January 31, 2018DRAFTJanuary 31, 2018

1. Yes: 93%
2. No: 3%
3. Abstain: 4%

1. Pedagogy needs to be reviewed. In terms of delivering the pedagogy, it was approved by the convening groups with the Dean’s approval. The convening groups should be all that is needed as original courses converted to online have already received ARC approval.

1. Yes: 31%
2. No: 57%
3. Abstain: 11%

1. Yes: 94%
2. No: 5%
3. Abstain: 1%

1. Some schools have requirements which must be met prior to graduation
2. There is now an impass: it will not be a school requirement nor part of gen-ed. There is not another way to implement this; yes it was a good idea but. . . The task force was not to think about implementation. Now, upon implementation, it cannot be done.

1. Yes: 84%
2. No: 8%
3. Abstain: 8%

Categories: Uncategorized

January 31, 2018FAEC Minutes 12-6-17

Faculty Assembly Executive Council (FAEC) Meeting Minutes December 6 2017 ASB 008 Room 10:30am to 12:30am

Attendees:​ Christina Connor, Cristina Perez, Roark Atkinson, Tae Kwak, Gladys Torres-Baumgarten, Kim Lorber, Eva Ogens, Renata Gangemi

Excused: Kathryn Zeno

Secretary:​ Hugh Sheehy

Guest:​ Stephen Lally and Tim Woody

1.     Minutes Approved
2.     There was discussion of the vulnerability of international students on campus, especially during holiday breaks. There are faculty on campus who are concerned that international students are being brought to campus without ample resources and infrastructure (e.g. host families for during breaks) to ensure housing and meals throughout their stay. Currently, faculty volunteers and organizational gifts are helping to sustain students during the gaps in housing and meal plans provided by the College. Other scholarship students, such as athletes, enjoy fuller benefits plans. A committee member observed that the College seems to commit more than enough resources to recruiting international students while not providing for them as well as it could while they are on campus. A committee member suggested international students might benefit from the establishment of a dedicated bill of rights. A committee member observed that other schools in the New Jersey state system seem to do a better job. A committee member stated that the Nepal recruitment program may already be in jeopardy because of the reputation the College’s program has acquired from unhappy students returning to Nepal. A committee member observed than an outsider taking stock of Ramapo’s plans for aid-dependent students might reach the conclusion that the College values athletes over international students. Most committee members agreed that this is an issue which seems largely unknown to the faculty.
3.     There was discussion of the College’s relationship with Middle States. A committee member noted that the faculty might not be utilizing its connection to Middle States to the best of its abilities. Middle States exists as a mouthpiece for faculty to express its concerns to an independent organization that will relay those concerns back to the College at an administrative level.
4.     Some committee members stated that there is a degree of discontent among faculty with respect to the due date for grades and the recent public notice (Faculty informed of 12/27 due date via email on 12/6). FAEC will attempt to make future due dates available early. Committee members agreed that incorporating the grade due date in the Academic Calendar at the start of the College’s fiscal year would address current faculty concerns with the process.  
5.     Faculty Assembly to vote on the final document of the Shared Governance Task Force later today. Various voting options were discussed, depending on the number of faculty present at FA.
6.     Library architects will be on campus December 13 10-11 in SC 156 and 4-5 in ASB 136 for a forum for faculty, students, and staff to observe plans for new library ask questions and raise concerns.
7.     There are concerns about the retirement of Luminis (currently planned for end of S’18) and (possibly) Moodle. FAEC President will contact George Tabak regarding sending another communication about termination/transition dates.
8.     Lally and Woody Visit: Roukema Center will make arrangements for international student needs during interim; some students qualify for College coverage, while some are subject to charges. Lally and others will encourage President Mercer and Administration to find money for uncovered students. College staff and organizations have volunteered to supply transportation and other services. A committee member stated that full scholarships and housing scholarships should cover student needs during holidays and dates College is closed. There is some question as to whether Admissions or the Roukema Center is responsible for recruitment and seeing to these students’ needs during such times. A committee member raised the question of whether it would be helpful for faculty to donate food this winter. A committee member suggested money donations are more effective. A committee member asked whether CSI might donate money for international student trips and events; Lally replied that the answer depends on the politics of how to use the student activity fees paid by all students. SGA will vote on Shared Governance plan by Monday 10/11. The SGA Relief Committee has secured a room in ASB for a food pantry for homeless students; a majority of homeless students state a preference that peers staff the pantry. SGA would like faculty to participate in a Task Force on Open Education Resources.
9.     Meeting adjourned 12:33

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January 31, 2018FAEC Meeting Minutes 1/17/18

FAEC Meeting Minutes 1/17/18

In Attendance: Tae Kwak, Kim Lorber, Christina,  Donna Flynn (replacing TA rep Cristina), Gladys, Marta, Eva Ogens, Roark Atkinson, Kathy

Snow late opening: 11am

Cristina introduced the new TA rep as she is teaching during our meeting times this semester.

