RUTGERS, THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW JERSEY
UNIVERSITY SENATE

MINUTES:   Regular Meeting of the University Senate

DATE:  November 30, 2001

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

MEMBERS PRESENT:  Adelson, Antwi, Baldi, Barone, Bathory, Bell, Berz, Bittner, Blasi, Boikess, Bossard, Bronzan, Bry, Butwinski, Caprio, Cicma, Cohen, Colaizzi, Cooper, Cotter, Cowley, Cronk, Daniels, Darien, Davidson, DeCarlo, R. Dennis, Dimond, Diner, Domb, Driscoll, Duncan, Elovitz, Esser, Falk, Flanagan, Forman, Friedrich, Gary, Gaunt, Gillis, Griffith, Habib, Hall, Hamm, Hawkesworth, Hillman, Hornichter, Hyndman, Jesse, Jessen, Jones, Karel, Kauffman, Kenfield, Kenney, Keoskey, Kirschner, Krueckeberg, Kressel, Laguna-Diaz, Lawrence, Leath, Leontiades, Manhoff, Maradonna, Markowitz, Marsh, Maudlin, Maw, McKay, Messer, Metzidakis, G. Miller, J. Miller, Naus, Nordstrom, O’Connor, Panayotatos, Pellegrine, Penfield, Perr, Plummer, Puniello, Quinn, Rabinowitz, Ramsay, Rijhsinghani, Rohr, Ros, Roth, Rountree, Saidel, Samuels, Saniefard, Schlegel, Scott, P. Simmons, R. Simmons, Sims, Slawsky, Smith, D. Snyder, P. Snyder, Solomon, Spencer, Stamato, Sullivan, Swenson, Szatrowski, Tallau, Theodossiou, Toledo, Tripolitis, Tuckman, Varma, Vershon, Vodak, Wadia, Walker-Andrews, Wallenstein, Wasserman, Webb, Wilkinson, Winterbauer, Wozniak, Zaborszky, Zaveri

EXCUSED:  Asaytuno, Bhandari, Borisovets, Boylan, Cizewski, DeRosa, Deutsch, Evans, Hara, Haugerud, Hirsh, Hughes, Lang, Lee, Li, Martinez-Fernandez, Oren, Paris, Pieczenik, Pottick, Rosen, Seneca, Stein, Wyly

ABSENT:  Albers, Boucher, Breton, Bushnell, Chopra, Darkenwald, E. Dennis, Diamond, Felson, Franklin, Gossy, Gross, Jackson, Keating, Kennedy, Klein, Kokini, LaPadula, Laurente, Lehman, Mandau, Matsuda, McKeever, Millican, Mills, Nagarajan, Perlman, Seplaki, Silver, Stauffer, Strom, Zylstra

ATTENDANCE SUMMARY:  Faculty: Of 89 total: 60 present (67%), 14 excused (16%), 15 absent (17%);
Students: Of 50 total: 34 present (68%), 6 excused (12%), 10 absent (20%); Administrators: Of 39 total: 29 present (75%), 4 excused (10%), 6 absent (15%); Alumni: Of 6 total: 5 present (83%), 0 excused, 1 absent (17%)
View Senate attendance record for this year

NON-VOTING MEMBERS PRESENT:   Redd, Wright

NON-VOTING MEMBER ABSENT:  Sambolin

PRESIDING OFFICER:   Kathleen Scott, Chairperson

CHAIRPERSON’S REPORT:  Chairperson Scott’s report included an update on the status of action on the College of Applied and Professional Studies (CAPS) issue and Interim Report.  She said that the Senate’s University Governance and Structure Committee is looking at several aspects of the issue, is waiting for a revised CAPS Proposal, and will come back to the Senate in the spring with a report.  She thanked the Senate for comments made at the October 19, 2001 Senate meeting open forum, and invited the Senate to send further comments to herself, Governance Committee Co-chair Joseph Blasi, or Secretary Swalagin.

REPORT OF THE SECRETARY:  Agenda:  A revised agenda, which included an item added under New Business, was distributed at the meeting.  On motion and duly seconded, the revised agenda was approved as distributed. Minutes: On motion and duly seconded, Minutes of the October 29, 2001 Senate meeting were approved as distributed by the Secretary.  Communications: The following Communication had been distributed by mail, and the text thereof posted online for Senate review:

ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT:  Chairperson Scott introduced President Lawrence, who took the lectern.  President Lawrence’s Administrative Report included comments on: the Global Financial Market Center on the Newark Campus; a $5 million grant for a center focusing on childhood neurotoxicology research, autism and related disabilities; Rutgers recycling initiatives; Professor Edward Arnold being named a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science; and fundraising, particularly for the September 11 Scholarship Fund.  In response to Senator Daniels’ questions, President Lawrence said that the Facilities Master Plan will include consideration of pedestrian and bikeway issues, as well as architectural standards.

