Meeting of the CCAS Faculty Senate
Approved Minutes
October 29, 2024
The meeting was called to order at approximately 12:45 p.m., with CCAS Faculty Senate President Robert Emmons presiding. There are 35 Senators, including 3 officers and 0 senators-at-large. Of the 35 voting members, 25 were present. A quorum was met.
I. A motion to approve the minutes of September 24, 2024, was made. The motion to approve the minutes was approved.
Voting record: 25 ayes, 0 opposed, 0 abstentions.
II. Admissions and Retention Committee Chair, Jillian Sayre announcement
Jillian spoke to the Senate regarding soliciting participation in the Admissions and Retention Committee. The duties as outlined by the bylaws were shared with the Senate. The Committee is comprised of three elected faculty members. Two of the current three members will be on leave in spring 2025 and will need to be replaced during the semester so that the committee can participate and give feedback on the admission and retention process. Interested faculty can email Jillian directly, or email Selim Cakmakli who is the representative for the Committee on Committees.
III. Announcement of APC courses and programs – APC chair
a. Senate questions and comments for proposed courses and programs
There were no questions or comments regarding the following APC courses:
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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 |
|
Sociology, Anthropology and Criminal Justice |
50:070:212 |
Introduction to Archeology |
3 |
NEW |
|
Visual, Media and Performing Arts |
50:082:354 |
Modern to Contemporary Art |
3 |
REVISION |
|
Visual, Media and Performing Arts |
50:700:391 |
Music and Computers |
3 |
REVISION |
|
Programs presented for discussion and recommendation by APC Committee to Faculty Senate |
||||
|
Department |
Minor |
Date when program will begin |
||
|
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
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IV. Senate Business
a. Ad Hoc Committee on Online Education Update: Dean’s survey request to Department. Chairs and Program Directors regarding their individual program’s online education activity.
Dean Griffin sent out an email summarizing the work that has been done so far and how we’ll be moving forward. Dean Griffin will put together a survey tool to be shared with chairs and directors at the next C&D meeting for soliciting input from their faculties and bringing the information back to the Ad Hoc Committee. The Committee will then come up with a set of shared guiding principles around teaching in general and including online.
b. Discussion of October 18, 2024 Rutgers University Senate’s Amendment on Camden Town Hall.
Robert Emmons shared a resolution that was proposed on the floor on 10/18/24:
“Whereas members of the Camden campus community have expressed concerns regarding communication with the Chancellor and his administrative team, be it resolved that:
Given The University Senate’s role in serving as an advisory body to the President of Rutgers University, the University Senate recommends President Holloway plan an open, public, and in-person town hall with half of the time dedicated for a question-and-answer session on the Camden Campus, ideally in coordination with and participation from Chancellor Tillis, prior to the end of the Fall 2024 semester.”
Robert provided some background information: during an Executive Committee meeting, it was raised that Camden wanted to have a forum with the Chancellor. At the exec meeting the Chancellor said he was open to having a town hall/open forum/Q&A session. The resolution was then proposed about a week later at the University Senate.
James Boucher shared additional information: During the exec meeting, Chancellor Tillis gave some explanation regarding some of the staff shakeups which has concerned many people across the campus community recently. Chancellor Tillis was expected to attend the University Senate meeting, however, due to a family matter he was unable to attend. Provost Richtermeyer fielded some questions in his absence. The proposed resolution is non-binding. It will go to the President’s office, however, what the President does with the resolution cannot be predicted. The rationale behind bringing President Holloway into the discussion is to hopefully add some weight to the actual town hall and to the discussion forum.
There was a discussion regarding an endorsement from the Faculty Senate of the resolution.
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- James Boucher is in full support of the resolution. While there are many forums to speak with the Chancellor and his administrative team, many of those forums are not in a Q&A format which doesn’t create a chance for a dialogue.
- Jim Brown stated that the concerns around campus are around communication with anyone outside of the chancellor’s office when certain decisions are made, and how the information moves. It’s a matter of shared governance. Do faculty, students, and staff have any say in how this campus runs? Likely the core problem is that the staff feel under siege at this point, and are afraid to express feelings about anything, worried that they could be laid off if they challenge authority. It’s up to faculty that have different kinds of protections than staff members to stand up and say something.
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Jim Brown made a motion that the Senate endorse the resolution put forward by the University Senate, and that the Faculty Senate President (on behalf of the entire Senate) communicate that endorsement to the Chancellor. James Brown seconded the motion.
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- Rafey Habib: Since the town hall meeting concerns Camden and issues at Camden, it would be appropriate for the Senate to endorse the resolution.
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Voting record: 24 ayes, 0 opposed, 1 abstention.
Dean Griffin made it clear that he has no intention to fire or lay off any staff. An idea was floated to open an anonymous forum allowing staff and other members of the campus community to submit questions for the town hall, that faculty can then ask during the meeting in order to protect colleagues from any potential acts of retaliation.
The meeting adjourned at 1:45 p.m.
Present: Valerie Adams-Bass, Craig Agule, Sarah Allred, Paul Bernstein, Margaret Betz, James Boucher, Kendra Boyd, Jim Brown, Gail Caputo, Brian Corbett, Travis DuBose, Jamie Dunaev, Robert Emmons, Chris Fitter, Rafey Habib, Osama Hamed, Ann Heidelberg, Yoona Kang, Randy Mershon, Jim Mobley, Susan Mokhberi, Tamara Nelson, Adam Okulicz-Kozaryn, Alex Roche, Longmei Shu
Absent (Senators): Michelle Carlin, Maureen Donaghy, Anthony Grasso, Hunter King, Clinton McNair, Xingyun Qi, Amy Savage
Excused Absent (Senators): Ross Allen, Sheikh Islam, Stass Shpanin
Present Senators-at-Large: n/a
Absent Senators-at-Large: n/a
Excused Senators-at-Large: n/a
Present (Invited Guests): Dean John Griffin, Kimberly Moran, Jillian Sayre, Jennifer Thiel
Drafted by Melinda Aviles, 10/29/24