According to the FA Bylaws, Article V, Sec. 1, H-I: “H. Meets regularly with the President of the College and sits as a member of the President’s Cabinet; I. Meets regularly with the Provost and sits as a member of the Provost¹s Cabinet.” Tae said the writing is ambiguous so he is now on the Councils of both (Provost’s Council and PAC). In practice, no previous FA cabinets have sat on the President’s Ccabinet. Tae will research this as the President’s Cabinet has the top representative from each campus body except, in this case, the faculty’s (FA President).

Homeless Students: If we provide more than we do (meal tickets and a room for one or two days ). Only two people can authorize this; one is Chris Romano, VP of Enrollment Management, the other is the Dean of Students. This seems unreasonable as the athletes stay at no extra cost and no one complains.

Tae will run for president again.

FA President Election: Tae encouraged us to bring this to Unit Council so others can run if they wish.

Library Update: At a recent library renovation marketing meeting, attendees were informed that the project will now be known as the “Learning Commons” project, and to remove the term “library” from marketing information concerning the project. Dean Siecke was informed by a librarian who attended the marketing meeting that this decision had been made.  Dean Siecke was never directly notified about this, but had inquired in the past if this was happening. Past responses confirmed the term library would always be a part of the project’s title.  There was general concern among FAEC members about the removal of library from the project title and its future implications. Librarians are currently exploring examples of Learning Commons’ projects on other college campuses and how they work in relation to the library.

Christina, Roark, Tae, and Dean Siecke met over Winter Break to discuss the handling of the library renovation. Dean Siecke is seeking clarification from President Mercer as to the rationale for the proposed name change.

There is still concern among FAEC members over the inclusion of certain offices and amenities within the proposed plan, particularly when those spaces may remain dark and not open for student use. Gladys offered to speak to Dean Petkus to verify the Bloomberg Terminals will not be transferred to the library, with general agreement from FAEC members that it seemed logical to keep the technology within ASB.

FAEC members expressed concern over potential conflict of interest of certain members of the President’s Library and Learning Commons Task Force.

Roark suggested the possibility of rewriting the Library’s Mission to strengthen the argument to keep the renovation “library-focused.” Christina has drafted a motion for Faculty Assemble about the project title change.

Nicole Agard-Morgan arrived at 11:42am. She was approached by students and faculty regarding issues of the international students. Her thoughts and recommendations following a meeting with the President. Some comments made at the FA Forum were received as insulting. Nicole feels we should have this again to talk about diversity itself as well as micro-aggressions. She is interested in getting the same or similar training from the Rutgers previous presenter, a Ramapo grad, and/or others. She would like our support. She will meet with Martha Ecker as well for AFT support.

Examples of upset follow. The mean income from Nepal, for example, was given so Stefan, president of the SGA, said people are approaching them and asking how they can afford to come here. Tae noted there is an unintentional and unconscious way in which we say some things that are actually condescending. The major problem is sometimes the most well-intentioned students come across as condescending. We will need concrete examples to understand how what we have said was received no matter how well intentioned. Whether in Unit Council or Faculty Assembly, small group discussions should be included. We need to have it and need examples so people attending know this is real. The staff training was excellent. It needs to be real/relevant to faculty with examples when the training(s) is/are made. Tokenization is common when a class discussion is about a topic with only one student with this background, present. Then the discussion defers to them. We need training. Some international students feel isolated by the response. The Roukema Center has been given new charges to attend to meals, etc. Students report feeling ghettoized. This should be under the umbrella of the Dean of Students.

This is a three part issue: homeless students, international students’ needs, and diversity training/awareness. Efforts to help international students at the last minute may have been more elegant had it been done earlier. We can proceed more thoughtfully in the future so needs can be addressed.

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January 20, 2018Faculty Assembly Executive Council | Minutes | 12/05/18

FAEC Minutes 12/5/2018
Faculty Assembly Executive Council [FAEC] Meeting Minutes
Date: Wednesday, December 5, 2018  | Location: A218  | Time: 10:00 am to 12:00 pm
Attendees: Tae Kwak, Donna Flynn, Sam Mustafa, Cristina Perez, Hugh Sheehy, Renata Gangemi, Christina Connor, Kathy Zeno
Secretary: Nakia Matthias
Guest:  Provost Becker;  Stephan Lally, SGA President;  Sarah Carberry, GECCo Chair; and Michael Unger

___________________________________________________________________________

 1.  FAEC Minutes Approved

 2.  SGA President,  Stephan Lally: SGA Food Pantry and The “We Care” Program

The SGA food pantry stock is currently adequate.  The food pantry also includes toiletries; baby food/supplies; and school supplies.

There is a need for monetary donations to the We Care Program.  The program encompasses the Student Relief Fund, as well as resources for food insecurity [food pantry], and homelessness.

An announcement for donations to the We Care Program will be made at the next Faculty Assembly on 12/12/18.

The average request for student assistance is $500 and assistance is granted at $2000 or less.

