Meeting Minutes #167

Members Present: J. Bliss, R. Boikess, R. Bumby, L. Clarke, M. Cotter, J. Crowley, M. Flahive DiNardo, P. Gambarota, P. Gottlieb, S. Golbeck, M. Gordon, T. Jiang, R. Klein, R. Larrier, K. McKeever, J. Markert, D. Minch, P. Panayotatos, J. Phillips, J. Reed, H. Sackrowitz, A. St.John, A. Saltz, J. Shapiro, T. Szatrowski, G. Taghon, K. Thompson, S. Tomasello, M.B. Weber, G. Werlen, R. Wilson (Vice Chairperson, Presiding), T. Yang, I. Yanovitzky

Non-Members Present: T. Stephens (NCAA Faculty Representative), K. Swalagin (Recording Secretary)

1. Call to Order, and Acting Chairperson’s Report - Robert Wilson, Vice Chairperson

Council Chairperson Norman Glickman was unable to attend the meeting. Vice Chairperson Robert Wilson presided, calling the 167th meeting of the New Brunswick Faculty Council (NBFC) to order at 1:17 p.m. in Trayes Hall A of the Douglass Campus Center, Douglass Campus. He said that Executive Vice President Furmanski may be late or unable to attend the meeting due to other meeting obligations. He added "New Business" to the agenda, then asked the Council to approve the agenda. On motion and duly seconded, the meeting agenda was approved by the Council.

2. Approval of Minutes

Wilson said that the minutes of the October 31, 2008 NBFC meeting were delayed, and would be available for the January 30, 2009 meeting.

3. Report on Athletics Mentoring - Tom Stephens

Tom Stephens, Rutgers’ NCAA Faculty Athletics Representative, reported on athletics mentoring at Rutgers. He explained the responsibilities of his position, and summarized the related NCAA requirements. He said that he now has between four and six volunteers who mentor student athletes, and he solicited volunteers, or suggestions for volunteers, from the Council. Following a brief summary of his position and student athlete mentoring, Stephens responded to questions, and heard comments from the Council, on related subjects which included:

  • requirements and restrictions related to volunteering as a mentor;
  • comparisons of mentoring and advising among student athletes and non-athletes;
  • how scholarships affect the curricula of student athletes;
  • the limitations of his position, particularly insofar as affecting changes to established Rutgers policies;
  • the need for additional academic support to student athletes dictated by the demands of their practice and sports-related activities and schedules;
  • reasons why faculty are more suitable than graduate students as mentors (e.g., graduate students’ Ph.D. progress being impaired because of mentoring responsibilities);
  • transfer-student athletes;
  • budgeting for athletics mentoring;
  • mentoring’s provision of access to faculty similar to that available to students who do not have heavy athletics program commitments; and
  • student athlete employment and other financial stressors.

4. Reports of Standing Committee Chairs

Paul Panayotatos, Faculty Affairs and Personnel Policy Committee chairperson, reported on his committee’s plans and actions, including:

  • continuing examination of the sexual harassment policy and retention of files on complaints;
  • review of administrators by faculty and students, and possible extension of that policy to directors, counselors and possibly vice presidents and the president;
  • possible evaluation of the Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs by the NBFC, to which Phil Furmanski has agreed to; and
  • the University Senate’s recommendation that evaluations eventually be expanded to the president and vice president.

Wilson reminded everyone to sign up for a committee by sending an email to Council Chairperson Glickman and to the chair of the committee of choice.

5. New Business

Ted Szatrowski questioned whether departments are following the rule that, in New Brunswick, in the last two weeks of a semester, an instructor may administer a quiz if no final is being given, but if a final exam is being given, it should be during the exam period. It was noted that a dean or department chair can enforce that rule.

Joel Shapiro asked about rules limiting undergraduate student employment to 15 hours per week.

6. Adjournment

The meeting adjourned at 2:55 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,
Ken Swalagin, Recording Secretary