FAEC December 8, 2021

FAEC MINUTES 12/8/21

Present: Naseem Choudhury (President, SSHS), Bonnie Blake (Councilor-at-Large over 11, CA), Katie Cohen (Library), Donna Flynn (Councilor-at-Large under 11, TAS), Ken McMurdy (TAS), Kim Lorber (Secretary), Lisa Lutter, (CA), Thierry Rakotobe-Joel (ASB), Mihaela Serban (SSHS), Ed Shannon (Vice President, HGS), Jeffrey Ellsworth (Incoming Secretary Spring 2022)

Vote to bring meeting to order at 10:01am.

Minutes Approval: The 11/24/21 minutes were approved. The 12/1/21 minutes will be approved in the Spring semester. 

FA PRESIDENT’S REPORT

Future Series Online:  FAEC advocacy has helped to make this important series more accessible by expanding on the in-person model. Today’s noon meeting will be available remotely as well.

Faculty Assembly Elections: Ken McMurdy has been elected as FA President for Fall 2022; this will be finalized in the near future. 

Meeting with President Jebb: Needs statement work is being done with faculty collaborations across campus. 

Interim Positions: National searches are recommended.

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FAEC DISCUSSION

Chris Romano (Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Affairs): At Provost’s Council, Chris reported that 295 students have not been vaccinated in preparation for in-person Spring 2022. Over 1,700 students are planning to live on campus so far. We are ahead of last year’s applications for priority and early action. Admission numbers should go up.

January 19, 2022: This date was deliberately left open (without meetings), so that there could be a faculty retreat as in past years. FAEC may organize a retreat this year centered around an important topic such as academic integrity. Our last two retreats were very helpful as we navigated our way through the pandemic. Perhaps this one could include wellness as one topic, in order to provide faculty with strategies for maximizing our own physical and mental well-being.  There is much concern that, while we have focused on understanding and meeting students’ needs, many faculty have reported suffering from increased stress, anxiety and a general feeling of being “burned out.”

Unit Council: Expectations for Unit Council meetings vary considerably from school to school. Concern about adequate discussion time for FAEC representatives was discussed.

FAEC Guests: President Jebb, Interim-Provost Gaulden, Virginia Galdieri and Janet Faber (ER), and Chris Romano, will continue to be invited to future meetings on a monthly basis. We hope to include new constituencies on campus including SGA representation and others beginning next semester.

Onboarding New Faculty: Faculty Assembly can work to help onboard new faculty members who had little time at Ramapo pre-pandemic or who have not yet taught in-person without remote options. This should not be a permanent responsibility of this body but is important and urgent for the coming semester during a pandemic.

Removal of Room Kits: Faculty are concerned about the availability of room kits. Will be discussed with the provost.

Release Time: It has been suggested that we maintain and periodically distribute to faculty a list of service opportunities that carry release time. This is a transparency issue.

Faculty Bylaw Votes: 134 faculty were available to vote, and so we need 89. They are slowly coming. Reminder emails will be sent. Please vote.

Password Security: FAEC will continue to investigate reports of password security issues.

Kim Lorber: This is her last meeting as FAEC Secretary; she has served 3 terms.

Meeting adjourned at 11:33am..

Categories: FAEC meeting Minutes 2021, RAMAPO FAEC