The SGA President wants to create a Wellness Fee, whereby students will be granted unlimited free mental health services with their enrollment. The proposed mental health services provision required board approval.  At present students are allotted three medical/clinical visits per year with a copayment of $15 per visit to under the current scheme offered at RCNJ.

Information about the We Care Program can be found via the Office of Equity and Diversity Programs web page at: https://www.ramapo.edu/ccec/we-care-program/

Applications to the Student Relief Fund are available via the following link:

https://www.ramapo.edu/sga/student-relief-fund-application/

Donations to the Student Relief Fund can be made via the Ramapo ‘Giving” web page. Follow these instructions to donate to the Student Relief Fund:

1. Visit the Ramapo ‘Giving’ web page: https://www.ramapo.edu/giving/
2. Click on the “Make A Gift” button
3. In the “Gift Designation” area click on the drop-down menu and select “Other”
4. In the “Other Gift Designation” field, manually type in “Student Relief Fund”

3.  FAEC Morale Fund

The FAEC “Morale Fund” budget has been reduced from $2,000 to $1,500.  The FAEC has cut spending on FA refreshments [not including coffee], faculty requests for celebratory funding, and paper ballots in effort to donate as much as possible monies to the Student Relief Fund, which needed capital, particularly in the beginning.

A request has been made to the Vice President for Institutional Advancement, Cathleen Davey and President Mercer to restore the $2,000 budget.

4.  Starting the academic year earlier, Reading Day, and Exam scheduling

Provost Becker is considering options to begin the academic year earlier within the month of August in order to adequately accommodate reading day scheduling and commencement scheduling.  This proposal must be discussed with the AFT before a decision can be made. However, the change is proposed in part to avoid issues related to the fall of Labor Day within a given calendar year and the potential time-crunch that it creates with reading-day and exam proximity to the holidays.

Reading day schedules that fall on a Sunday are not academic days as no classes and offices are offered in Sundays.  Weekend reading day scheduling does not grant students adequate time to prepare for exams due to the absence of any real break between their classes and exam dates.  Reading Day needs to be formally defined by the college so may that it may be honored in accordance with its intended purpose of allowing students to have adequate preparation time for their exams.

Some hybrid courses are experiencing exam scheduling conflicts with regularly scheduled classroom-based courses.  This must be rectified going forward.

5.  Faculty Scholarship

At a recent Librarians Unit Council meeting, the provost discussed his plan to request from each school/unit a scholarship statement outlining how each area defines scholarly excellence in order to help guide the tenure and promotion process. Per the provost, the scholarly statements would work alongside the Faculty Handbook. However, the RCNJ Faculty handbook specifies the terms for faculty scholarship and decisions to revise these terms must be made in consultation with the AFT.  

  6.  GECCo Report from Sarah Carberry and Michael Unger

The criteria general education courses will be revised by Sarah Carberry. GECCo will also devise a revised charge and manual.

Students will be required to take three experiential keystone courses to include:

• First Year Seminar (FYS)
• Studies in Arts and Humanities (SIAH)
• Social Science Inquiry (SSI)

For these courses the changes involve the removal of outcomes that conflict with what GECCo and FA voted on.  Additionally, an extended experiential task force will be voting on the new objective for these courses. In the past there has been no continuity in what was voted on versus what was implemented.

The Deans Council will officially be dissolved by way of the authority of the FAEC, GECCo, and ARC.

Sarah and Michael pointed out that other than a registrar-purge there is currently no mechanism for a class being removed from the course catalog if it has not been taught for 10 years.   

Sarah and Michael  also discussed ways to steramine assessment.  They maintained that assessment processes must consist of a routine that involves audits, syllabus checks, tracking whom has been assessed, and developing information based on a random cluster sample of how faculty programs and courses are assessed.

In terms of courses such as FYS there is a misconception that these classes can be assessed the same way because they have the same course number but there may be no consistency in their content and specific focus.  Assessment for such courses must be customized and a syllabus audit must be a feature of this process.

The FAEC and GECCo share the belief that work of assessment should be minimized but maximum benefit and effectiveness should be achieved through its processes.

Meeting Adjourned at 12:00 pm

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December 6, 2017FAEC Minutes 11/15/2017

Faculty Assembly Executive Council (FAEC) Meeting Minutes November 15 2017 ASB 008 Room 10:30am to 12:30am

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

Excused: Cristina Perez

Secretary:​ Hugh Sheehy

Guest:​ Beth Barnett

Meeting opened, 10:30

Minutes approved.

FAEC President and Student Body President will meet with President Mercer to discuss possibility of temporary emergency housing for homeless students. A committee member requested that the FAEC President meet with President Mercer about honoring the bylaws requiring the College President to meet regularly with the FAEC President, for that time to be dedicated to discussing issues of identified importance to the College; the bylaws also call for the FAEC President to be given a seat at the President’s Cabinet meetings.

