Meeting of the CCAS Faculty Senate
Approved Minutes
December 16, 2025
The meeting was called to order at approximately 12:45 p.m., with CCAS Faculty Senate President Rafey Habib presiding. There are 33 Senators, including 3 officers and 3 senators-at-large. Of the 33 voting members, 24 were present. A quorum was met.
I. A motion to approve the minutes of November 25, 2025, was made. The motion to approve the minutes was approved.
Voting record: 24 ayes, 0 opposed, 0 abstentions.
II. Interim report of Online/AI committees
Randy Mershon provided an update to the Senate of the online education committee’s meeting, held on 11/19/25. The committee’s emphasis was on reliable data (statistics comparing online vs. in-person courses; where/why students enroll in online courses; etc.), as well as the need to establish robust quality control practices around course design, instruction, and delivery. The committee has an interest in surveying research around online education. The meeting resulted in two fundamental questions: 1. What is the appropriate or possible role for online offerings in the overall set of courses? and 2. What is the best way to offer and support online teaching?
III. Bill FitzGerald: ESL initiative
Bill provided an interim report with the Senate of the ESL initiative. The group self-divided into subcommittees based on the charge they were given by the Senate: Investigating AI literacy resource models of ethical guidelines for the use of AI tools; The impact of AI on teaching, learning, and research; The infrastructure needed to adopt and utilize AI tools; AI training resources for both students and faculty; Mechanisms for protecting the data privacy of AI users at RU-Camden. The committee has met several times and has assigned interim, as well as long-term, goals. A final report will be made available for the meeting of the full faculty in the spring semester. The ESL initiative consists of putting in place an infrastructure to support the learning needs of students who come from diverse backgrounds where English is not their first language. The committee will share a recommendation report with the Senate in early-spring seeking endorsement, to address how we can best support multi-language learners.
IV. Discussion of APC courses and programs (Alex Roche, Chair of APC)
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Courses presented for discussion and recommendation by APC to Faculty Senate |
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Department |
Course # |
Course Title |
Credit Value |
New/ Revision |
|
World Languages & Cultures |
50:940:467 |
Cultural Literacy in Healthcare |
3 |
NEW |
|
World Languages & Cultures |
50:941:127 |
Spanish for Health Professions I |
3 |
NEW |
|
World Languages & Cultures |
50:941:227 |
Spanish for Health Professions II |
3 |
NEW |
|
World Languages & Cultures |
50:941:327 |
Spanish for Health Professions III |
3 |
NEW |
|
World Languages & Cultures |
50:941:427 |
Health and Wellness in the Latinx Community |
3 |
NEW |
|
World Languages & Cultures |
50:941:437 |
The Community Interpreter |
3 |
NEW |
|
Programs presented for discussion and recommendation by APC Committee to Faculty Senate |
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Department |
Minor |
Date when program will begin |
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|
English and Communication |
MINOR: Critical Disability Studies |
September 2026 |
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V. Dr. Rick Anderson, Director of Virtual Worlds for Rutgers University
Dr. Anderson shared a presentation with the Senate on AI and Online.
The meeting adjourned at 1:51 p.m.
Present (Senators): Craig Agule, Julio Alicea, Paul Bernstein, Bailey Blessing, James Boucher, I-Ming Chiu, Iman Dehzangi, Travis DuBose, Chris Fitter, Anthony Geneva, Carly Goodman, Anthony Grasso, Rafey Habib, Ann Heidelberg, Michelle Livings, Randy Mershon, Tamara Nelson, Adam Okulicz-Kozaryn, Guannan Shen, Stass Shpanin, Longmei Shu, Nir Yakoby
Absent (Senators): Margaret Betz, Naomi Fair, Hong Fang, Alejandro Loureiro Lorenzo, Clinton McNair, Youwen Zhang
Excused Absent (Senators): Emily Marker, Kayla Preito-Hodge
Present (Senators-at-Large): Jean-Louis Hippolyte, John Wall
Absent (Senators-at-Large): Ophelia Eryn Hostetter
Excused Absent (Senators-at-Large): n/a
Present (Invited Guests): Rick Anderson, Bill FitzGerald, Keith Green, John Griffin, Alex Roche, Jennifer Thiel
Drafted by: Melinda Aviles, 12/16/2025