RUTGERS
UNIVERSITY SENATE
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
M I N U T E S
September 30, 2016
MEMBERS PRESENT: Boikess, Borisovets, Cotter, Gillett
(Chair), Krapivin, Otto, Pirrello, Puhak, Thompson
MEMBERS EXCUSED: Boikess, Cotter, Esposito, Gould,
Krutyansky, Mouradian, Van Stine, Wang
ALSO ATTENDING: Anaele (Undergraduate Student Representative to
the Board of Trustees), B. Lee (Senior Vice President for Academic
Affairs), A. Patel (Student
Representative to Board of Governors), S.
Rabinowitz (Faculty Representative to the Board of Governors), Samant
(Faculty Representative to the Board of Trustees), Swalagin
(Executive Secretary)
The regular meeting of the University Senate Executive Committee was
held on Friday, September 30, 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 1:17 p.m. He reiterated his goal of starting
meetings on time. He
also spoke about:
- the upcoming Senate meeting, and time limits;
- the next Executive Committee meeting, which will be held in
Newark;
- the Big Ten Academic Leadership Conference, which was held in
Michigan, and which he had just attended, as well as the positive
aspects of the current shared governance situation at Rutgers, and the
pros and cons of our inclusion of more than just faculty members in our
Senate;
- his Parliamentarian's Report, which will come back to the
Executive Committee at the next meeting, and on which he reiterated his
request for comments.
[Jane Otto joined the meeting at 1:23 p.m.]
2. Secretary’s Report - Ken Swalagin,
Executive Secretary of the Senate
- Agenda: The meeting agenda was
approved as amended above.
- Minutes: The Minutes of September 9, 2016 Senate Executive
Committee Meeting were approved as
distributed by the Executive Secretary, but one minor correction was
made later.
- Communications: The
following communication was presented and acted upon as indicated:
- Policy
Prohibiting Sexual Harassment, Sexual Violence, Relationship Violence,
Stalking, and Related Misconduct by Employees and Third Parties was
announced in President Barchi's September 9, 2016 email to all staff
and
students. [Noted.]
- Today
is the deadline for submission of honorary-degree nominations for May
2018 Commencement announced by Secretary of the University Kim Pastva.
[Noted.]
- Email
received September 28 from Felicia McGinty, Vice Chancellor for Student
Affairs, transmitting information regarding recent proposed changes to
the University Code of Student Conduct and the Policy on Alcohol and
Other Drugs, stating, "I'm writing to share information regarding
recent proposed changes to the University Code of Student Conduct and
the policy Alcohol and Other Drugs. I would be happy to visit with the
committee to discuss this or answer any questions senators may have. My
apologies for not sharing this information with you earlier, it was an
oversight on my part." [Noted. Gillett said that the Code of Student
Conduct requires that the Senate be notified of changes, but that
Senate approval is not required. Also see "Old Business" below.]
Documents
transmitted:
[Anish Patel and Akeen Anaele joined the meeting at 1:27 p.m.]
3. Administrative Liaison
Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Barbara Lee presented
an administrative report, which
included comments on:
- Cornerstone Project status;
- Presidential Symposium on Transformational Science;
- Universitywide committees:
- Humanities Task Force report is complete;
- Committee on Instructional Technology draft report is done, and
final report is expected in the next month or so;
- Academic Unit Reorganization Committee status;
- search for New Brunswick Chancellor is underway, to replace New
Brunswick Chancellor Richard Edwards, who is returning to the faculty
at the end of June 2017; and
- closing of "The Alley."
Lee then responded to questions, or heard comments on the above
subjects.
4. Standing
Committees
Reports:
Student
Affairs Committee (SAC) Response to Charge S-1305-2 on Smoke-Free
Rutgers - Viktor Krapivin and Samuel Rabinowitz,
SAC Co-chairs
SAC Co-chair Viktor Krapivin summarized
his committee's report on Charge S-1305-2, on Smoke-Free Rutgers. The
SAC had been charged as follows: "Examine
the desirability, feasibility, impact and means of evolving into a
smoke-free
Rutgers." The report was discussed at some length, and concerns were
expressed about the absence of a resolution, as well as whether the
report fully responded to the charge. Following discussion, Krapivin
withdrew the report, and said he would bring it back revised for the
next Executive Committee meeting.
Student
Affairs Committee (SAC) Response to Charge S-1401 on Taking Courses on
Other Campuses/Intercampus Equivalency - Viktor Krapivin and
Samuel Rabinowitz,
SAC Co-chairs
SAC Co-chair Viktor Krapivin summarized
his committee's report on Charge S-1401, on Taking Courses on Other
Campuses/Intercampus Equivalency. 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." The
report was discussed, and a minor change made to one of the
recommendations. The report was then docketed for action at the
upcoming Senate meeting.
