September 3, 2010 Rutgers University Senate Executive Committee Minutes

RUTGERS UNIVERSITY SENATE
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
M I N U T E S

September 3, 2010

MEMBERS PRESENT: Barnett, Binetti, Bodnar, Borisovets, Bubb, David, Fishbein, Gillett, Gould, Levine, Panayotatos (Chair), Rabinowitz, Swalagin (Executive Secretary), Thompson

ALSO ATTENDING: Cotter (Faculty BOG Representative), Furmanski (Administrative Liaison), Nycz (Student BOG Representative), Sabo (Undergraduate Student BOT Representative), Swartley-McArdle (Graduate Student BOT Representative)

The regular meeting of the University Senate Executive Committee was held on Friday, September 3, 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 Paul Panayotatos called the meeting to order at 1:11 p.m. He welcomed everyone to the new Senate and academic year, then called for introductions. After everyone present introduced themselves, Panayotatos said that there would be no chairperson's report because there was nothing to be done over the summer

2. Secretary’s Report

The meeting agenda was approved as distributed by the executive secretary.
The Minutes of the June 4, 2010 Senate Executive Committee Meeting were approved as presented by the secretary.
2010-11 Senate Appeals Panel members were appointed.
The following communications were presented to, and reviewed by, the Executive Committee:

President McCormick's acknowledgements of Senate reports and recommendations:

June 2010 Response on S-0605, Admissions and Financial Aid Assessment, from the Academic Standards, Regulations and Admissions Committee
June 2010 Response on S-0905, Academic Integrity Policy, from the Academic Standards, Regulations and Admissions Committee
July 2010 Response on S-0805, Senate Representation by Full-time, Non-Tenure-Track Faculty, from the University Structure and Governance Committee: On this item, Senator Gillett asked if Senator Joseph Markert, an assistant lecturer in Gillett's school who had been elected to a tenure-track Senate seat, could be allowed to remain in the position for the full three years of the term, instead of being removed from that position on the Senate roster at the end of this academic year, as Swalagin had said he would do. There was considerable discussion of this proposal, ending in the chair's questioning whether it would even be possible, from a procedural standpoint, to stretch the Senate's bylaws that far. Panayotatos will consult with Victor Greenhut, Senate parliamentarian, and this issue will be revisited at the next Executive Committee meeting.
July 2010 Response on A-0812, Part I, Evaluation of Academic Deans, from the Faculty and Personnel Affairs Committee. On this item, Paul Panayotatos said that he would like the administration to reconsider the issue of a second round with the DEC after the dean writes a rebuttal, as it relates to the FPAC's concerns that it would prolong the process. Furmanski responded that they will be certain to give the DECs reasonably tight timeframes in which to submit their final responses.
August 2010 Response on S-0806, Hybrid Courses and Model of Teaching, from the Instruction, Curricula and Advising Committee. See also Announcement of "Teaching in an Online Environment" Series from Monica Devanas, CTAAR: On this item, Panayotatos pointed out that this is a very positive response from the administration which resulted in quick action in keeping with the Senate's recommendations.

Panayotatos said that all of the responses were appreciated.

[Senator Levine left the meeting at 1:40 p.m.]

3. Administrative Liaison

Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Philip Furmanski presented an administrative report, which included comments on:

admissions and enrollment;
the previous Saturday's convocation for incoming New Brunswick students;
economic conditions in New Jersey and at Rutgers, including this year's state appropriation reduction of 15.5 percent relative to last year;
the universitywide salary freeze instituted over the summer;
significant decreases to financial aid funding;
a proposal passed in the New Jersey Senate, and now waiting in the Assembly, which would require all New Jersey State employees to be New Jersey residents;
recent notification by the NJ State Ethics Commission that Rutgers' modifications to the state's mandated ethics training program are not accepted, and that Rutgers should adopt the state's program verbatim; and
Governor Christie's appointment of a state commission to evaluate higher education in all elements, to be headed by Tom Kean, former governor.

Follow-up on Furmanski's administrative report included:

Balance of Full-time and Part-time Teaching at Rutgers: Pursuant to a potential charge that was docketed on the agenda on this matter, Panayotatos asked Furmanski for an update on the 1999 report on full-time and part-time teaching at Rutgers. Panayotatos will forward the 1999 report to Furmanski, who will provide the requested update.
Questions regarding abolition of the Campus Bus stop on River Road, and what alternatives are available (including how and where to appeal the decision) to graduate students who reside in that area, and who moved and live there assuming they would have that transportation option.

[Senator Furmanski left the meeting at 2:33 p.m.]

4. Standing Committees

Assignment of Committee Chairs: Standing-committee chairs were appointed as indicated on a committee roster distributed by the executive secretary. Swalagin noted that he is awaiting a response from Barbara Cooper on whether she will accept the co-chairship of the Research, and Graduate and Professional Education Committee [which she later did, and to which she was appointed].

Proposed Charges:

Draft Charge to Budget and Finance Committee on Rutgers' Current Information, Data, and Media Systems - The Executive Committee discussed a potential charge submitted by Leslie Fishbein on Review of Rutgers' Current Information, Data, and Media Systems, as follows: "Consider what Senator Leslie Fishbein has suggested is a 'Need for a review of [Rutgers'] current information, data, and media systems to insure that they are as modernized as we can afford them to be and that they communicate well with one another.' Include RIAS in discussions of this issue. Prioritize the list of systems for review and updating, and make recommendations which would also include suggestions on appropriate procedures such as consultation with end-users." It was agreed that Don Smith, Vice President for Information Technology, would be invited to discuss this issue with the Executive Committee before a decision would be made on whether to issue a charge.

