December 5, 2018Faculty Assembly Executive Council | Minutes | 11/14/18

FAEC Minutes 11/14/2018

Faculty Assembly Executive Council [FAEC] Meeting Minutes

Date: Wednesday, November 14, 2018  | Location: A218  | Time: 10:00 am to 12:00 pm

Attendees: Tae Kwak, Donna Flynn, Mark Skowronski, Sam Mustafa, Cristina Perez, Hugh Sheehy, Renata Gangemi, Christina Connor

Secretary: Nakia Matthias

Guests:  SGA Liaison, Philip Buechel and Provost Becker

___________________________________________________________________________

1. FAEC Minutes Approved

2. SGA Liaison, Philip Buechel

Buechel asked questions about the functions, roles and goals of the FAEC.

3. FA Morale  Fund

The FAEC Morale Fund is the operating Budget for FA.  It may be used fo retirement events, service awards, and any faculty-related celebratory events.  FA received $2000 from Ramapo Foundation. Coffee service costs $205. The FA Morale Fund budget has been cut to $1500 for next year. The FA was able to eliminate paper ballots as there has only been one within the last two years.

FAEC had deliberately spent less of our funds in order to help seed SGA’s Student Emergency Relief Fund (SERF) for SGA.  We did this by eliminating cookies and snacks (ordering just coffee and tea) as well as forgoing one beverage service. Tamka Quick inquired about how much FAEC is willing to donate to SERF.  At the end of AY 2016-17 and 2017-18, FA donated about $600 each to SERF. We were hoping to make a last donation of about $1000 at the end of this year.

The RCNJ SERF fund arose through a larger movement in New Jersey State. Students Government Associations in other colleges established agreements with food services so that skipped meals could be donated to other students in need.   This is not possible through the RCNJ meal plans provided by Sodexo, as the food service provider does conduct a diaggreate of actual versus. used meal plans.  Furthermore these has been no cooperation between RCNJ and Sodexo for meal skipping and donation.

4. General Education Curriculum Committee (GECCo)

GECCo will be modeled after ARC and create a handbook.  The FAEC President is talking with Sarah Carberry and Michael Unger about the creation of a new committee. It must be determined whether there is another FA endorsement to revert to the GECCO’s original (more expansive) charge.  Sarah and Michael will be asked if they would like to address this during the next FA meeting.

5. Shared Governance at RCNJ

6. Provost’s Council

The Provost’s Council has not met this year and will only convene when there is a voting Item.  The Provost’s Council makes changes to policies whereby FA is afforded 30 days to discuss the proposed changes and provide input.  If the FA makes no recommendations the policy proposal is implemented. This was problematic in the past as policy proposals and changes were made during  the summer months when the FA does not assemble.

7. Innovation Task Force

The new task force requires more participants that are knowledgeable of innovation in higher education and institutional change.  Each unit should have three to five representatives on the task force.

8. President’s Advisory Council [PAC]

PAC has not met in nearly a calendar year.  It is open to faculty and staff and functions as a way to communicate between the President’s Cabinet and faculty.

9. Employee Relations and Chief Diversity Officer Restructuring

Nicole Morgan Agard has been hired to replace the Director of Employee Relations. Morgan-Agard started in August 2016 and became Chief Diversity Officer (CDO).  This raised concerns about conflicts of interest from the Minority Faculty and Staff Association. The Director of Employee Relations position will be dissolved and Morgan-Agard will only function and CDO. the MFSA expressed concerns about  Morgan-Agard assuming the role of Chief Diversity Officer.

RCNJ has a separate Employee Relations (ER) and Human Resources (HR) departments although this is not typical in most New Jersey public colleges and universities.  According to our union (AFT), RCNJ has filed relatively fewer formal grievances than other colleges in NJ precisely because of our peculiar structure. The change in structure will negatively impact AFT on campus, as the point-person for the AFT will no longer be the Director of Employee Relations.  This places the AFT at a strategic disadvantage. Mercer does not want to hire a new Director of Employee Relations however.

The following is a copy of the letter from AFT President Martha Ecker to College President Mercer and his response:

November 9, 2018 … Dear President Mercer, We have come to understand that the Office of Employee Relations is to be disbanded and its functions to become part of Human Resources. As President, it is your managerial prerogative to structure the administrative function and organization of the college; however we believe that this change will not be beneficial to the college as a whole. Since 2009, the Office of Employee Relations has reported directly to the Office of the Provost rather than the Vice President for Administration and Finance. The collaborative relationship enjoyed by the AFT and Employee Relations has produced relatively harmonious labor relations that has resulted in significantly fewer issues leading to grievances and related filings. Even during the time when the faculty and professional staff were working without a contract, the collaborative nature of the working relationship between the AFT and Employee Relations benefited not only the faculty and professional staff, it benefited the students and the administration as well. When we searched for a Director of Employee Relations, Nicole Morgan Agard’s background and experience fit the needs of the position. The search for an Assistant Vice President of Human Resources did not include the duties of the Director of Employee Relations in the job description. We see the Office of Employee Relations as an indispensable entity uniquely tasked with the effective implementation of the union contract. The office has served an important role to the administration, faculty and professional staff in ensuring adequate adherence to the union contract and effective management of disputes. No rationale has been provided by your office for its elimination beyond the need to meet other administrative initiatives. This represents a concerning disregard for the needs of faculty and professional staff. We respectfully ask you to reconsider your decision in the best interest of students, faculty, professional staff and the college.   Sincerely, Martha Ecker President

 

November 13, 2018 … Dear Professor Ecker: Thank you for your letter of 9 November 2018. I agree that the functions of the Office of Employee Relations are indispensable and responsibility will be allocated within the Office of Human Resources to ensure that those functions will continue to be carried out effectively under the new arrangement. I have spoken with Virginia Galdieri and she is committed to maintaining the excellent relationship with the AFT and to meeting the needs of faculty and professional staff. I look forward to further discussions on how best to prepare a smooth transition in the few weeks remaining before the implementation date of January 1, 2019. Sincerely, Peter P. Mercer, J.D., Ph.D. President

10. Vice Provost

The Vice Provost position remains unfilled.  The position of Interim Vice provost had been offered to Michael Unger, but he is currently filling the Director of Assessment Position.  There is alco a vacancy for the Deputy Provost for Graduate Programs position. Provost Becker believes that the Deputy Provost for Graduate Programs may be unnecessary.   

