U. Senate Executive Committee Minutes, January 2, 2006

RUTGERS UNIVERSITY SENATE
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

M I N U T E S

February 2, 2007

MEMBERS PRESENT: Cotter (Chair), Bodnar, Borisovets, Eldreth, Gould, Ng, Puniello, Rabinowitz (Vice Chair), Stein, Swalagin (Executive Secretary), Szatrowski, Tittler

ALSO ATTENDING: Curtis (Student BOG Representative to the Board of Governors), Furmanski (Administrative Liaison), Gigliotti (University Structure and Governance Committee Chair), Leath (Faculty Representative to the Board of Governors), McCormick (Administrative Liaison), Spiegel (Budget and Finance Committee Chair)

EXCUSED: Mauroff, Thompson

The regular meeting of the University Senate Executive Committee was held on Friday, February 2, 2007 at 1:10 p.m. in the Executive Board Conference Room, Administrative Services Building III, Cook Campus.

1. Chairperson’ Report

Chairperson Martha Cotter called the meeting to order at 1:13 p.m. She said that her chairperson's report would be very brief so that the committee could proceed with its very full agenda. She apologized for missing the January 5, 2007 meeting.

Cotter told the committee that a Board of Governors Educational Planning and Policy Committee (EPPC)resolution recommending that the policy formerly used as justification for the four-year rule be stricken from University Regulations and policies, which had been written to parallel the recommendations of the Senate's Faculty Affairs and Personnel Committee, had been approved unanimously by the EPPC and would be voted on by the Board of Governors on February 9, 2007.

2. Secretary’s Report

Minutes: The January 5, 2007 Senate Executive Committee Minutes were approved as distributed by the executive secretary.
Communications: The following communication was presented by the secretary and duly noted by the Executive Committee:
President McCormick's university-wide e-mail announcing that Camden Provost Roger Dennis would be leaving Rutgers to become founding dean of Drexel Law School

3. Administrative Liaison

President McCormick delivered an administrative report, which included comments on the following:

Governor Corzine's budget message, scheduled for February 22, about which little is known at this point other than that a structural deficit exists, that the state is trying to resolve proposed property tax reductions, and that in general the budget news is not good;
Rutgers' recent signing of a neutrality agreement with respect to prospective unionization of administrative, professional and supervisory staff at the university; and
his working relationship with Governor Corzine, which McCormick described as "fine."

4. Committee Charges and Changes

Academic Standards, Regulations and Admissions Committee (ASRAC) Charge S-0605 Deadline Change and Addendum: Martha Cotter, co-chair of the ASRAC, asked that her committee's charge S-0605 on Admissions and Financial Aid Assessment be moved from January 24 to early April 2007. The Executive Committee (EC) approved the change. The EC also approved Cotter's proposed addendum to the charge, as follows:

Follow the deliberations of the New Brunswick Task Force on Enrollment Management and assess the probable effects of its recommendations on recruitment, admissions, and financial aid university-wide.

Proposed Charge to Equal Opportunity Committee on Diversity and Tolerance Issues: The EC issued to the Equal Opportunity Committee a charge drafted by Ted Szatrowski at the Executive Committee's request on diversity and tolerance issues, as follows:

Review what relevant services are available on each campus for dealing with diversity and tolerance issues, and assess how well they are serving their intended functions within current budget limitations. This review should include an assessment of how well the University population on each campus knows about these functions generally, as well as the ease of finding this information for those who might seek help on specific issues arising in these areas. A prioritized list of future directions for reallocating, improving and/or expanding services might also be developed in this review. Provide preliminary report to Senate Executive Committee by April 2, 2007.

Selection of New Chair for University Structure and Governance Committee: Gary Gigliotti, who currently chairs the Senate's University Structure and Governance Committee (USGC), has been appointed to an associate vice president position in the Office of Academic Affairs, and will consequently be leaving his position as USGC chair. In response to Gigliotti's suggestions, the EC convinced Jonathan Tittler, who was present at the meeting, to co-chair the USGC, and will also ask Senator Trisha Nolfi to co-chair.

