RUTGERS UNIVERSITY
SENATE
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
M I N U T E S
January 8, 2010
MEMBERS PRESENT: Gillett, Gould, Katz, Levine, McArdle, Rabinowitz (Chair), Schramke, Swalagin
(Executive Secretary), Thompson, Wild
EXCUSED: Bodnar, Borisovets, Leath, Panayotatos
ALSO ATTENDING: Cotter
(Faculty BOG Representative), Fehn (Administrative Liaison), Furmanski
(Administrative Liaison), Stein (Research, and Graduate and
Professional Education Committee Co-Chair)
The regular meeting of the University Senate Executive Committee was held on
Friday, January 8, 2010 at 1:10 p.m. in the Executive Board Room of
Administrative Services Building-III, Cook Campus.
1. Chairperson’s Report
Senate and Executive Committee Chairperson Samuel
Rabinowitz
called the meeting to order at 1:18 p.m., wishing all present a happy
new year. Noting the heavy agenda, he reminded the committee that they
should focus on whether or not they should docket reports for Senate
action, rather than debating the issues in the reports. There
was no chairperson's report.
2. Secretary’s Report
-
The meeting agenda was approved as distributed by the Executive Secretary.
- The Minutes of November 6, 2009
Senate Executive Committee Meeting were approved as distributed by the Executive Secretary.
- A Draft Schedule of 2010-11 Senate and Executive Committee Meetings was
presented by the Executive Secretary. Senator Gillett said that the
University Structure and Governance Committee (USGC) has proposed
making the president's address a separate event from the first Senate
meeting. His motion to add an October 1, 2010 meeting was adopted by
the Executive Committee. Senator Wild moved that the Newark and Camden
meetings alternate each year so that the Newark meeting is not always
in February when winter weather may cause cancellation. Secretary
Swalagin noted that the proposal could be considered for the 2011-2012
Senate schedule, as plans and reservations had already been made for
next year's meetings.
- The following communication was presented by the Executive Secretary, and acted upon as noted by the Executive Committee:
- Preliminary to a Fall 2010 referendum, NJPIRG Student
Chapters will be submitting a concept plan for Senate review during the
first week of the semester. Noting that the Senate has limited time to
respond, Swalagin asked that he be authorized to send the NJPIRG
concept plan directly to the Student Affairs Committee (SAC) for review
at their January 29, 2010 meeting. The Executive Committee approved the
request.
3. Administrative Liaison
President McCormick was on vacation. Executive Vice President Furmanski
presented an administrative report which included comments on:
- Chris Christie's upcoming inauguration as Governor of the State of New Jersey;
- some of Christie's stated plans and priorities, including investment in higher education;
- the state and Rutgers budgets;
-
appointment of Joseph Roberts, Jr. and Gordon MacInnes to Rutgers' Board of Governors; and
- appointment of Ian Creese to CAPR (Creese will be the University Senate/CAPR liaison).
Furmanski and Administrative Liaison Bruce Fehn then responded to questions, or heard comments, on topics which included:
- particular skills of the Board of Governors members who are being replaced by the two new appointees;
- effects of the new appointments on BoG committees; and
- when the Senate and Executive Committee may expect responses to
recent Senate reports and recommendations, and follow-up on
administrative actions taken to implement past Senate recommendations.
4. Standing Committees
Committee Reports:
Academic Standards, Regulations and Admissions Committee
Response to Charge S-0807, Add/Drop Period - The ASRAC had been charged as follows: "Charge S-0807 - Add/Drop Period: Consider and report on the Proposal
on the add/drop period submitted by Senator Candice Greaux, and the related
resolution from the Rutgers University Student Assembly. Consult with
financial aid personnel at Rutgers
when
discussing the issues in the proposal and resolution." Senator Cotter,
Co-chair of the ASRAC, summarized her committee's report, and noted
that there may be some editorial changes forthcoming. The report was
docketed for action at the January 29, 2010 Senate meeting. [Note:
Cotter later asked that this report be docketed for Senate action in
February, but because the issue is largely one concerning New
Brunswick, the Executive Committee declined to move the report to the
Newark meeting agenda.]
Academic Standards, Regulations and Admissions Committee Partial Response to Charge A-0906, Commencement Dates - The ASRAC had been charged as follows: "Charge A-0906 - Academic Calendar, Commencement Dates: Consider and decide on Secretary of the University
Leslie Fehrenbach's request
(and its
attachment) that the University Senate change the University Commencement dates
on the academic calendarfor
2010 and beyond. The Senate Executive Committee, at its September 2009
meeting, on behalf of the Senate, approved the change for 2010 as an
urgent
matter requiring immediate action. The ASRAC is now asked to consider
the
requested changes for academic years 2010-11 and beyond." Senator
Cotter summarized her committee's report. There was some discussion of
whether this charge would remain open (given that this is a partial
response which leaves open for further consideration changes to
commencement dates beyond what is addressed in this report), and of
revision to the recommendations in this report. Cotter will revise the
report, which will be docketed for action at the January 29, 2010
Senate meeting.
