September 16, 2020FAEC Minute Aug 5, 2020

FAEC 8/5/2020

Presenters: Roark Atkinson (HGS), Naseem Choudhury (President), Christina Connor (Library), Donna Flynn (Councilor-at-Large under 11), Scott Frees (TAS), Thierry Rakotbe-Joel (ASB), Mihaela Serban (SSHS),  Ashwani Vasishth (Councilor-at-Large over 11)  

Guests: Provost Susan Gaulden, Jeremy Teigen (Faculty Fellow, Enrollment Management ), Martha Ecker (AFT President)

Kim Lorber (Secretary)

April Faculty Assembly Minutes: These will be approved in September. 

Minutes were approved: 7/22/2020; one abstention.

FA President Report

Stage 2: Labs and clinicals will be F2F. We will be teaching/working virtually otherwise.

Administrative Responses to FA and SGA Questions: Provost Gaulden 

Meeting with President Mercer: engaged in frank discussions about furloughs and layoffs. Further information regarding layoffs will be forthcoming. This will happen as there are few alternatives at this point. Uncertainty around residence hall occupancy is a significant factor in how the financial situation will unfold. 

Making SAT tests optional for future admissions: Jeremy Teigen will discuss the data from EM from the last 10 years that show the association between SAT and college success, and the support for making SATs optional at Ramapo. 

Provost Gaulden said this is a practical matter for next year as so many students have not had the chance to take the tests. Many schools are dropping this requirement. The data to be presented will be about Ramapo students and not from a national study. Some majors/outside accrediting bodies will still require SAT scores. It is her suggestion to assess the effectiveness of SAT optional at regular intervals to make certain that the policy is successfully achieving it’s goals.

Faculty Assembly 9/9: Naseem will invite VP Romano to speak to the faculty. This is an informational item as FA has no substantial role in determining this criteria for admission.  

PROVOST’S REPORT: 

Stage 2/Virtual: There will be 90+ courses that will have some in-person elements: labs and clinicals. Some are LEC courses (Banner label): if a faculty member is interested in teaching in-person and has a compelling reason for hands on work. There are approximately 900 students who will have one of more F2F courses.

Next General Communication Message from the Provost to Faculty will discuss the waves. The academic affairs and library will open on 9/2. Units in Academic Affairs, like International Education and the Registrar’s Office, will open sooner. We can only run at 25% capacity. Some units will continue to work from home (ex: Institutional Research). Office hours with students can be done remotely. If there is a need to meet with a student in-person, go for a walk with the student outside with masks. There is no expectation for faculty to come to campus. Club advisors should try to do virtual activities. Aim is to keep campus population density low while planning remote activities. 

Stage 2 Labs: No external visitors on campus; if Ramapo students/faculty volunteer, they can be part of studies. Appropriate social distancing and masks will be required.

First Year Students: will only come for labs. They can live on campus. We will offer 1,600 bedrooms (one student per). Some of these will be dedicated for quarantine purposes.

Faculty to Campus: Send an email to the Provost or Diane Couzens if you want to go to your office (Tuesdays or Fridays) before August 15th.

HR ADA process: official beyond Academic Affairs and approval by Provost. Susan continues to explore the HR side; if we are teaching remotely, that is all we need to do; stay home. 

Employee Training: This will be a brief online training. Mandatory if the employee is to return to campus. Employees will also self-check and self report on a daily COVID questionnaire. The CDC does not recommend testing as this is expensive.

Cleaning: Surface contamination concerns are reduced per the CDC.

Enrollment: We do not have news yet. There will be a town hall with new and another for returning students. 

Housing: We are open to having as many as 1600 students.

Jeremy Tiegen: Reported about the efficacy of the SAT score versus GPA on retention and first year GPA. This has been a consideration for a few years and is not simply COVID19 related. How can we best use the admission strategy in a competitive climate to get students who will come? How can we identify students without results who might become academically at risk? 10 years of Ramapo student data has been used to review predictors of student success. Bottom line: High school GPAs are much better predictors. Questions about out of state and international students in the analysis were raised and discussed.  Questions about transfer students were raised.  This data focuses on first time first years so transfers were not included here.

  Naseem asked: what is FA’s role in this? Who will make the decisions and what are next moves? Naseem will reach out to Susan to see what the next steps are. This needs to come from Academic Affairs with involvement from the deans.

AFT Concerns for Professional Staff: Many are unhappy with the current proposal for returning to campus 

FAEC Meeting: Beginning 9/2/2020 10:30am-12:30pm.

Adjourned at… 

Categories: Uncategorized

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July 20, 2020FAEC minutes, July 1, 2020

FAEC 7/1/2020 DRAFT

 

FAEC 

Attendance: Roark Atkinson (HGS), Naseem Choudhury (President), Scott Frees (TAS), Kim Lorber (Secretary), Lisa Lutter (CA), Thierry Rakotobe-Joel (ASB), Mihaela Serban (SSHS), Ashwani Vasishth (Councilor-at-Large over 11)

Guests: none

Minutes approved for 6/17/2020 meeting.

FA President’s Report

• President Mercer’s bi-weekly email: We hope this will include more new information.
• Funding sources: The College is seeking funds from a variety of sources; it would be helpful to know how these different lines of revenue change the balance going into 2020-2021
• Provost Gaulden has stated that she is trying to keep all lines, tenured and not (temporary, etc.).
  • If the budget process is not transparent, we will not know what is to be cut and why. We know faculty have been furloughed, as have CWA and IFPTE. Unsure about managerial and senior administrative furlough’s or give backs. Rutgers’ president is giving 10% back.