Draft Charge to Academic Standards, Regulations and Admissions Committee on Academic Calendar, Mini-terms, and Spring Break Saturdays - The Executive Committee discussed and issued to the ASRAC a charge based on the issue raised by Camilo Garcia, Camden Registrar, on Academic Calendar, Mini-terms, and Spring Break, as follows: "Consider and respond to the issues raised by Camden Registrar Camilo Garcia in his email to Sam Rabinowitz regarding seven-week "mini-terms" and Spring Break Saturdays."

Proposed Charge to Faculty Affairs and Personnel Committee on Balance of Full-Time and Part-Time Faculty - A proposed charge submitted by PTL Senator Karen Thompson on the Balance of Full-time and Part-time Faculty had been discussed earlier, during the administrative report. The charge had been drafted as follows: "Consider the 1999 Report on the Balance of Full-time and Part-time Faculty Teaching at Rutgers University, and, with updated numbers and charts from the Office of Academic Affairs, make recommendations concerning changing trends and shifting percentages, paying particular attention to what may be unconscious drift in misguided directions." Action on this potential charge was postponed until Executive Vice President Furmanski provides the update referred to therein.

Proposed Charges to Research, and Graduate and Professional Education Committee (RGPEC) - Some general topics for potential charges to the RGPEC submitted by Daniel Swartley-McArdle and Gayle Stein, 2009-2010 RGPEC co-chairs, were discussed. RGPEC Co-chair Swartley-McArdle was at the meeting, but was not able to provide additional details about these items, noting that they arose from a general discussion of possible charges, rather than from a focused attempt to draft charges that could be issued by the Executive Committee. The RGPEC will continue its discussions of possible charges and respond to the Executive Committee if and when they have more concrete proposals. The potential issues for charges discussed at this Executive Committee meeting were:

Rutgers Publication Policy: "Review, discuss and make recommendations on the Rutgers Publication Policy. Review the capability to accomplish this, as well as the reasons for open access publishing, such as RU Core. Evaluate other universities' policies and suggest best practices for Rutgers." [See RUCore Policies and University Policy 50.3.7, Copyright Policy.]
Institutional Review Boards: "Look into set-up, and clear and reasonable threshold, and the ability to fast-track. Examine the dual-IRB structure that currently exists in some instances and make recommendations accordingly."
Security, Storage, and Destruction of Data: "Look at how Rutgers handles data associated with research projects, focusing on guidelines, protocols, most affected and vulnerable, and how individual units are responding to this problem."
Time to Degree Completion: "Evaluate the ability of students to complete their master's and professional degrees on time and make recommendations as to how the process might be improved."
Research Infrastructure and Equipment: "Address the problem of much needed equipment , policy about replacement and repair. Propose a mechanism by which units can communicate with each other and facilitate a multi-disciplinary approach to solving this problem. Examine the feasibility of clustering."

Proposed Charge to Faculty and Personnel Affairs Committee on Academic Reappointment/Promotion Form 1-A - A charge proposed by Senator Fishbein was discussed and issued to the Faculty and Personnel Affairs Committee as follows: "Review Academic Reappointment/Promotion Form 1-A, and make recommendations to improve the form in terms of usability and user-friendliness, as well as scheduling and notification of the need for faculty to complete the form, and versatility of the form for other purposes. Consider the supporting information prepared by Senator Leslie Fishbein, who proposed this charge."

Revision of Charge on Merit Scholarship Policies - Martha Cotter, co-chair of the Academic Standards, Regulations and Admissions Committee, offered to revise Charge S-0916 on Merit Scholarship Policies. Cotter's revised charge will be circulated to the Executive Committee via email and issued if there are no objections. [The charge was subsequently reissued as follows: "Evaluate current Rutgers policies and practices regarding the awarding and funding of merit scholarships for undergraduate students. Propose possible changes to make those policies and practices more effective in attracting outstanding students to Rutgers."]

5. University Senate Agendas

September 24, 2010 Senate Meeting: This meeting hosts the President's Annual Address to the Rutgers Community, which is the primary agenda item. The chairperson's report will be brief, but will include introductions of, and brief statements of plans from, standing-committee chairs.

October 1, 2010 Senate Meeting: The Executive Committee, noting that there were few items to docket for the October 1 meeting, and that it had been scheduled as a contingency or extra meeting, cancelled the October 1 meeting. Two items that would have been on that docket will be placed on the October 22 Senate docket, as follows:

Election of Staff Senator Member of the Senate Executive Committee [Universitywide staff Senator elections had not been completed prior to last year's Senate organizational meeting.]
University Structure and Governance Committee Response to Charge S-0902, Senate Speakers, Discussions, Forums. [This item was tabled at the April 30, 2010 Senate meeting.]

6. Old Business

Update on Academic Integrity Policy Review Committee: Martha Cotter updated the Executive Committee on the activities of the Academic Integrity Policy Review Committee. She said that she expects the final draft of the new Academic Integrity Policy to be ready for review by the Senate's Academic Standards, Regulations and Admissions Committee in October.

University Structure and Governance Committee Co-chair: Ken Swalagin told the committee that its prior decision to appoint Jon Oliver, who is no longer a Senator, to continue as a non-Senator co-chair of the University Structure and Governance Committee, violates the Senate's bylaw that mandates that committee chairs must be Senators. Peter Gillett will chair the USGC without a co-chair.

7. New Business

Senate Parliamentarian: Victor Greenhut was again appointed Senate Parliamentarian. Senator Greenhut will be invited to Executive Committee meetings when Senate bylaws are being considered, and/or at the discretion of the Senate chair.

8. Adjournment

The meeting adjourned at 3:43 p.m.

Submitted by,
Ken Swalagin
Executive Secretary of the University Senate