FAEC MINUTES 04/22/2020

DRAFT FAEC Minutes 4/22/2020

Faculty Assembly Executive Council [FAEC] Meeting Minutes

Date: Wednesday, April  22, 2020  | Location: ONLINE/REMOTE  | Time: 10:30 am to 12:00 pm

Attendees: Tae Kwak, Donna Flynn, Kathy Zeno, Christina Connor, Scott Frees, Roark Atkinson, Naseem Choudhury, Ashwani Vasishth (Interim SSHS Representative), Pinar Kayaalp (interim HGS Representative), Lisa Lutter

Secretary: Nakia Matthias

Guests:  Stephen Rice, Jacqueline Braun

I.  FAEC Minutes Approved 

II.  ARC Updates

ARC has nearly completed its processes this semester for proposal review and approval.  ARC suggests that a document management system is developed and implemented to facilitate submissions and review should RCNJ continue to work remotely during the fall.. A simple system can be created using Canvas. The college catalog should be published by next Fall.  Stephen Rice will take over as ARC Chair.

GECCo and WAC have separate charges and need to clarify its relationship to FAEC for the future.

III.  Contingency Planning – Remote Fall Semester

The administration should plan for the event that we deliver courses online for the Fall 2020 semester.  In the event that RCNj will resume the Fall semester remotely FAEC suggests the development and implementation of guiding principles at the convening group and unit levels to manage a remote teaching and course delivery process. If we have to extend remote learning into the Fall these online teaching processes should be formalized for consistency.

 Resources that faculty need to continue remote instruction should  be identified.  There should also be informational clearinghouses devised to facilitate this process and address concerns that faculty may have .

It is important that convening groups and units inform faculty that they should prepare in the event that they may need to teach remotely in the Fall.  The process may need to involve ARC to ensure that syllabi include information that aligns with instructional measures implemented for remote learning and teaching.

It is important for faculty to revise syllabi to address obligations to students including office hours, methods of course delivery, grading etc.

The administration cannot structure the course but can inform faculty of the methods of delivery and the interface for instruction.  For remote course delivery faculty are not obligated to use college approved LMS.  For Summer classes, faculty must use Canvas.  

The faculty can develop proposals for remote instruction rather than react to proposals that the administration puts forth to ensure that there is some clarity on how we will proceed in the fall. 

IV.  Reappointment and Promotions

At present, binders are on hold and decisions are on hold for promotion and reappointment.  Reappointment and promotion decisions are on pause until September.  There is concern about the lack of an online document management  system  for reappointment applications.  A system should be developed to ensure that these processes can be implemented remotely.

V. RCNJ Library

The library is currently working with consortiums and vendors to facilitate free services for books and other resources but cannot be sure that companies will extend free services through December.  The library is using trial versions for some services but may not be able to do this through the summer.  The library is operating with an extremely limited budget and librarians will make decisions that support the curriculum holistically and equitably distribute resources between Units.   The library is operating on reduced funds from this year’s budget unit at least September 30.  FAEC is  concerned about the fundraising for the library and the possibility that it could be idle. Communication from Library Unit liaisons will be distributed to each unit to provide more information about resources going forward.

VI. State of RCNJ’s Finances 

There is currently a hiring freeze but it is unknown as to whether there is also a promotion freeze.  There are concerns about job loss on campus.   There is also concern about  how the College will manage financial losses due to potential reduced enrollments and a drop in fees that The College usually depends on as part of student attendance. 

RCNJ may  be bound by Sodexo contracts although students are not on campus and foodservice operations are abnormal due to the COVID19 emergency.  Filling classes may be an issue and if RCNJ transitions to online instruction in the Fall  there will be a loss in parking and dorm fees. There is the possibility that monetary gifts to the college may be rescinded as donors renege on their pledged contributions.  

FAEC would like to know when the debt will be retired for the dorms.  It would also be helpful for the administration to provide projections or an exact accounting of figures indicating RCNJ’s losses over the summer and otherwise.  

The Provost  is waiting for other units in the college to determine which areas must be scaled back before considering reductions to academic affairs.   In the provosts purview, Academic Affairs should be a last resort for cuts. Adjunct instructors may be reduced in an effort to manage losses going forward.  Currently 300+ adjuncts are teaching approximately 100 sections over the course of the year.

VII. Stipends  

Stipend in general will be on hold over the summer due to budget shortfalls.  Any negotiation of stipends with the Provost must involve AFT as per  the local contract.  Course releases and stipends are very inconsistent.  It is an extraordinary measure to cut salaries across the board but reducing the number of stipends granted will be a reasonable way for the administration to scale back.  

There needs to be a consistent and universal process for how faculty are being asked to relinquish or forego stipends.  The criteria by which faculty are being asked to give up stipends needs to be documented.  Some faculty have been asked to provide services without a stipend, while some have not.  Furthermore, there is irregularity in the distribution of  summer stipends. 

VIII. FA Transitioning and FA Bylaws 

On July 1, 2020 Tae Kwak will step down as FA President and Naseem Choudhury will resume this position.  However the FA bylaws indicate that the official start date is  September 1.  The FA  bylaws must  be revised to reflect the July 1st start date.  Naseem and Tae have worked together to ensure that the transition is seamless.  Some FA procedures have been inconsistent and out of sync with FA bylaws. Naseem will revisit the FA bylaws to ensure that codification and modification is implemented to support transparency within FA processes and structures.  The FA bylaws may have to change or eliminate the over and under 11 year requirement for some positions.

Meeting Adjourned 12 pm

Categories: FA RCNJ Minutes 2020, FAEC MEETING MINUTES 2020, RAMAPO FAEC