• • Naseem will ask Peter, Kirstin, and Susan about this. Follow-up may be needed. AFT salary savings are ca. $2.5 million
• .

• Scott noted the totals are not identified as included or not in the deficit.
• July 22 will be a morning budget meeting. Naseem encourages us all to be there. We are walking in blind.

•  Presidential search is proceeding as planned and in a timely manner. Is there a contingency plan if the search fails? We should ask the faculty representatives on this committee. We would welcome an update as this process has been going on for 6 months; little will be available to be shared but some information would be appreciated.
• Tentative Faculty Assembly Meeting: July 22, 1:00
  • we need an agenda but we need information about stage 3, the reopening plan, will there be layoffs, etc.?
• FA President’s meeting with Provost Gaulden next week. Naseem will ask Provost about stage 3? Faculty needs to know now which classes might hypothetically be in-person. Cornell modeled online versus not-online and their point is they will open because the infection rate will be higher with online courses than not.
• The College will likely have 1,800 dorming students; many will need structure as opposed to taking all of their courses online. The Governor has said housing insecure and students who cannot remain home should be able to live on campus. Who are the others? Freshmen? No seniors? SSHS Dean Lorenz is meeting with each convening group to determine the course priorities. How will we deliver the courses in-person (logistics) and who will want to teach them? The Task Force is being run by Virginia and Susan. Susan already works 7 days a week. It would be best not to have a train wreck. They should not be blamed. We need a hypothetical Stage 3 plan. Who will teach the face-to-face courses? We were told to swap. With whom? We will need ADA approval from HR to be remote and then the convening groups will have to scramble to fill courses at the last minute with full-time faculty. Naseem will email the Provost and copy FAEC reps.
• Stage 2: ca. 96% of the courses will be remote. Who will be teaching face to face? Will we have a cluster of infections from 1,800 students? Students will share bathrooms at this point. If we must have 1 bathroom per student, opening the dorms becomes more expensive than keeping them closed.
• Naseem will email Peter about the fiscal piece and Susan about academic concerns with Stage 3, copying FAEC. She will also ask when deadlines for ADA exemptions must be submitted.
• Stipends and release time: some have more than they expected and others have less. How was everything calculated? The union negotiates $105/hr. Some faculty were disappointed as they were notified that they were not getting release time or stipends they had expected.
• Diversity on campus: We do not have policies regarding this as seen by Nicole Morgan-Agard’s response to BOT comments. There may be a committee but nothing seems to be happening and faculty has not been included. What is the decency code to which Peter referred at BOT meeting? A speech code cannot be developed so the only approach is to use the rules we have. The Dean of Students used to send many students to a larger body; has it been reduced in numbers as more cases seem to be handled inside that office.
• • Next meeting: THURSDAY, July 16^th at 10am.

 

Categories: FA RCNJ Minutes 2020, FAEC MEETING MINUTES 2020, RAMAPO FAEC, Uncategorized

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April 22, 2020FAEC MINUTES 04/15/2020

DRAFT FAEC Minutes 4/15/2020

Faculty Assembly Executive Council [FAEC] Meeting Minutes

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Date: Wednesday, April  15, 2020  | Location: ONLINE/REMOTE  | Time: 10:30 am to 12:00 pm

Attendees: Tae Kwak, Donna Flynn, Kathy Zeno, Christina Connor, Scott Frees, Roark Atkinson, Naseem Choudhury, Ashwani Vasishth (Interim SSHS Representative), Pinar Kayaalp (interim HGS Representative), Lisa Lutter

Secretary: Nakia Matthias

Guest: President Mercer, Provost Gaulden

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I.  FAEC Minutes Approved 

II.  Stefan Becker and Full Professorship Promotion Slots

Stefan Becker is returning to RCNJ as a full professor of Environmental Science.  He will be working in Environmental Studies with SSHS.  Becker may possibly be teaching Physical Geography, World Sustainability, and FYS. 

Not necessarily specific to this case, but concerning senior administrators (including Provosts, Vice Provosts, and Deans) who are are hired with faculty tenure and full professor rank, if they choose to formally join the faculty after they step down from their administrative positions, can create imbalances.  In particular, there is concern that (1) they contribute to the total number and proportion of full professors which is likely to negatively effect the calculation that goes into determining the number of full promotion opportunities available for traditionally hired faculty, and (2) they may adversely affect the student/faculty ratio and breadth of field, particularly for smaller Convening Groups, and negatively impact the possibility of hiring a necessary specialist needed for the curriculum in that Convening Group.

FAEC suggested that there should be clarification about how the College handles the transitions from an administrative to faculty positions.  There should be specification about whether such transitions will take up faculty promotion slots, as well as what the implications are to FTE. FAEC also suggested to the Provost that convening groups and search committees should be involved in any considerations regarding the transition of administrators to faculty positions to ensure that there is alignment and that the CG’s needs have been factored into any assessments.

III.  RCNJ Hiring Freeze and New Faculty Lines

The existing hiring freeze will be sustained until further notice.  Units that have conducted searches and received acceptance for offers made have already obtained approval.   Offers will not be rescinded but new offers will not be made.  All searches are presently on hold.  Searches for two part time lines for the library have been suspended. There was/is an active search for a Canvas Administrator, and a  search was completed for a new Nurse Practitioner but no offer has been made.

IV.  RCNJ Budgetary Concerns

Students received partial reimbursements for room and board. RCNJ will have to examine cost cutting as the state is withholding funding that it previously committed to grant the College.  The cuts to the RCNJ budget are greater than the federal stimulus would be. When courses are solely remote, and if the College cannot resume classes on campus RCNJ will be ”in the red” without revenues raised from room and board, including auxiliary revenue raised from summer rental of dorms and classrooms. The Provost stated that The College cannot promise that everyone will keep their jobs.  The provost stated that, “absent something unusual, there will be staffing considerations.”  Additionally, the Provost explained that reassign-time and stipends will have to be negotiated but will be considered on a case by case and reasonable basis.