Shared Governance: a committee member stated that President Mercer affirmed his intent to await the final report of the Task Force on Shared Governance to make a decision to create a College Senate. There was general agreement that the first step toward success in the area of SG is establishing an atmosphere of professional trust in which a culture change could take place. A committee member stated that communication about the past and current state of the relationship between the Administration and the Faculty will be necessary for an establishment of aforesaid atmosphere of professional trust. A committee member underscored that point that both the Administration and the Faculty must be open to admitting past failures and errors if progress is to take place. A committee member stated that the goal of SG is to establish a climate in which compliance mechanisms are unnecessary and in which conflicts are identified and minimalized early in any collaborative process involving the Administration and the Faculty. There was discussion of creating an annual College-wide survey for Faculty and Administration (with a comments section) allowing for both bodies to assess SG. It was stated that according to FA Bylaws, FA should have a representative at the Provost’s Cabinet (note: FA Bylaws state “Cabinet”; there is no “Provost’s Cabinet”; Bylaws should be amended to denote “Provost’s Council”).

Library Renovation: the placement of the Krame Center has not been decided, as there seems to be some disagreement between interested parties about the floor where it belongs (new plans put it on the first floor, not the fourth floor, as was originally imagined). These disagreements proceed from disparate expectations for how some spaces will be used; there are also questions about the decision to allot the Krame Center three office spaces. There remains concern regarding the creation of certain types of spaces (e.g. a cafeteria) that students have stated they do not wish to have in the new library.

Provost’s Visit: Course evaluation system is transitioning; Barnett proposes that FAEC form groups to review instruments. Barnett would also like to encourage a wider use of online evaluations across the College and is interested in the following specific changes in Spring 2018: 1) require faculty to opt out of online evaluations as opposed to opt in (current system) and 2) hold student grades until students have evaluated their courses online (online evaluations only). The system change will be a test and not necessarily a permanent change. There was some discussion of how faculty might be directed to use information from evaluations in self-assessment and particularly in the self-evaluation documentation required for tenure and promotion. Possible changes to the Faculty Handbook were considered; there was discussion of concerns about junior faculty being hurt by unforeseen problems in transition process. Barnett stated that a Task Force on revising the evaluation instrument and system would probably help; she added that the Faculty should consider how expectations for junior faculty differ from those for senior faculty and consider preparing a statement on faculty development from this angle. There was discussion of the possibility of streamlining the tenure and promotion process; it might be possible to allow faculty seeking both to apply with a single binder. The FAEC President requested that the Provost ask Employee Relations to post T&P deadlines in a common calendar posted early in the semester. A committee member stated that faculty applying for promotion are frustrated in the deadline change for applications when the date the College announces the number of promotions available has remained the same. The Provost explained that the current accounting of opportunities for promotion is to some extent determined by College’s history of hiring in the past fifteen years; the percentage of individuals permitted at each rank is set by the Board of Trustees.

A committee member inquired about the process for dealing with students under interim suspension; faculty members are currently not formally informed of the actual start date or end date of the time during which students are banned from campus when on interim suspension. As it currently stands, faculty are informed by the student that is on suspension. Protocols for handling such cases need to be formalized. Provost Barnett stated that she would speak with the Dean of Students to develop and implement a procedure for more effectively dealing with this issue.  

Meeting adjourned 12:45

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December 6, 2017FAEC Minutes 11/8/2017

Faculty Assembly Executive Council (FAEC) Meeting Minutes November 8 2017 ASB 008 Room 10:30am to 12:30am

Attendees:​ Christina Connor, Ken McMurdy (for Cristina Perez), Roark Atkinson, Kathryn Zeno, Tae Kwak, Gladys Torres-Baumgarten, Kim Lorber, Eva Ogens

Excused: Renata Gangemi, Cristina Perez

Secretary:​ Hugh Sheehy

Guests:​ S. Lally, J. Velazquez (SGA/Student Emergency Relief Committee)

Meeting opened, 10:30

Minutes approved.

Library Renovation: Library faculty remain uncertain about the future of the library in the aftermath of 11/1 Faculty Assembly; some committee members expressed disappointment in faculty participation in the discussion of the renovation plans. Architects have been working on a design they hope will satisfy all interested parties (the Cabinet, Library Faculty, and donor families), but they have not consulted with all of these parties equally. There have also been inconsistencies between what the library faculty have been told by the administration and the plans for the renovation that have materialized.

        There was discussion regarding the ongoing sense of uncertainty regarding both renovation plans and plans for interim book storage and a “swing space” for students to use for studying. Committee members discussed the apparent lack of shared governance on these issues. A committee member proposed the idea of preparing a minority report on the library renovation project. A committee member suggested discussing the question of shared governance and the library renovation in upcoming Unit Council meetings (11/15). The FA President proposed that Deans allow representatives of the Library Faculty to attend upcoming Unit Councils on behalf of Faculty Assembly. FAEC will schedule a Library Town Hall to follow immediately on discussion of Shared Governance at 11/29 Faculty Assembly; following this, FAEC members will report back to Unit Councils on 1/17.

        A committee member discussed the erratic nature of the progress on Library Renovation. A committee member stated that the Cabinet’s decision-making seems to take place in the absence of guiding principles; a committee member stated that the library faculty could provide guiding principles based on their knowledge of best practices in this area.