Request for Extension of Report Deadline, Budget and Finance Committee (BFC), Charge S-0414, Student Fees: The Budget and Finance Committee's request for extension of the deadline for Charge S-0414 on Student Fees to May 2007 was discussed. The EC changed the deadline to April 2, 2007. In requesting the change, BFC chair Menahem Spiegel noted that the BFC is awaiting the completed report of the Student Fees Task Force that is being chaired by Associate VP Brian Rose, and that the specific charges of the task force are:

1. Recommend a simplified student fee structure that consolidates all similar fees into common student fee categories.
2. Recommend a definition for each student fee category in enough detail that what expenditures are properly charged to each category is clear and transparent.
3. Recommend the allocation of current student fees, by Campus, into the proposed new categories of student fees.
4. Recommend a base amount for each student fee category, by campus, following a consolidation of current fees.

Proposed Charge to Faculty Affairs and Personnel Committee (FAPC) on Tenure for Administrative Appointees (from B.J. Walker, Staff Representative, AAUP, via Ann Gould): The EC considered the following proposed charge to the FAPC, which had come to the docket from B.J. Walker, staff representative, AAUP, via Ann Gould:

Review current practices related to the granting of tenure to administrative appointees. Determine whether university regulations and policies governing faculty appointments with tenure are sufficiently clear and/or consistently followed for administrative tenure appointments so as to ensure appropriate consultation with the faculty of the respective academic units. Recommend guidelines and/or principles to protect the integrity of the tenure process with regard to administrative hires with tenure.

Background for this charge, as excerpted from an e-mail from B.J. Walker to Ann Gould, included the following:

Tenure is a distinctive characteristic of academic life and has proven indispensable to the success of an institution in fulfilling its obligations to its students and to society. Tenure is a means to certain ends: freedom of teaching and research and of extramural activities and a sufficient degree of economic security to make the profession attractive to men and women of ability.
Rutgers University has long recognized the award of faculty tenure is not automatic and that there are two kinds of factors which must be considered in the selection process leading to tenure: (1) the application of criteria for the advancement of individual faculty members, and (2) the determination of educational needs for faculty projected over a period of years.
The determination of the educational needs of a School or College for full-time tenurable faculty should be made primarily by the faculty of the respective academic unit subject to the approval of the appropriate administrative officers whose judgment should reflect the needs of graduate and undergraduate education, including the needs of the professional and non-degree programs. (See Appendix E of Rutgers University Statement on Tenure Adopted by the University Senate on November 23, 1976.) Peer review of new appointments by qualified colleagues protects the interest of professors, the department, the college and the University. (See University Policy with Respect to Academic Appointments, Reappointments and Promotions, Section III.C.)

Executive Vice President Furmanski provided responsive information on the issue, and also offered to communicate with Gould and others who may be concerned about it.

The Executive Committee did not issue a charge, but will reconsider the matter at its March meeting.

Proposed Charge to Instruction, Curricula and Advising Committee (ICAC) on Intersession (from Natalie Borisovets on behalf of the ICAC): The Executive Committee considered, discussed, and then issued the following charge to the ICAC on Intersession:

Examine how other institutions offering intersession programs have dealt with the time constraint issue, and offer recommendations on how Rutgers may adapt its programs so as to best meet student needs while maintaining acceptable pedagogical standards. Respond to Executive Committee by April 2, 2007.

The EC based its discussion and charge on Borisovets's background/rationale for the issue. The EC also acknowledged that the reporting deadline may need to be postponed.

Proposed Charge to Instruction, Curricula and Advising Committee on Classroom Contact Hours (from Gayle Stein): The EC considered, discussed, and issued the following charge to the ICAC on Classroom Contact Hours:

Explore and report on the status of contact hours within the context of the expanding use and availability of hybrid or blended-instruction courses, in which online time is substituted for classroom time. Consider: how "contact hours" are now defined, inclusion of online elements in traditional classroom instruction, effects on rules and standards for contact time, issues of synchronous versus asynchronous online/classroom scheduling, student reception and participation in asynchronous online activities, etc. Respond to Senate Executive Committee by October 2007.