FAEC expressed concern that some universities and colleges are using the COVID-19 crisis as an excuse for austerity.  In most other institutions the administration will see a dip in their salaries.  Additionally, in the past when Stefan Becker served as provost, the FAEC President asked him whether non-academic units would experience budgetary cuts.  Stefan asserted that it is not his business and that he did not know.  FAEC stated concerns about administrative bloat at The College and informed the Provost that it should be informed about what non-academic units are cutting and scaling back on. In discussion with the Provost,  FAEC noted that the core function of The College involves teaching and that administrators should be mindful of this. Furthermore,  FAEC reminded the Provost that it is necessary for the FAEC to be informed of the guiding principles and approaches to addressing budgetary cuts and administrative bloat.

There is a rumor circulating that a letter has been presented to faculty that informs them that they will receive an 11 percent pay cut.  This is not the case, there are no such  letters being distributed to faculty or staff.  However AFT has specified that during declared financial emergencies faculty can be subject to a 3 per cent pay cut.  Furthermore, the Provost explained that If the state declares a financial emergency tenured professors could be vulnerable to termination.  

FAEC recommends that other revenue generating ideas are explored.  Considerations should weigh how faculty can contribute and how people can take more classes remotely.  This issue involves the marketing of online classes, which should be taken up by the College.

Although Chris Romano has communicated that RCNJ enrollments for the summer 2020 and Fall 2020 are solid, there is still uncertainty regarding how The College will proceed in the Fall.  Boston University devised a contingency plan not to resume campus-based classes possibly until January 2021.  RCNJ must be prepared with contingency plans.  

According to AFT an RCNJ provost has never exercised the power to regulate or reassign the mode of course delivery, or where courses should be situated [if online or at other off-campus locations]  but could certainly make this determination.  

There has been no further discussion of Three Plus One programs that the FAEC has been privy to.

V.  RCNJ Commencement and Student Concerns

RCNJ is examining ways to develop features that can replace a graduation  and harken back to an actual commencement ceremony.  President Mercer indicated that graduation, “is not going to be as it was”

FEAC suggests that the administration send out an official announcement as soon as possible to proactively address concerns about commencement and other issues that seem to be uncertain.  Mercer explained that students can voice their concerns with the Dean of students, and that he would not deter them from reaching out to him directly.  

VI. RCNJ Student Survey

The Provost shared that the student survey reflects students complaints about faculty are using several kinds of online interfaces to facilitate classes and that faculty are assigning too much work.

Meeting Adjourned 12 pm

Categories: FA RCNJ Minutes 2020, FACULTY ASSEMBLY MINUTES, FAEC MEETING MINUTES 2020, RAMAPO FAEC, Uncategorized

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April 15, 2020FAEC MINUTES 03/04/2020

FAEC Minutes 3/04/2020

Faculty Assembly Executive Council [FAEC] Meeting Minutes

Date: Wednesday, March  04, 2020 | Location: B226  | Time: 10:30 am to 12:00 pm

Attendees: Tae Kwak, Donna Flynn, Kathy Zeno, Christina Connor, Scott Frees, Roark Atkinson, Naseem Choudhury, Ashwani Vashihth (Interim SSHS Representative), Pinar Kayaalp (interim HGS Representative), Lisa Lutter

Secretary: Nakia Matthias

Guests: President Mercer and Provost Gaulden

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I.  FAEC Minutes Approved 

II. RCNJ COVID Response

President Mercer informed FAEC that a COVID-19 Preparedness Plan in place  that has been devised by RCNJ’s Pandemic Assessment Team which is chaired by Melissa Van Der Wall.  All international travel for students and faculty will be banned for the rest of the semester..

The Provost met with Michael Bitz to examine options for a shift to online course delivery in the event of an emergency that prevents campus based interaction.  This option will only require In instances of There is no expectations that a classroom based course should fully transition to an online interface overnight. Also it is understood that there will be challenges in the delivery of labs, art classes, theater classes, and the like  online.   

It is important to ensure that content delivery can be achieved remotely.  Faculty will be asked to work with Michael Bitz, IT, and their deans to determine any technological needs, capabilities and compatibility for online course delivery.  Assistance will be provided to secure software other requirements. This will also serve to allay concerns regarding returned study abroad students and potential exposure to COVID-19.

Students have been informed that they should return from study abroad programs and they have agreed to do so. RCNJ is assisting and monitoring students that are traveling back to the US from study abroad to ensure that they have access to what they need.  A self-quarantining requirement is in place for all study abroad students. President Mercer was in a conference call with the governor about this issue and the Pandemic Team has reached out to the Bergen County Health Department.

III. Contract Majors and Programs

It is imperative that students that are contract majors receive a degree that reflects their experiences.  Contract Major will earn a bachelors that will be called liberal studies or social science. The Contract Major programs were intended to assist students that have specific needs and interests that may lie outside of RCNJ programmatic offerings. For instance, the social science contract major can be used to help students pursue a criminal justice degree although there is no Criminal Justice Program at RCNJ.  Currently there are Psychology Social Science and Liberal Studies contract majors. There are currently no regular faculty teaching contract majors. Contract major faculty may not be part of any convening group but serve an advisory role to students in contract majors. RCNJ should view trends in contract major programs that show a strong interest in a particular area of coursework and study as an indication that the school should develop programs in the respective areas for inclusion in the school’s curriculum.  

