universities, including Rutgers;
- public response to media stories about the appearance fee paid to Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi;
- progress on implementation of the recommendations of the New Jersey Higher Education Task Force; and
- concerns about students coming into classrooms and disrupting
instruction, in relation to the issues advanced by the students who
occupied Old Queen's.
[Note: The overall meeting time was extended twice by vote of the Senate during this meeting.]
OLD BUSINESS: There was no old
business.
NEW BUSINESS: Norman Markowitz
again commented that Jan Dutta is retiring after 49 years at Rutgers.
Paul Panayotatos noted that Paul Leath is also retiring after 44 years
at Rutgers. Both Dutta and Leath are longtime University Senators.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE REPORT:
Vice Chairperson Ann Gould reported on the
April 8, 2011
Senate Executive Committee Meeting.
REPORTS OF REPRESENTATIVES TO BOARDS OF
GOVERNORS AND TRUSTEES:
Senator Cotter, Faculty Representative to the Board of Governors,
reported on the April 5, 2011 Board of Governors meeting. Senator
Spiegel, Faculty Representative to the Board of Trustees, reported on
the March 31, 2011 Board of Trustees meeting.
ADJOURNMENT: The meeting adjourned at 4:13 p.m.
Kenneth Swalagin
Executive Secretary of the University
Senate