UNIVERSITY SENATE
Executive Committee

A G E N D A
April 8, 2016 - 1:10 p.m.


1.    Chair’s Report  - Ann Gould, Senate Chair

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

4.    Standing Committees
Reports:

Faculty and Personnel Affairs Committee (FPAC) Response to Charge S-1409 on Greater Integration of Contingent Faculty in the Rutgers Community - Ann Gould and Joseph Markert, FPAC Co-chairs

The FPAC was charged as follows: Given the ever increasing use of contingent faculty (NTT and PTL) at Rutgers and nationally, consider ways to integrate these faculty fully into the university community. Identify other institutions that have been successful in providing such rights and privileges to their contingent faculty and propose measures to emulate them. In particular, consider ways to afford contingent faculty the security necessary to be more active participants in shared governance, as well as more visible members of the community.

Faculty and Personnel Affairs Committee (FPAC) Response to Charge A-1603 on Evaluation of Administrators, Part II: Evaluation of Chancellors - Ann Gould and Joseph Markert, FPAC Co-chairs

The FPAC was charged as follows: Given the joint Rutgers-UMDNJ integration and changes in administrative structure, reconsider the process recommended by the University Senate in 2012 for evaluation of upper administrators, now with a focus on evaluating chancellors.  Respond to the Senate Executive Committee by April 2016.  [Issued November 2012. Reissued June 2015. Revised to focus on evaluation of chancellors, and reissued as A-1603 March 2016.]

Student Affairs Committee (SAC) Response to Charge S-1305-2 on Smoke-Free Rutgers - Robert Barraco, Zachary Borden, and Samuel Rabinowitz, SAC Co-chairs

The SAC was charged as follows: Examine the desirability, feasibility, impact and means of evolving into a smoke-free Rutgers.

Rutgers' Smoking Policy
Smoke-Free and Tobacco-Free U.S. and Tribal Colleges and Universities

Student Affairs Committee (SAC) Response to Charge S-1401 on Taking Courses on Other Campuses/Intercampus Equivalency - Robert Barraco, Zachary Borden, and Samuel Rabinowitz, SAC Co-chairs

The SAC was charged as follows: Examine obstacles preventing students from accessing educational resources located on other Rutgers campuses. If deemed appropriate, recommend policy and process changes that would promote growth of inter-campus collaboration. Refer to the Student Caucus proposal for this charge when deliberating. Identify issues to be further considered by the Instruction, Curricula and Advising Committee, if necessary.

Issues/Charges:

Proposed Charge to University Structure and Governance Committee (USGC) on Process for Unit Mergers or Other Structural Changes in Non-academic Units that have Broad Educational Impact  - As stipulated in the USGC report on Charge S-1403, Process for Unit Mergers or Other Structural Changes
Proposed Charge: Consider and recommend a procedure, timeline, template and process for merger or dissolution of, or making structural changes to, non-academic units that have a broad educational impact. Refer to the Senate report and recommendations on Charge S-1403, Process for Unit Mergers or Other Structural Changes, when considering this charge. Respond to Senate Executive Committee by [insert deadline].

5.    Old Business

 Instruction, Curricula and Advising Committee (ICAC) Response to Charge S-1504 on Determination of Student Attendance [Linked is the original report, which is what was postponed, and what is therefore before the Senate. A DRAFT revised report is online here.] - Natalie Borisovets, ICAC Chair

This report was postponed at the February and April 1 Senate meetings. The ICAC was charged as follows: "Develop guidelines that would allow units and individual instructors to comply with U.S. Department of Education requirements that Rutgers keep records for students receiving federal financial aid that substantiate students' participatory attendance in the classes for which they are registered."

