CHAIRPERSON (Elect One)

Paul Leath
I am a faculty member in the SAS Department of Physics and Astronomy. For the past three years I have enjoyed being the Senate's Faculty Representative to the Rutgers Board of Governors as important issues have been considered, such as the restructuring of undergraduate education on the New Brunswick Campus, and the Vagelos plan for merging the higher education institutions in New Jersey. Prior to that I had been a co-chair of the Faculty Affairs and Personnel Committee when important Senate resolutions and University policies have been developed (such as "Best Practices in Assessment of Teaching", "Faculty Departmental Voting Rights", "Health Care Insurance for Graduate Students", "Evaluation of Administrators by Faculty and Students", "FASIP Awards-Making Public the Recipients and Amounts Thereof", and "Workplace Violence Policy").  Last year (2005-06) I was the Chair of the New Brunswick Faculty Council as their resolutions concerning the Task Force recommendations on the restructuring of undergraduate education on the New Brunswick Campus were developed. I have, over the years, served on very many University committees. In addition, from 1978-1987 I was the Associate Provost for Academic Affairs in the Sciences, and from 1987-1992 I was the Provost of the New Brunswick Campus. And most recently, I was for nine years the Chair of the FAS Department of Physics and Astronomy. I presently am teaching a large introductory physics course designed for humanities and social science students. My research is in theoretical condensed matter physics, specifically the properties of disordered materials. Finally, I believe strongly in shared governance of Universities, and that there is a vital place for the Senate and its voice in the University. If elected, I will work to see that important issues and resolutions are brought before the Senate, and will vigorously support its resolutions before the administration and the Board of Governors. The Senate is and should continue to be a respected, important, and exciting governing body in the University.

Samuel Rabinowitz
“The Rutgers University Senate is the sole institution that represents the entire community of faculty, students, staff, administrators, and alumni to the president of Rutgers University (hereinafter referred to as “the president”) and to its Board of Governors.” This sentence is the first one found in the Preamble to the Handbook of the Rutgers University Senate and it captures the essence of why I seek the position of Chairperson. Without this body which, at its best, exemplifies shared governance, I would not have had the opportunity to meet and work with so many esteemed colleagues and fellow stakeholders from units around the multiple locations of Rutgers University over much of my 23 years in Camden. The chance to serve as Vice Chair over the last 8 years has been a marvelous experience and given me a chance to get an exposure to your thoughts and concerns. Coupled with my own experiences as a member of each of the stakeholder groups during various points of my academic life, I believe that, working together, we can grow a better Rutgers for ourselves and those who follow us. I’ll talk about my view of the role of the Chair at the election meeting on Friday, Thanks for giving me a moment of your busy day!

VICE CHAIR
There were no nominees for this position. Runner-up in Chair election will become Vice Chair.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE FULL-TIME FACULTY (Elect Five)

Natalie Borisovets, Newark Faculty
Having been an active member of the University Senate since 1988 (Chair 1993-1996; Chair Educational Policy 1997-2000; Chair, Instruction, Curricula & Advising 2000- ), I believe that I have a good sense of where the Senate has been and where we would like to be. While the Newark campus is “home,” I’m actually a member of a faculty that crosses all three campuses. As such I believe that I also bring a unique university-wide perspective to the Senate. The Executive Committee, as the group that guides and sets the agenda, is a vital component of this unique shared governance body. I am privileged to have been given the opportunity to participate and contribute to that group; I hope that you grant me the opportunity to continue.

Jan Dutta, New Brunswick Faculty
[No statement submitted.]

Ann Gould, New Brunswick Faculty
I am a second-term Senator representing Cook College/SEBS. For the past five years I have been honored to serve as co-chair of the Faculty Affairs and Personnel Committee. During this time, my co-chair and I have worked with this committee to address issues associated with e-mail privacy, faculty voting rights, the evaluation of deans, the annual faculty survey, and most recently, phased retirement and annual faculty terms and governance. This past academic year I have had the opportunity to serve on the Senate Executive committee. I have found my time with the Senate to be interesting and challenging, and I hope that my efforts have contributed to the welfare of the faculty, students, and staff of this University. I look forward to continued participation on the Senate executive committee, and I appreciate your consideration and vote.