11. AFT OPRA Request for Presidential Cabinet Salary Disclosure

The RCNJ AFT has filed an Open Public Records Act (OPRA) request regarding the salaries of the RCNJ President’s cabinet members.  Raises were granted for the President’s cabinet members. The salary information has been released by the AFT.

12. Provost Becker and Curricular Innovation

Ramapo Online

Provost Becker wants to expand online classes, including graduate-level courses to increase RCNJ revenues.  He proposes a Ramapo Online initiative to grow programs, their revenues, as well as public-private partnerships in support of existing and new programs. Becker mentioned that at present the MBA program has 30 students and an online version of the program is needed.  He sees online expansion as a possibility for the forthcoming music and DNP programs.

Data Science

Becker seeks to initiate an interdisciplinary Data Analytics program as he sees the demand for data science in the private and public sectors.  The program is in the early planning stages marked by discussions about its features and potential implementation. The Provost asserts that a Data Analytics program would incorporate RCNJ’s core courses in business analytics, coding and statistics,  Becker envisions that the data analytics program will serve the RCNJ strategic plan and suggests that it could be a signature program at the graduate and undergraduate levels. His goal is to position RCNJ as the hub for Data Science in the region with national and international reach.

Program Reviews

Provost Becker recommends that program reviews be conducted as part of the planning for curricular innovation. The process involves program-level assessment of the work that units do to include self-evaluation, external evaluation, and the responsive development of a 5 to 7 year plan based on the feedback.   The Provost will provide guidelines for program reviews, secure external evaluators, and work through deans for scheduling them.

Meeting Adjourned 12:00 pm

 

Categories: FACULTY ASSEMBLY MINUTES, FAEC MEETING MINUTES 2018, Uncategorized

---

December 5, 2018Faculty Assembly Executive Council | Minutes | 10/24/18

FAEC Minutes 10/24/2018

Faculty Assembly Executive Council [FAEC] Meeting Minutes

Date: Wednesday, October 24, 2018  | Location: A218  | Time: 10:00 am to 12:00 pm

Attendees: Tae Kwak, Donna Flynn, Kathy Zeno, Sam Mustafa, Christina Connor, Cristina Perez, Hugh Sheehy, Renata Gangemi

Secretary: Sam Mustafa, acting

Guests:  Michael Unger, Thalia Holst

_____________________________________________________________________

1. GE Governance Group

Discussion of confusion regarding whether or not GEIT was disbanded, what the jurisdiction of GECCO is, and related issues. Is there a new “Governance Group” and whom does/will it comprise? Christina Perez indicated that she and Mike Unger are formulating a “To Do List” to sort out these issues. Tae Kwak expressed a desire to have such a group convened by January 2019.

Discussion of confusion caused by discrepancies in the various Gen-Ed documents.

Discussion of future membership of the governance group.

Michael Unger joined the discussion at 10:50. Discussion of the possibility of expanding GECCO’s charge, rather than creating a new group. Discussion of the possibility of dissolving GECCO and replacing it with a new group.

 2. Upcoming Faculty Assembly

Discussion of issues before the F.A. at its coming meeting.

 3.  Program Overlap and Structure

Thalia Holst joined at 11:50. Discussion of student perception of “animosity between programs” that results in student discomfort. Specific reference was made to Environmental Studies / Environmental Science vis-a-vis TAS/SSHS. SGA suggests some sort of meeting or “town hall” to reconcile the faculty in question.  Further discussion on the proper venue for such a discussion.

Meeting Adjourned at 12pm

Categories: FACULTY ASSEMBLY MINUTES, FAEC MEETING MINUTES 2018

---

December 5, 2018Faculty Assembly Executive Council | Minutes | 10/17/18

Faculty Assembly Executive Council [FAEC] Meeting Minutes

Date: Wednesday, October 17, 2018  | Location: A218  | Time: 10:00 am to 12:00 pm

Attendees: Tae Kwak, Donna Flynn, Sam Mustafa, Christina Connor, Cristina Perez

Secretary: Nakia Matthias

______________________________________________________________________

1. FAEC Minutes approved

2. The Lack of Diversity at RCNJ

The current formulation of the Strategic Plan excludes diversity as a goal.  FAEC continues to discuss the need for a diversity plan at RCNJ. A public request for a diversity plan was communicated during the State of the College address on October 10, 2018.  During the RCNJ Cabinet’s meeting with. Zakiya Smith Ellis, New Jersey’s Secretary of Higher Education the President’s Cabinet did not mention the need for appointing  diverse trustees for the Board of Trustees to ensure that it bears a more demographically diverse composition.

During the address students expressed a genuine concern for the lack of diversity at RCNJ, as well as a need to ensure diversity at the college. Additionally students’ concerns regarding their treatment and the lack of diversity at RCNJ are going unheard and being dismissed.

Diversity objectives should comprise two broad features:

• Improving RCNJ’s enrollment of minority students
• Recruiting staff, faculty, administrators and a Board of Trustees that are more representative of the diversity of the population of New Jersey State

FAEC maintains that it is important for RCNJ to create an environment that fosters retention and satisfaction among minority students, faculty, and staff.

3. Reporting Bias and Discrimination at RCNJ

Nicole Morgan Agard informed the FAEC that a bias and discrimination reporting structure is in place for the Ramapo Community.  

Discrimination and Harassment Reporting Policies & Procedures, as well as complaint processing forms for discrimination can be found on the Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Compliance Office web pages: https://www.ramapo.edu/affirmaction/complaint-processing-forms/

To report bias and discrimination students can access a link via the RCNJ’s student web pages.

However, a web link for bias and discrimination reporting does not exist on the faculty and staff web pages. The reporting structure requires faculty, staff, and administrators to relay bias and discrimination complaints to the Office of the Chief Diversity Officer.  Additionally, faculty can report incidents to their Dean.

Nicole Morgan Agard researched bias and discrimination reporting processes at Stockton University and is currently working to form a committee to address bias and discrimination at RCNJ.