CAMPUS REPORTS

Newark Provost Norman Samuels presented a synopsis of the Newark Campus Report. (The report had been distributed to the Senate in advance, and is attached to the master copy of these minutes as Attachment A.)

Camden provost Roger Dennis presented a synopsis and update of the Camden Campus Report. (The report had been distributed to the Senate in advance, and is attached to the master copy of these minutes as Attachment B.)

COMMITTEE REPORT

Equal Opportunity Committee:  Co-chairs Liza Saniefard and Pheroze Wadia presented the Equal Opportunity Committee’s Report and Resolution on Endorsement of the Equal Marriage Resolution.  A slightly reworded resolution had been distributed at the beginning of the meeting.  Senator Gillis moved to amend the "Therefore" clause of the resolution to include, "while not deferring the effort to lobby for equal health benefits for same-sex domestic partners. " The motion was seconded and discussed. Senator Naus moved to refer the report and resolution back to the Equal Opportunity Committee. The motion was seconded and discussed. On motion and duly seconded, the question was called.  On voice vote, the motion to call the question carried.  The motion to refer back to committee was defeated. Senator Wadia called the question on the main motion.  The motion was seconded.  On voice vote, the motion to call the question carried.  Voting by show of cards, the Senate approved the Resolution on Endorsement of the Equal Marriage Resolution, as amended, as follows:

Whereas, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey has a clear interest in supporting civil rights of all people and because marriage is a basic human right and an individual personal choice; and,

Whereas, diversity is valued and cherished in our University community; and,

Whereas, injustice, bigotry, and intolerance must always be challenged and should never be caused by the State; and,

Whereas, lesbian and gay employees of Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey are denied equal health coverage for their life partners because the State of New Jersey refuses to recognize and value their relationships on a par with those of heterosexual spouses;

Therefore, Be It Resolved that the University Senate advises the administration, while not deferring the effort to lobby for equal health benefits for same-sex domestic partners, to encourage the State of New Jersey to end discrimination in marriage, allowing same-gender couples who choose to marry to share fully and equally in the rights, responsibilities, and commitment of civil marriage.

 NEW BUSINESS

Student Affairs and Executive Committees:  Senator Slawsky, Co-chair of the Student Affairs Committee, and Vice Chair Rabinowitz presented the joint Student Affairs and Executive Committees’ Resolution in Support of Proposed Changes to the New Jersey National Guard Tuition Remission Program.  On voice vote, the resolution carried unanimously, as follows:

Whereas, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey is the higher-education institution of choice for hundreds of members of the New Jersey National Guard each year; and,

Whereas, the men and women of the New Jersey National Guard have chosen to give of their time and talents in defense of our homeland and in providing emergency assistance throughout our state; and,

Whereas, current state law provides tuition remission for New Jersey National Guard members at public institutions of higher education on a space-available basis only; and,

Whereas, Assemblymen Robert G. Smith and Leonard Lance, along with Senators John Bennett and John Lynch, have introduced bipartisan proposals to amend state law to create a comprehensive state-funded tuition-benefit program for New Jersey National Guard members;

Therefore, Be it Resolved that the University Senate of Rutgers, the State University, commends the members of the New Jersey National Guard for their efforts in protecting our community, state, and country; and,

Therefore, Be it Further Resolved that the University Senate asks President Francis L. Lawrence to convey to the State Legislature the body’s strong support of the improved New Jersey National Guard tuition benefit program set forth in Assembly Bill #3884 and Senate Bill #2667 and to thank Assemblyman Robert G. Smith, Assemblyman Leonard Lance, Senator John Bennett, and Senator John Lynch for their bipartisan sponsorship of the proposed legislation.

 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE REPORT:  Vice Chair Rabinowitz reported on the November 16, 2001 Executive Committee meeting. [http://senate.rutgers.edu/ec111601.html]

REPORT OF CAMPUS FACULTY LIAISONS:  Senator Habib, chair of the Camden Faculty Senate, reported on the groups plans and recent activities, including consideration of curriculum reform.

Senator Cotter, chair of the New Brunswick Faculty Council, reported on the group’s plans and recent activities, including consideration of the CAPS Interim Report, and two resolutions passed thereon, at the October 26, 2001 meeting; and discussion as committee of the whole of capacity and other issues at the November 16, 2001 annual members-only meeting.

OTHER BUSINESS:  Senator Manhoff mentioned the December 7 planned commemoration of Pearl Harbor by the Rutgers History of World War II Archives.

ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business before the University Senate, Chairperson Scott declared the meeting adjourned at 3:20 p.m.
 

Kenneth Swalagin
Secretary of the University Senate