Victor Greenhut, New Brunswick Faculty
I welcome the opportunity to stand for election to the University Senate’s Executive Committee. Having served as a Senator for many years over several decades, I’m familiar with, engaged in, and respectful of the Senate’s roles and responsibilities in promoting shared governance and collegial discussion of Rutgers-wide issues. I strongly believe in compassionate governance, and, if elected to the Executive Committee, will do my best to represent and further the views of my constituents and the Rutgers community fairly and responsibly. Thank you for your support.

Jozef Kokini, New Brunswick Faculty
Dr Jozef L. Kokini joined Rutgers University’s Department of Food Science in 1980 and was promoted to the rank of Distinguished Professor in 1994. He currently serves as the Chair of the Department of Food Science since July 2000 and Director of the Center for Advanced Food Technology since March 2000. Dr. Kokini has been a member of the Rutgers University Senate since 1999, and previously served as Co-chair of the Senate’s Budget and Finance Committee. He is currently Chair of the New Brunswick Faculty Council. These positions have given him extensive opportunity and experience in shared governance both at the campus faculty level and at the University-wide level. In 2006 Dr. Kokini was elected to the International Academy of Food Science and Technology. In 2002 Dr. Kokini received the American Association of Cereal Chemists C.W. Brabender Award and the Marcel Loncin Prize for Research in Food Engineering and in 1996 was awarded the George W. Scott Blair Award. In 2001 Dr. Kokini received the Harold Macy Food Science and Technology Award of the Institute of Food Technologists, was elected a Fellow of the Institute of Food Technologists in 2000 and in 1986 was awarded the Samuel Cate Prescott Award.

Francoise Puniello, New Brunswick Faculty
What I would bring to the Executive Committee is my 36 years of working as a librarian at Rutgers University. I have been most fortunate in that time to work with many diverse groups within the organization. Currently as Acting Associate University Librarian for Research and Instructional Services I am responsible for library services across all campuses. I have, in the past, been a bibliographer in the areas of women’s and gender studies and French. I have served on many committees for Douglass College, served as an associate member of the Mason Gross School of the Arts, have attend Administrative Council meetings at Cook College as well as being a fellow of Livingston College. In my twelve years of service on University Senate I was elected to serve on the Board of Trustees, and have served on the Faculty Affairs committee and the Student Affairs Committee. Currently I am on a Middle States committee, on the facilities subcommittee of the Transforming Undergraduate Education Task Force and on a Priorities Setting Committee for the Capital Campaign. I present these to demonstrate that I have a wide knowledge of the workings of the University. As a librarian I have striven to have libraries which are responsive to the needs of faculty and students. I am also able to see the University through the eyes of my two sons and two nephews who recently graduated from Rutgers College and who let me know some of the challenges that faced them during their tenure here. It would be an honor to serve on the Executive Committee of the Senate.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE PART-TIME LECTURER/ANNUAL-APPOINTEE FACULTY (Elect One)

Rachael Goldman
I want to become a member of the Senate Executive Committee as a Part-Time Lecturer for 2007-2008. Based upon my unique academic qualifications, following my undergraduate and graduate studies at Rutgers College, and experience working in Academic services, I was called upon by the undergraduate chair and Gary Farney to begin my teaching career at Rutgers-Newark College of Arts and Sciences. I have taught as a PTL at Rutgers-Newark for the past three years. My courses expand the range of ancient history survey and language courses and served as the advisor to the recently expanded Ancient and Medieval Civilizations program in the History department. My personal experience navigating the complexities involved to successfully be granted a PTL professional activities fund in 2006 and 2007. My unique experience has allowed me to publish my research findings and share my findings with my students in classes. Serving as advisor to the History Club, I shared my liaisons with key ancient art and history collections and coordinate associate experts for exclusive speaking engagements. I serve on the Rutgers Speakers Bureau and among my most well received presentations are lectures in the history department and Rutgers law school.

Karen Thompson
Karen Thompson, a part-time lecturer in the New Brunswick English Department since 1979, has served as Senator for PTLs / Annuals over the past several years after having worked to include PTLs in the Senate for the first time. She supported recent improvements for non-tenure track faculty, such as the lifting of the four-year rule, through Senate report and recommendations and believes the funding of more full-time lines goes hand-in-hand with increased professional treatment for part-time and non-tenure track faculty. Both approaches should be priorities in serving student interests. She also serves as temporary PTL representative to the New Brunswick Faculty Council, now that PTLs are included there as well. Inclusion of PTLs in the life of the University has been one of her long time goals. Beyond participation in governance, Thompson aims to improve the professional working conditions of PTLs and serves as staff representative for the Rutgers AAUP-AFT.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE STUDENT - CAMDEN (Elect One)

Alesha McCall, Camden Student
[No statement submitted.]

