12/4 Faculty Assembly Minutes DRAFT

Wednesday, December 4, 2019 Faculty Assembly

Minutes

Secretary: Hugh Sheehy

Approve Minutes

• Report: College President

In the event of snow cancellations and delays, instructors should develop plans to address the need to make up missed contact hours with students. The next Executive Board meeting of the New Jersey Presidents’ Council is scheduled for December 9 and should yield information about next year’s college and university budgets.

• Report: Provost

Moodle/Campus provide useful tools for making up contact hours missed due to weather-related cancellations. Master of Science and Accounting will be the first fully online program offered by the College. Faculty are encouraged to attend Year of Asia Brown Bag (12/5, 1 PM, York Room) and Data Science and ESPN Brown Bag (12/5 4 PM, York Room).

Discussion: A faculty member asked whether a 3+1 diploma would be distinguished from any other Ramapo degrees. The Provost confirmed that there would be no distinction. The Provost invites faculty to collaborate with the administration on making the 3+1 programs effective.

• Report: FA President

The signing of the first Memorandum of Understanding is described as “imminent.” Faculty have many questions which have not been answered, on subjects ranging from admissions to the language on the degrees (i.e. concentrations, tracks).Faculty teaching long classes on days when there are weather-related delays should prepare for delays both on the syllabus and decide whether to exercise their authority to begin class meetings late; faculty and deans may need to discuss how the latter affects courses within each School. [A faculty member requested that the language of the Alert Me Now announcements be changed to reflect that some classes might begin later than usual; the President acknowledged this request.] FA is grateful to Helen Grey and Christina Connor for their help with clickers in the past; FA votes will now be held using secure Qualtrics surveys. Faculty aware of any FA members who do not receive the surveys going out tonight are encouraged to contact their FAEC reps. [A faculty member asked whether this technology change means voting results will not be immediate; the FA president confirmed that it does, though he noted that the president reserves the right to use both paper ballots and hand votes, should immediate results be needed.] [A faculty member noted that the Provost’s website should include language that could be used to clarify the meaningful differences between concentrations and tracks.]

• Candidates for FA President (2020-22)

Nassem Choudhury and Ken McMurdy delivered their candidacy speeches. Qualtrics surveys go out to all FA members tonight.

• Information Item: Community-based Learning Task Force (Kristin Kenneavy)

The Community-based Learning Task Force seeks to define “community-based learning” in a manner aligned with the directives of the College’s Strategic Plan. The TF will proceed by studying models and definitions at similar institutions and the prerogatives of various academic institutions. The TF aims to produce a “Community-based Learning” designation for courses that qualify.

• Information Item: Middle States Update (Stephanie Sarabia)

The Middle States Self-Study is nearly complete. The feedback received so far has been salutary; the reviewed draft is available for interested reader. Faculty should prepare for the 2020 Middle States visit by knowing the College mission and the goals of the General Education program: The College will offer information sessions and resources for faculty to facilitate this process.

• ARC Programs (Jackie Braun)
  • Sports Management Minor Curriculum Phase (FA vote)
  • Human Resources Management Minor Curriculum Phase (FA vote)
  • Higher Education Leadership concentration in MAEL (FA vote)
  • MFA Creative Music Technology Curriculum Phase (FA vote)

Note: Voting will be conducted online through a secure Qualtrics survey.

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