Student Homelessness: There are students on campus who have become homeless in the course of their studies at the College. The College administration so far has not shown a will to accommodate the unusual needs of these students, regardless of the circumstances. SGA reps convey that they have had mixed success with the use of a meal plan for students in need; they report that relevant information has not always been available to them. SGA reps have been reaching out to the Ramapo Foundation to raise the money needed to house students in currently vacant rooms. A committee member noted that the College is already taking a loss on vacant dormitory spaces and that raising money to defray some of those costs would be a benefit to the College. A committee member stated that this is an opportunity for the Administration, the Faculty, and the Student Body to work together on solving an important problem.

An SGA rep stated an interest in reaching out to the State government to work on lowering tuition in New Jersey state Universities and Colleges.

Meeting adjourned 12:30a

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December 6, 2017DRAFT 12/6 Faculty Assembly Minutes

Faculty Assembly Minutes

December 6 2017 Pavilion 1 pm

Faculty Assembly President: Tae Kwak

Secretary: Hugh Sheehy

• Tae Kwak called meeting to order 12:40 PM

• Minutes of 11/1 Approved

• FA President’s Report: Tae Kwak is nearing the end of this term as FA President. If you are interested in running for this position, please contact him. Kwak has asked half the current FAEC members to delay stepping down to ensure some degree of continuity in membership. New FAEC members should slect an alternate from their UC. Kwak announced he has donated some FAEC funds to address emergency student needs. Faculty are invited to make any donations they see fit. There are homeless students on campus. SGA is taking the lead on this. It is the FAEC’s hope that the College will find a solution for them. At the end of the semester, Luminis service will be terminated. Faculty still using Luminis should migrate to Moodle.

• College President’s Report: Applications and deposits are up since this time last year. The President believes this is due in part to the vibrant cultural life on campus stemming in part from faculty-led and –planned events. Mercer hopes to get a public transit line to the College to potentially increase the number of students from public transit-dependent areas; the President is optimistic about the incoming administration’s reception of this suggestion. The President believes it would behoove the College to have a presence at the American Dream Meadowlands.

A faculty member inquired as to what kind of presence the College might have. The President speculated about a range of possibilities, including a satellite MBA Program.

• Provost’s Report: Barnett hopes to have an update on new CA Dean by next FA. There will be another round of emeriti applications in the Spring. ITS is adopting new software to support Spring Semester Teacher Evaluations; the tool will remain the same, but Barnett encourages the faculty to form a Task Force to revisit that evaluation instrument. There is a new final exams policy on the Provost’s website; please see the College website for the new exam schedule for the Spring. The Provost invites faculty interested in participating in the College’s self-study for Middle States to volunteer quickly, as there is much work to be done in a relatively short period of time.

• Task Force on Shared Governance (Ken McMurdy, Chair): McMurdy went over the plan overview and discussed the need for faculty to get involved and devote themselves to implement the principles articulated in the Shared Governance Plan. A number of faculty members praised the TF’s work. A faculty member asked whether the TF has a timeline for implementation of the Plan. The Provost answered this question by stating that this depends on the College community’s acceptance or rejection of the Plan and the consequent reaction; it might charging involve another Task Force or making a decision in connection with the possible adoption of a College Senate. McMurdy added that he believes the first step needs to be taken quickly, whatever it is. A faculty member requested that if the faculty votes for the Plan that it then move to vote on a structure. Barnett stated that SGA and the President’s Cabinet are also voting whether to adopt the Plan. A member of FAEC stated that the President and the Provost have been supportive throughout this process and that the FAEC expects the Administration will support the Plan. A faculty member asked to see the results of the faculty survey on the Shared Governance Plan. McMurdy said he will share it, though he did not have the numbers available to share at Faculty Assembly. McMurdy discussed the “Dynamic Protocol for Decision-Making Within Shared Governance”; he walked the Assembly through the Task Force’s “Practical Recommendations for Implementation”; finally, he stated the TF’s conclusion that Shared Governance is possible with sufficient involvement from community members.

Vote on TSFG Report: 100 Votes (89 Yes, 4 No, 7 Undecided)

• Library architects will be on campus on 12/13 to answer faculty, student, and staff questions and hear concerns about the plans for the new library. They will hold two sessions, one from 10:00 AM-11:00 AM in SC 156/157 and another from 4:00 PM-5:00 PM in ASB 136.

• Search Committee for New Provost (Yvette Kisor, Chair). Kisor reminded faculty that external search firm will be coming to campus and discussed their role in the search process. External Search Firm for New Provost will be on campus and available at various times on Monday, 12/11 and Tuesday 12/12. From the College’s official email:

The team from Witt Kieffer has been provided the results of the Provost Characteristics Survey and will be hosting a series of meetings on-campus next week. These meetings are designed to provide the team with first-hand experience of our campus. Meeting discussions will be geared toward understanding more fully the complexities and challenges of the Provost position, gleaning multiple perspectives on the skills and qualities a highly qualified Provost at Ramapo College will need to succeed, and generating a leadership profile that is both strategically aligned to Ramapo’s needs and attractive to a diverse pool of candidates.