Faculty and Personnel Affairs Committee Response to Charge S-0801, Employee Professional and Personal Development - The FPAC had been charged as follows: "Charge S-0801 - Employee Professional and Personal Development:
Discuss, and make recommendations on, how Rutgers can
best promote professional and personal development for all of its
employees. Consider in these discussions Rutgers' established
mechanisms for
providing educational opportunities for faculty and staff and their
families,
the draft resolution on this matter from the Staff Caucus, and relevant
input
solicited through appropriate Rutgers offices and individuals from
various,
affected constituencies. Evaluate the mechanisms by which such
opportunities
are made available to employees, and suggest improved means for
encouraging
Rutgers employees to take advantage of available professional and
personal
development programs, and for establishing a continuing culture of
employee
development at Rutgers." Senator Gould, Co-chair of the FPAC,
summarized her committee's report, which was docketed for action at the
January 29, 2010 Senate meeting.
Budget and Finance Committee Response to Charge S-0803, Rutgers Emergency Communication Processes
- The BFC had been charged as follows: "Charge S-0803 - Emergency
Communication Processes: Investigate and
make recommendations on communication processes used to inform
students,
faculty, and staff about what to do in various emergency situations.
These
situations may include bomb threats, fires, chemical spills, and
individuals
with weapons. Consult with Vice President for Student Affairs Gregory
Blimling,
Executive Director for Public Safety Jay Kohl, and Senior Director of
Campus
Information Services Matt Weismantel on this issue." Senator Spiegel,
Chair of the BFC, was traveling, and unable to attend the meeting. The
Executive Committee had questions about some aspects of the report's
recommendations, so the report was sent back to the BFC for
clarification.
University Structure and Governance Committee
Response to Charge S-0908, Proposal to Increase Staff Membership on the Senate - The USGC had been charged as follows: "Charge S-0908 - Proposal to Increase Staff Membership on the Senate: Review the Proposal to Increase Staff Representation
on the University Senate
from the Union of Rutgers Administrators -
American Federation of Teachers Local 1766, which proposes (see last
paragraph
of linked document) the following: 'We recommend that the University
Senate double the number of seats for staff from 10 to 20 by January 1,
2011.'" Senator Gillett, Co-chair of the USGC, summarized his
committee's report. Chairperson Rabinowitz noted that Senator
Panayotatos had emailed a request that this report be tabled and
brought to the Senate along with a response on the charge on Senate
voting proportionalities (which charge Panayotatos had sent on behalf
of the Faculty Caucus, and which was docketed later on this Executive
Committee agenda). Following some discussion, the report was tabled.
[Note: After all docketed reports had been discussed, Senator Katz
successfully moved to reopen consideration of this report. Senator
Wild's motion to docket the report for introduction at the January
Senate meeting was then adopted.]
University Structure and Governance Committee
Response to Charge S-0902, Senate Speakers, Discussions, Forums - The USGC had been charged as follows: "Charge
S-0902 - Senate Speakers, Discussions, Forums: Consider
proposals to limit discussion during University Senate meetings, when
motions
are on the floor, to that of Senators and specifically invited guests.
Also
consider proposals to provide for public input to issues before the
Senate,
such as possibly providing for opening the Senate meetings to the
public during
the President's Annual Address to the Rutgers Community, as well as
during the
three annual campus reports, and at other times, such as in public
hearings or
forums by the Senate or any of its committees, and possibly when the
Senate is
in committee of the whole." Senator Gillett summarized his committee's
report. Questions were raised on: the inclusion of Sakai, which is not
used university-wide; means by which requests may be made to be placed
on a speakers' list; the appropriateness of opening committee meetings
to non-Senators as a general policy; and other elements of the report.
On Senator Gillett's motion, the report was returned to the USGC for
reconsideration, particularly of recommendations 7 and 13. The new
response deadline will be April 2010.
University Structure and Governance Committee
Response to Charge S-0903, Senate Committee Charge Response Limits - The USGC had been charged as follows: "Charge
S-0903 - Senate Committee Charge Response Limits: Consider
whether the University Senate should establish a general, maximum time
limit
for committee responses to charges issued by the Executive Committee.
