Meeting Minutes #276

Members Present: Crystal Akers, Ronnee Ades, Glenn Amatucci, Andrew Baker, G. Tony Bell, Alisa Belzer, Francois Berthiaume, Suneet Bhatt, Sanjib Bhuyan, Rebecca Biebel, Mariann Bischoff, Jessey Choo, Ed Cohen, Kaysha Corinealdi, Cara Cuite, Tom Davis, Meenakshi Dutt, Thomas Figueira, J. Sophia Fu, Janice Gobert, Kemal Gursoy, Anna Haley, Rob Isenhower, Hanan Kashou, David Kryscynski (DK), Triveni Kuchi, Bret McCandless, Anne McPherson, Marci Meixler, Jehan Mohamed, Jeremy Morgan, Xenia Morin, Peter Morrone, Heather Moulton, Dilafruz Nazarova, Kristin O'Brassill-Kulfan, Daijiro Okada, Ana Pairet, Alexander Pichugin, Timothy Power, Heather Pierce, Francis Ryan, Matt Sequin, Silke Severmann, Sue Shapses, Jennifer Shukaitis, Dave Smith, Tom Stephens, Khadijah Costley White, Laura White, Elin Wicks, Ellen Williams, Kraig Williams, Teona Williams, Lei Yu, Jeffrey Zahn, Gerben Zylstra.

Non-Members Present: Jackson Lockhart, Parliamentarian.
 

1. Call to Order and Opening Remarks

Chair Anna Haley called the meeting to order at 1:12 PM. The proposed agenda was approved following a clarification regarding corrected time lengths and document access issues on Microsoft Teams. A problem with Microsoft Teams was raised regarding the user interface and file archives; the issue was stated to be pending a solution. Student assistant Jackson Lockhart was introduced as the session's parliamentarian. Minutes from the November 14th meeting were approved without objection. 

Chair Anna Haley reflected on the current state of higher education, expressing concern over perceived attacks on the public good and democracy. She prompted the council to consider the role of faculty and shared governance bodies in clarifying and engaging these roles, perhaps through special committees or targeted activities. She also discussed the state of shared governance with new central leadership and encouraged members to complete a survey regarding proposed council activities, including academic freedom and free expression.

After Chair Anna Haley concluded her opening remarks and invited initial thoughts or questions.

Xenia Morin responded, addressing several key concerns: Global Impact and Visas: She highlighted the challenges facing colleagues, especially those who are international or on visas, noting the global impact of these issues. Academic Freedom and Self-Censorship: Morin stated that she has been reflecting on academic freedom and reading a book on the subject by the President of Princeton. She specifically pointed to the issue of self-censorship as a necessary companion to the discussion of academic freedom, suggesting the council explore what faculty are choosing not to say, do, or post due to the fear of upsetting others.

Kristin O'Brassill-Kulfan then emphasized the need to think more strategically about physical safety on campus. She noted that while academic freedom is crucial, there is a widespread sense among faculty and students that not enough has been done to address safety concerns following threats on campus in the fall.

Jehan Mohamed (from AMESALL) asked about NBFC's accountability and visibility regarding the results of its efforts. Jehan wanted to know where reports could be found, so one can see how the NBFC is progressing and what tangible outcomes are happening as a result of its work. Jehan questioned what the best way would be to hold the governing body accountable for the work and advice provided by the faculty. Chair Anna Haley agreed with the importance of these points, noting that building in ways to verify if NBFC's advice is being followed is vital. She also invited Jehan to volunteer to help with the communications piece of this effort.

2. Discussion of Chancellor's Report on Cyber Harassment and Doxing

Chair Anna Haley introduced a report commissioned by Chancellor Conway regarding cyber harassment and doxing at Rutgers University–New Brunswick. The report was conducted by Kenneth Kopp, the head police officer, who assessed campus concerns and the institution's capacity to respond to these specific threats. The Council is seeking to provide feedback on its content, which may also involve meetings with leadership to share direct faculty experiences. Following the report’s introduction, the council discussed establishing a process for providing organized faculty feedback to the Chancellor. Proposed methods for this feedback included discussions within standing committees, individual input via a collaborative Teams document, or direct meetings with key administrators such as Kenneth Kopp and Sandra Tomlinson-Clarke, the designated point person for individuals facing threats. During the discussion, council members like Thomas Figueira expressed significant frustration regarding the university's historical inability to effectively investigate threatening emails and suggested that more rigorous police involvement is necessary when faculty safety is at risk. Chair Haley said an ad hoc committee may collect aggregated feedback from NBFC committees at a later time.

