Bill Text: NJ SR34 | 2012-2013 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Urges Rutgers University to revise its alma mater "On the Banks of the Old Raritan" to make it gender neutral.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2012-01-23 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Higher Education Committee [SR34 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2012-SR34-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator LORETTA WEINBERG
District 37 (Bergen)
SYNOPSIS
Urges Rutgers University to revise its alma mater "On the Banks of the Old Raritan" to make it gender neutral.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
A Senate Resolution urging Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey to revise its alma mater to make it gender neutral.
Whereas, Written by Howard N. Fuller in 1873, "On the Banks of the Old Raritan" is the alma mater of Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey; and
Whereas, The alma mater is often sung at university events, including convocation and commencement, performances of the Rutgers University Glee Club and other campus musical groups, and at the conclusion of athletic events; and
Whereas, In the first verse of the alma mater, the lyrics state "My father sent me to old Rutgers, and resolv'd that I should be a man..."; and
Whereas, Rutgers University has approximately 40,000 undergraduate students, 50% of whom are women, and lyrics like "father" and "man" do not represent or adequately reflect the hard work and accomplishments of the many female students and faculty of Rutgers University and Douglass Residential College; and
Whereas, Among peer public institutions of higher education which are members of the Association of American Universities, Rutgers University ranks fifth in the nation in the number of full-time female faculty and fifth in the percentage of degrees earned by women; and
Whereas, The lyrics of the alma mater also do not adequately reflect the national college enrollment rate of women and the fact that according to the United States Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics, for the graduating high school class of 2009, the college enrollment rate was 73.8% for women and 66% for men; and
Whereas, According to the National Center for Education Statistics, between the 1996-1997 and 2006-2007 academic years the number of degrees completed grew at a faster rate for women than for men for each type of post-secondary degree, and in the 2006-2007 academic year women earned 62% of associate degrees, 57% of baccalaureate degrees, and 61% of masters degrees; and
Whereas, Rutgers University is regarded as the preeminent public institution of higher education in the State and is considered one of the leading public research universities in the nation; and
Whereas, Rutgers University is a source of pride for the citizens of New Jersey, and its alma mater should be inclusive and representative of its entire student body, faculty, and staff, regardless of gender; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of New Jersey:
1. This House urges Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey to revise its alma mater "On the Banks of the Old Raritan" to make it gender neutral so that it is inclusive and representative of its entire student body, faculty, and staff.
2. Duly authenticated copies of this resolution, signed by the President of the Senate and attested by the Secretary thereof, shall be transmitted to the Board of Governors and the President of Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey.
STATEMENT
This resolution urges Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey to revise its alma mater to make it gender neutral so that it is inclusive and representative of its entire student body, faculty, and staff. "On the Banks of the Old Raritan" is Rutgers University's alma mater, and in the first verse the lyrics state, "My father sent me to old Rutgers, and resolv'd that I should be a man..." Rutgers University has approximately 40,000 undergraduate students, 50% of whom are women, and lyrics like "father" and "man" do not represent or adequately reflect the hard work and accomplishments of the many female students and faculty of Rutgers University and Douglass Residential College.