The schedule for Witt Kieffer’s visit to campus is:

Monday, December 11 in Alumni Lounges/Student Center Room 156
10-10:45AM  with Faculty
11-11:45PM with Staff
1-1:45PM with Conveners
2-2:45PM with Faculty
4:15-5PM with Cabinet
5:15-6PM with Student Leaders
6:30PM with Trustees

Tuesday, December 12 in Alumni Lounges/Student Center Room 156
9-9:45AM with Direct Reports
10-10:45AM with Deans
11-11:45AM with Faculty and Staff

• Tae Kwak spoke about the memorial service for Professor Seung-Sup Kim and relayed an invitation to faculty to celebrate Prof Kim’s life next Wedneesday 12/13 6-7:30 PM in SC 219.

• Tim Judge (AFT Vice President of Adjuncts) invited faculty to attend today’s AFT meeting, at which the contributions of adjuncts will be acknowledged.

full-time faculty and students about adjunct faculty who have made a significant impact

• General Discussion: Ann Lepore asked volunteers for Shared Governance interested in making provisions for international students to contact her. A faculty member stated a concern that administrative offices on campus are not taking the responsibility they should for emergency situations involving homeless students and international students; if the College will not take care of its international students, this faculty member stated, then international education should not be a pillar of the College. The faculty member stated an opinion that the faculty needs to focus on identifying and solving the “systemic problem” that makes it possible for emergencies such as the recent ones involving international students to go unattended. FA President stated that it is his goal to solve this problem, as well as his hope that this conversation is the beginning of the solution. The faculty member who stated the initial concern reiterated the view that stakeholders and decision-makers in the College offices who might be held responsible for the lack of resources for international students should be identified. FAEC President argued the College might view international students as adding value to Ramapo College in a way similar to the way athletes add value to campus and to then make equal provisions for those international students. There was some discussion of the problem of how to identify precisely how many international students need assistance during breaks. After a good deal of crosstalk and argument about misinformation and scapegoating, a faculty member stated that President Mercer had identified the Roukema Center as the campus organ through which support for international students should be arranged. A faculty member stated that Roukema Center is currently helping. A faculty member argued that the Dean of Students, not the Roukema Center, should be held responsible; the faculty member stated that the larger takeaway is that various College bodies need to work together to ensure international students receive the appropriate support.

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November 8, 2017FAEC Minutes November 1, 2017

Faculty Assembly Executive Council (FAEC) Meeting Minutes November 1 2017 ASB 008 Room 10:30am to 12:30am

Attendees:​ Christina Connor, Cristina Perez, Roark Atkinson, Renata Gangemi, Kathryn Zeno, Tae Kwak, Gladys Torres-Baumgarten, Kim Lorber

Excused: Eva Ogens

Secretary:​ Hugh Sheehy

Guests:​ Peter Mercer

Minutes of 10/25 Approved

Various committee members expressed that many faculty members in their respective Units remain uneasy about the lack of clarity regarding the manner in which the Search Committee for the next Provost was put together; for instance, CA Dean was asked to select faculty while others were not.  Four representatives (Faculty Assembly, AFT, Library Unit, and Dean’s Council) have conspicuously been dropped in the 2017 Search Committee.  For reference:

2003 Provost Search Committee (from Mercer’s 2003 email announcement):

Chair Professor Donna Crawley

AIS representative Professor Steve Rice

Business Professor Thierry-Rakotobe- Joel

CA Professor Ruma Sen

SSHS Professor Alex Urbiel

TAS Professor Eric Karlin

Library Ms. Liz Siecke

Trustees Mr. Tim Schroeder

Deans Dean Jennefer Mazza

Faculty Assembly Professor Kay Fowler

AFT Professor Eddie Saiff

Professional staff Mr.Richard Morales-Wright

SGA representative yet to be named

Administration Dr. Dorothy Echols-Tobe

2017 Provost Search Committee (from Mercer’s Oct. 10, 2017 email):

HGS, Chair Yvette Kisor, Professor

CA Rep Ben Neill, Associate Professor

TAS Rep Cristina Perez, Assistant Professor

Erin Augis,  Professor SSHS Rep

ASB Rep Thiery Rakotobe-Joel, Associate Professor

HGS Rep Lisa Cassidy, Associate Professor

Student Rep Stephen Geerlof

VP,  EMSA, Cabinet Rep Christopher Romano

Position Control, Staff Rep Kathy Stathis

Trustee Vin Colman

Chief of Staff and Board Liaison, Administrative Facilitator (non-voting)
Brittany Goldstein

Committee members discussed plans for Faculty Forum.

Committee members discussed the composition of FAEC next semester in the interest of creating some continuity in the next FAEC and to establish a regular staggering of committee members’ departure from the committee. The committee will seek clarity on the issue of term limits before determining how best to do this.