Proposed Charge to University Structure and Governance Committee on Staff Representation in Senate (from Staff Caucus via Gayle Stein): The EC considered the following charge proposed by the Staff Caucus:

Examine and address the impact on the structure of the Senate of the recent addition of Staff Senators to the University Senate. Consider issues such as: Whether the Senior Vice President for Administrative Affairs should also be an administrative liaison to the Senate Executive Committee. Should the Senate recommend that the Board of Governors and Board of Trustees also now include staff representatives, as they currently include student and faculty representatives? Do Senate powers and responsibilities, as stated in its bylaws or enabling University Regulations, need to be expanded to cover staff issues? Should the Senate's committee structure and standing charges be updated (i.e., Staff Affairs Committee)? Solicit input from staff Senators.

Furmanski pointed out that there is no longer a Vice President for Administrative Affairs. Tittler asked if the staff Senators could provide input with the USGC to try to refine and narrow the charge, and Stein responded that they could. Stein moved that, in order to get this charge issued so work on it could begin, the charge be divided into two separate charges, with inclusion of the senior vice president or other administrative liaison to be part of a later charge, and USGC consultation with staff Senators to take place later as well. Stein and Senate Secretary Ken Swalagin will redraft the charge and Swalagin will circulate it to the EC for comment and/or issuing.

On a related matter, Stein asked if Administrative and Campus Reports to the Senate could now also include mention of staff and administrative accomplishments along with those of faculty and students. Ted Szatrowski will ask Provost Diner to do that when he presents his Newark Campus Report to the Senate later this month. McCormick and Furmanski both acknowledged Stein's request.

5. Committee Reports

University Structure and Governance Committee (USGC), Response to Charge S-0608, Merger Proposals

The EC reviewed and discussed the USGC response to charge S-0608 on Proposals to Merge Rutgers, UMDNJ, and NJIT. The USGC had been charged as follows:

Original Charge S-0608: Proposals to Merge Rutgers, UMDNJ, NJIT: Revisit the structural and governance aspects of the proposals to merge all or part of UMDNJ, and perhaps NJIT, with Rutgers University, with or without splitting the merged entity into parts. Review President McCormick's recent testimony (11/09/06) on this subject before the Lesniak-Caraballo Legislative Task Force on Higher Education, as well as previous Senate reports and recommendations concerning the merger proposal put forth three years ago by the Vagelos Commission. Are there additional key principles to emphasize beyond those enunciated by President McCormick? What are the broad pros and cons of the various structural and governance models that have been proposed? Which of the concerns and recommendations put forth by the Senate in November 2003 are still valid and worthy of reiteration? Consult with the Faculty Affairs and Personnel Committee concerning personnel ramifications of the various proposals. Also obtain input from the Newark and New Brunswick Faculty Councils and from faculty governance groups in Camden. Respond to Senate Executive Committee by February 2007.

USGC Chair Gary Gigliotti noted, "The committee did not correspond directly with the Faculty Council in New Brunswick or in Newark, nor with faculty governance groups in Camden. As I understand it, those groups were working directly with the Executive Committee. We did not coordinate our efforts with the Faculty Affairs and Personnel Committee, mostly because we felt that, given the deadline we faced, we had enough information to make our report."

The report was discussed at length. Comments included concerns regarding:

the absence of a recommendation about keeping the law, business and nursing schools together as a whole;
the need to add recommendations about what will happen with the libraries if the current, university-wide Rutgers library system is partitioned;
similar concerns regarding administrative computing systems and the costs associated with replicating the current, university-wide systems on three separate campuses;
the level of awareness about the proposed mergers on the Newark Campus;
problems with recommending or mandating that, before any merger or restructuring goes forward, the state must adequately fund higher education, or raising any other insuperable barriers; and
the need for "phased" or "first-step" recommendations relating to how to implement or begin a merger.

Cotter said that the EC and USGC would communicate further and would try to agree on revisions to the report so that a redrafted version could be presented to the Senate at the February 16 meeting.

[P. Furmanski and R. McCormick left the meeting at approximately 3:25 p.m.]