IV. Degree Completion Programs 

The Communication and Social Science Degree Completion Programs are run in an inconsistent manner.  Some students have been able to take courses in the degree completion program with permission although they are completely different courses. Students have been enrolling in these courses as a ‘backdoor’ when they fail to complete science-based program/major  requirement. 

Meeting Adjourned 12 pm

 

Categories: Uncategorized

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December 4, 201912/4 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.

 

Categories: Uncategorized

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November 13, 2019FAEC MINUTES 11/06/2019

Faculty Assembly Executive Council [FAEC] Meeting Minutes

Date: Wednesday, November 06, 2019  | Location: A 226  | Time: 10:00 am to 11:00 am

Attendees: Tae Kwak, Donna Flynn, Roark Atkinson, Hugh Sheehy, Eva Ogens, Lisa Lutter, Christina Connor, Robert Becklen, Scott Frees

Guests: Ruma Sen, Renata Gangemi (Communication Arts Covener) , Jackie (ARC Chair), Maya Poran (Psychology Convener),

Secretary: Nakia Matthias

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1. FAEC Minutes Approved  

2. Three Plus One Program [TPO’s]

In relation to TPO’s it appears that  FA President is not informed with reliable information from the Office of the Provost.  Some faculty have the impression that Provost and Deans are circumventing convening groups to develop TPO’s.  If the Provost wants TPO’s to go online ASAP he must not work with individual convening groups but rather than ask conveners to work with each other to examine them.  FAEC suggests that a Vote of No Confidence will be conducted for any dean that attempts to create curriculum as deans are not faculty members. FA must halt further developments until there is agreement among administrators regarding the processes involved in formulating TPO’s.  FAEC will also vote on a resolution that cost benefit analyses must be developed and shared with faculty to illustrate reasons and need for TPO’s. Currently Chris Romano has some preliminary cost-benefit numbers on the prospective tPO’s but has not shared this information. Furthermore, TPO’s are sanctioned by the law which supports their materialization and they have the support of RCNJ’s BoT..  

The benefit of TPO’s is obvious for Community Colleges as they would want to use the TPO’s as  some students would remain enrolled with their institution for longer and TPO’s will attract new students that desire to earn Bachelors degrees.

The provost has stated that courses that are reduced from 4 to 3 credits do not have to be reviewed via ARC.  All courses that are making changes to the number of credits that they bear must go through ARC review. Additionally, all academic programs that are developed at RCNJ are subject to ARC review.  Administrators and adjuncts cannot submit courses for ARC vetting as this is the purview of the faculty. This undermines the purpose of ARC and jeopardizes shared governance.

RCNJ Programs or courses that are taught at external colleges or institutions are not assessed by ARC or faculty members. Their course content is not assessed.

The Psychology convening group [CG] was tapped for TPO’s with Sussex Community College whereby the faculty devised a list of concerns and resources needed for the endeavor.  However, this was never addressed. The CG was asked to provide a curriculum and told that if they did not furnish one, then their dean would create and submit one.  

FAEC suggests that FA produce a list of issues and concerns about TPO’s before moving forward with any aspect of TPO’s and that faculty should take note of any specific changes that are being made to the curricula. FA will address the broader structural/macro level Issues that impact each school in relation to TPO’s.  Processes involving ARC and procedures that ensure shared governance must be examined. There is concern that TPO’s also bear potential negative impact on non-tenured faculty and that some programs will be siloed.

3. ARC Review and TPO’s

The FA will put forth a vote to declare that TPO’s must be ARC approved before moving forward.  As a statement of principle FA can determine that faculty will not teach or contribute to programs that are not ARC approved.  ARC can only enforce this rule if programs come to ARC for review and it appears that the administration could avoid this process.  Part of this can involve outlining the ways that programs will be harmed should the review processes continue to be dismissed in the creation of TPO’s or other programs. A potential ARC sub-committee could serve to examine proposed TPO’s and related programs. FA could vote on an audit process but this would result in the loss of autonomy for convening groups if an external auditing body becomes responsible for vetting courses. There should be a way to empower ARC and convening group to have an audit process.  Every unit has a faculty controlled school curriculum committee that precedes the ARC process

Concerns were raised that administrators could develop versions of the Degree Completion Program which currently have no oversight from convening groups.  Additionally, if RCNJ faculty determine that they will not teach TPO courses then administration can hire adjuncts or temporary faculty to take on this role.  

Meeting Adjourned at 11:30 am

Categories: FAEC MEETING MINUTES 2019, RAMAPO FAEC, Uncategorized

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November 13, 2019FAEC Minutes 10/30/19

Faculty Assembly Executive Council [FAEC] Meeting Minutes

Date: Wednesday, October 30, 2019  | Location: A 226  | Time: 10:30 am to 12:00 pm

Attendees: Tae Kwak, Donna Flynn, Roark Atkinson, Hugh Sheehy, Eva Ogens, Kathy Zeno, Lisa Lutter, Christina Connor, 

Guests:  Nassem Choudhury (MFSA), Martha Ecker (AFT), Provost Becker, President Mercer

Secretary: Nakia Matthias

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 1. FAEC Minutes Approved 

 2. Presidential Search Committee

The FAEC expressed the Importance of the need to register faculty concerns and positions with the BoT regarding the selection of the presidential search committee.  Several people withdrew their nominations but five nominees remain. Faculty have expressed reluctance to participate in the nomination as they are not aware of the details of the selection process.  There is cynicism about the effort involved in serving on the committee as it is perceived that it may not be fruitful. FA needs to clarify the process to the faculty and there is a need to formalize this process.  SSHS has not had a conversation about the presidential committee search selection process. A request will be made during FA for additional nominations.  Nominees must be forwarded to the BoT by November 8th but the FAEC may ask for a “meaningful”  extension to determine a more robust process for nominating candidates. If an extension is not granted the FA will request a town hall meeting with the BoT to ensure that faculty can wage their concerns and gather information from the BoT.