Although a reporting pathway exists it is unclear and lacks visibility among faculty.

There is a need to increase the visibility of the reporting structure for bias and discrimination grievances.

RCNJ currently follows the New Jersey State Policy Prohibiting Discrimination in the Workplace:  https://www.nj.gov/treasury/purchase/pdf/anti_discrimination_policy.pdf

There is no legal definition of “bias” at the College.  The Provost, Chief Diversity Officer, and FAEC agreed that we need one in order to make reporting meaningful.

4. Sensitivity Training

FAEC supports sensitivity training for administrative staff and faculty. A request for sensitivity training will be submitted to Nicole Morgan Agard by FA President.

5. Sexual Harassment Training at RCNJ

Nicole Morgan Agard’s office will conduct sexual harassment training that elaborates on  instances of sexual harassment beyond the definitions outlined in Title IX of the Education Amendments Act.  This training will be announced through the Office of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Compliance.

6, Shared Governance at RCNJ

FAEC discussed the need to address shared governance with the Provost.  

7. RCNJ Board of Trustees [BoT]

New Jersey is unique in the country whereby the governor has exclusive authority over influencing the appointment of the Board of Trustees [BoT] at Public Colleges and Universities.

FAEC suggest that President Mercer address the need for a diversity in the appointment of new trustees directly with the Governor’s office.

At RCNJ two trustees’ terms have expired and four of the members’ terms will expire at the end of the year.  In total six 6 new trustees need to be appointed to the RCNJ BoT. 

Brittany Williams-Goldstein, liaison to the President’s Cabinet and the Board of Trustees, mentioned that she is aware of a black female alumna that has expressed interest in becoming an RCNJ trustee.

8. RCNJ Course Evaluations

Provost Becker plans to move to all online course evaluations as early as Spring 2019.  The precondition is that response rates be increased to statistically significant yield (83%).

Part of this plan requires that course evaluations be digitized and uploaded to Banner 9 so that students may have access to the course evaluations that they complete while enrolled at RCNJ. This is a concern to FAEC as the demonstrated response rate for a majority of RCNJ programs is low. Ensuring the response rate for electronic evaluations is the responsibility of the Provost’s office and is an administrative goal.

AFT may need to be consulted regarding this matter.

9. RCNJ’s General Education Program

GECCo Chair, Sarah Carbury organized for a speaker to visit RCNJ to address general education and assessment. The speaker, Claire Major, will provide two sessions: the first is on assessment overall; the second is specifically geared toward assessment in General Education. The sessions will run from 11:15-1:45 on November 7. Contact Sarah for the start and end time of each session if you only wish to attend one.

Provost Becker mentioned that the data on this semester’s new general education requirements will be available by the end of the semester. He suggested that RCNJ avoids a “messy” general education requirement such as the one that was recently replaced.   He indicated that the enrollment requirements for general education courses is purely administrative and that goal is to simply offer the right number of courses as needed based on the purpose that they serve and demand.

Provost Becker asserted that the general education requirement allows many courses to run within program that do not have that many majors and special consideration must be made for such programs as they may be under threat if there is no interest in certain courses.

10. Middle States Report

Provost Becker suggested that faculty address RCNJ’s performance in middle states assessment by ensuring that the college implements the recommendations within the previous Middle States report.  

This especially relates to the language used to characterize RCNJ’s global awareness category within the general education requirements which specifies that more than fifty percent of RCNJ students have a “meaningful international experience”.  https://www.ramapo.edu/international/itzn/mie/

Becker advised that schools look toward the example set by the Nursing Program as its curriculum includes a global capstone project that students are required to complete for graduation.

Meeting adjourned at 12:00 pm

Categories: FAEC MEETING MINUTES 2018

---

October 28, 2018Faculty Assembly Executive Council | Minutes | 10/10/18

FAEC Minutes 10/10/2018

Faculty Assembly Executive Council [FAEC] Meeting Minutes

Date: Wednesday, October 10, 2018  | Location: A218  | Time: 10:00 am to 12:00 pm

Attendees: Kathryn Zeno, Tae Kwak, Donna Flynn, Sam Mustafa, Kathy Zeno, Renata Gangemi, Christina Connor, Hugh Sheehy, Eva Ogens, Cristina Perez

Secretary: Nakia Matthias

______________________________________________________________________

1.  FAEC Minutes approved

2.  New Jersey’s Secretary of Higher Education’s RCNJ Visit

Dr. Zakiya Smith Ellis, New Jersey’s Secretary of Higher Education and Diana Gonzalez, Deputy Secretary of the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education visited  RCNJ on Wed., October 3rd.  They met with the President’s Cabinet, EOF Director, and FA President.

During their visit the Secretary and Deputy Secretary met with members of the Cabinet, whereby members of the cabinet requested additional state funding.  The Secretary indicated that state higher education earmarks could be distributed more equitably possibly to offset some inequity in state funding for public colleges since an equitable funding formula would be resisted by colleges traditionally better funded.

Prof. Kwak asked the Secretary to encourage the new governor to appoint more diverse Trustees since six members of the BoT have expired terms or terms imminently about to expire.  The Secretary indicated that she is fully supportive of our request for a more diverse BoT.

3.  Term expiration for members of RCNJ’s Board of Trustees [BoT]

FAEC has learned that of the six of the eleven members of the Board of Trustees’ terms are expiring or have expired.  Two have expired terms, and four more are about to expire.

4.  Vacancies and Interim Positions in RCNJ’s Administration

Given the controversial nature of last year’s Provost search, current and future searches for administrative posts should be conducted with sensitivity.  There are currently four vacancies among the administration including the following posts:

• Vice Provost
• Affirmative Action Officer
• Registrar

Vacancies in two of these posts (Vice Provost and Registrar) impacts advisement to ARC.  

5.  Student Course Evaluations

FAEC was informed that considerations are being made to mark student course evaluations with identifiers such as student R-numbers or other personal information in order to scan, track, and storage electronic versions of these documents to satisfy the ‘user name’ requirements of a new document/information management system. This was communicated by Jeff Delos Santos, Applications Programmer of Information Technology Services.  

