Meeting Minutes #194

Minutes of the 194th New Brunswick Faculty Council Meeting 
January 31, 2014 
  
Members Present: S. Bhuyan, R. Boikess, S. Connolly, M. Cotter (Chair), J. Crowley, M. Doerfel. D. Fishman, M. Flahive DiNardo, M. Gliserman, T. Glynn, M-K. Joo, M. Killingsworth, J-H. Kim, P. Klein, D. Kumar, J. Langsam, K. McKeever, N. Minsky, L. Morrow, R. Niederman, D. O'Connor, D. Redlawsk, G. Rendsburg, L. Runnels, M. Schwander, T. Stephens, L. Sun, T. Szatrowski, G. Taghon, Z. Tan, K. Thompson, C. Uslay, R. Welch, E. Williams, Y-K. Yong, J. Zahn

Non-Members Present: R. Edwards (Interim New Brunswick Chancellor, and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs), K. Swalagin (Recording Secretary) 

1.    Call to Order – Martha Cotter, New Brunswick Faculty Council Chairperson 
  
Council Chairperson Martha Cotter called the 194th meeting of the New Brunswick Faculty Council (NBFC) to order at 1:15 p.m. on Friday, January 31, 2014 in Room ABC of Brower Commons, College Avenue Campus. She welcomed all present to the first calendar 2014 meeting. She summarized some of the NBFC accomplishments of the previous semester, including adoption of a resolution on academic freedom and shared governance to be added to the Strategic Plan, and a resolution responding to plans for an honors college. Cotter said that the honors college resolution response from Interim New Brunswick Chancellor Richard Edwards had been received very quickly, and that its content was summarized in a handout distributed at the meeting. 

2.    Approval of Agenda 
  
The agenda for this meeting, as distributed by the chair, including time limits, was approved. 
  
3.    Approval of Minutes of December 13, 2013 
  
The Minutes of the December 13, 2013 NBFC meeting were approved as distributed in hardcopy at the meeting. 
 
4.     Chair's Report - Martha Cotter, NBFC Chair 

Chairperson Cotter's report included comments on the following:

  • progress reports from NBFC standing committees, which would be heard later in the meeting; and
  • her attempts to discuss the NBFC's resolution and ad hoc committee on athletics with Athletic Director Julie Hermann, without success, and her subsequent request to President Barchi for information, to which he responded by meeting with Cotter and agreeing to supply certain requested information.

5.    Administrative Report – Richard Edwards, Interim New Brunswick Chancellor 
  
Richard Edwards, Interim New Brunswick Chancellor, and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs, presented an administrative report which focused on: 

  • formation of an Honors College Planning Committee, which will hold its first meeting soon;
  • anticipated Strategic Plan adoption by the Board of Governors, and subsequent web-publishing of the document;
  • assembly of a New Brunswick Strategic Plan Committee, which will develop goals and establish a timeline for a process;
  • continuing progress on UMDNJ integration, and associated issues; and
  • a proposal to merge nursing schools in Newark/New Brunswick, on which the University Senate has been asked to weigh in.

Edwards then responded to questions, or heard comments, on the above and additional subjects including:

  • structure, composition, and processes related to the New Brunswick Strategic Plan Committee;
  • strategic initiatives and funding therefor;
  • plans and practicalities for adding additional faculty;
  • fundraising and chaired professorships;
  • timeline on building construction and other aspects of the Honors College;
  • implementation of responsibility centered management, and plans to have that running parallel to the existing budgeting system for about one year;
  • research funding, and related UMDNJ, AAU, and national-ranking issues;
  • hiring and retaining faculty;
  • budgeting for online courses and continuing education; and
  • discussions and considerations relating to potential consolidation of programs, mostly related to UMDNJ integration.

6.    Progress Reports from NBFC Committees - Committee Chairs

NBFC committee chairs and others reported on their committees' plans, recent activities, and progress on pending charges.

7.    Committee-of-the-Whole Discussion of Plans for the Fall 2014 NBFC Teaching Conference, and Suggested Topics for Faculty Consideration in Spring 2014

On motion and duly seconded, the NBFC moved into committee of the whole to discuss plans for the fall 2014 teaching conference, as well as suggested topics for consideration during the spring 2014 semester. Much of the discussion was about the suggested conference subject: "The Future of Online Instruction at Rutgers."

8.    Old Business

There was no old business.

9.    New Business

There was no new business.

10.    Adjournment

The meeting adjourned at 3:08 p.m.

Minutes written and submitted by,
Ken Swalagin
Recording Secretary of the New Brunswick Faculty Council