RUTGERS UNIVERSITY SENATE
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
M I N U T E S
November 18, 2016

MEMBERS PRESENT:  Boikess, Borisovets, Cotter, Esposito, Gillett (Chair), Gould, Krapivin, Krutyansky, Mouradian, Otto, Puhak, Thompson, Van Stine, Wang

MEMBERS EXCUSED:  Janniger, Pirrello

ALSO ATTENDING:  R. Barchi (President of the University), B. Lee (Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs), S. Rabinowitz (Faculty Representative to the Board of Governors), A. Samant (Faculty Representative to the Board of Trustees), M. Spiegel (Faculty Representative to the Board of Trustees), K. Swalagin (Executive Secretary)

The regular meeting of the University Senate Executive Committee was held on Friday, November 18, 2016 at 1:10 p.m. in Executive Conference Room of ASB-III on the Cook Campus.

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

Senate and Executive Committee Chair Peter Gillett called the meeting to order at 1:10 p.m. He said that he had that day received responses from Deans Kukor and Scotto to questions from Senate standing committees relating to the proposal to form a School of Graduate Studies.

2.    Secretary’s Report - Ken Swalagin, Executive Secretary of the Senate
[President Barchi joined the meeting at 1:19 p.m.]

3.    Administrative Liaison

University President Robert Barchi presented an administrative report, which included comments on:
[President Barchi left the meeting at 2:02 p.m.]

Reports:

Research, and Graduate and Professional Education Committee (RGPEC) Response to Charge S-1508 on Responsible Conduct of Research - Jane Otto, RGPEC Chair

RGPEC Chair Jane Otto summarized her committee's report on Charge S-1508, on Responsible Conduct of Research. The report was discussed, and minor changes that were suggested were agreed to by Otto. The report was then docketed for action at the upcoming Senate meeting.

University Structure and Governance Committee (USGC) Response to Charge S-1501 on Eligibility, Nomination, and Election of Senate Leadership and Board Representatives - Jon Oliver and Robert Puhak, USGC Co-chairs

USGC Co-chair Robert Puhak summarized his committee's report on Charge S-1501, on Eligibility, Nomination and Election of Senate Leadership and Board Representatives. The report was discussed at some length, and suggestions were made to clarify some of its content. It was agreed that Puhak, Gillett, Swalagin, and any others who wished to do so would remain after the meeting adjourned to discuss necessary changes to the report. The report was not docketed for Senate action.

[Barbara Lee left the meeting at 3:03 p.m.]
Academic Standards, Regulations and Admissions Committee (ASRAC) Revised Response to Charge S-1609 on Revisions to Rutgers University Academic Integrity Policy [Note: Link goes to the report as revised December 2016.] - Martha Cotter and Matthew Winkler, ASRAC Co-chairs

ASRAC Co-chair Martha Cotter summarized her committee's report on Charge S-1609, on Revisions to Rutgers University Academic Integrity Policy. The report was a late addition to the agenda, and was distributed in hardcopy at the meeting. Cotter said that she planned to send a revised policy to the ASRAC, and would add a resolution. She was to revise the report and return it to Swalagin for circulation to the Executive Committee for docketing for action at the upcoming Senate meeting. [Note: The report could not be revised and circulated to the ASRAC in time for docketing for the Senate, so it was deferred.]

Issues/Charges:

Issue of PTL Access to Rutgers Email and Other Services During Summer - Submitted by PTL Senator Karen Thompson:

Karen Thompson summarized the following issue, which she had submitted for Executive Committee consideration:

"Another PTL Senator has asked me to raise this concern, with the intent of creating universitywide policy in the interest of students. It seems that SOME PTLs lose access to their university email, Sakai and library privileges during the summer or a semester off. This situation prevents preparation of classes during these times which disadvantages the PTL instructor and can undermine class management. This problem especially occurs immediately before a course begins (particularly for newly hired PTLs) and could at least be avoided by mandated, even temporary, access requirements.  Again, this is a concern for students as well as instructors. Can we discuss whether a charge is appropriate to address this problem?"

The issue was discussed, and Adrienne Esposito was asked to research the matter from an information technology perspective, and report back to the Executive Committee. Thompson will also communicate directly with Barbara Lee on this subject. No charge was issued.