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE STUDENT - NEW BRUNSWICK (Elect One)

Ryan Cooke, New Brunswick Student
Hello Senators, My name is Ryan Cooke and I am running for the New Brunswick Student Senate position. This Past year I was a member of the University Legislative Affairs Committee and Chairman of the Legislative Affairs committee for the LCGA.I have a nearly perfect attendance record in my two years of service on the Senate and feel ready for the next step as a student leader. I would appreciate your support and promise to dedicate the time and effort to do this job to the best of my ability.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE ALUMNUS (Elect One)

Raymond Bodnar
I would like to serve again as a member of the  Executive Committee because my 50-year career as a research and continuing education faculty person should bring a varied perspective. As an alumnus I also experienced the growth of Rutgers from an all-male college to the diversified state university and land grant institution it is today.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE STAFF (Elect One)

Gayle Stein
Gayle Stein is a good candidate to serve as staff representative to the Senate. Although only on the executive committee for one year, Gayle has already made contributions, including submitting three charges for review by the Instruction, Curricula, and Advising committee and one charge to the Structure and Governance committee. In addition, at the executive committee meeting on April 6, Gayle submitted several potential charges for review, including one to develop a new committee, "Institutional Climate," that will expand on the current work being done by the Equal Opportunity committee. Gayle's experience as a staff member, graduate school student and alumna, and instructor position her to be able to provide quality input into the Senate executive committee.

BOARD OF GOVERNORS FACULTY REPRESENTATIVE (Elect One)

Martha Cotter
As Chair of the Senate for the past three years, I have served ex officio as a faculty representative to the Board of Governors. I have become quite familiar with how the BOG works, and believe I have a good deal of credibility with its members. I would like to be able to continue representing the interests of Rutgers faculty, staff and students to members of the Board as the elected faculty representative. I believe I can do so in a very effective manner.

Ian Creese
I believe in meaningful shared governance of the university in order to provide the best academic and social environment for our students and faculty.  I have represented faculty interests in the university over the past 20 year as a member of the bargaining team of the AAUP/AFT, twice, and the committee on post-tenure review.  As the founding co-director of the Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience on the Newark campus, we have developed an excellent faculty of international repute and established an inter-institutional graduate program with UMDNJ.  Previously at the University of California San Diego Medical School, I represented the interests of the PhD faculty on the Faculty Compensation Fund Committee, a school-wide committee that governed all aspects of the fiscal management of the faculty and hospitals. I also served on UCSD's equivalent of our PRC.

BOARD OF GOVERNORS STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE (Elect One)

Margaret Coppolo
I have been an active member of the Rutgers community since my first semester at Rutgers University. I began by joining the Douglass College Government Association (DCGA) by playing an active role in the Save Douglass College campaign. I took on leadership roles within DCGA as the Chair of the University Affairs Committee and was a member of the Rutgers University Legislative Affairs committee (RULA). This year I served as the Chair of RULA, and I coordinated events in Trenton throughout the summer and fall to support higher education funding. I was eagerly involved on the University Senate this past year as a member of the Academic Standards, Regulations and Admissions Committee. I hope to lead the way for the new Rutgers student government, and bridge the new student government with the Board of Governors.

Edward Ng
Hello. My name is Eddie Ng and I am running for the Senate Student Representative to the Board of Governors position. As I enter my third year in the University Senate and my senior year at Rutgers, I feel that my experiences in the past two years have helped me grow as a student and as a leader, and I hope that this opportunity will enhance my education at Rutgers even further as I enter my senior year. Rutgers has another challenging year ahead, ranging from re-accreditation, talk continuing talks regarding a possible merger with UMDNJ and NJIT, and the current budget (I know its an increase, but its still a decrease from previous years) to continued integration of the former college units and the further development of academic programming. As a member of the Rutgers community, it has been a privilege for me to have served on the Senate as a member of the Budget and Finance Committee as well as a member of the Senate Executive Committee, and I hope to bring my experiences to the table in the following year. I hope that you will place your trust in me and lend me your support. Thank you for your time in reading this, and have a nice day!

