RUTGERS UNIVERSITY SENATE
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
M I N U T E S
June 8, 2018

MEMBERS PRESENT:  Boikess, Gillett (Chair), Gould, Kelly, Krapivin, Oliver, Parsa, Thompson, Van Stine

MEMBERS EXCUSED:    Borisovets, Esposito, Scoloveno, Settles

MEMBERS ABSENT: Walters

ALSO ATTENDING:  H. Agnostak (Associate Vice President of Labor Relations), T. Calcado (Executive Vice President for Strategic Planning & Operations/COO), C. Delnevo (Vice Dean of the School of Public Health), P. Halkitis (Dean of the School of Public Health), B. Lee (Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs),  M. Mickelsen (Senate Executive Secretary), J. Oleske (2018-19 RBHS Faculty Member of the Executive Committee), J. Owens (2018-19 Alumni Member of the Executive Committee), T. Pappas (2018-19 Staff Member of the Executive Committee), S. Rabinowitz (Faculty Representative to the Board of Governors), R. Schwartz (Faculty Representative to the Board of Trustees), J. Serrano (2018-19 New Brunswick Student Member of the Executive Committee), B. Strom (RBHS Chancellor)

The regular meeting of the University Senate Executive Committee was held on Friday, June 8, 2018 at 12:00 p.m. in Room 202 at Winants Hall, College Avenue Campus.

1.    Chair’s Report - Peter Gillett, Senate Chair

Senate and Executive Committee Chair Peter Gillett called the meeting to order at 12:01 p.m. He spoke about the logistics for the meeting to include a number of outside visitors in person and via video conference.  He reviewed the events which lead up to him inviting said visitors and asked all members make an attempt to stay on schedule.  He then welcomed the incoming 2018-19 EC Members in attendance and asked all present to introduce themselves and their affiliation.

2.    Secretary’s Report - Mary Mickelsen, Executive Secretary of the Senate

3.    Administrative Report - Barbara Lee, Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs

Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Barbara Lee presented an administrative report, which included comments on:

Lee then responded to questions, or heard comments on the above subjects, as well as:

4.    Old Business

President Barchi’s Response to the Senate’s report and recommendations on Charge S-1609: Revisions to Rutgers University Academic Integrity Policy – Barbara Lee, Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs

Senior Vice President Lee reported the Office of Civil Rights will be releasing its standard of proof for academic integrity infractions in the fall of 2018. She, and President Barchi, ask the Academic Integrity Committee, recommended by the ASRAC, begin its work but, reserve the piece on standard of proof for their last item of business. The Executive Committee agreed to Lee’s suggestion.

5.    School of Public Health Departmental Mergers – Dean Perry Halkitis and Vice Dean Cristine Delnevo

Dean Halkitis and Vice Dean Delnevo briefed the Executive Committee on their plans to merge the Department of Social and Behavioral Health Sciences with the Department of Health Systems & Policy, and the Department of Epidemiology with the Department of Biostatistics.  The deans expressed their intentions to meet with the SPH faculty to discuss the mergers on June 8 and follow up with an electronic vote soon there-after.

After conversation with the deans and reviewing their completed Senate Questionnaire for Establishment, Dissolution, Merging, or Major Restructuring of Colleges, Schools, Institutes, and Other Units, the Executive Committee decided to defer any action until the results of the faculty vote.  If the faculty are largely in favor of the mergers, the Senate will halt any involvement; if the faculty are against the mergers, the Executive Committee will decide what type of involvement is prudent at that time.  The deans will be asked to provide an update on the process in the fall.

6.    Standing Committees/Panels  

Draft Standing Committee Rosters 2018-19, and Assignment of Chairs

The Executive Secretary distributed hardcopies of draft 2018-19 committee rosters, and summarized the assignments and those still needing additional work. Regina Masiello volunteered to co-chair the Academic Standards, Regulations, and Admissions Committee; Elizabeth Matto volunteered to co-chair the Student Affairs committee along with Julieline Serrano; and Farid Alizadeh volunteered to co-chair the Faculty and Personnel Affairs Committee; all were approved by the Executive Committee. The Executive Secretary announced Menahem Spiegel, chair of the Budget and Finance Committee, will be on sabbatical for the fall semester.  Suggestions were made as to who may be suitable to stand in as well as a co-chair, if Spiegel is agreeable. The EC then approved the standing committee rosters provisionally based on the summary of what would be changed or added.

Selection of Members of University Commencement Panel (UCP) - Jon Oliver, Chair of the UCP

Committee discussed possible members of the UCP, which is composed of senators with representation from each unit (R-C, R-N, R-NB, RBHS), as follows:
a. Executive Secretary of the Senate (non-voting) – Mary Mickelsen
b. Vice Chair of the Senate (chairs the UCP) - Jon Oliver (New Brunswick)
c. Four Faculty Senators, with each of the following groups being represented:
- tenure-track
- non-tenure-track
- part-time lecturers
d. One Staff Senator
e. One Alumni Senator  
f. Two Student Senators  

The Executive Secretary will issue a call for volunteers from the Senate.

