Meeting Minutes #271
1. Call to Order and Chair Updates
Chair Haley called the meeting to order via Zoom on Friday, April 4, 2025, at 1:10 PM.
Approval of the Agenda
The agenda was approved.
Approval of the Minutes of the Meeting of Februray 28, 2025
The minutes were approved.
Chair’s Report
Anna called the meeting to order and announced some agenda changes, including adding an urgent resolution related to the Honors College. She provides updates on several initiatives, including forming an ad hoc committee to work with the Chancellor on federal actions affecting faculty, upcoming elections for council positions, and plans for a council social event. Anna also mentioned that council evaluations would be conducted soon.
New Brunswick Budgeting Discussion
The meeting then transitions to a budget-focused session featuring Nayland Smith, Vice Chancellor for Finance, and Professor Andrew Goldstone, who will each speak for about 10 minutes before opening up for questions and discussion, with a focus on New Brunswick campus budgeting issues.
Rutgers University's Financial Landscape and Budget
Nayland discussed the current financial landscape at Rutgers University, including federal and state budget cuts, inflation, and the potential dissolution of the Department of Education. He outlined the university's budget process, which involves scenario planning and considering different budget scenarios to determine their impact on the university's financial state. Nayland also mentioned the university's financial sustainability policy, which requires a minimum 5% operating margin. He encouraged faculty to provide qualitative and quantitative information to the Chancellor to inform budget decisions. Andrew, a faculty member, expressed concerns about the financial situation and the impact on tenure-track faculty, noting that the institution's growth has been mainly on the backs of contingent faculty.
Rutgers Financial Management and RCM
The discussion focuses on the financial management of Rutgers University, particularly the Responsibility Center Management (RCM) system. Andrew Goldstone expresses concern about the disconnect between the university's overall financial growth and the perceived lack of investment in academic units. He questions how additional resources are being distributed and who makes these decisions. Nayland Smith explains that a significant portion of state appropriations and tuition revenue is used to cover central costs and support financially challenged students, rather than being fully distributed to academic units. The conversation also touches on the need for operating margins to address infrastructure needs and unexpected expenses. Heather Pierce raises concerns about how RCM may discourage interdisciplinary programs and asks about oversight of its implementation at different levels of the university.
Rutgers University Fund Allocation Discussion
Anna, Thomas, Nayland, DK, Zania, and Andrew discussed the allocation of funds at Rutgers University. Thomas highlighted a study showing a trend of funds moving to central administration and athletics, potentially affecting the university's viability. Nayland explained the cost pool allocation process, considering a unit's ability to cover its expenses and cost pool. He also mentioned the importance of considering other variables like tuition increases. Xenia expressed concern about the financialization of the university potentially undermining the sense of community and shared goals. Nayland acknowledged the complexity of the issue and emphasized the need to find ways to support all programs, even if they are not financially viable.
Discussion of the First Day Program
Crystal from Student Affairs presents information about the First Day program, a partnership between the university and Barnes & Noble for digital course materials. The program automatically enrolls students and charges their term bill, but they can opt out. Crystal outlines pros (convenience, financial aid coverage) and cons (automatic enrollment, unclear savings) of the program. Faculty members discuss their experiences, with some finding it valuable for large classes and others raising concerns about limited textbook options and financial impacts on students. The group plans to survey faculty about the program in the fall.
Consideration of Proposed Resolution on Emergency Resolution on Honors College
The New Brunswick Faculty Council discusses and passes an emergency resolution regarding changes to the Honors College curriculum. The resolution calls for pausing implementation of the new curriculum due to concerns about lack of faculty consultation and shared governance. Council members express strong support for the resolution, citing it as an urgent matter affecting language departments and potentially setting a concerning precedent. The resolution passes overwhelmingly and will be shared with university leadership and other relevant bodies.
Committee Reports [UNDER CONSTRUCTION]
- Academic Affairs – Julia Maxwell & Xenia Morin, Co-Chairs
The
- Athletic Affairs – Ken McKeever & Nick Linardopoulos, Co-Chairs
The committee held a productive meeting with the interim athletics director. Interim Director acknowledges the problems that are out there, but also sort of offering how the faculty and athletics can interact together to better serve the whole community. He agreed to meet with the committee as a whole, a meeting that is currently being set up.
- Budget and Planning – Tom Figueira & Tom Davis, Co-Chairs
The committee voted on a letter to the Chancellor on EV, in response to the advice of the EC. The committee has received information from co-chair Tom Davis that addressed the report on transportation. This had originally focused on parking. It's now shifted more to transportation. There is a document there that is going to be the basis for solicitations of contracts from various vendors to provide bus services under a new regime. The committee is going to put together a letter that will ask for participation in the committee that addresses those proposals by the Faculty Council and by the Budget and Finance Committee in particular.
- Faculty and Personnel Affairs – Heather Pierce (HP) & Eleanor LaPointe, Co-Chairs
Compiling a list of concerns, data, requests, and other things that the committee would like to be transmitted to the Chancellor about incoming international students. More on asking administration where they stand on DEI programs and making sure that the committee receives some kind of policy stance on how administration will be standing up for the council, and also how the cancellation of grants. Attacks on DEI will affect the promotion and tenure of some of our faculty members. And so we have several concerns that the committee has compiled, that will be transmitted and reporting, other than that our other projects that are ongoing, more next month
- Student Affairs – Alisa Belzer & Mei Ling Lo, Co-Chairs
The
Other (Any Old or New) Business
None was discussed.
Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned at 3:00 pm.
FUTURE MEETINGS
May 2, 2025