RUTGERS UNIVERSITY SENATE
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
M I N U T E S
November 20, 2015

MEMBERS PRESENT: Borisovets, Cotter, Gillett, Gould (Chair), Oliver, Otto, Puhak, Schulberg, Swalagin (Executive Secretary), Theiss, Thompson, Wang

MEMBERS EXCUSED:  Barraco, Janniger, Langer, Mhaske

ALSO ATTENDING: C. Aziz (Manager of Information Technology), R. Barchi (University President), R. Chen (Co-Dean, Rutgers Law School), M. Kim (Associate General Council), B. Lee (Senior V.P. for Academic Affairs), A. Samant (Faculty Representative to the Board of Trustees), M. Spiegel (Faculty Representative to the Board of Trustees), W. Welsh (Executive Director of the Office of Disability Services)

The regular meeting of the University Senate Executive Committee was held on Friday, November 20, 2015 at 1:10 p.m. in the Executive Board Room of Administrative Services Building-III, Cook Campus.

1. Chair’s Report 

Senate and Executive Committee Chair Ann Gould called the meeting to order at 1:13 p.m. There was no chair's report.

2.    Secretary’s Report - Ken Swalagin, Executive Secretary of the Senate
3.    Administrative Report - Robert Barchi, University President, and Barbara Lee, Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs

University President Robert Barchi presented an Administrative Report, which included comments on:
 [Jerome Langer, Yuchung Wang, William Welsh, Martha Kim, and Christian Aziz, arrived at the meeting during the administrative report.]

President Barchi then responded to questions and heard comments on the above subjects, as well as promotion of Rutgers' 250th anniversary.

4.1.    Old Business
Continued discussion of Web Accessibility Policy - William Welsh, Executive Director, Office of Disability Services; Christian Aziz, Manager of Information Technology; and Martha Kim, Associate General Counsel

William Welsh, Executive Director, Office of Disability Services; Christian Aziz, Manager of Information Technology; and Martha Kim, Associate General Counsel briefed the Executive Committee, and responded to questions, on the Web Accessibility Policy, including changes made to the policy since the previous discussion. Following discussion, Swalagin was asked to draft a resolution to come from the Senate endorsing the policy, and requesting an update in six months, at which time the Senate may wish to discuss the policy again.

[Barchi left the meeting aqt 2:00 p.m.]
[Welsh, Aziz, and Kim left the meeting at 2:06 p.m.]

5.1.    Standing Committees

Issues/Charges:

Background, and Proposed Charge to Faculty and Personnel Affairs Committee on Staff Promotion and Salary Adjustment Policy - Submitted by the Staff Caucus via Jon Oliver
Jon Oliver, Staff Member of the Executive Committee, and convener of the Staff Caucus, summarized a charge proposal submitted by the Staff Caucus on the Staff Promotion and Salary Adjustment Policy. The charge was discussed and issued as follows:
Examine Rutgers’ policies on salary adjustments for staff. In particular, review University Policy 60.4.10, which limits Rutgers staff employees’ salary adjustments following promotion or reclassification to levels below those that may be negotiated or offered for newly hired staff employees. Where appropriate, make recommendations for modifying the policy. Respond to Senate Executive Committee by November 2016.

Proposed Charge on Data Science - Submitted by Yuchung Wang, Camden Faculty Member of the Executive Committee
Yuchung Wang, Camden Faculty Member of the Executive Committee, summarized his proposal for a charge on establishing a data science program at Rutgers. During discussion, Senator Puhak said that data science is being discussed in Newark, and that a team there was acting on the issue. Several potential contacts were offered, and it was suggested that Wang contact some or all of them. No charge was issued, but the matter may come before the Executive Committee again in the future.

[Ronald Chen arrived at the meeting at 2:30 p.m.]