Proposed Charge on Sale of Alcohol in Stadiums - Submitted by New Brunswick Student Member of the EC Justin Schulberg. This proposal was discussed at the previous EC meeting. An ad hoc committee is to be formed consisting of chairs of standing committees or their representatives, plus three other people to be selected by the EC. A proposed, draft charge is below.
Rationale: "After RUSA passed a resolution calling for the sale of alcohol in stadiums, specifically looking at the Rutgers Athletic Center (RAC) and High Point Solution Stadium, it is incumbent upon the Senate to also look into this matter. This issue does not just affect New Brunswick students, which RUSA represents, but it stretches to the domain of faculty, staff, alumni, and countless others who attend Rutgers' athletic events. This issue is heated and dynamic, as it has broad-reaching consequences. As the most representative body at Rutgers University, it is necessary for the University Senate to look into the sale of alcohol in the stadiums and advise President Barchi on its investigation and recommendations into the matter."

Proposed, Draft Charge to the Ad Hoc Committee on Sale of Alcohol in Stadiums: Consider the rationale and RUSA resolution on the potential sale of alcohol at Rutgers stadiums. Explore the issue, and make recommendations, as appropriate. Respond to Senate Executive Committee by [insert deadline].

Annual Review of All Outstanding, Pending Committee Charges: Charges issued to committees lapse in March of the year following the year in which the charge was issued. Ken Swalagin has emailed all standing committee chairs to ask for a status report on pending charges for EC review at this meeting. [Hardcopies will be distributed at the meeting.]

Proposal on Webstreaming and Archiving Senate Meeting Videos - Submitted by Justin Schulberg, New Brunswick Student Executive Committee Member: This issue has been discussed by the EC at several meetings. The EC has decided that an ad hoc committee will be formed to address this issue, consisting of volunteers from the Senate's standing committees, that will meet on Senate Friday mornings, an hour before the standing committees convene. This committee may meet in May and June. The committee needs a chair. The charge to the committee will be:
Consider the feasibility and desirability of videorecording and live webstreaming University Senate meetings, and archiving those videorecordings online for later viewing. Include in discussions aspects of the issue as transparency, technology, costs, benefits, audience, need, personal privacy of participants, etc. Present arguments both for and against the streaming and archiving. Respond to Senate Executive Committee by February 2017.

Proposed Charge on Test-Optional Admissions - Submitted by Senator Robert Boikess: "Dear EC Members, Perhaps it might be appropriate for you to issue a charge related to 'test optional admissions' in light of this new information from today's [January 26, 2016] Inside Higher Ed." This issue was discussed at the previous EC meeting, during which ASRAC Co-chair Martha Cotter said she would consult with Vice President for Enrollment Management Courtney McAnuff on the matter before the EC considers issuing a charge to the ASRAC.

Timelines and Membership for Commencement Panel/Committees - From Kim Pastva, Interim Secretary of the University:

"We are in the process of getting the call [for honorary-degree and commencement-speaker nominations] out to the community. My suggested timeline is: [Ken Swalagin's notations in brackets.]

 

"After the Senate receives the nominations, how much time do you think you will need for review and ranking? Do you think we could have the results by the end of May (after graduation?) Then the administrations can meet and start making offers over the summer. I think we should then do a call in September 2016 for 2018's commencement. Barbara Lee suggested that, and that would certainly give us a lot of time to get on people's calendars."

Volunteers for the chancellors' committees have been solicited by email from Ken Swalagin, and at the April 1 Senate meeting by Ann Gould. A list of those volunteers will be distributed in hardcopy at this meeting. Additional volunteers may be needed.


6.    New Business

Nominating Panel 2016: An email was sent by Ken Swalagin to all current Senators on February 24 announcing the opportunity to submit self-nominations or nominations of others for 2016-17 Senate officer and board representative positions. The email directs Senators to nominating instructions and the Nominating Panel Charge. The Executive Committee is asked to suggest Senators to serve on a Nominating Panel that can be called upon to suggest additional nominees in categories not sufficiently populated within the next several weeks. Jon Oliver and Robert Puhak have again agreed to chair the panel and present the slate and election process at the April 29 Senate meeting. At this meeting, Ken Swalagin will summarize the nominations received to date.

7.    University Senate Agenda

April 29, 2016 Senate Meetings:

8.    Adjournment