3. General Studies Curriculum

Discussion regarding the General Studies curriculum focused on a transition from a proposed freestanding school to an integrated curriculum model aimed at re-enrolling adult learners. The program is specifically designed for students who have earned some college credit but have not yet completed their bachelor's degree. As a "General Studies" program, it is intended to be a degree path without a traditional major, allowing students to package existing courses to complete their degree as expediently as possible. The working group utilized data from other states like Pennsylvania and Kentucky to understand workforce needs and how to model the re-enrollment process.

Faculty members expressed several concerns and criticisms regarding the initiative. Some Council members, such as Alisa Belzer, questioned whether there is a legitimate educational argument for a major-less degree or if the initiative is primarily driven by a partnership with an outside company called "Re-Up." There is also concern that the plan lacks attention to the specific barriers adult learners face, such as time management, financial constraints, and different learning needs compared to traditional students. Xenia Morin noted a specific challenge regarding the availability of higher-level courses, as returning adult learners often require 300-400 level coursework, while many units may only be offering introductory 100-200 level courses for this program.

Governance and process issues were also highlighted during the session. While there is a working group with representatives from every unit, Anna Haley pointed out that these members are mostly administrators identified by deans rather than faculty-selected representatives. Many developments have occurred within the process, including making the program completely online, which have not been communicated to faculty before being decided. The group is operating on a fast-tracked timeline, with the current phase expected to conclude by April or May. Consequently, faculty members were strongly encouraged to reach out to their specific unit representatives to share feedback, as university leadership currently views the presence of these administrative representatives as having fulfilled the "shared governance" requirement.

4. Brief Introduction of the Chancellor's Shared Governance Committees

Student Experience Committee

Presented by Rob Isenhower, this committee is currently in a "data information knowledge gathering phase" focused on strengthening students' sense of belonging through faculty-student relationships. They are evaluating existing surveys to identify scalable programs and effective local initiatives. Rob noted that while the committee’s scope was initially unclear, they have narrowed their mission to leveraging faculty expertise in teaching and learning to improve the overall student experience.

Transportation Committee

Presented by Francis Ryan, this committee focuses on the student experience regarding campus transit and infrastructure. Ryan emphasized that faculty parking and commuting issues significantly overlap with student concerns. The committee is also considering how the current transit system impacts the accessibility of campus resources for all community members.

New Brunswick Community Engagement Task Force

Presented by Cara Cuite, this committee’s charge is to identify programs and activities happening around campus, and try to help avoid or reduce duplication of those activities, to review and maintain central repositories, and to identify best practices around community engagement. Questions on the timeline for the committee’s role and where it can access the needed resources were initially unanswered during the task force’s early work. The task force is now pending a meeting with Vice-Chancellor Tiffany Butler, the newly appointed Vice-Chancellor for Access and Community Engagement.

Research and Innovation Committee

Janice Gobert presented, saying the committee, like others, has spent its initial phase working to define its specific scope and charge. This effort is intended to ensure the task force's work advises the Chancellor on research strategies and innovation policies without becoming redundant with the existing standing committees of the Faculty Council. She mentioned that the deliverables and timeline associated with the committee’s work were not initially defined or presented to her.

Campus Policy Review Committee

Heather Pierce (HP) detailed the activities of this task force, first reporting that it adopted a broader interpretation of its mandate to review any policies affecting the New Brunswick campus.

• Media and Social Media Policy: The committee was initially asked to review a policy regarding how faculty interact with the media. Heather noted the committee's stance is that faculty never speak on behalf of the university—official spokespeople handle those roles—and they are working on clarifying guidelines for when faculty speak as individuals on social or traditional media .
• Free Speech and Protest Guidelines: In response to the previous year’s campus encampments, the committee is independently reviewing new university free speech guidelines . Heather highlighted that these guidelines currently require groups (specifically students) to apply for a three-day permit to protest and restrict them to very limited designated spaces .
• Spatial Analysis of Protest: She mentioned that the committee utilized a map created by a graduate student to compare "natural" protest locations with the university's newly designated official protest spaces to evaluate the policy's impact on campus life.