President’s Visit: a committee member asked about the construction of the Provost’s Search Committee twelve years ago versus this year; the President answered that the aim this time around was to simplify the issue around clarifying that this committee is a search, not a selection committee, and “not constituency-based”; the President stated he wanted to create a diversity of faculty and staff perspectives that represent the Schools of the College without advocating for the interests of individual Schools. The President stated that his sense is that the Search Committee’s most strongly recommended candidates would be clear. A committee member stated that many FAEC members have been reporting concern coming out of their Units about the process of creating the Search Committee and, by extension, the search for a new Provost; Mercer responded that he hopes that any concerned faculty will seek out candidates at appropriate fora and express their concerns directly. A committee member stated that an unclear signal seems to have been sent out, that “the optics” of this process are not great, in that certain bodies (Deans, AFT, Library and FA reps.) are not represented; Mercer replied that he deliberately chose to make the Search Committee unrepresentative for the reasons outlined above. It was asked whether there couldn’t be more clarity about this process; Mercer replied that the process was clear but unpopular because of its difference. A committee member expressed the view the desire of many faculty members seems to be that this process seem more in keeping with the spirit of shared governance than they consider it to be currently. A committee member asked about the lack of representation by AFT; Mercer stated that if AFT had a representative, other dedicated organizations and bodies might want one; a committee member argued that AFT reps faculty and that the College is a “union shop” and that thus AFT should be represented on the Search Committee; Mercer replied that there are members of AFT on the current Search Committee and that he feels adding a designated AFT rep to the Search Committee “is not warranted at this time”. A committee member asked how the President envisions the current process yielding the kind of candidate the College needs; Mercer replied that the diversity of the Search Committee and the outside search firm hired is intended to create a more thorough vetting of candidates and College needs. Mercer stated that he anticipates that the Search Committee will be looking at the job description for the next Provost; he stated that he believes the next Provost will need to think about new revenue streams for the College such as in Continuing Education and Executive Education. He stated that while the College has had success in managing money in recent years, he believes the College must think about a future in which revenues outside of traditional sources such as Graduate School tuition and the State. There was some discussion of the President’s expectations regarding the library presentation at Faculty Assembly; he believes a potential swing space has been identified. A committee member inquired about the timeline for the College’s announcement of how many promotions will be available this Academic Year and why it could not be made at the beginning of each Fall semester; Mercer anticipates an announcement will be made next week and explained that the Administration needs a certain amount of time to take into consideration future faculty numbers College-wide; he stated that he will make an effort to make the number of promotions available earlier in future semesters.

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November 8, 2017FAEC Minutes October 25, 2017

Faculty Assembly Executive Council (FAEC) Meeting Minutes October 25 2017 ASB 008 Room 10:30am to 12:30am

Attendees:​ Christina Connor, Cristina Perez, Roark Atkinson, Renata Gangemi, Kathryn Zeno, Tae Kwak, Gladys Torres-Baumgarten, Kim Lorber

Excused: Eva Ogens

Secretary:​ Hugh Sheehy

Guests:​ Yvette Kisor; Beth Barnett

Meeting called to order, 11:30

Minutes of 10/18 Approved

Kisor Visit: Kisor clarified that list of FYS Common Reading Experience (CRE) options so far represents only what has been proposed for consideration, not what has been selected for consideration.

Kisor discussed the purpose of CRE as defined by National Resource Center (University of South Carolina), emphasizing that the goals include not only introductory reading for incoming students but also a common intellectual experience involving faculty and staff as well. There are various aspirational goals, such as supporting the development and maintenance of campus culture and helping incoming students adjust to the expectations and practices common to coursework in higher education. Kisor walked committee members through semester-long events associated with CRE intended to help realize the purpose of CRE; she also discussed the procedure for selecting a book for the CRE. A committee member asked about selection criteria; Kisor explained the criteria (the book must have academic merit, the book should be engaging and written in an accessible style, the book should be on a subject that lends itself for use broadly in FYS courses that have diverse themes, the author (or speaker) should be engaging, ideally, the subject should be related to Ramapo’s mission in some way). It was discussed that the model the College uses for selecting a CRE (Kisor explained there are many models for selecting) is based on precedence; the model has been in place since the implementation of CRE at Ramapo. A committee member noted that other models could be adopted. (Provost Barnett arrived during this section of meeting.) Barnett noted that President’s Cabinet makes its decision based on the FYS Reading Committee’s recommendation, author availability for Convocation, and financial concerns (some of which are governed by state guidelines). Kisor expressed openness to a revision of the selection procedure; committee member observed that it might be helpful to get faculty more involved in the selection process (involvement is voluntary) and also to allow the FYS Director more access to the decision-making done at the Cabinet level. There was some discussion of the challenges current FYS programming faces, especially generating student interest in some FYS events. A committee member noted that faculty might feel moved to volunteer to help select a book for CRE if faculty were more aware of the potential impact faculty could have on selection. Kisor expressed a willingness to present on this issue at Faculty Assembly.