4.2.    Old Business (Continued)

Update on Merger of School of Law-Camden and School of Law-Newark, as stipulated in the Senate's endorsement of that merger - Ronald Chen, Dean of School of Law-Newark

Ronald Chen, Dean of the School of Law-Newark, presented an update and status report on the merger of Rutgers law schools. The matter was discussed at some length. After Chen left the meeting at 3:09 p.m., the Executive Committee decided to request another update in one year.

[Chen left the meeting at 3:09 p.m.]

5.2.    Standing Committees (Continued)

Issues/Charges (Continued):

Proposed Charge to Faculty and Personnel Affairs Committee on Forming Staff Councils - Submitted by the Staff Caucus via Jon Oliver

The proposal for a charge on forming staff councils was not yet complete at the time of this meeting, but Jon Oliver, on behalf of the Staff Caucus, said that the Staff Caucus wants to propose that the Faculty and Personnel Affairs Committee be charged with forming staff councils at all Rutgers divisions, similar to the existing faculty councils, and as mentioned at the previous Senate meeting was already in process in Newark. The issue will be considered at a subsequent Executive Committee meeting. No charge was issued.

Proposed Charge to University Structure and Governance Committee on Student and Faculty Voting Representatives to the Board of Governors - Submitted by Justin Schulberg and Avi Desai
Justin Schulberg, New Brunswick Student Member of the Executive Committee, withdrew a proposal to charge the University Structure and Governance Committee with considering student and faculty voting representation on the Board of Governors. The proposal was discussed, and it was noted that Kim Pastva, Interim Secretary of the University, would be attending the January Executive Committee meeting to speak about how policies are enacted by the board, and could be asked to brief the Executive Committee on this matter as well. No charge was issued. 

4.3.    Old Business (Continued)

Proposal on "Senate Transparency" - Submitted by Justin Schulberg, New Brunswick Student Executive Committee Member

This matter had been discussed at previous meetings. Swalagin said that Mary Mickelsen had contacted RUTV regarding feasibility of live streaming of Senate meetings, and had been told that infrastructure at the College Avenue Student Center cannot currently support the process, but that the hardware is being updated. Newark does not have capacity to even audio-record Senate meetings. The Executive Committee did not decide whether Senate meetings should be streamed live even if the technology is available at the meeting locations. Mickelsen spoke about the costs of hardware and software to enable clicker-based, recorded voting, which were prohibitively high. Schulberg said that if no feasible process could be found, he would not pursue the suggestion. 

University Policy Revision Process: At the September meeting, the Executive Committee approved a motion to invite Kim Pastva, Interim Secretary of the University, to attend a meeting to discuss how University Policies are revised and disseminated. Swalagin informed the Executive Committee that Ms. Pastva has accepted an invitation to attend the January 8 Executive Committee meeting. He will ask her to also be prepared to respond to questions about board membership, closed meetings, and other board processes.

Nursing Programs Merger Update: The University Senate's May 2014 endorsement of the Nursing programs merger included a provision for updates to be provided to the Senate. Swalagin informed the Executive Committee that Nursing Deans Joanne Robinson and Marie O'Toole will attend the January 8 Executive Committee meeting to provide that update.


6.    University Senate Agenda

The agenda for the December 11, 2015 Senate meeting was established. Items were docketed as listed on the Senate agenda. Senate action on the previously introduced University Structure and Governance Committee report on Charge S-1410 on Honorary Degree and Commencement Speaker Selection Process will not be docketed until President Barchi responds to the report, indicating whether its recommendations are accepted, which would determine if Senate bylaws need to be updated accordingly. Instruction, Curricula and Advising Committee Chair Natalie Borisovets said that her committee's Response to Charge S-1503 on Testing Facilities at Rutgers [Link goes to report as docketed for Senate action] should be ready by December 11. That report was docketed provisionally for Senate action. Swalagin will circulate it for approval when he receives it.

7.    New Business

There was no new business.
8.    Adjournment

Chairperson Gould wished everyone a good Thanksgiving, and then adjourned the meeting at 3:56 p.m.

Minutes written and submitted by,

Ken Swalagin
Executive Secretary of the University Senate