Campus Risk and Security Committee

Khadijah Costley White provided a report as a representative on the Chancellor's Campus Risk and Security Committee. Her report noted its mandate as intended to advise the Chancellor on strategies, policies, and initiatives related to campus security. Similar to other task forces, this committee has spent considerable time trying to define its specific "scope and charge" to ensure its work is not redundant with other existing bodies. White noted that a primary area of focus and energy for the committee currently is addressing concerns related to "active shooter" issues. She emphasized her own efforts to broaden the committee's perspective to think about security and risk in a more "holistic way" rather than just focusing on extreme events.

4. Monthly NBFC Committee Reports

Student Affairs Committee

Presented by Alisa Belzer, the committee has transitioned toward "small, concrete, achievable goals". One major project is the creation of a comprehensive student resource document to be integrated directly into Canvas. Additionally, the committee is investigating student conduct protocols, specifically focusing on how the university handles cases involving free speech and activism.

The committee collaborated with the Office of Student Affairs and the Office of Information Technology (OIT) to evaluate and disseminate a comprehensive list of student services and resources. Student Affairs also secured an agreement to include a default, persistent link in all Canvas courses that directs students to this centralized list of resources. Discussion also touched on the centralization of disability services and potential overlaps with other units like the Office of Disability Services (ODS) to ensure better student accommodation.

Faculty and Personnel Affairs Committee (FPAC)

Presented by Heather Pierce, this committee is working on three major projects: generative AI, academic freedom, and faculty inclusion. Additional details on these initiatives are found below:

• Generative AI and Copyright: The committee is collaborating with the Office of Research and Rutgers Libraries to create explainer sheets. These resources aim to help faculty navigate complex issues involving intellectual property, copyright, and the use of student work within AI-integrated learning environments.
• Academic Freedom: FPAC is establishing a formal liaison to the university’s upcoming academic freedom resource hub. This role will focus on generating content and providing direct support for faculty facing challenges related to academic freedom.
• Inclusion of NTT and Adjunct Faculty: This involves including Non-Tenure Track (NTT) and Adjunct Faculty in decision-making in the spaces they operate. The committee is systematically collecting department and unit bylaws to identify best practices for shared governance. The goal is to ensure that NTT and adjunct faculty are consistently and fairly included in local decision-making processes.

Budget, Finance, and Infrastructure Committee

Presented by David Kryscynski (DK), this committee has focused on demystifying the university’s complex financial structures through a partnership with the Chancellor’s Strategy and Finance Committee. A major component of their recent work involves identifying and documenting "cost pool allocations" to explain how central administrative costs are distributed across individual units. To increase transparency, the committee has engaged data analysis experts to create visual representations of financial data, making it easier for faculty to track how institutional funds are utilized. This initiative aims to bridge the communication gap between the administration and faculty regarding fiscal priorities, ensuring that the campus community has a clearer understanding of the economic drivers behind infrastructure and departmental funding. Issues around parking were raised, as faculty have been troubled with enforcement mechanisms to guarantee faculty parking spaces. These issues and more were earmarked for an upcoming meeting with Vice-President of Business Services Henry Velez.

Athletics Committee

Presented by Tom Stephens, this report detailed the substantial financial and administrative investment in athletics. Immediately mentioned was the athletic department’s 78 million dollar deficit in the last fiscal year. This was significant as President Tate has been adamant about all departments having a surplus. Major concerns were raised about the lack of transparency in the budget process that the athletic department takes part in. Chair Haley suggested possible probing through the University Senate. Thomas Figueira raised concerns over how uneven treatment and care were being given to students based on their involvement with the athletics department. Tom Stephens claimed, “Morality has been out the door a long, long time.”

Academic Affairs Committee

Presented by Xenia Morin, this report took an untraditional approach in conference by discussing ‘thorns and roses’. Xenia expressed concern over the university's "flat-footed" response to winter weather. She noted that as of the morning of the meeting, no guidance had been given to deans regarding Monday classes, forcing faculty to work over the weekend to adjust their plans once a decision was finally communicated that night. She highlighted how the lack of a clear "playbook" for snowstorms impacted the first two weeks of instruction. The committee discussed how poor snow clearing led to significant parking and traffic problems. Xenia mentioned reports of faculty being stuck in traffic and students being told not to leave classrooms while waiting for late instructors.

Xenia also highlighted the integration Canvas has with AI features. Although Rutgers has not enabled many of these features, she recommends that faculty be educated on how to interact with them, citing the possible introduction of a guest to explain how policies and contracts were being amended to account for AI. Xenia also introduced the cancellation of classes due to low enrollment, with particular concern for language classes, putting students in a poor position to complete their degree requirements.

5. Adjournment

The meeting adjourned immediately after committee reports, with no members having further comments.