Provost’s Visit: Provost Barnett stated that there is currently a search underway for a new online teaching platform to replace Banner. Provost’s Council will reconsider a number of exam policies on 10/26, including the problem of over-scheduling during exam week and a deadline for requesting final exam accommodations. A committee member expressed interest in the establishment of a master calendar; Barnett indicated that this is the aim of the academic calendar and that the academic calendar could be improved to include certain important dates. There was the question of whether an improved academic calendar could be made available in early summer to allow for faculty to prepare syllabi months in advance of the Academic Year; Barnett responded that there a few unfixed variables that make projecting forward in time difficult in some cases. A committee member expressed a desire that the due-date for grades be published earlier in the semester than they typically are; Barnett said she would look into making this happen. A committee member asked about the status of the “FN” grade; Barnett stated that Provost’s Council would discuss whether to vote on it on 10/26. Barnett distributed a printout of an overview of a College course evaluation system that might be adopted; ITS has prepared a spreadsheet comparing costs and virtues of different course evaluation software packages. There was some discussion of whether online evaluation programs tend to draw more student response; a committee member mentioned a study from the Chronicle of Higher Ed that reported obligatory evaluations tend to be less salutary of instructors and courses than voluntary evaluations. Barnett noted that in the near future there may be a Task Force charged to work with ITS on improving the College’s means of getting and compiling course evaluations. A committee member expressed concern about a possible decline of quality that comes with a migration to online course evaluations, especially if evaluations are to be considered in decisions regarding tenure and promotion. Barnett agreed and stated that course evaluation could be improved; committee members identified specific weaknesses in the language of the course evaluations forms. She added that AFT and the faculty will need to revise the faculty handbook, particularly with regard to tenure and promotion procedures.

Search Committee for New Provost: there are concerns about structural differences in search committee for next provost and the search committee for the outgoing provost. Certain bodies are not represented on the current committee (AFT, Library Unit, Dean’s Council, Faculty Assembly). Further, the selection process for the new search committee remains unclear. FAEC will explore whether it is necessary to craft a faculty statement on this issue.  

One committee member brought up the issue/problem of the new due date for promotion packets. According to the promotion calendar, this year, faculty members that are applying for promotion “shall submit a written application for promotion to the appropriate Unit Personnel Committee … by November 17th.” [It was noted that last year, the date was moved up to December 2 (in contrast to previous years when applications were due in early January), and this year it is even earlier than last.] This is problematic for those who intend to apply as the president’s office is not likely to announce the number of available slots for each faculty rank until the week before promotion packages are due. The due date for promotion packages is agreed upon jointly by the Office of Employee Relations and the union. As a result, FAEC felt that it would be beneficial to invite Martha Ecker and Nicole Morgan Agard to discuss the need for more “workable” timetables.

     Next week’s FA Agenda: Faculty Forum to precede FA; Cathy Davey has accepted invitation to attend Faculty Assembly; two voting items from ARC; Task Force on Shared Governance presentation from K McMurdy; Title IX presentation; FAEC Decision on Faculty Agenda

Meeting adjourned 12:30

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October 18, 2017FAEC Minutes 10/4/2017

Faculty Assembly Executive Council (FAEC) Meeting Minutes October 4 2017 ASB 008 Room 10:30am to 12:30am

Attendees:​ Christina Connor, Cristina Perez, Roark Atkinson, Renata Gangemi, Kathryn Zeno, Eva Ogens, Tae Kwak, Gladys Torres-Baumgarten, Kim Lorber

Excused: Hugh Sheehy (Secretary)

Secretary:​ Roark Atkinson

We approved the minutes.

Tae cancelled faculty forum for today. No need as TFCS is postponed, no faculty interest.

Major minor fair was scheduled at a bad time yet again, conflicting with FA even though Center for Student Success expects faculty participation.

ASB Dean was happy that FAEC was active and ready to respond to the Provost TF on Structure.

Shared governance would work better if faculty got recognition for the work they have done.

How do we build a culture of trust and inclusiveness?

Helps explain low rate of faculty volunteers for service.

TF in online learning will give final report today.

Nov 1 FA Ken will present interim report on shared governance.

Jaime (SGA) will make a presentation. He will participate on creating Final Exam schedule.

Grades due date is not posted. It would be nice to have this at the beginning of the semester.

We should consult with President Mercer to discuss the job description for provost.

New provost will have option to choose new deans.

First identified swing space for the Library during renovation was declined. A new swing space has been identified but not communicated to librarians; the new space will need architectural plans and approval from the Space Allocations Committee as well as Cabinet. Architects are working on plans for the swing space concurrently with draft plans for the renovation. Poor communication for coordination of special collections during renovation.

Ask Library Dean Elizabeth Siecke to come to next FAEC to discuss how AEC can support the issues associated with the renovation project.

How will the Krame Center space sustain itself? Or any future donor? Problems for existing centers, like the Gross collections if they are moved to the general collection.

What are the courses that are going through ARC? We will need to schedule these for FA votes.

Adjourned 11:40 AM.

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