Thus far the BoT is responding to FA input and this may be an invitation to engage them for additional FA concerns.  Although it has been cited that using search firms to select administrative leadership can be a liability rather than an asset to institutions the BoT will select a search firm in January and the presidential search committee will meet in February.  

MFSA was allowed to have a representative on the presidential search committee and the FAEC hopes this is the beginning of a precedent where MFSA has a permanent seat at the table.

The search committee will not be composed of a representative from each school.

The BoT declined a request to include AFT union representatives on the search committee but a formal request has not come from the faculty.  The absence of union representation is a significant issue. FAEC needs to demand that the committee should not proceed without AFT union representative.  Should the BoT decide to move forward without an AFT representative, then the request and their denial of union representation will be entered into the record. The FA will be presented with the AFT’s letter regarding the search committee for endorsement.

The Presidential Search committee candidates include:

1. Ira Spar [HGS]
2. Rikki Abzug [ASB]
3. Eric Karlin [TAS]
4. Paramjeet Bagg [TAS]
5. Ashwani Vasishth [HGS]

Faculty will be able to cast an up or down vote via Qualtrics survey.  The deadline for submitting self-nominations will be extended to Friday, November 1 at  11:59 pm. Each nominee will answer to the original questions put forth by the BoT and an additional question that the FA devises. The top three will advance as nominees for the committee and the fourth will be held as an alternate.

Currently there are no under 10 or under 15 candidates.  The FA President has been approached with concerns that service on the presidential search committee could bear implications for non-tenured and promotion-seeking candidates. The AFT ensured that if faculty are harmed by participation in the presidential search committee process that the union will take measures to address and correct any injury incurred as a result of activities during service to the committee 

Presently, RCNJ staff are not represented on the presidential search committee.  Staff would have the least autonomy and are the most vulnerable members to serve on the presidential search committee.

The FAEC also raises  concern that the total number of presidential search  committee members can can lead to a deadlock.

The FAEC concurs that the nominees to serve on the presidential search committee must be consensus builders that represent a multitude of faculty perspectives and are willing to use their voices in the process.

The FAEC would like to address the following relative to the presidential search committee:

1. The need to conduct a formal town hall meeting among the BoT, faculty, staff, and administrators
2. Faculty representatives serving on the presidential search committee are expected to communicate to FAEC about the committees’ processes, developments, and decisions.  
3. A formal request for a course release and summer stipend due to the work involved in the process
4. Clarification about how staff members are compensated and granted time to serve on the committee  

3. Naseem Choudhury (MFSA)

The BoT has agreed to install a seat for an MFSA member on the presidential search committee.  This is the first time that MFSA will have a voting member on a search committee. This is important to the process as MFSA members ensure a broad representation of search committee members.

MFSA will not appoint the representative but membership has been invited to self- nominate.

The process involves the initial self-nomination accompanied by the submission of a summary of qualifications and experience.  The summary and candidates’ names will be distributed to the membership, the MFSA membership will cast a vote and up to a total of three nominees will be endorsed based on the outcome.  The names of the nominees will be forwarded to FAEC. The MFSA will ensure that the nominees that are not selected for inclusion on the committee will serve as MFSA alternate representatives.  The MFSA president will deliver the names of the search committee nominee to FAEC by theThursday or Friday following their selection. The MFSA would like to understand how the search firms for the process of forwarding presidential candidates will be considered.

4. Martha Ecker (AFT) 

The AFT recommends that the process for selecting representation on the presidential search committee should be reconsidered and that the process established by the BoT should not be accepted without a review and implementation of feedback from the FA.   The AFT suggests that there should be discussion about the process for assembling the search committee and what the committee desires in a presidential candidate.  

The AFT asserts that  the coordination of the search should not be conducted by members within the President’s cabinet.

The AFT contends that faculty’s relationship with the BoT  is mediated by Brittany Goldstein and that the BoT has a misconception of the faculty as a result of not having interaction with the faculty.   

5. Provost Becker

The status of the Three Plus One {TPO’s] programs is “pretty close” to an agreement with Passaic Community College. There has been no contractual agreement signed by the provost but MOU’s between the institutions have been signed.  Exclusivity has been built into the TPO agreements.

The provost mentioned that If RCNJ runs TPO’s there would be a projected goal that meets existing graduation rates or higher.  He also insisted that the programs must have outstanding adjunct and that net revenues will be allocated to the programs that facilitate the TPO’s

The number of promotions slots will be known by Friday.  Applications are due by November 15th. The Provost will coordinate with HR to ensure that  the announcement happens sooner in the future.  

Moodle will be migrated to Canvas upon request and the Canvas sandbox feature is available for faculty to begin designing their course pages. 

6. President Mercer

A portion of the $1 million in funding from the Governor’s office that was sequestered over the past summer has been released to RCNJ.  The construction of the Learning Commons is proceeding on schedule.  

7. Three Plus One Programs (TPO’s)

President Mercer suggested that both the initial curricular development and delivery of TPO’s will involve significant work from respective convening groups and ARC in order to establish a precedent for other convening groups.  

FAEC affirmed that ARC would naturally be involved in the course structure of TPO’s due to the fact that any credit hours changes to RCNJ courses must be approved by the committee. TPO’s that choose to offer 4 credit RCNJ courses as 3 credit courses will be subject to this process. 