4. Old Business (con’t) - Standing Committees/Panels discussion was suspended to accommodate timing of guests

Parking Costs and the Disparities between RBHS and Legacy Rutgers Faculty/Staff Permit Charges – Tony Calcado, Executive Vice President for Strategic Planning & Operations/Chief Operating Officer and Harry Agnostak, Associate Vice President of Labor Relations

Calcado and Agnostak answered questions raised by Senator Adrienne Esposito at a prior Executive Committee meeting regarding the disparities between RBHS and Legacy Rutgers Faculty/Staff parking permit charges.  It was explained that the cost structure is complicated and controlled by collective bargaining negotiations. Other topics of discussion included:

Robert Wood Johnson/Barnabas Affiliation: Communication and the Financial & Employment Impacts – Brian Strom, RBHS Chancellor

Chancellor Brian Strom joined the meeting via video conference to answer questions raised, at the April 13, 2018 Executive Committee meeting, by Senator Martha Soto which Chair Gillett read.  Chancellor Strom reported that the relationship between Robert Wood Johnson and St. Barnabas is not a merger but, an affiliation with a health system that will provide the students with oversight and faculty with new opportunities.  He explained there will be no change in employment, no services will be privatized, and all clinical sites will be mutually exclusive.  He also expressed his understanding of the anxiety this has caused and has promised to close communication gaps with faculty.  He also answered questions regarding the pediatrics department at University Hospital, success rates of RBHS undergraduates, and composition of RBHS students.

6.    Standing Committees/Panels (con’t)  

Proposed Charge:

Proposed Charge to Faculty and Personnel Affairs Committee (FPAC) on Contingent Faculty Proposal – Part I, Reviewed - Submitted by Karen Thompson

Proposed Charge:  Revisit and review the Senate’s Response to Charge S-0705, Contingent Faculty Proposal – Part I in light of changes at Rutgers in the last decade, and, if appropriate, make further recommendations.

Thompson summarized the proposed charge on Revisit and Review the Senate’s Response to Charge S-0705, Contingent Faculty Proposal – Part I in light of changes at Rutgers in the last decade, and, if appropriate, make further recommendations.  The Executive Committee discussed this proposal and agreed to issue the charge to the FPAC with a reporting deadline of February 2019.

Committee Report:

Faculty and Personnel Affairs Committee (FPAC) Faculty and Personnel Affairs Committee (FPAC) Response to Charge S-1712 on Procedures for Handling Student Complaints Against Rutgers Personnel – Alexander Settles, FPAC Co-chair

The FPAC has been charged as follows:  

Consider and make recommendations for improving procedures for handling student complaints against Rutgers personnel, as well as how those procedures are communicated to students and personnel. Respond to Senate Executive Committee by February 20, 2018.

Settles was unable to attend however, the EC discussed the report and determined it was not ready for docketing.  Suggestions for changes were made and will be communicated to the co-chairs by the Executive Secretary.

4.    Old Business (con’t)

Motion from The Newark Faculty Council

The following motion,


In light of the restructuring of Rutgers in recent years and the greater administrative independence of the Camden, Newark, and New Brunswick campuses from each other and in light of recent advances in technology, the Newark Faculty Council formally requests that the University Senate hold more than one meeting per academic year in Newark and arrange for Newark senators to participate in Council and Committee meeting via Skype or some other electronic means.

 
which was passed unanimously by the Newark Faculty Council on April 9, 2018, was discussed along with a formal response to Senate Chair Peter Gillett on May 24, 2018.  The Executive Committee concluded Chair Gillett will respond by correcting a few misguided facts in the formal response; promise to look into whether more meetings could be held on the Newark and Camden campuses when the Executive Committee determines the 2019-2020 Senate schedule; and lastly, suggest Chair Gilman contact Newark Chancellor Nancy Cantor regarding funding for buses to transport Newark senators to New Brunswick meetings – which the Chancellor has generously offered in the past.

8.  New Business

Proposed Charge to Instruction, Curricula, and Advising Committee on Rutgers Bootcamps – Submitted by Robert Boikess

Proposed Charge:  Investigate the Rutgers Coding Bootcamps and make any necessary recommendations to clarify or modify its relationship to our other academic programs that grant degrees or certificates. Consider the process that led to the relationship between Rutgers and Trilogy Educations Services, including the role of the faculty in this process.  Also investigate the financial arrangements between Rutgers and Trilogy and the disposition of the funds received from the relationship.

Natalie Borisovets, chair of the ICAC, was not in attendance to accept this charge.  The charge was issued with the reporting deadline of March 2019 with the option for Borisovets to change the scope if she wishes.

9.  Close of the 2017-18 Year

Gillett expressed his appreciation to all 2017-18 EC members and board representatives for their time, support and talent this year, and welcomed all new EC members coming on next year. He reminded new and continuing members that the next EC meeting will be on September 7, 2018.

10.  Adjournment

The meeting adjourned at 4:45 p.m.

 

Minutes written and submitted by,

Mary Mickelsen
Executive Secretary of the University Senate