FAEC insists that course evaluations remain anonymous and that the use of electronic evaluations be limited to tenured, full professors until a statistically significant response rate (of at least 75 to 83 percent) is achieved for electronic evaluations.  Subsequent roll out of electronic evaluations for the remaining faculty body should occur only after this threshold is met. Thus, FAEC supports the continued use of paper-based student course evaluations.

6.  Class Capacity Limits and General Education Courses

FAEC discussed the class size caps that the former provost instituted.  Since different units have different class size requirements clarification is needed regarding standards for class capacity limits.

With the prospect of a move to a 120 credit hour or mixed credit hour model, there is a need to understand how General Education Course categories will be impacted given that there is a twelve course maximum per General Education category.  

Any changes in the credit hour system would require the oversight of a registrar.

7.  Challenges to Diversity at RCNJ

African American enrollment is the lowest in the state (5.3% — NJ has 16.9% African American population for 18-24 year olds, TCNJ has second lowest [5.6%] and NJ City University has highest [22.6%]). Furthermore, relative retention and graduation rate of African American students is low in comparison to other public colleges in the State of New Jersey.

FAEC discussed black faculty retention and the fact that there were more African American professors seventeen year ago than there are now.

8.  Doctorate in Nursing Practice (DNP)

The Nursing program is initiating a Doctorate in Nursing Practice (DNP) degree, currently under ARC review.  It is not a Ph.D. and permissible according to guidelines established by the RCNJ President. The DNP degree offering will give RCNJ’s nursing program a competitive advantage as other public New Jersey institutions only offer nursing degrees at the Masters level.   

Meeting Adjourned at 12:30 pm

Categories: FAEC MEETING MINUTES 2018

---

October 28, 2018Faculty Assembly Executive Council | Minutes | 10/3/18

FAEC Minutes 10/3/2018

Faculty Assembly Executive Council [FAEC] Meeting Minutes

Date: Wednesday, Oct  3, 2018 | Location: A218  | Time: 10:00 am to 12:00 pm

Attendees: Kathryn Zeno, Tae Kwak, Donna Flynn, Sam Mustafa, Kathy Zeno, Renata Gangemi, Christina Connor, Hugh Sheehy, Eva Ogens, Cristina Perez

Secretary: Nakia Matthias

Guests: Dr. Naseem Choudhury

——————————————————————————————————————————–

1.  FAEC Minutes Approved

2.  RCNJ and Diversity

The FAEC is in support of making progress on diversity issues at RCNJ.  

Professor Naseem Choudhury explained that the need for the Diversity Action Committee (DAC) was realized by members of the RCNJ community who established the committee as a response to the lack of diversity on campus. She outlined DAC’s structure and operations; its role and achievements on campus; and discussed expanding on the objectives and goal of the now dissolved committee. She also mentioned that DAC’ effectiveness at promoting diversity relied on the discretion of the RCNJ president to execute DAC’s recommendations.

Naseem directed the FAEC’s attention to the fact that the DAC’s diversity and inclusion goal differs from the conceptualization of diversity in RCNJ Strategic Plan Goal 4 ‘CULTIVATE AND SUPPORT DIVERSITY AND INCLUSIVENESS.  

Goal 4: Cultivate and Support Diversity and Inclusiveness

Diversity encourages the examination of perspectives and values, enriches the learning experience, and prepares people to be more effective members of their community. The College thus seeks to create an inclusive and supportive environment characterized by high rates of retention and continuation of a diverse student population; providing curricula and programming that encompass diversity in all its forms; and attracting, developing and retaining faculty and staff who reflect and are committed to diversity and inclusiveness. https://www.ramapo.edu/president/wp-content/uploads/sites/41/2013/03/Strategic-Plan-2014-2018-Final.pdf

FAEC supports the creation of an RCNJ diversity plan to ensure ongoing work toward achieving Goal 4 in RCNJ’s strategic plan. Additionally, FAEC sees a need to harmonize campus diversity goals among the entities charged with realizing this end.

Furthermore, FAEC suggests  that RCNJ ‘s campus population should proportionately reflect the diversity seen in the state of New Jersey, as much as possible.

3.  Role of the Chief Diversity Officer

FAEC raised concerns around the need to better understand the structure of the office of the Chief Diversity Officer. FAEC cited a conflict of interest in Nicole Morgan Agard’s role as Chief Diversity Officer, her duties as head of EDIC Equity Diversity Inclusion and Compliance, as well as her overall Employee Relations function.  It is FAEC’s position that diversity work includes more than application of the law to ensure compliance with federal guidelines

The lack of separation in the roles that Nicole Morgan Agard maintains is cause for concern in the handling and confidentiality of employee grievances.

4.  RCNJ Plan for Diversity

FAEC contends that there is a need for a clear structure in place from the president’s office to support diversity at RCNJ including a diversity plan in service of the campus community. This is especially crucial to recruitment, hiring, and retention.  

FAEC asserts that the lack of a diversity plan is rare as other public colleges and universities have such plans in place to guide their diversity goals and objectives.

FAEC also sees a need for ongoing, rather than once-off events, activities, and programs to dedicated to diversity training among faculty, staff, administrators, and students.  

FAEC realizes the need for an RCNJ concerted diversity plan originating from the top down to address the diverse existential needs and concerns of the campus community in addition to demographic and intellectual diversity.  This is essential to strengthening an accepting and inclusive culture at RCNJ.

5.  Bias Reporting on Campus

FAEC stated a need for a clear and responsive campus bias reporting system, as there is a  lack of communication and trust surrounding the reporting of bias driven offenses.