Direct assessment of anything that is produced in courses that are taught by adjuncts will continue to undergo a review.  Programs with directors will deal with adjuncts and in convener programs the conveners will facilitate with it.  

8. Faculty Assembly Agenda Notes

Will open up for Q+A after Provost and President’s report and conclude earlier to commence the Faculty Forum.

Meeting Adjourned at 12:00 pm

 

 

 

Categories: Uncategorized

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October 28, 2019FAEC Minutes 10/23/19

Faculty Assembly Executive Council [FAEC] Meeting Minutes

Date: Wednesday, October 23, 2019  | Location: A 226  | Time: 10:30 am to 12:00 pm

Attendees: Kathryn Zeno, Tae Kwak, Donna Flynn, Christina Connor, Hugh Sheehy, Roark Atkinson, Eva Ogens

Secretary: Nakia Matthias

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1. FAEC Minutes Approved 

2. RCNJ’s Career Development and Faculty Scholarship

RCNJ employs career development rather than a post-tenure review process. If the provost envisions a post-tenure review process at the College he can only do that if he negotiates that with AFT. The language on the existing process can be found in the Career Development section of the faculty handbook.  The Career Development procedure is on hold when faculty are working without a contract.

According to the provost scholarship at RCNJ is defined broadly and the terms are vague.   This may be because the provost is applying his own conception of scholarship in the promotion and tenure (P&T) process. Even if each unit devised distinct criteria, this still would not make scholarship across units comparable.  Any criteria that aims to classify scholarship must be performed by committee in conjunction with the AFT and cannot be conducted in isolation. Additionally, there needs to be a re-negotiation of the faculty handbook and a revision of the promotion and tenure criteria within it.   

3. Presidential Search Committee

Susan Vallario informed FAEC that she will respond to the letter that it sent on behalf of FA regarding a request for additional faculty representation on the presidential search committee by the end of the current week. Vallario would like receive the names of the candidates within this same timeframe and will further discuss the process with the FAEC President. Vallario copied the board, and Hillary Goldstein with this communication.  The names of the candidates forwarded to the BoT will not be published in the FA agenda.  

Four schools have volunteered to send a representative to serve on the presidential search committee thus far.  FAEC plans to select the faculty members in keeping with the required number requested for the nomination. A total of three names will be forwarded.

The FAEC believes that the nomination form featured on the presidential search web page should not include questions that serve to vet any potential candidates and that the vetting procedure for nomination should be the purview of the FA.

4. Three Plus One Program Prospects

Concerns about the prospect of Three Plus One [TPO] Programs are evident among the faculty.  FAEC views attempts to tap individual units or convening groups for TPO’s as an inappropriate and problematic way forward. Furthermore, the question remains as to whether there is demonstrated interest in TPO programs from students enrolled in Two Year degree programs. The faculty requires input about this to act constructively toward developing potential TPO programs.  Students would need to apply at the end of this academic year to be eligible for aid for RCNJ attendance and inclusion in a TPO program.

The provost is proposing that students in TPO’s do not have to make-up for credit mis-matches at RCNJ based on the 3 credit granting structure at their two-year institutions.  Any plan to change a three credit course to a four credit course must go through the ARC approval process. TPO programs must undergo the ARC review process and the FAEC is prepared to request that any program that moves forward without adequate review be denied by ARC. Shared governance must be at the heart of any process for creating prospective TPO programs. 

Some faculty view the attempt to expedite TPO’s as part of a process to install numerical rather than real diversity at RCNJ. The administration continues to cite the absence of a transportation hub as a reason for the lack of diversity at RCNJ.  However, the push toward TPO’s is in part seen as an attempt to rectify this and ensure that “diversity numbers” are achieved as a means to secure diversity related funding from the New Jersey Governor’s office. The New Jersey Secretary of Higher Education’s outcomes based funding approach prioritizes degree completion and programmatic service to minority students, thus any potential funding from the governor’s office would not simply be tied to enrollment but also minority students’ graduation rates.   In discussions about prospective students’ successful completion of TPO programs a point must be made to ensure that such discussions are void of assumptions that minority students will fail to succeed simply because they would be emplaced in a new academic environment. This is an artificial construct because if white and black students do not succeed at RCNJ or successfully complete at the same rate it will appear that the service and support given to minority students is disproportionate.

Meeting Adjourned at 12:10 pm

 

Categories: FAEC MEETING MINUTES 2019, RAMAPO FAEC, Uncategorized

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October 28, 2019FAEC Minute 9/11/2019

Faculty Assembly Executive Council [FAEC] Meeting Minutes

Date: Wednesday, September  11, 2019 | Location: A220  | Time: 10:30 am to 12:00 pm

Attendees: Kathryn Zeno, Tae Kwak, Donna Flynn, Renata Gangemi, Christina Connor, Eva Ogens, Scott Frees

Guest: Tamika Quick 

Secretary: Nakia Matthias

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1. FAEC Minutes Approved [needed]

2. Degree Completion Program and 3 + 1 Program

There is indication from the Provost that RCNJ will be entering into 3+1 program agreements with Raritan, Passaic, and Essex county Community Colleges.  FAEC contends that the 3+1 program should not include classes outside of the purview of the faculty. Faculty should not be hired without consulting RCNJ conveners and Deans.  Additionally, the program should not offer ARC approved courses without the vetting of the syllabus and proper assessment. Adjunct instructors must be assessed for their fit in the convening group, although currently this is currently only done via course evaluations. The community colleges have an interest in offering courses that will be on demand.   RCNJ faculty have expressed concern about the quality of the RCNJ courses taught at community colleges.

