Meeting Minutes #225
Members Present: S. Bhuyan, R.Boikess, O. Carbonell, S.Chan-Malik, E. Curchitser, G. D’Arcemgalo, B. Faga, M. Flahive DiNardo, A. Gibney, A. Gould, P. Hirschfield, R. Kettler, T. Kuchni, S. Martin-Marquez, J. Mathew, K. Morgan, A. Pichugin, P. Pietrowski, G. Rendsburg, F. Ryan, T. Stephens, T. Szatrowski, K. Thompson, S. Westfall, R. Womack, J. Worobey
Non-Members Present: M. Cotter (Parliamentarian), A. Gupta (Assistant Dean of International Academic Support), M. Mickelsen (NBFC Recording Secretary), C. Molloy (Interim New Brunswick Chancellor)
1. Call to Order – Sanjib Bhuyan, New Brunswick Faculty Council (NBFC) Chair
New Brunswick Faculty Council Chairperson Sanjib Bhuyan called the 225th meeting of the New Brunswick Faculty Council to order at 1:04 p.m. on Friday, September 28, 2018 in Room 174 of the Busch Student Center, Busch Campus. His report included comments on:
- that due to the union negotiations going on at the same time, the NBFC Standing Committees did not get much of a chance to meet today;
- a reminder to look at the meeting dates for the remainder of the academic year;
- the new and improved NBFC website with many thanks to the NB Chancellor’s Office;
- and introduction of this year’s NBFC Executive Committee as well as Martha Cotter continuing as Parliamentarian.
2. Approval of Agenda
The Agenda was approved with one amendment. David Hughes will not be available to give his presentation due to the concurrent union negotiations.
3. Approval of Minutes of April 20, 2018 Meeting
The April 20, 2018 NBFC Minutes were approved.
4. What is New with the NBFC Website? – Martha Cotter
Martha Cotter reviewed the updated look and features of the new and improved NBFC website. She asked that all reports be submitted in word format, due to compatibility issues with the website platform, and if anyone has any NBFC-related pictures they would like featured on the site that they send them to Sanjib Bhuyan.
5. Administrative Report – Christopher Molloy, Interim New Brunswick Chancellor
Interim New Brunswick Chancellor Christopher Molloy’s administrative report included comments on:
- a brief introduction of his background and long-standing affiliation with Rutgers;
- his extensive involvement with the Rutgers/UMDNJ merger;
- the under-marketing of Rutgers;
- the build-up of student entrepreneurships and internship programs;
- sponsored research – a continuation of Former-Chancellor Dutta’s initiative;
- New Brunswick’s budget of $1.8B and working within the constraints of RCM;
- reporting structure of the deans and the role of the provosts;
- facilities and space issues on the New Brunswick campus;
- strategic enrollment growth;
- relationships with the Governor and others in Trenton;
- ongoing searches for:
- Vice Chancellor for Diversity and Inclusion
- Vice Chancellor for Finance
- Vice Chancellor for Communications and Marketing (in addition to the CA level);
- the importance of online education;
- dean’s evaluations in conjunction with the University Senate.
Molloy then responded to questions, or heard comments, on the above subjects as well as:
- the growth of the student body and the reduction of tenured faculty, and an increase in the reliance on PTL’s;
- the new course scheduling system Infosilem and concerns that the issues brought forth by the Scheduling Committee were not heard and not acted upon; (Update: link to Interim Chancellor Molloy's email on October 1)
- issues related to, what used to be smaller sized courses, now being offered in larger sized courses and to students who many not be necessarily ready for such course;
- the lack of training grants and the competitiveness of Rutgers graduate programs;
- the hiring of more high-level central administration positions;
- Rutgers athletics;
- the use of consulting firms to do work that can be done internally;
- Rutgers as a land-grant institution.
6. International Academic Support at Rutgers – Anu Gupta, Assistant Dean, International Academic Support, Rutgers Global
Gupta presented on the initiatives brought forth by the newly created department, International Academic Support through Rutgers Global.
She then answered questions on the following:
- work with transfer students, especially those involved in the 2+2 programs;
- peer-led academic coaching by RU-Fit peer leaders;
- tracking students that don’t attend class;
- creating a conversational partner club/program to enculturate them into the RU system
- incorporation of a career services component to the program;
- strengthening the International Alumni Network.
7. Committee Reports
- Academic Affairs Committee - Robert Boikess, Chair and Alexander Pichugin
- Boikess reported that the committee did not meet due to the union negotiations earlier in the day.
- Pichugin discussed the work of the Infosilem Committee over the summer and the September 14 Memorandum to Interim Chancellor Molloy, outlining recommendations for the implementation of the scheduling platform. He also expressed major concern regarding the administration’s unwillingness to utilize said recommendations in their first simulation.
- Athletic Affairs Committee – Tom Stephens, Member
- Stephens gave a report in the chair’s absence. There was not enough members to conduct a meeting, however Stephens did express the committee’s disappointment in sending resolutions to the athletics department, particularly in regards to budget and academic support issues, with little to no response. McKeever will make the decision on how to proceed this AY.
- Budget, Planning, & Infrastructure – Ryan Womack, Co-Chair
- Womack reported that a preliminary report on the parking survey needs to be flushed out with campus specific issues and plans to report back at the October meeting. He also reported that the RU parking site has changed its interface which have impacted their communications. Womack intends to invite the director of Parking Services to a later meeting, so those concerns can be addressed. He also reported on the effect RCM has had on the library system. There will be a survey distributed later in the semester which will give faculty an opportunity to express their wishes for the functionality of the libraries going forward.
- Faculty and Personnel Affairs - Karen Thompson/Tugrul Ozel, Co-Chair
- Ozel reported that the committee was not able to meet today. He did state FPA plans to discuss Infosilem and trends in GA/TA lines and tenure track lines in future meetings.
- Student Affairs – John Worobey, Member
- Worobey reported in the chair’s absence. The committee discussed the centralization of the dean’s offices on the NB campus. The committee has plans to invite Dean Michele Jefferson to a the next Student Affairs meeting to clarify this issue.
8. New Business
Academic Freedom – Bob Boikess
The Academic Affairs Committee has decided to delay their response to the investigation into Professor Livingston due to the President’s creation of an Academic Freedom Advisory Committee. If the committee feels that this issue is not resolved in the most appropriate way, they will then craft a response.
9. Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned at 3:19 p.m.
Written and submitted by:
Mary Mickelsen
NBFC Recording Secretary