FA Minutes 1/22/25

Faculty Assembly Meeting Minutes
January 22, 2025
1:00 pm
Pavilion

Faculty Assembly is open to a general college audience, including administrators, but only FA members may vote. Faculty, including library faculty and all full-time employees contractually obligated to teach are FA members as defined by our bylaws.

Meeting minutes taken by FA Secretary Matthew Jobrack.

Agenda:

Approval of Minutes (12/11/2024)

Reports:

Faculty Assembly President’s Report:

• FA Calendar and FAEC Google calendar are now completely up-to-date.
• Diversity Convocation will be held on Feb. 26 at 3pm.
• Anyone in charge of a student research symposium or similar event in the Spring semester should email the FA President, so that a complete list can be posted.
• Faculty Handbook revision progress update; Sabbatical policy is being targeted for revision with the Provost and President’s support.
• Next Faculty Scholarship Symposium is scheduled for Feb. 19 at 10:30 am. The topic is “Sabbatical Showcase”.
• FAEC is working with the Provost on a formal policy on student travel (“chaperone policy”).
• FAEC is working with the Provost on a plan to formally recognize outstanding adjuncts.
• President Jebb has announced open office hours for Spring ’25:
  • Thursday, Feb 6, 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm
  • Friday, March 7, 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm
  • Tuesday, April 8, 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
  • Thursday, May 1, 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm
• FA/RSA/SGA Game Night is scheduled for April 2, 4:30-6:00 pm in the Padovano Commons.

College President’s Report:

• Great transfer student event on Monday with over 100 transfer students.
• Ramapo will continue to double down on being guided by our values, and prioritizing our students.
• State budget is looking somewhat “grim” for the upcoming academic year.
• Ramapo is the #1 public institution in New Jersey in terms of enrollment growth.
• 4 Ramapo students are competing for the Truman Scholarship.
• All cores will be holding guest lectures on artificial intelligence.
• Invitation to open office hours, and to reach out.

Provost’s Report:

• Thank you to participants in the AI Consulting Group, whose work will inform some of the Teaching and Learning Core’s approach to AI.
• An AI Ethics Policy for teaching and learning has been produced, and will be published soon.
• TECHFEST will take place on March 12; focus on artificial intelligence.
• The Academic Structures Task Force and Conveners/Convening Groups Task Force submitted their reports to the Provost in December. Provost will hold meetings with faculty to discuss the reports sometime in the next few weeks.
• Research and Engagement Academy starting next week with 6 Fellows and 2 Mentors, focused on how to acquire grants to support scholarship.
• Travel policy has been drafted for student field trips, etc. Draft is currently waiting to go through one level of legal review, before being publicly available.
• New Study Abroad Director starting next week. Joint reception next Wednesday 1/29, 8:30 – 9:30 pm in the York room, to welcome new Study Abroad and ER Directors.
• Reminder for faculty to participate in no-show reporting.

Announcements:

• EDIC Updates, Nicole Morgan Agard
  • Introduction of new Associate Director of Campus Inclusion and Intercultural Affairs: Costin Thampikutty
  • Recognition of International Holocaust Remembrance Day on Monday 1/27, 1pm in Friends Hall
  • Diversity Convocation on Feb 26 at 3pm. Guest speaker Naomi Tutu.
• FRC Programming for Spring ’25 (slides)
  Rikki Abzug, FRC Director

Presentations/Discussion Items:

• Gen Ed Revision: Update and Initial Steps (slides)
  Chris Reali, GECCo Chair
• Update on Campus Facilities and IT Projects (slides)
  Mike Yankovich, VP for Operational and Administrative Integration

Voting Items:

• FA Bylaws Revision – ARC, GECCo and WAC (Final Proposal)
  Resolution passed with a vote of 75 approve, 0 do not approve and 8 abstain (104 eligible).

Meeting adjourned at 2:40 pm.

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