BOARD OF TRUSTEES FACULTY REPRESENTATIVE (Elect Two)

Abena Busia
Arriving as an ABD visiting foreign lecturer twenty-five years ago, I have been privileged to stay to serve this institution, becoming in the process a tenured faculty member and a citizen. There are few places where members from a broad spectrum of interests, inside and outside the Academy, can meet to deliberate the interests of this University with that interest as the central focus; however the Board of Trustees is one such place.  I would be honored to have the opportunity to represent this body on the Board of Trustees, to be a  reminder of the mission of a university in the Twenty-first Century. We must all, collectively, remember in our deliberations that the mission of a university must be greater than surviving the next year's fiscal crisis and hold the body entrusted with fiduciary responsibility for this Institution to account for future generations.  Universities must be responsibility and ethically run, however they are not Fortune 500 companies and cannot be treated as if students, faculty and staff are commercial products and by-products. This may be especially important in the coming years when decisions about the future of our campuses, depending as they will on the disposition of our holdings and real estate, will depend on the final judgments and decisions of the Trustees.

Ted Szatrowski
I have been a faculty member at Rutgers for over 30 years, currently in the Management Science and Informations Systems Department of the Rutgers Business School with teaching responsibilities on the Newark and New Brunswick campuses.  During this time, I have been a faculty representative on the Newark Faculty Council, New Brunswick Faculty Council and the University Senate.  In the University Senate, my positions have included Senate Vice Chair; Chair, Co-Chair and member of the Budget and Finance Committee; member of the Appeals Panel, and Chair of a Faculty Dismissal Hearing Panel.  Currently I am a member of the Executive Committee and the Instruction, Curricula and Advising Committee. We have a diverse community of interests in the University.  I believe the commonality of these interests is the pursuit of excellence.  While we will continue to have significant limitations on resources, our most important resource is the people in our University community.  I believe our most important goal is to create an environment of mutual respect which encourages all to contribute to the best of their ability to our common pursuit of excellence. If elected to the position of Faculty Rep. to the Board of Trustees, I would use my experience and philosophy as a representative on the Board of Trustees

Mark Vodak
Having had the opportunity and privilege to represent the University Senate on the Board of Trustees (BOT) this past year, I am seeking the opportunity and privilege to again represent the Senate on the BOT for the coming year in the role of Board of Trustees Faculty Representative. I feel the experience that I bring to the position is of particular advantage and value to the Senate. I am currently serving my third term in the Senate and have represented the Senate and faculty each year during each of those terms. The BOT is a large, diverse body, and my years of participation have enabled me to meet and know many, if not most, of the trustees. Subsequently, and just as importantly, the trustees recognize me and my role. As a result, I am in a strong position to effectively perform the duties of the Faculty Representative: representing the Senate and faculty, providing input from the Senate, and reporting BOT actions to the Senate. I respectfully request your support and vote for Board of Trustees Faculty Representative for the coming year. Thank you.

BOARD OF TRUSTEES UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE (Elect One)

Wajdi Kanj
Wajdi Kanj is currently a rising senior studying Biomedical Engineering. He entered the University in the Honors Engineering Program and has been inducted into the Biomedical Engineering Honor Society as well as Tau Beta Pi, the Engineering Honor Society. He has been heavily involved in student government since his first year at Rutgers, when he joined the Engineering Governing Council as a First Year rep. He then went on to become a University Senator in his sophomore year as well as chair of the Engineering Affairs Committee. This year, Wajdi is the External Vice President of his governing body and chair of the Society Affairs Committee. He has also served on numerous University-wide committees, including Rutgers University Legislative Affairs, the Task Force Implementation Committee on Honors and High-Achieving Students, and the Committee on University Governance Structure. Wajdi is also a very active member of the Rutgers University community. He has been heavily involved in New Student Orientation for the past three years, and is now serving as the Training and Development Chair for Busch Campus. Serving on the executive boards of five separate organizations, Wajdi has developed a strong sense of dedication to the University and has placed himself in a position of high esteem and influence among his peers. Wajdi is now returning to the Senate after having spent a year observing and getting to know student government on a personal level, and he appreciates your support of his nomination for the Student Representative position to the Board of Trustees.

BOARD OF TRUSTEES GRADUATE STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE (Elect One)

Ryan Fowler
As the outgoing GSA treasurer, I have direct access to members of the graduate community who, in turn, represent over 70 departmental and cultural graduate groups on the New Brunswick/Piscataway campus. This last year as the BoT graduate representative, I have faithfully reported to the graduate student community every month; moreover, I will continue to try to speak on behalf of the interests of that community in the future.