Rutgers Board approves consent agenda including faculty appointment, endowed chair, and two new degree programs

At its Feb. 11 meeting, the Board of Governors approved the consent agenda moved by Dr. James Dougherty and seconded as part of the open session.

Items approved included the minutes of Dec. 9, 2025; salary approval for the defensive coordinator for men’s football at Rutgers–New Brunswick; an academic appointment with tenure (document available on request in the Office of the Secretary); and the appointment of Dr. Joseph Contessa to the Omar Boraie Endowed Chair in Molecular Medicine for a five-year renewable term commencing Aug. 1, 2025. The resolution detailing the Contessa appointment cited his research contributions and endorsements by Rutgers Cancer Institute leadership and medical-school leadership.

The Board also approved establishment of a Bachelor of Science in Management and Work in the School of Management and Labor Relations and a Master of Science in FinTech Analytics in the School of Graduate Studies. Both program proposals were reviewed by external consultants and endorsed by faculty, deans and university leadership; the Board’s resolutions state that the programs do not exceed Rutgers’ mission nor require significant new resources and that notifications will be forwarded to the New Jersey Office of the Secretary of Higher Education.

All items on the consent agenda were moved together and approved unanimously without removal for separate discussion. Details and supporting documents are recorded in the Office of the Secretary of the University.