Standing Committees' Responses to Proposal
to Form School of Graduate Studies - All Standing
Committees
All standing committees had been asked
to respond with
questions/comments regarding the proposal to form a new School of
Graduate Studies in New Brunswick. Those questions were reviewed and
discussed by the Executive Committee, which discussed how to proceed,
and decided that Swalagin would send the questions to Deans Scotto and
Kukor as they had been presented by individual committees, and ask for
responses that could be sent to the Senate's standing committees for
discussion at their next meetings. [Note: The questions were extensive
and complex. Deans Scotto and Kukor subsequently asked for more time to
respond. Swalagin informed the standing committee chairs that responses
should be available in November.]
Panels:
Selection
of Members of University Commencement Panel (UCP) - The
Executive Committee assigned members of the UCP, which is composed
of members with representation from each unit
(R-C, R-N, R-NB, RBHS), as follows:
a.
Executive Secretary of the Senate (non-voting) - Ken Swalagin
b.
Vice Chair of the Senate (chairs the UCP) - Robert Puhak
c.
Four Faculty Senators, with each of the following groups being
represented:
-
tenure-track
-
non-tenure-track
-
part-time lecturers
d.
One Staff Senator
e.
One Alumni Senator
f.
Two Student Senators
[Note:
It was later determined that too many members had been assigned to the
panel, and the Executive Committee approved by email vote a modified,
reduced panel roster.]
Issues/Charges:
Proposed
Charge to Budget and Finance Committee (BFC) on Tuition Freeze for
Academic Year 2017-18 - Submitted by Student Senator Vladimir
Carrasco
A
proposed charge on AY 2017-18 Tuition Freeze was discussed, along with
the following, accompanying rationale: "The staggering cost of higher
education is an unnecessary burden on students, a cost which increases
each year and this year increased by 1.7%. The Budget and Finance
Committee should explore methods to abate the burden on students and
the ability of the University to afford it." A charge was issued
to the Budget and Finance Committee as follows:
Examine
the feasibility and desirability of a tuition freeze. Explore and
suggest methods to abate the burden on students, and the ability of the
University to afford it. Respond to Senate Executive Committee by March
27, 2017.
Question
Regarding Senators Sending
Delegates to Standing Committees - Jane Otto, Research, and
Graduate and Professional Education Committee (RGPEC) Chair, asked
whether Senators can send delegates to attend standing-committee
meetings in their place, or as substitutes. Gillett said committee
chairs can appoint members to their committees when their expertise
would be beneficial to the committee's work, especially on a
particular, pending charge. Those appointed would become voting members
of the committee, even if they are not Senators. There was also
discussion of whether standing committees can hold open meetings, and
it was determined that, although guests can be invited ad hoc,
committee meetings are closed by default.
5. Old Business
Proposed
Charge to Committee on Acceptable
Use Policy for Information Technology Resources - A
proposed charge had been drafted
by Staff Senator Adrienne Esposito, on behalf of the Executive
Committee,
following the Executive Committee's September 9 discussion of the
Updated University Acceptable Use Policy for Information Technology
Resources. The draft charge was discussed, but the Executive Committee
preferred to revise the charge, which was later circulated to the
Executive Committee and approved, and then issued, as follows:
Acceptable
Use Policy for Information Technology Resources: Examine the existing
Rutgers University Acceptable
Use Policy for Information Technology Resources. In particular,
review Section 5.B.6 on the requirement that University business be
conducted using defined software and applications (considering the
scope of "University business"), and Section 5.C on Privacy, with
regard to access by technicians and University administrators to
electronic records (especially the scope of 5.C.5 and the need of the
University to carry on its normal operations). Respond to Senate
Executive Committee by December 23, 2016.
Ad Hoc Committee on Sale of Alcohol in
Stadiums - The Executive Committee had previously decided that
this committee would begin its work when the Ad Hoc Committee on
Webstreaming Senate Meetings completes its work. The Ad Hoc Committee
on Webstreaming Senate Meetings has not yet submitted a final report.
When it does submit a report, this item will come back to the Executive
Committee.
Discussion of Code of Student Conduct
and Alcohol and Drug Policies [See Secretary's Communications,
above], as related to Charge S-1611 to Student Affairs Committee (SAC)
on Examination of University Policy on Student Use of Drugs and
Alcohol. This matter was discussed relative to information sent by
Felicia McGinty, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, regarding recent
proposed changes to the University Code of Student Conduct and the
Policy on Alcohol and Other Drugs. Viktor Krapivin, Co-chair of the
SAC, said he will invite McGinty and other administrators who are in
charge of the Code of Student Conduct and residence life to SAC
meetings at which the SAC's charge on this issue will be
discussed.
6.
New Business
There
was no new business.
7. University Senate Agenda
The
October 14, 2016
Senate Meeting agenda was discussed, and will include:
- Presentation
on Middle States Accreditation Process - Barbara Lee and Ann Gould
- Committee-of-the-whole
discussion on videorecording and live webstreaming Senate meetings
8.
Adjournment
The meeting adjourned at 4:34 p.m.
Minutes written and submitted by,
Ken Swalagin
Executive Secretary of the University Senate