 

Categories: FAEC MEETING MINUTES 2018

---

October 28, 2018Faculty Assembly Executive Council | Minutes | 9/26/18

FAEC Meeting Minutes

Date: Wednesday, September 26, 2018 | Location: A218 | Time: 10:00 am to 12:00 pm

Attendees: Kathryn Zeno, Tae Kwak, Donna Flynn, Sam Mustafa, Kathy Zeno, Renata Gangemi, Christina Connor, Hugh Sheehy, Eva Ogens, Cristina Perez

Secretary: Nakia Matthias
Guests: Provost Becker and Sarah Carberry, GECCo Chair
—————————————————————————————————————————-

1. FAEC Minutes approved

2. Diversity at Ramapo

The FAEC is alarmed that RCNJ received an “F” grade for Representational Equity in a New Jersey Statewide Equity Index cited in the Chronical of Higher Education and published by The USC Race and Equity Center’s Black Students at Public Colleges and Universities: A 50 State Report Card assessment

https://race.usc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Black-Students-at-Public-Colleges-and-Universities-A-50-State-Report-Card-Harper-and-Simmons-1-9-26.pdf

Provost Becker was informed of the continued need to address the lack of diversity at all levels of organization within RCNJ. Diversity reflected through first generation minority students, as well as other minority contingents is imperative to the sustainability of RCNJ as the demographic pool of college-bound students is shrinking statewide. Disaggregated by ethnicity, white and African American young demographics are shrinking while Asian American and Hispanic American demographics are in fact growing. Since we are under-enrolled, relative to proportion of population on all minority demographics, particularly African American, sustaining our number of traditional, full-time college students into the future. In order to be more attractive to minority students and foster a more inclusive community, faculty, staff, and administration must also reflect more diversity. Promoting diversity is not only an abstract good in terms of our College’s stated Values, it is an existential issue.

Concerns for the future role of the Diversity Action Committee as it will be reconstituted as an advisory board to Nicole Morgan-Agard’s office.

3.  Resignation of the Director of Affirmative Action & Workplace Compliance

Helen Higginbotham resigned. She delivered a written statement about the reasons that motivated her resignation from her position as the Director of Affirmative Action & Workplace Compliance. She cited a toxic work culture, morale problem, and lack of diversity at Ramapo. Provost Becker acknowledged Higginbotham’s statements but intimated that he, “does not see” her cause for concern. [See appendices A and B for transcripts of Helen’s remarks from the last two Board of Trustees’ meetings.]

4.  Salary and Staff Contract

FAEC discussed the fact that some administrators received a twenty percent or more salary increase as this contrasted with President Mercer’s 2017 college wide announcement that staff would be converted from twelve to ten month contracts to save money, as well as how new staff start off as ten month employees. Concerns were raised that it seems as some of the most vulnerable employees were targeted by this measure. The announcement and the way it was announced has contributed to staff demoralization.

5.  Handling of Racially Motivated Offenses on Campus

FAEC discussed the incident that occurred whereby Emily Williams, the former Vice Provost received interoffice mail containing a note inscribed with a racial slur. The administration claims to have been unaware of this matter until after Williams resigned and departed RCNJ. Nicole Morgan-Agard’s office as hired an investigator to review this incident. There is currently a state investigation ongoing. It is the FAEC’s position that independent of job performance, absolutely no one should be harassed because of who they are.

6.  Institutional Priorities Survey (IPS)

FAEC expressed concern regarding the Institutional Priorities Survey that was disseminated by the Office of the Provost on September, 21, 2018. The purpose of faculty input for this survey is ambiguous, as faculty are positioned to provide responses to survey items that seek to understand students’ perceptions and experiences. Access to the results of this and other campus climate surveys are desired by faculty.

7.  RCNJ’s Academic Attractiveness

FAEC discussed RCNJ’s need to attract new students via programmatic and curricular innovation in keeping with President Mercer and Provost Becker’s interest in creating new revenue generating programs. It was suggested that innovations in the disciplines need to be assessed through faculty-led processes. Offering fully online courses and the initiation of compensation for in-demand professors that plan to develop existing and new programs was discussed.

8.  General Education Courses

Sarah Carberry and FAEC discussed the need to close the loop on the General Education course categories now that there is a new general education curriculum. The General Education Implementation Committee (GEIT) has dissolved since the new GenEd curriculum is live as of this semester. Certain guidelines (such as all GenEd courses required to be offered at least once per AY) were drafted in a 2016 Dean’s Council meeting have been used as de facto policy for admitting courses in the new GenEd. However, these are not official policies, have never been discussed or ratified at Provost’s Council, and a January 2017 meeting to refine these guideline never took place. At this point, FAEC is less interested in “weeding out” courses from categories than we are in the more immediate issue of having rational guidelines for populating the new GenEd categories, some of which may not have enough courses.

Processes for doing away with orphaned courses, refinement of course categories and outcomes; minimum course enrollment in and gen ed. Courses; and reducing the overall number of Gen. Ed. courses was discussed. FAEC and the Provost determined that coordinators and conveners should determine which courses remain and which should be removed from the Gen. Ed. offerings. Additionally, Provost Becket insisted that the criterion for Gen. Ed courses should be determined by faculty.

Provost Becker will ask the former Provost, the Deans, and President Mercer about the rationale behind the existing criterion for Gen. Ed. courses. Provost Becker insisted that he prefers a hands-off approach to allow the Deans to determine whether to close underenolled courses.

Provost Becker insisted that Middle States is concerned with course learning outcomes and students ability to meet them rather than the specifics of how the courses are structured or whether they have certain enrollment numbers.

This is in part a response to the fact that some course categories bear a vast number of courses but there is no mechanism for removing them, especially in cases where courses are not/have not been taught for extended periods of time.

Suggestions brought forth by FAEC include: Maintaining once per year course offerings and allowing varying levels of course enrollment based on program needs. At present institutional documentation indicate differing enrollment thresholds ranging from twelve to fourteen students. Exceptions should continue to be made for new courses and courses taught by visiting faculty.Attention to this matter should alleviate forcing courses to be taught if the classes do not fill.

FAEC asserted that the arbitrary nature of determining criterion for course enrollment and Gen Ed. criterion has to be rationalized. Courses that do not fill should either be removed from the Gen. Ed. curriculum or taught once per year. Furthermore, FAEC insisted that despite recommendations and guidelines for the Gen. Ed.there are no ways to review and assess it to ensure that it is fulfilling certain learning goals for the students.

9.  Possible conversion to 120 credit hours

The Provost will not propose a full 4/4 faculty load, but is considering a 4/3 with expanded opportunities for course release, as it may impact junior faculty that may not have an active research portfolio; mean benefits for some faculty and heavier load for others; produce tensions among faculty related to resource allocation and the fair determination course-release time, as well as create problems within tenure and promotion processes. Furthermore, as RCNJ is a teaching institution and not an R1 university, the possibility of service leading to course release time was discussed. It was also mentioned that some conveners do not get course release despite the fact that they need it. (This is currently being negotiated by AFT.)

