February 13, 2007
Restructuring of Rutgers University, if done properly, holds out the promise of positive growth and continuing academic excellence for Rutgers-Camden within the framework of Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey.
The Rutgers-Camden Faculty Senate unanimously endorses the following statement of the minimum conditions that must be met in any restructuring.
1. Rutgers-Camden must remain a part of Rutgers University and retain the name in the event of any restructuring.
2. Additional resources for capital and operating costs must be provided
to the Camden College of Arts and Sciences to achieve parity with other
non-flagship campuses, approximately quadruple its current size.
(Per capita student allocations must be increased significantly in order
to be commensurate with other top state universities.)
3. Rutgers-Camden may merge only with other institutions that
share the Rutgers mission as a research university.
4. The following additional conditions must be met:
a. Maintain the identity of the Camden College of Arts and Sciences as a liberal arts college within a diverse research university.Faculty members of the Camden College of Arts and Sciences are prepared to support restructuring and to work for the passage of any bond issue that would partially fund its implementation, if these conditions are satisfied. Faculty members are prepared to oppose restructuring and work for defeat of any bond issue, if a plan is adopted that is unsatisfactory or unfair to the students and taxpayers of southern New Jersey.b. Maintain central Rutgers sponsorship of faculty applications for grants and contracts.
c. Maintain the current basis of, and parity with the Rutgers system regarding, faculty and student access to the centralized Rutgers library system. (The current basis allows Rutgers to negotiate contracts with vendors as a single entity with one FTE, with equal access across campuses and units.)
d. Maintain the current basis of faculty and student access to the centralized Rutgers computer system. (The current basis allows Rutgers to negotiate contracts with vendors as a single entity with one FTE, with equal access across campuses and units.)
e. Maintain or achieve parity with the New Brunswick and Newark campuses in all terms of faculty employment, including (but not limited to) health and retirement benefits, sabbatical and competitive leave programs, teaching loads, and tenure and promotion criteria and procedures.
f. Retain a unified contract for all campuses and centralized faculty determination of union representation.
g. Establish Faculty Senate representation from each campus on all appropriate policy making boards that will oversee any restructuring.
h. Ensure maximum feasible participation of all departmental units regarding proposed changes of reporting structure and resource allocation.
The Faculty Senate of Rutgers University, Camden College of Arts and Sciences, charges its President to inform the following of this statement: