FAEC Minutes January 31, 2018

Faculty Assembly Executive Council (FAEC) Meeting Minutes January 24, 2018 ASB 008 Room 10:30am to 12:30am

Attendees: Roark Atkinson, Kim Lorber, Christina Connor, Kathryn Zeno, Tae Kwak, Eva Ogens, Donna Flynn (for Cristina Perez), Gladys Torres-Baumgarten, Renata Gangemi

Excused: Cristina Perez

Secretary:​ Hugh Sheehy

Guest: Peter Mercer, Beth Barnett

1.     Minutes approved
2.     Voting Item: Mid-Career Reflection: there are a number of issues with this aspect of the GE, ranging from questions of how it should be assessed to how the term itself is interpreted. This will be an exceptional voting item in that it can be removed from the GE without undermining the larger structure.

A committee member noted that a similarly difficult-to-assess item in the GE is the Experiential component.

3.     Online and Hybrid Learning

There is a question of whether a second Task Force is necessary for Online Learning or whether one Task Force could handle both Online Learning and Hybrid Courses.

        There are other questions related to Online/Hybrid Course initiatives. Some of these relate to assessment and practical questions regarding scheduling, student attendance, student participation, and ensuring the integrity of student work. A committee member observed that ARC and related Task Forces play roles that are by turns instructive, advisory, and troubleshooting in nature.

A committee member noted that some faculty have questions about the various visions of the future place Online/Hybrid Courses will occupy.

4.     Shared Governance and Structural Items:
5. Provost’s Council has not met since October.
6. Bylaw regarding President’s Cabinet and the FA President’s place in it was never accepted by the Administration and is thus inaccurate.

There may be other inaccuracies in the bylaws; it may be in the Faculty’s interest to amend some of the bylaws.

Committee members have questions about history of bylaws and will consult former members of FAEC about institutional past.

5.     Library: After a meeting involving librarians and President Mercer, there remain questions about the purpose of the new construction project. The most pressing questions relate to purpose of the construction. Is it a library primarily? Will it be more of student center in practice? What is the purpose of reported plans to omit the word “library” from the name of the new construction? The current library has a mission. What will be the mission of the new construction?
6.     President Mercer and Provost Barnett: A committee member raised a question about the cancellation of last two Provost’s Council meetings. Barnett states that the next two meetings will take place. A committee member asked that Emily Williams attend an FAEC meeting with Barnett. Barnett agreed and asked that the V. Provost be invited whenever FAEC wishes.

Mercer: There will be a change in the duration of BoT meetings. There will be fewer meetings, but each will last longer.

A committee member reported looking into state of writing centers around the state. There was some discussion of reallocating current resources and the possibility of future requests for increased funding. A committee member stated a concern that anecdotal evidence of falling SAT scores among recent classes of incoming students may indicate a need for an increase in learning support in the form of resources like the Center for Reading and Writing. A committee member stated that transfer students with Associate’s Degrees are allowed to bypass the College Gen Ed and may also be in need of increased or enhanced resources.

Mercer: A. BoT has extended President’s appointment. Mercer was planning to step down after Spring 2019 but decided to seek to stay on another year once it became clear Barnett would step down after Spring 2018; decision had support of Provost Search Consultants, and there were other concerns, including new library construction project and upcoming Middle States study.

1. Telephone contact from Governor Murphy, dinner at his house with other college presidents. Mercer is interested in bringing forth a number of issues, including getting more state money for the College; Ramapo needs a transportation link.
2. Meeting with library staff: use of term “learning commons” has been in use for years and was in documentation approved by Board. Board’s impression is, in part, that libraries have become outmoded and that “learning commons” is the preferred nomenclature for a presumably more modernized facility. Student Center lags behind SCs at other NJ colleges and perceives funding for this project as going into an enhanced student center coupled with a library in the form of a learning commons. Decision lies in hands of Board but intends to work with librarians going forward in the interest of satisfying all interested parties; this includes naming the facility.

A committee member asked that, if the Board envisions books as decentered by other activities including an increase in learning online, can Ramapo afford to pay for supplementary online texts and technical facilities? Also, how will the adoption of this learning commons vision affect the mission of the library?

Mercer: No board member sees the library as ancillary to function of LC; “the library is at the core”. College must also be careful about what it commits to buying and supporting; the LC must be limited in this interest.

A committee member stated that faculty in ASB were surprised and concerned that the word “library” seemed to be missing from the plans to name the new facility.

Mercer: The determination of the name is yet to be made. Will speak to issue at FA.

A committee member raised question of Potter name.

Mercer: Believes the name should be preserved. Also believes that the naming or placement of the name is question is subject to future developmental/funding concerns.

7.     Meeting adjourned

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