MEMBERS PRESENT:  Barone, Blasi, Borisovets, Bucko, Curry, Hirsh, Cotter (Chair), Rabinowitz (Vice Chair), Swalagin (Executive Secretary)

EXCUSED:  Darien, Panayotatos

ALSO ATTENDING:  Adam (Newark Faculty Liaison), Furmanski (Administrative Liaison) Leath (Faculty BOG Representative), McCormick (Administrative Liaison), Scott (Faculty BOT Representative)

The regular meeting of the University Senate Executive Committee was held on Friday, September 3, 2004 at 1:10 p.m. in the Cap and Skull Room, Rutgers Student Center, College Avenue Campus.

1. Chairperson’s Report

Chairperson Cotter welcomed everyone present to the first meeting of the year, and then asked everyone to introduce themselves. She said that she and Vice Chairperson Rabinowitz had recently met with President McCormick and Executive Vice President Furmanski to discuss Senate plans.

2. Secretary's Report

Minutes: The Minutes of the May 28, 2004 Executive Committee meeting were approved.  http://senate.rutgers.edu/ec052804.html
Communications: The following communications were presented by Secretary Swalagin:

• Letters from President McCormick, dated August 16, 2004, acknowledging action, reports and/or advice approved by the University Senate on April 23, 2004 on the following subjects:
• Academic Calendar Change, 2005 Commencement Date
• Educational Priorities
• Mid-Semester Course Assessment
• Anti-Semitic Message of the April 21, 2004 Edition of The Medium
• Asian-American Student Initiative
• E-mail from Linda Schulze, Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs, regarding consideration of future commencement dates (discussed below under "Standing Committee Charges")

President McCormick delivered the administrative report, which included comments on: his planned Annual Address to the University Community, to be presented at the September 10, 2004 Senate meeting; his plans to advance a Rutgers-based agenda for Rutgers, which would be neither parochial nor narrow, but would be one over which Rutgers has some control; plans to increase all revenue streams; adjustments which are being made relative to the new realities of state administration; meetings with state legislators; the nearly completed Constituency Research Project, which surveyed all constituencies in New Jersey about their beliefs and attitudes about Rutgers, and resulting efforts by Rutgers to make deeper connections with New Jersey and to address the negatives revealed by the research project, including marketing plans, and plans to share the Constituency Research Project Report with the Senate eventually; and important academic objectives related to the Task Force on Undergraduate Education.

Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Furmanski reported on the Task Force on Undergraduate Education, first summarizing its concept and purpose. He said that the Task Force groups are looking at all areas of the undergraduate experience, including ways in which Rutgers can promote a continued relationship with alumni after graduation. He noted that the Task Force may issue some reports individually rather than waiting until the full report is complete, and that the Senate will be made aware of reports as they come out.

Chairperson Cotter asked about the Constituency Report and its value to the Task Force, and whether the Task Force could get a copy of the draft report. President McCormick and Executive Vice President Furmanski agreed to provide the draft Constituency Report to the Task Force, but requested that discretion be used in its dissemination.

President McCormick then gave an update on ongoing and completed administrative searches. Executive Vice President Furmanski commented on: finalists in the Cook dean’s search; Stem Cell Research Center plans and progress; administrative searches being undertaken for Vice President for Research, Center for Advanced Information Processing director, and Vice President for Undergraduate Education.

4.  Standing Committee Charges

Addendum to Charge S-0326, Academic Calendar, to Academic Standards, Regulations and Admissions Committee (ASRAC):  In response to a request from Linda Schulze, Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs, the Executive Committee amended charge S-0326 to the ASRAC as follows (added text appears in italics): "Academic Calendar: Consider and report on the default academic calendar for academic years 2005-06, 2009-10, and 2011-12, which call for August 31 start dates. [NOTE: Recommendations regarding 2005 and 2011 start dates approved by Senate March 2004. Recommendations on 2009 still pending as of August 2004.] Also consider, as requested by University administration September 2004, changing all University Commencements currently scheduled for Thursdays to the preceding Wednesday date."

5.  September 10, 2004 Senate Meeting Agenda:

The following items were docketed for the September 10, 2004 Senate meeting agenda:

• Chairperson's Report, including introductions of standing committee chairs and Senate staff
• President McCormick's Annual Address to the Community, and question-and-answer period (with a reception to follow adjournment)

There was no old business.

7.  New Business

There was no new business.

8. Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned at 2:05 p.m. by Chairperson Cotter.
 

Kenneth Swalagin
Executive Secretary of the Senate