A cost benefit analysis of 3+1 programs must be considered as they would be operating in addition to more hybrid and online courses.  Any cost related burdens with the community college should be absorbed by the community colleges. The programs must benefit students in the institutions, as well as Community Colleges and RCNJ.  Concerns were raised regarding potential cannibalization and the logic of the 3+1 program should students determine it cheaper to remain at 3+1 community college for a third year rather than transfer to Ramapo through a 2-2 transfer arrangement.  Assumptions behind potential revenue enhancement for 3+1 programs must be thoroughly discussed and communicated among the faculty. Furthermore, if Bergen Community College signs onto a 3+1 agreement it will not be beneficial to RCNJ as it serves as a feeder school to RCNJ and would be a net loss to RCNJ.

Presently there is a generic job posting for adjunct faculty within the Anisfield School of Business although ASB faculty have not been informed about the call for adjuncts. It is unclear as to whether the call is for faculty to support a 3+1 program with Raritan Valley Community College. ASB’s program requires accreditation and therefore any adjunct hired for must be approved by the ASB’s faculty.  

Provost Becker commented, “we don’t have it all figured out” and that the details of any 3+1 program still need to be hashed out.  He assured that a 3+1 agreement would not pose additional strain on RCNJ’s infrastructure, that it could positively impact the picture of enrollment at Ramapo, and that he would like for RCNJ to be part of the process.  

President Mercer declared that he is “not worried” about financial dimension because should RCNJ split in the third year the 70% of the revenue would go to the community college while 30% would be seen by RCNJ for providing the curricula and vetting instructors. He explained that the 3+1 programs between community colleges and RCNJ would be exclusive since the graduation rate is high at RCNJ and this is viewed as a positive for the sending colleges.  He also mentioned that the 3 +1 program would support students of color in their educational pursuits citing that 36% of the students at Passaic Community College and 89% of the students at Hudson County Community College are students of color.

The NJ secretary of Higher Education prioritizes access to higher education and thus support for 3 + 1 initiatives.  

3. Degree Completion Program

The FAEC President raised the fact that RCNJ is trying to normalize the Degree Completion Program. However, there must be some course correcting as there are oversight issues.  The program is using ARC approved course numbers and there is no input from faculty or conveners regarding the courses taught in the program.  

4. Tamika Quick [ Multicultural Center Exploration Team]

Tamika Quick, requested that FAEC nominate at least two faculty members to serve on a multicultural center exploration team.  Under the purview of EDIC the team will gather faculty, staff and students to brainstorm about the development of a Multicultural Center at RCNJ.  There is currently no timeframe for when the Multicultural Center would launch, however the application for the project was submitted three years ago.

The team will be charged with: 

(1) Understanding what others are doing/have done in the development and operation of multicultural centers 

(2) Establishing the vision for a Multicultural center at RCNJ

(3) Establishing the guiding principles of the center

Tamika informed the FAEC that Marva Hawkins was hired as Director of Affirmative Action and that EDIC is place and fully staffed.  She also addressed the campus-wide perception that EDIC is supposed to do, “everything” regarding Equity and Diversity on Campus. He encouraged other campus programs, faculty, and students to develop and conduct initiative to enlarge diversity at RCNJ.   She explained that EDIC’s charge is in part to develop an action plan that to understand how to address the Strategic Plan goal #2.

5. Faculty Searches, Diversity, and Student Involvement with Search Committees

There may be some changes to the way that students engage in faculty searches as they may be permitted to sit on search committees bearing access to applications and the ability to read applications. This decision comes from the Provost’s office.  The FAEC upholds that students should not sit on faculty search committees, read applicant materials, or be involved in internal discussion while faculty are evaluating candidates. Presently, students sit on the committee for the vetting of honors students.

Diversity in Faculty searches must be revisited as faculty are concerned that some searches do not  include faculty with academic expertise with a particular departments and programs. The FAEC suggest that rather than replacing people with area specialization on search committees to achieve diversity, that search committees aim for diversity premised upon a mix of academic specialization and demographic diversity.

6. Program Budget Funding and Cuts

The Provost explained that he as allocated funding to Deans that reflects “more or less” what they received last year and that there was clear distribution amongst the schools for faculty travel funding.

Meeting Adjourned at 12 pm

 

Categories: FAEC MEETING MINUTES 2019, RAMAPO FAEC, RCNJ Faculty Assembly Minutes 2019, Uncategorized

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October 9, 2019FAEC Minutes 9/25/2019

Faculty Assembly Executive Council [FAEC] Meeting Minutes

Date: Wednesday, September  25, 2019 | Location: A 220  | Time: 10:30 am to 12:00 pm

Attendees: Kathryn Zeno, Tae Kwak, Donna Flynn, Christina Connor, Eva Ogens, Scott Frees,   David Oh, Hugh Sheehy

Guests: Nicole Morgan Agard, EDIC; Tamika Quick, EDIC and Brittany Williams-Goldstein

Secretary: Nakia Matthias

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1. FAEC Minutes Approved [needed]

2. Bias Response Team

EDIC has requested that FAEC nominate faculty members to serve on the Bias Response Team [BRT].  The appointment process will involve the FAEC nomination of three faculty members to EDIC whereby one of the nominees will be selected to serve on the BRT.  EDIC did not declare whether the faculty member should be tenured or untenured. EDIC aims to establish the team immediately to form an exploratory committee which will shape the nature and charge of the BRT.  The volunteer position requires a one year commitment. The faculty representative will meet two times per month until the training for the BRT commences. A trainer from an external institution will be sought to illustrate best practice in assessing bias grievance incidents. EDIC intends that the faculty representative will serve in-part to communicate the BRT’s mission to the RCNJ community.  

