Meeting Minutes #198

Members Present: J. Aiello, M. Baykal-Gursoy, S. Bhuyan, S. Connolly, M. Cotter, B. Chu (for D. Fishman), M. Flahive DiNardo, J. Friedman, M. Gasparotto, M. Gliserman, A. Hetling, H. Janes, M. Katehakis, M-K. Joo, M. Killingsworth, J-H. Kim, P. Klein, D. Kruse, D. Kumar, J. Langsam, X. Liu, C. Lugg, K. McKeever, J. McDonnell, L. Morrow, D. O'Connor, A. Pichugin, D. Redlawsk, G. Rendsburg, S. Rubenstein, L. Sun, G. Taghon, Z. Tan, K. Thompson, L. Yu, J. Zahn

Non-Members Present: A. Rosenau (Assistant Vice President for University Budgeting), K. Stubaus (Vice President for Academic Affairs and Administration), K. Swalagin (Recording Secretary), N. Winterbauer (Vice President for University Budgeting)

1.    Call to Order – Martha Cotter, New Brunswick Faculty Council (NBFC) Chair 
 
Council Chairperson Martha Cotter called the 198th meeting of the New Brunswick Faculty Council to order at 1:14 p.m. on Friday, October 17, 2014 in Room ABC of Brower Commons, College Avenue Campus. 

2.    Approval of Agenda 
 
The agenda was approved as distributed by the chair. 
 
3.    Approval of Minutes of September 12, 2014 
 
The Minutes of the September 12, 2014 NBFC meeting were approved with one date correction. Cotter asked members to notify Recording Secretary Ken Swalagin if they find errors in the minutes. 

4.     Chair's Report - Martha Cotter, NBFC Chair

NBFC Chair Martha Cotter's Chair's Report included comments on the following:

  • the success of the recent Teaching Conference, for which Cotter gave much credit to Martin Gliserman and Monica Devanas, and on which Cotter asked the Council for ideas for next year's conference topic;
  • continuing developments in establishing the New Brunswick Honors College;
  • responses and progress on the New Brunswick Strategic Plan; and
  • introduction of new Council members.

5.    Administrative Report - Karen Stubaus, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Administration

Karen Stubaus, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Administration, presented an administrative report, which focused on the New Brunswick Strategic Plan, including changes made to the plan in response to Council input.

Stubaus then responded to questions, or heard comments, on a variety of subjects, including:

  • Strategic Plan elements relating to:
    • evaluation of faculty, resources, graduation rates, and finances;
    • dashboard indicators and peer institutions;
    • dependence on part-time lecturers;
    • maintaining and attracting top-quality faculty;
    • contingency plans for lengthy, health-related university closures;
  • the salary of the football coach;
  • Responsibility Center Management; and
  • fundraising.

6.    Presentation on Responsibility Center Management (RCM) - Vice President for Budgeting Nancy Winterbauer, and Assistant Vice President for Budgeting and Administration Andy Rosenau

Vice President Nancy Winterbauer presented a summary, and distributed a handout, on RCM. Assistant Vice President Andy Rosenau also participated in the presentation. They responded to questions or heard comments on a wide variety of RCM-related subjects.

7.    Report on Planning for the New Brunswick Honors College - Martha Cotter and Peter Klein

Martha Cotter began the report on planning for the New Brunswick Honors College by summarizing planning activities to date relative to formation and work of a committee that would propose a curriculum for the Honors College, as well as what still needs to be done. Peter Klein continued with a summary of the Honors College planned structure and admissions strategy, as well as the need to continue fundraising to support the students.

8.    Old Business

There was no old business.

9.    New Business

Deepa Kumar introduced and moved for adoption a resolution on salary and tuition which she and Robert Boikess had drafted. Her motion was seonded, and discussed. The resolution was modified slightly, and then adopted by the Council, as follows:
 

Resolution on Salary and Tuition

Whereas the Rutgers administration imposed a salary freeze on the faculty; allowed major increases in health insurance premiums paid by faculty, and has given no economic recognition to faculty merit in over four years; and

Whereas the administration proposed 2 days before our contract expired an insulting 3.25% salary increase over the next 3 years, consisting of 1% Across-the-Board this year, merit raises of 1% next year, and 1.25% on July 1, 2016 for full-time faculty -- a proposal that amounts to a pay cut when inflation and further increases in health benefits cost-sharing are considered; and

Whereas these low percentage increases are especially unjust for NTT faculty, who are generally very poorly paid; and

Whereas Rutgers has $600 million in unrestricted funds -- some of which can certainly be used to provide a level of compensation for faculty consistent with the lofty goals expressed in the Strategic Plan of building a great faculty and a great University; and

Whereas, notwithstanding administration claims to the contrary, Rutgers faculty are among the very lowest paid in the Big Ten, when relative cost of living is taken into consideration; and

Whereas the Rutgers administration does not stint on its own compensation, having 79 members who earn over $275,000 per year with a median salary of $330,000, well above the levels at comparable Universities;

Be it resolved that we demand that the administration enter into serious negotiations with the AAUP-AFT about economic compensation, with particular attention to redressing the salary inequities and injustices among the lower paid groups of NTT and junior faculty; and

Be it further resolved that we most strongly urge the University not to burden students with additional increases in tuition and fees in order to meet these eminently reasonable faculty needs.


10.    Adjournment

This meeting of the New Brunswick Faculty Council adjourned at 3:42 p.m.

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