FAEC concluded that Provost Becker is seriously considering having a mixed model featuring some 4 credit and some 3 credit courses

FAEC discussed the fact that RCNJ would need twenty five percent more classes (32 four-credit classes equals the 128 credit hours currently needed to graduate; 40 three-credit classes would equal 120 credit hours potentially needed to graduate) taught should the institution move to all 3 credit hour classes. The impact of this shift on t requirements for teaching in discipline like nursing were deliberated as the course content for some programs cannot be reduced due to credentialing requirements. The FAEC also weighed the impact on costs for online courses to online students as some teaching would have to shift to online formats. Additionally, logistical issues would ensue as an increased number of classes and the limited classroom availability could potentially be problematic.

10.  FAEC Meeting with The Cabinet is on Monday October 1, 2018 at 9:30 in ASB 520

FAEC agenda items for the meeting with the Cabinet include:

1. Racism at Ramapo
2. 4 credit courses
3. Revenue generating program proposals
4. Results of the climate survey

11.  October 10, 2018 is Faculty Development day 2 pm

12.  Naseem Choudhury will be attending the 10/ 3/ 18 FAEC meeting from 10 to 10:30 am

Meeting adjourned at 12 pm.

APPENDIX A

Diversity is inviting me to the party… Inclusion is asking me to dance…

Good Evening distinguished Trustees and members of the Ramapo Community.

My name is Helen Higginbotham.

Just one year ago, I stood here before you and was introduced as the newly hired Director of Affirmative Action & Workplace Compliance. It has been my pleasure to serve…

During my interview, I was quite pleased that the hiring committee did not shy away from the issue of race and ethnicity and that they specifically addressed our under representation in terms of diversity, particularly in terms of targeted efforts to increase African American representation in all categories; students, staff and faculty. In terms of African American students they were specific and cited numbers of less
than 6%. In terms of faculty, they described our diversity as more “international” than of color.

I appreciated their candidacy and that they did not shy away from the issue of race, which is often avoided as one of those “difficult” conversations we’d just rather not have… I felt very confident that I was going to be working for an institution

committed to the idea of advancing D&I and that we would move aggressively in that direction…

While some strides are being made we have work to do in both diversity and inclusion. Our numbers speak to our lack of diversity.

I shared with President Mercer that I found an old report in my office from 1993 that indicated that we had 11 Full Professors who were African American. Today we have 15, a mere 4 more in 24 years. We have 13 or 6.2% Hispanic professors. Still 72% of our professors are White. That is not much progress for a state college who claims a commitment to diversity as one of our top 3 institutional priorities and one that enjoys such close proximity to a geographically attractive and diverse area such as New York. Never should we have a candidate search that results in a racially homogeneous pool.

In terms of inclusion, as a college community we must do better to be inclusive, to make sure that all employees feel valued, respected and offered equal access to equal opportunities, be they promotions, equitable salaries, serving on committees or given opportunities to otherwise shine. We are a small a community of only 671 employees. We must strive to be more inclusive.

So why do I bring this matter to your attention? Because I care… Because I take my role as that of Director of Affirmative Action very seriously. As an attorney committed to civil rights, equality, justice and fairness and who wants only what’s best for Ramapo, I want that we go the extra to be fair, equitable and transparent in our efforts of recruitment, promotions, hiring, firings, discipline, salary treatment and the like.

As the policy setting body of Ramapo, I want to hear from you what is our commitment to diversity. Is it one of our top 3 initiatives? Are we governed by a state mandate that demonstrates for us what diversity should look like and what we must or should do to achieve it? As members of the Board of Trustees here at Ramapo, I pose these questions to you…

Thank you
Ramapo College Board of Trustee Meeting
Public Comment by Helen Higginbotham, Esq., MBA September 24, 2018

APPENDIX B

Remarks delivered to the Board of Trustees by Helen Higginbotham during the 9/24/18 meeting

Good Evening distinguished Trustees and members of the Ramapo Community. Thank you Board for allotting time in your agenda for the public to share with you our comments and concerns. It is my hope that more employees and members of the public take advantage of your offer to come before you and speak.

I am sure that by now you have been informed of my resignation from the College effective October 8, 2018. It is with both regret and relief that I resign my position of Director of Affirmative Action & Workplace Compliance.

REGRET because I have met some really wonderful people and I do believe that during my tenure many employees have felt protected in the workplace from acts of discrimination and harassment. They
knew there was a safe place for them to come.

RELIEF because like many of the employees here, I was beginning to feel bitter and broken. I could not let myself stay long enough for that to happen to me.

Given my role and my outgoing and welcoming personality, almost immediately employees took to and began confiding in me. I am about to say to you publicly, some things that many say only privately for fear of retaliation, so bear with me. I want that my comments, their comments, are a matter of record…

There is a perception in higher education that one will find a liberal and progressive environment, one that embraces diversity and equality. As I expressed when I addressed you earlier this year in April, this is what I expected to find here at Ramapo. Instead I found a very hostile work environment wrapped in a pretty bow that does not live up to its public declarations of diversity, inclusion, fairness and equality.

A definitive moment for me, as you know, was when a national search netting almost 400 resumes resulted in interviews of only White candidates. Not one Black, Brown or Yellow candidate was interviewed. Not even the Vice Provost, a Black woman leading the College at that time in its pursuit of accreditation. Not even she was offered an interview. Instead she was reportedly told that the committee deemed that she was “not a fit for the college”. What does that mean? What would have made her a fit?

When the College is boasting diversity as one of its top four initiatives what is the message being sent to the rank and file by the leadership when we host town halls for all to attend and we parade for all to see only White candidates? For the record, I would have the same criticism if all the candidates were Black.

Such indifference speaks to leadership’s lack of commitment to diversity. It should be noted that two cabinet members were members of that search committee and had a responsibility to not let that message be sent forth. I was forced to recuse myself from the search and my questioning of the absence of diversity went ignored. The Vice Provost, with less than one year of service, resigned and has since assumed a Provost position at another College.