FAEC stressed the need to clarify a formal charge and criteria for the Bias Response Team in order to identify potential appointees.  Requirements for the scope, membership composition and size of the committee was requested. FAEC recommended that aspects of the charge should include plans for  how the team will work with other parts of the college. Additionally, it was suggested that two faculty members are selected so that one member could serve as an alternate.

FAEC faculty representatives were asked to inform their units of the need for the BRT appointee and conduct an interest-check.

3. RCNJ Multicultural Center Planning

Regarding EDIC’s plans to establish a Multicultural Center, FAEC underscored that the starting point for this endeavor should be focused on articulating the guiding principles for the Multicultural Center to clarify its mission and purpose to the RCNJ community.  

4. Wednesday Meeting Block Schedule 

FAEC recommends that meeting block scheduling be reconsidered for faculty to be able to balance teaching and service commitments.    

5. Formalizing Communication and Taskforce Directives from the Provost’s Office

FAEC affirms the need for the Provost’s Office to formalize all communication relative to processes, procedures, and decisions that affect the College.  Discussion boards should not be employed as a primary means for dialogue or deliberation around issues that impact or involve The College. Informal online discussion board contents should not be used to represent or substantiate the positions, opinions, and input of the faculty.  FAEC maintains that discussion board contents are not a representative or valid means for establishing or proving faculty accord, particularly in instances when there is no indication of broad issue consensus among the faculty.   

Any task force formed by the Provost’s Office should operate with a formal charge and timelines that specify goals and objectives toward task completion.

6. Communication from administration to the RCNJ Community

FAEC observed that the State of the College address and the Back to School Reception were well publicized.  Notification for the Back to School reception was circulated via Ramapo Daily Digest on the morning of the event.

7. Informational Request for Clarity on Three Plus One Proposals

FAEC supports the formation of a college-wide 3 + 1 task force or committee to liaise between the faculty and administration.  The body would serve to report 3 +1 planning to the faculty, as well as to represent faculty concerns to the administration. The charge for a prospective task force should be decided by the faculty.  

FAEC suggests that any decisions around 3+1 require the following:

• Individual convening groups will not be tapped to create curricula or model programs 
• RCNJ faculty maintains curricular oversight
• Courses and curricula must legitimately improve educational access for students
• 3 + 1 agreements must generate short and long-term profit for RCNJ 
• Courses must mirror the quality and content offered at RCNJ 

FAEC recognizes the need for clarity on the status of any agreements with outside institutions relative to 3+1 programs.  There is concern that faculty and programs are being provided with differing information about the existing state and nature of RCNJ’s involvement with 3 + 1 proposals. Furthermore, engagement in 3+1 programs will impact RCNJ programs that are bound to accreditation processes.  

Faculty concerns are also centered on the following:

• Ensuring that cannibalism will not be an outcome of the implementation of 3 +1 programs
• Potential programs would require prospective students to assume more than 1 year of enrollment at RCNJ, thus resulting in 1.5 years or 1 year and summer enrollment to complete a 4 year degree
• There is no evidence of any cost benefit and cost benefit analyses are not being conducted

To address these and other related concerns, FAEC seeks to open discussion of these matters during Faculty Assembly to formulate a resolution that stipulates how faculty will proceed in our involvement with potential 3+1 planning.

8. The FAEC Presidential Nomination, Voting, and On-Boarding Process

Potential FA candidates will deliver speeches during the December 4th FA meeting.  A Qualitrics survey will be distributed among the faculty on the day after the December 4th FA meeting and faculty will have one week to register their responses toward a vote for FA President.  The winner of the vote will be announced by the end of the Fall semester.  The outgoing FA President hopes to onboard the new President over the Spring semester to ensure a smooth transition.

The FAEC will engage in advertising and campaigning to support a robust participation in the vote for the FA President.  The next FA President will be acting during the RCNJ Presidential transition. 

9. Presidential Search Committee;  Brittany Goldstein, President’s Cabinet

The Board of Trustees is commissioning a committee of thirteen college-wide representatives to serve on the RCNJ presidential search committee.

• The BoT specified that the committee of thirteen should comprise:
• Committee Chair, Susan Vallario
• 3 faculty representatives [including Library faculty and adjuncts]
• 5 Board of Governors representatives [including the immediate past board chair]
• 1 Dean [nominated by Dean’s council]
• 1 Student representative
• 1 Alumnus
• 1 staff member

FAEC has been asked to identify and advance up to 9 faculty nominees that wish to serve on the search committee.  The BoT will choose 3 out of the 9 faculty members that the FAEC nominates to serve on the committee. The BoT and EDIC will inform FAEC of any issues with nominees.

There was no criteria provided for the selection process.  FAEC recommended that criteria are established to pre-empt any potential discontent with candidates that are advanced and selected.  FAEC was informed that criteria should be designated by its members. The FAEC maintains that criteria specification and the decision for faculty nominations must come through FA and not FAEC.  Professors that wish to serve must make their case to FA.

The FAEC was informed that the committee will bear one less faculty member than in the previous Presidential search.  The 2004 Presidential search committee was composed of 17 members and the 1985 presidential search committee consisted of 7 members.

FAEC would like further justification and/or rationale for the following:

• The BoT’s faculty selection criteria and factors for disqualification of faculty nominees
• Details of the service commitment for each category of committee membership 
• The selection of 3 faculty members as opposed to 5 members of the Board of Governors 

Meeting Adjourned at 12 pm

 

Categories: FAEC MEETING MINUTES 2019, RAMAPO FAEC, Uncategorized

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