Faculty Assembly Meeting Minutes, October 6 2021

Faculty Assembly Minutes (draft)
October 6, 2021
Hybrid ASB & via Webex

 Presenters: President Jebb, Provost Gaulden, Virginia Galdieri (Assistant Vice President, Human Resources and Benefits Administration), Sandra Suárez (Director Upward Bound  Math-Science Program), Michael Bitz (Director, Instructional Design Center), Tammi Redd (Director, Faculty Development Center), Peter Campbell (Dean, CA)

Meeting began at 1:06pm.
Assembly Minutes: September minutes will be approved via Qualtrics.

In attendance: 126 individuals.

Guests: Susan A. Vallario, Chair of the Board of Trustees, Angelina Farallo, SGA representative

FACULTY ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT’S REPORT

FA Meeting Guidelines: Comments or questions will be answered after reports are given. Speakers can comment for 90 seconds. After all have participated, 2nd comments will be possible as time permits.

Shared Governance: Naseem has been meeting with President Jebb about improving shared governance.
Collaboration on Future Vision of the College: Meetings have gone well regarding shared ideas.
Spring 2022 Schedule: Provost Gaulden will speak more about this. The goal is to keep the students in mind and preserve the quality of education at the College.
Collaborations: Meetings have been held with Chris Romano (Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Affairs) and Kirsten Loewrigkeit (C.P.A, Vice President for Administration and Finance) about recruitment, retention, facilities, etc. We need to understand more about changes in policies to know which are temporary versus permanent. Such questions might include the new printer policies.
Outside Spaces: Thank you to Mike Cunningham for providing photos of places for faculty to meet outside with students.
Faculty Handbook: Thank you to our diligent colleagues for all of their efforts and service on our behalf.
Service: Thank you to everyone who contributes, which allows the College to work as smoothly as it does.

PRESIDENT’S REPORT

Thank you: Dr. Jebb thanked FA President Choudhury for all of the faculty’s collaborative efforts on behalf of the College. Similarly, Dr. Jebb thanked faculty as students have reported they have been very understanding and students feel cared for.
Culture of Dignity and Respect: Many meaningful activities were held on Diversity Day. Is more needed to help foster this climate? The goal is to move the community forward through attentiveness and empathy.
Needs Statement: Angela Cristini (Interim Vice President Institutional Advancement and Executive Director Ramapo College Foundation) will explain this in more detail. The faculty is the source of many creative ideas. Offer ideas and these passions might be shared with donors who wish to invest in areas of similar interest. Centers are also a way to invite interdisciplinary work. We need partners and resources to make these things happen.
Shared Governance:  Can we include more of the stakeholders in decision making? The most recent example is the Career Development Reports. The Provost is already working on this issue.

PROVOST’S REPORT

Thank you: The semester has been going very smoothly. We were thanked for all of our efforts in this regard.
Data and Decisions: Ask questions, visit Provost Gaulden. Data is gathered and decisions are made while rationales are explained.
“Play”: We cannot only work. Try to find something that sounds interesting not necessarily work related.
NJ Lecture Series: This is virtual, in the Daily Digest. Squonk Opera
Squonk Opera: The last performance is today at 3:30pm. Buy a $0 ticket Berry Center ticket.
Tenure Track Faculty Hires: 8 new faculty members will be hired for fall 2022. Decisions were based on program reviews. The full picture of all programs was evaluated.

REPORT: VIRGINIA GALDIERI, AVP for HR

Outstanding Unemployment Claims: This has been a struggle for many due to the volume of applications and fraudulent claims. Recently, Jill Brown attended a conference and found a high level person who was provided with a list of those known to be having issues. Continue to contact ER if you have difficulties. File appeals by indicated deadlines if you have received such a result.
Faculty Handbook: The subgroups are working on revisions. This is a collaborative process. Everyone will have a chance to provide feedback.
Career Development Timeline: Employee relations and AFT met yesterday to extend the deadline to December or January when we return from Winter Break based on feedback about the original deadline. The deadline is being extended. Faculty asked for this to be due in January as December is our busiest month.
COVID-19 Vaccination Rates: 95% of faculty; 81% of staff; 70% adjunct of faculty; 71.25% of students overall; residential students are close to 97% vaccination rates. 96% of students in the classroom are vaccinated.
Contract Tracing Protocols: Ramapo College’s protocols are in line with CDC guidelines. We have not yet had in-class transmissions. Updated protocols from the CDC are being monitored. ER is listening to and addressing our concerns. The contact tracing protocols have been of concern. Virginia can share these with us in a separate meeting if we wish. Federal and State guidelines are being followed. The Bergen County Board of Health also guides us.
COVID-19 Positive Student Reports to Faculty: Have students report to Debra Lukacsko or her designee who will advise the student. If after hours, students can reach out to Public Safety. Student Health Services should be contacted during their operating hours.
Career Development Funds: If unused in 2020, do people have to reapply. Contact the Provost and inform her you were unable to use the funds. CC: Janet Faber.
Registration/Vaccinations: November 8th registration begins. Students will not be able to register for in-person courses if they have not been fully vaccinated so they need to do this now. A standard letter can be shared with the Deans from the Provosts. This will be shared with the faculty to inform our advisees.

Announcements

SANDRA SUÁREZ REPORT: UPWARD BOUND GRANT. For more information, contact Sandra. Eligibility criteria are: neither parent is a first generation higher education or low income. Students must be a Paterson, NJ residents.  They come to Ramapo College for  the summer and certified high school teachers and services are also provided year round. The counselors have room and board. Recreational activities are plentiful. The program’s focus is on math and science. There will be a Qualtrics one question vote; please participate when Naseem sends out the link.

FACULTY DEVELOPMENT DAY: Michael Bitz (Director, Instructional Design Center) & Tammi Redd (Director, Faculty Development Center)
FRC and IDC Combined Faculty Development Day: ITC and FRC will be running these together. Perhaps this will be in-person in the spring semester. The IDC will be moving to the Learning Commons in the next few weeks. Deb O’Connell is a new member. Tammi Redd said there will be 4 sessions. The FRC will eventually move next door to the IDC.

Faculty Assembly Openings for the Next Academic Year. (Self-)nominations are due by March 30th to Kim Lorber, FA Secretary. The February Unit Council Meeting is when decisions will be made. The new President and Secretary must also be elected.

VISUAL ARTS EXHIBITION: Dean Peter Campbell announced this will be opened for 3 weeks.

 Meeting Adjourned at 2:08pm.

Categories: FA RCNJ 2021, FACULTY ASSEMBLY MINUTES, Faculty Assembly Minutes 2021