Issue of Free Speech, Hate, and Violence - Senator Boikess had suggested Senate action on the issue addressed by the following two communications:
The matter was discussed at length. It was decided that Gillett will write to Barchi, explaining that the Senate is interested in the issue, and asking what the Executive Committee could do to help. Gillett asked Boikess to email him a summary of key points he'd like to see covered. [Note: On December 9, 2016, the Senate adopted a Resolution on Rutgers, A Safe and Welcoming Environment drafted by Gillett, and refined by the Executive Committee.]

5.    Old Business
Standing Committees' Responses to Proposal to Form School of Graduate Studies - Responses to Senate standing committee questions on the Proposal to Form a School of Graduate Studies, as well as an annotated Proposal, had been received that day, and were distributed to the Executive Committee in hardcopy at the meeting. The responses were discussed. Swalagin will put together a schedule for Deans Scotto and Kukor to attend the upcoming Senate committee meetings to discuss committee-specific, remaining concerns, and will ask all committee chairs to respond to him with their thoughts on whether or not they would endorse, as a committee, the proposal.

[Mary Mickelsen left the meeting at 4:30 p.m.]
Revised Report of the Senate Parliamentarian - Submitted by Peter Gillett, Former Senate Parliamentarian, and discussed at previous meetings. This item was again docketed, but was not discussed due to time constraints. It will appear on the next Executive Committee agenda.

Issue/Proposed Charge to Faculty and Personnel Affairs Committee (FPAC) on Staff and Faculty Hiring Eligibility and Screening Protocols - Submitted by Student Senator Michael Van Stine

The rationale for this proposed charge was submitted for, and discussed at, the previous EC meeting. Charge language was to be drafted for this meeting.
Proposed Charge (drafted by Ann Gould): Consider the feasibility of preference in hiring for graduates of Rutgers University, other considerations (including collective bargaining) being equal. Explore similar policies at peer institutions. If deemed appropriate, recommend changes in hiring policy. Respond to Senate Executive Committee by October 2017.

Rationale (submitted by Michael Van Stine):
"The university has a complex set of eligibility and screening protocols for hiring for staff and faculty positions. They range from minimal educational and experience requirements and varied proficiencies to veterans and collective bargaining unit preference. The university is at core mission designed to serve students and students are the primary revenue source for the university. Students have in many cases skills and knowledge that set them apart from open outside competition for open positions. I would like to propose that the FPAC committee explore possibilities after all existing primary considerations are satisfied -- including veteran's and existing staff preference, that active students (and possibly alumni) be afforded first consideration for open positions over outside market competition. It would be of interest if there is a precedent for this at any of our peer universities."

The charge and issue were discussed, and a charge issued as follows, with a November 2017 reporting deadline:

Consider the feasibility of preference in hiring for graduates of Rutgers University, other considerations (including collective bargaining) being equal. Explore similar policies at peer institutions. If deemed appropriate, recommend changes in hiring policy.

[Samuel Rabinowitz left the meeting at 4:40 p.m.]

6.    New Business

Selection of Senators to serve on Dean's Evaluation Committee for Cathryn Potter, Dean of the School of Social Work and for Joanne Robinson, Dean of Rutgers School of Nursing - Camden - Suggestions were made for Senators to serve on the evaluation committee for Cathryn Potter, Dean of the School of Social Work, and for Joanne Robinson, Dean of Rutgers School of Nursing - Camden, per Barbara Lee's requests. Gillett asked that additional suggestions be emailed to him, and that he will communicate directly with Lee on the selections.

New Brunswick/RBHS Commencement Committee Update - Ann Gould said that the NB/RBHS Commencement Committee had met on November 1, and had ranked nominees for 2017 and 2018 commencement speakers and honorary degree recipients.

7.    University Senate Agenda

December 9, 2016 Senate Meeting: Items were docketed for the December 9, 2016 Senate agenda, as indicated above, and also including a Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences Chancellor's Report.

8.    Adjournment

The meeting adjourned at 4:56 p.m.

Minutes written and submitted by,

Ken Swalagin
Executive Secretary of the University Senate