Ramapo is a very small college. There is good and bad to being a small college. The good is that it is small enough to manage and alleviate problems associated with larger institutions. Ramapo should be a family atmosphere, a model for all the other state colleges. We are not…

The negative is that when we are small, all that happens in the dark is revealed in the light of day. Recently it became common knowledge that members of the cabinet were awarded raises between $18 and 45K. If in fact anybody on this campus is worthy of that kind of increase, it is the employees who made their success possible. I don’t know of anybody who got raises anywhere near that number. It is rumored that some persons on campus have their educational pursuits paid for by the College while others do not. Executive decisions are made

to hire some employees at salaries beyond that advertised. Such disparities in treatment do nothing for the morale of employees which is at an all time low.

This is no secret but there seems no interest in addressing it. I had one member of the cabinet say to me that if EEs are that unhappy why are they still here. They should quit. Another told me that horrible things happen to people who try to make change or are critical of Ramapo. I met with Dr. Mercer in February to share with him my observations and shared my concerns about what was being told to me by employees. I had hoped to work with him toward solutions…

HR knows of the problems with employee morale and lack of appreciation. They hear it from employees. They hear in exit interviews when they bother to do them. What do they do with that information? Instead of dealing with what is the problem, there seems to be more an interest in punishing employees… Again, although it was not my job, almost immediately I represented a safe place for employees to come. They felt reassured that I was at least listening to them and would attempt to get results when I could.

I recognize that as the BOT it is not your job to be involved in the daily operation of the College but you do have a fiduciary responsibility to have some understanding of what is going on at Ramapo and to protect the College from potential liabilities. That is why I bring this to your attention.

After speaking to you in April, I was told that as an employee I am not to communicate with you directly but to bring what I might want to say to you through first General Counsel, who would review it and then take it to the Chief of Staff, who would deem worthiness or to whom on the Board would receive my comments. I criticized that such a practice is akin to censorship.

If the cabinet does not want the board to know something, surely you will not know it as it will have been filtered through the cabinet or just not delivered. All of your email addresses are included in the directory. If employees are not to
contact you, then remove them. I encourage that you don’t allow there to be such a buffer between you and the employees. Engage them directly or form a
committee to do so. I encourage that you find some way to be more engaged or accessible to employees. Some means of communicating with you and/or the President needs to be in place where employees do not fear reprisal. Even tenured professors seem fearful of backlash…

Recently in speaking with employees, I was struck by how often they kept referring to Ramapo as having a “culture of fear”. Fear of retaliation is very real at Ramapo. Micromanaging is very real at Ramapo. Far too many employees dreadfully come to work day in and day out waiting to retire or to find a new job. The perception is not that Dr. Mercer leads the College but that at least two others on the cabinet, neither who have pedagogical or managerial training and seemingly no training nor appreciation for customer service. Our employees, like our students, are our customers.
I challenge you to query both students and employees alike and ask them to give one word to describe Ramapo. More often than you will like, you will hear the word “toxic”.

Employees found refuge and hope in the “Diversi-Teas” [with Affirmative Action] that I was hosting on campus. It was a positive opportunity for employees from all walks to come together, to get to know one another, to feel valued, to discuss diversity, different biases, connect and feel appreciated. An unprecedented 10%
of the employee base attended these events. I made sure to include employees from the cabinet to the janitorial staff. It was positive, empowering and diverse. Too positive, too empowering and too diverse. They were stopped…

I was hired under the impression that diversity was important and that specifically there was a genuine interest in increasing the number of Black American students and employees alike. I have seen no progress in that direction. In terms of optics, the Board of Trustees is reflective of what appears to be the College’s
commitment to diversity. Like the provost candidates, it too, is all White…

Again, I bring this matter to you in the interest of speaking for what I believe are broken employees who, unlike me, have cause to stay here and bide their time. I bring this matter to your attention because as Director of Affirmative Action I have seen things that the average employee does not. I would have liked to bring these matters to your attention privately but communication was forbade.

Especially in light of what is going on in the press with the sheriff in Bergen County, I could have called the Bergen Record or even had the local NAACP here to hear my concerns and really made this a matter of public record. I don’t doubt even that the Governor’s office would not be interested in what I have to say about the goings on at Ramapo. Instead, I am giving you benefit and expecting that you will see fit to address or investigate at least some of what I have expressed here. While horrible things may happen to me for trying to implement change at Ramapo, you are at the helm. You are the driving force. You are the leadership. Nothing horrible can happen to you.

I am a firm believer that when we know better, we do better. This is a public institution, we have an obligation to do better…

Thank you for your time and attention.

Categories: FAEC MEETING MINUTES 2018

---

October 28, 2018Faculty Assembly Executive Council | Minutes | 9/12/18

Date: Wednesday, September 12, 2018 | Location: A218 | Time: 10:00 am to 12:00 pm

Attendees: Kathryn Zeno, Tae Kwak, Donna Flynn, Sam Mustafa, Kathy Zeno, Renata Gangemi, Christina Connor, Hugh Sheehy, Eva Ogens

Secretary: Nakia Matthias

Guests: Provost Becker and President Mercer
—————————————————————————————————————————-

1.  FAEC Minutes approved

2. Campus security and safety

FAEC discussed the need for a consistent campus security plan especially for areas that are not school buildings and classrooms.

3. Emergency Preparedness Task Force

President Mercer informed the FAEC that the college Emergency Preparedness Task Force is being reconstituted and that there is a need to conduct college wide simulated exercises.

4. Delayed openings and early closings due to power outages on Wednesday 9/5 and
Thursday 9/6

FAEC President, Tae Kwak was notified by unnamed faculty members concerning the delayed opening policy.

Early closings especially impact three hour classes that meet once per week.

The administration’s communication post power outage created some confusion about the situation and could have been streamlined, as more than one e-mail was disseminated to address the issue.

FAEC learned that during the power outage health related concerns encompassed non-flushing automatic toilets; hot classrooms and offices, and no light/power

Faculty in the ASB building reported a power outage on the evening of 9/6 that was not resolved as backup generators never initiated. This is of grave concern as building occupants had to navigate the darkened stairwells with only the light provided via their mobile phones. Campus security aided the building evacuation process. According to President Mercer he was unaware of this incident.