Make
recommendations on time limits, and how to deal with charges that are
pending
in committee beyond specific deadlines or overall time limits." Senator
Gillett summarized his committee's report. The recommendations
contained therein were deemed to not constitute changes to Senate
bylaws, and the report was docketed for action at the January 29, 2010
Senate meeting.
University Structure and Governance Committee
Response to Charge S-0904, Assessment of Research, and Graduate and Professional Education Committee Standing Charge - The USGC had been charged as follows: "Charge S-0904 - Assessment of Research, and Graduate and Professional
Education Committee (RGPEC) Standing Charge: Review the RGPEC standing charge
(See
#8) and evaluate whether an undergraduate research component should be
added." This report was discussed, and questions were raised
regarding which groups associated with research should be included,
and, ultimately, whether any change was needed to the RGPEC standing
charge at all. The report was sent back to committee, with a new
deadline of February 2010.
Proposed Committee Charges:
NJPIRG Student Chapters' Concept Plan (preliminary to a
Fall 2010 referendum) to be charged to Student Affairs Committee for
assessment of educational value of NJPIRG programs. This proposed
charge was summarized by Secretary Swalagin, and issued by the
Executive Committee, earlier in the meeting during the secretary's
report. When the NJPIRG Student Chapters' concept plan arrives, it will
be immediately charged to the Student Affairs Committee for evaluation
of its programs' educational value.
Proposed Charge to Faculty and Personnel Affairs Committee on Opportunities
for Full-time Staff Who Teach Part-time: The following charge, which
had been submitted by Senator Gayle Stein, and discussed at the
previous Executive Committee, was reconsidered along with additional information
that had been requested from, and supplied by, Senator Stein,
who attended the meeting to discuss the proposed charge. The
charge was issued to the FPAC as follows:
Examine opportunities available to PTLs who are in a
bargaining unit that are not available to those who are ineligible
(co-adjutants), including internal grants and professional development
opportunities. Assess existing mechanisms used to inform PTLs about university
academic business to see if they are or can be applied to co-adjutants. Respond to Senate Executive Committee by February 2011.
Proposed Charge to University Structure and Governance Committee
on Proportionalities of Senate Core Constituencies, sent by Paul
Panayotatos on behalf of the Faculty Caucus: The Executive Committee
considered and discussed the following charge, sent by Senator
Panayotatos (who was traveling and unable to attend the meeting), and
subsequently declined to issue the charge::
Determine
how recent additions to the University Senate roster have affected the
relative voting weight of the core constituencies of Faculty and
Students. Suggest ways for addressing such erosion in the present case
as well as for the future.
Potential Charge to Budget and Finance Committee on Pedestrian Safety, based on email exchange
between Senator Karen Thompson, one of Senator Thompson's constituents,
and Jay Kohl: The Executive Committee considered the correspondence and
elements related to this issue, and decided not to issue a charge on
the matter, which was perceived as insufficiently broad and not
university-wide.
5. New Business
Appointment of Interim Vice Chairperson:
Senate Vice Chairperson Paul Leath is on leave, and will not be
attending Spring 2010 Senate or Executive Committee meetings. In the
absence of Senate-handbook-specified procedures for dealing with such
instances, the Executive Committee appointed former Senate chairperson
and faculty Board of Governors representative Martha Cotter as interim
vice chairperson for the Spring 2010 semester. Cotter accepted the
appointment.
Senate Functions, and Executive Committee Involvement in Fundamental or Structural Senate issues:
There was a discussion of general Senate functioning and
structure, as well as the committee system and the Executive
Committee's standing charge as they relate to fundamental Senate
issues, and whether the USGC should be the sole venue for examination
of organic issues relating to the Senate itself. [Note: This discussion
continued informally following adjournment, and after several Executive
Committee members had left. Secretary Swalagin will email to the
Executive Committee the report of the 1998 Senate Revitalization
Committee for further consideration and future discussion.]
6. January 29, 2010 University Senate Agenda: In addition to the items docketed above, the following will appear on the Senate's January 29, 2010 agenda:
- New Brunswick Campus Report - Philip Furmanski, Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs
- University Structure and Governance CommitteeResponse to Charge S-0805, Senate Representation by Full-time,
Non-tenure-track Faculty (introduced and amended at November 2009 Senate meeting)
Time Limits: Time and speaker limits were established as follows:
- 90 seconds per speaker, maximum
- individuals may speak only once on any issue or motion
7. Old Business
There was no old business.
8. Adjournment
The meeting adjourned at 4:30 p.m.
Kenneth Swalagin
Executive Secretary of the University Senate