News
Camden provost delivers annual report
Archived article from Dec 6, 2004
When the University Senate convened on the Camden campus Nov. 19, it provided Provost Roger Dennis with a “home court advantage” for his annual campus report.
Dennis noted that the Camden campus has posted significant gains in enrollment during the past seven years, when the student body increased from 4,500 in 1997 to 5,750 in 2004. “We have enhanced the quality of our student body on all measures, including diversity and scholastic standing,” Dennis said, crediting new academic programs and focused enrollment management processes for the growth.
Faculty achievements mirrored enrollment growth in Dennis’ report. He noted that “many of our accomplishments center on the lives of children,” and cited significant external grant support to research conducted by Myra Bluebond-Langner, professor of anthropology, and Daniel Hart, professor of psychology. Dennis also noted Camden’s second major grant from the Knight Foundation: $1.2 million for an urban literacy endeavor headed by the Center for Strategic Urban Community Leadership.
Citing Camden’s strength in faculty interplays between service and scholarship, Dennis reported on faculty involvement in a wide array of services to the state, including the involvement of Alan Tarr, professor of political science, and Robert Williams, professor of law, in framing the public dialogue for property tax reform. He underscored the quality of the faculty with mention of awards presented to Camden business school scholars Carol Kaufman-Scarborough, Briance Mascarenhas and Rakesh Sambharya.
“We’re very proud of the vibrancy of our student life,” said Dennis, who reported that the men’s soccer team had been ranked 20th in the nation this fall and that crew launched as an intercollegiate sport. Dennis also observed that the campus enjoyed two significant student events this fall, when Michael Moore and Ann Coulter each visited the campus.
In other senate news, the body approved proposed changes to the university’s policy on e-mail privacy. The Faculty Affairs and Personnel Committee said in its report that compared to 13 other universities, Rutgers’ policy appears to be “conservative and rigorous,” with e-mail access permitted only with the permission of the account owner, as required by law, to investigate alleged violations of university policy, or when it is reasonable to expect that the owner would agree but is unavailable. The committee recommended adding language that addresses notification if e-mail or user files are examined, which applies to computer support units and systems administrators. The report is available at senate.rutgers.edu/fapcemailprivacy.html, with links to other university Web sites containing privacy information.
The senate also voted for a recommendation to the board of governors regarding voting rights for joint departmental appointees. The Faculty Affairs and Personnel Committee suggests adding language to the University Regulations and Procedures indicating that professors, instructors, research and extension staff with split or joint appointments between two or more departments or academic units vote in the department with more than 50 percent of their budgetary line or, in case of a 50/50 split, the department that processes their personnel actions. The secondary department may still designate those faculty and staff as voting members consistent with department bylaws.
The body also named Livingston College student Timothy DiVito as a student member of the Senate Executive Committee. A special election was held to replace Rutgers College student Andrew Bucko, who resigned from the board earlier this semester.
– Michael Sepanic and Ashanti M. Alvarez
Return to the Dec 6, 2004 issue
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