President Mercer reported that the power outage was caused by an overload of the master circuit breaker resulting from improperly calibrated amperage and surge level assignment to the solar panels and master circuit breaker. This caused an incongruity whereby even a minor power surge would overwhelm the circuit breaker. Orange and Rockland neglected to respond in a timely manner and Pennsylvania-based consultants were commissioned to address the matter.

FAEC suggests that there should be prioritization of what backup generators handle in the event future power outages. Furthermore, more communication about the infrastructural changes involving installation of the solar panels was necessary.

5. Library Renovation Taskforce

FAEC learned that the Library Renovation Task Force has not met to date but will meet when the architects are available. President Mercer explained periodic meetings will be held in the near future. President Mercer chairs the task force.

President Mercer informed the FAEC that the Library Structural Engineering Report indicates that the water table is higher at lower level corner where Krame Center would be located in the new Learning Commons requiring the construction of a different entrance.

6. Library Renovations

According the FAEC Library representative Christina Connor 75% of the circulating collection has been removed from the George Potter library and placed in storage over the Summer.

Most of the reference collection, as well as parts of the parts of archives, and The Holocaust Center collections were moved off-site

The process of moving the stacks off-site or relocating them to Linden Hall was originally scheduled to happen entirely during the Summer 2018 but will also transpire during Winter 2018. The relocation will be complete when students return in Spring 2019.

A shared concern among the Librarians is that they may be operating Linden Hall and the current library facility simultaneously.

7. Interlibrary loan and materials access in other libraries:

A new interlibrary loan system is in place. The new system provides for automatic population of the document delivery request form once online patrons sign into it. The system tracks the requests that patrons make.

RCNJ library is a party to reciprocal borrowing agreement with several New Jersey public universities and college. Borrowing privileges include books and some media but not databases. Book requests can be made online.

8. Textbooks and library/electronic resources:

The task force on textbooks never convened. RCNJ maintains membership with the NJ Library Association whereby access to OER [Open Educational Resources] can be attained.

An Open Education Task Force has been formed to include:

• 2 library members
• 2 IDC members
• 2 faculty members
• 2 SGA members

SGA President, Stefan Lally was scheduled to meet with Provost Becker but the meeting has not occurred.

FAEC discussed that textbook purchases may bear the heaviest impact on students in the hard sciences and business programs.

Provost Becker mentioned that it was the priority of his former institutions to allocate stipends to faculty that teach highly demanded courses for the development of OER and materials conversion to electronic resources.

9. Student Opinion Survey [Teaching Evaluations]

FAEC discussed the the desire to have Course Evaluations called student opinion surveys.

It was asserted that RCNJ cannot do away with teaching evaluations as they are part of the AFT negotiating process and that the evaluation instrument should be useful for personnel decisions and faculty interests.

Provost Becker agreed that it is pre-mature to default to online evaluations and that the default should be the most popular and requested format, which is the paper evaluation. This is due to the fact that the general online response rate is extremely low and cannot be regarded as representative of student input regarding faculty performance or their learning. Provost Becker suggested that a task force needed to investigate how response rates can be improved. The Nursing program’s online evaluation response rate is very high. Initially tenured full professors were evaluated online.

FAEC raised concern about the shift to online evaluations and the process of reappointment and tenure. Questions were posed as to whether requirements exist for a specific response rate since evaluations are “cherry picked” and not used in a reliable manner.

Concerns were voiced about the process of selecting evaluations for promotion and tenure processes relate to the impossibility of eliminating bias, as well as the notion that administrators will choose the “worst” evaluations in order to deny tenure or promotion.

FAEC asserted that the process of using electronic evaluations was rushed under the former provost and a mechanism should have been implemented to delay students’ access to grades should they fail to complete online evaluations. Furthermore, it was suggested that faculty should have to opting in to using online course evaluations.

There is a need to clarify how hybrid courses should evaluated. Currently courses have the option of opting in to electronic course evaluations.

10. Possible change from 128 to 120 credit hours

President Mercer informed FAEC that the RCNJ request to remain a 128 credit hour institution has not been reviewed.

FAEC, Provost Becker, and President Merced examined whether a 4 credit system is best as concerns about the 3 credit system encompassed 4/4 or 4/3 course load options and constraints on faculty research and service.

It was suggested that possible ways to compensate for a 3 credit system include:
Meaningful reassign-time
A tiered system which allows for reassign time based on research activity. More time could be allotted to faculty with a rigorous research program.

Provost Becker asserted that allowances could be made for certain minors within majors, and or requiring less credit hours for some majors and minors, which could allow students to take on more electives.

The Provost insisted that even if RCNJ is forced to go to 120 credits options can still be discussed, and suggested that a town hall meeting among faculty and staff take place to allow for open dialogue about the matter.

FAEC asserted that there be a more formal mechanism for feedback to provost about this and other issues.

11. Middle States accreditation

FAEC discussed the fact that conveners are responsible for assessing programs.

Provost Becker expressed concern that popular 2 credit Conditioning [COND] courses are not being evaluated; are taught by staff members; function without faculty oversight; and do not possess learning outcomes or syllabi. Such courses are popular among students that minor in Civic Engagement. The Provost intimated that this needs to be addressed prior to Middle States visits.

Credential tracking and storage for middle states visits

Provost Becker and the FAEC discussed the protocols for Middle states to assess/understand faculty qualifications and it is assumed that employee relations tracks faculty credentials

ASB currently employs the SEDONA system for credential tracking but it was mentioned that it is not sufficient for “reporting flexibility” that includes the tracking of faculty credentials and scholarship. Digital Measures was suggested as an appropriate system for tracking.
Provost Becker names Spool as an adequate credential-tracking system due to its ability to create reports, house artifacts and publications, as well as provide storage for reappointment and tenure documentation processes.

12. Message for unit Council meetings:

Wed. Oct 3, 2018: The new Secretary for Higher Education will be on campus to discuss the new strategic plan for higher education.

Provost Becker projected that RCNJ plan for curricular innovation via understanding of where/what can be improved and done better. The Provost also supports the development of new programs.

Address the fact that the annual review does not trigger faculty to examine their programs

Meeting adjourned at 12 pm.

Categories: FAEC MEETING MINUTES 2018

---