University Structure and Governance Committee (USGC), Partial Response to Charge S-0603, Senate Membership, New Brunswick

The EC again reviewed the USGC's partial response to charge S-0603, on election and distribution of student Senators for the School of Arts and Sciences, New Brunswick. The committee had been charged as follows:

Original Charge S-0603: Senate Membership-New Brunswick: Make recommendations for revision of the Senate membership and bylaws in light of the restructuring of the New Brunswick schools and colleges. Respond to Senate Executive Committee by January 24, 2007.

The report had been presented in January to both the EC and the Senate. USGC Chair Gary Gigliotti, and Jillian Curtis responded to questions regarding the need to clarify item 3 in Recommendation 1. Secretary Swalagin will revise the report to clarify that item before docketing the report for action at the February 16 Senate meeting.

Budget and Finance Committee (BFC) Report and Recommendations in Response to Charge S-0208, Safety Issues

BFC Chair Menahem Spiegel summarized his committee's report on charge S-0208, on safety issues, classroom/building security, and prevention of vandalism. The committee had been charged as follows:

Original Charge S-0208 to the Budget & Finance Committee (Menahem Spiegel, Chair): Safety Issues, Classroom/Building Security and Vandalism: Investigate the level of security normally maintained in classroom and office/research buildings, and the current levels of vandalism and other criminal behavior in those buildings. Investigate the use of buildings/classrooms for after-hours study space*, and whether there is an increased cost of maintenance and repair due to unsupervised use. Formulate a policy for locking buildings and classrooms to ensure security. Make recommendations on how to provide students with space on each campus for after-hours study, and the amount of space that seems appropriate.* Explore risk-reduction strategies and mechanisms, and ways to heighten awareness of safety issues. Investigate the potential for a safety week on campus each semester or year. In addition, explore the potential for a website that would include a safety forum for discussion and hazard evaluation. [*The Student Affairs Committee was asked to provide input on the kinds and amounts of after-hours study space that would meet student needs, and on ways to address problems of vandalism. That input was forwarded to the Budget and Finance Committee on January 17, 2003.] Report to Executive Committee by November 2006.
Preliminary report [http://senate.rutgers.edu/bfctereportmulti092904.html] submitted to Executive Committee September 2004, Reviewed October 1, 2004.
Addendum to Charge 10/04: Using the committee’s September 28, 2004 preliminary report on this issue as a basis for discussions, apply the same review and considerations to safety and security issues on the Newark and Camden campuses. Respond to Senate Executive Committee by November 2006.

The report was docketed for action at the February 16 Senate meeting.

[J. Tittler left the meeting at 3:47 p.m.]

6. Student Affairs Committee (SAC) Nomination of Candidates for Student Charter Trustee Vacancies

The EC reviewed the SAC report on their nominations for Student Charter Trustees. The report and nominations will be forwarded to the Board of Trustees by Secretary Swalagin.

Edward Ng reported that the Student Caucus was critical of the density of the memorandum sent in early November 2006 by Secretary Swalagin to all student Senators and student governing associations, which solicited nominations for the Student Charter Trustee (SCT) positions. Swalagin said he would simplify the memorandum before the next cycle of SCT nominations, in hopes that the recipients would read and respond to it, and that he would also do additional follow-up with the student governing associations and student Senators in the future.

7. NJPIRG Student Chapters Concept Plan Review for Fall 2007 Referendum

Secretary Swalagin had incorrectly informed the EC that the Student Affairs Committee (SAC) is responsible for determining the educational value and content of NJPIRG Student Chapters' Concept Plan and programs. (The EC has performed this function for decades.) Although the EC sent the matter to the SAC for review, Swalagin later corrected his mistake, and the EC acted on the NJPIRG Concept Plan via e-mail.

8. Old Business

There was no old business.

9. New Business

There was no new business.

10. February 16, 2007 Senate Meeting Agenda

Items were docketed for the February 16, 2007 Senate agenda, including reports approved earlier in this EC meeting and the Newark Campus Report.

11. Adjournment

The meeting adjourned at 4:10 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Kenneth W. Swalagin
Executive Secretary of the University Senate