The Staff Senators of the Rutgers University Senate, as agreed upon in the Staff Caucus, hereby request that the Senate Executive Committee charge the Senate's University Structure and Governance Committee with exploring the possibility of adding to the Senate's standing-committee structure a committee that would have primary responsibility for matters directly related to staff affairs, and with recommending changes to Senate Bylaws and Enabling University Regulations to involve the Senate in reviewing and advising the administration on revisions to, or new, policies affecting staff.

Background and Rationale:

Staff Senators have now appropriately been added to the membership of the Senate. In so doing, the Senate and Rutgers University community acknowledge the importance of the staff role in University operations. In turn, the staff and the Staff Senators recognize and acknowledge their responsibility to explore staff issues and make related recommendations to the Senate to improve staff operations and function, which in turn improve those same areas of University life in general. Recognizing responsibilities of the University Staff to implement and improve the effectiveness of University operations, we recommend to the EC that the Senate provide oversight and appropriate representation for our constituency.

Addition of this standing committee is appropriate because:

• The Senate's current committee structure has long included separate Student and Faculty Affairs Committees. Recent addition of Staff to the Senate mandate addition of a Staff Affairs Committee. (Note: Addition of an Alumni Affairs Committee may also be considered, or addition of alumni issues to the Student Affairs Committee's standing charge.)
• There is currently no codified expectation that the University Senate will explore or advise the administration on -- or even be notified of -- changes in policies or practices affecting staff. Given the enormous contribution of Staff to the effective operations of Rutgers University on all of its campuses, this advisory component should be added to the Senate's role, and should be actualized through this Staff Affairs Committee.
• Establishment of this Staff Affairs Committee would serve to further legitimize the addition of the Staff Senator component to the University Senate.

Submitted by the 2006-2007 Senate Staff Caucus members:
Gayle Stein (Caucus Convener and Senate Executive Committee Member)
Charlesetta Bynes
Crystal Grant
Betty McCoy-Carter
Patricia Nolfi
Jose Robinson
Daniel Schantz
Permelia Toney-Boss
Julie Traxler
Patrick Wallace