The FRC is a place dedicated to promoting teaching and scholarly excellence.  To that end, the Center offers teaching circles, workshops, and various other services.  The Center’s principal audience is anyone who teaches at Ramapo, regardless of whether they are tenured or tenure-track faculty, staff, or adjunct instructors.  All are welcome!

Mission Statement

It is the mission of the Faculty Resource Center to:

1.  Promote teaching excellence
2.  Foster faculty development, vitality, and enrichment
3.  Offer programs and other opportunities that support faculty as educators, scholars, and engaged community leaders and members

FRC Advisory Board

Brief History

The idea to establish a Faculty Resource Center was crystallized in 2001 by (then) Vice President for Academic Affairs Donna Crawley.  Over several years of visiting other colleges, she became impressed with how much could be accomplished to advance teaching by a small staff.  Dr. Crawley and Dr. Kwesi Aggrey, (then) Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs, brought the center into being by finding a physical space (E 216), furnishing it, recruiting a Director, and funding a modest budget.

The Center’s Founding Director, Dr. Philip J. McLewin, was appointed January 1, 2003.  Its first public event was an open house on January 29, 2003. Forty people dropped by over a two hour period.  During the first full semester (Spring 2003) fifteen workshops were held on topics such as plagiarism, dealing with student reactions after war begins, the tenure process (including “The Unexpurgated Truth”), how students learn from both psychological and biological perspectives  (“Connective Issues” and “Connective Tissues”),  assessing student learning, and even a hike in Harriman State Park with a park history.  Workshop facilitators came from faculty in every school at the College.

Following Dr. Philip Mc Lewin’s retirement in 2007, Dr. Lysandra Perez-Strumolo served as Director from 2007 to 2014.  Dr. Nicholas Salter was appointed as the Center’s Director from 2014 to 2019 and then Dr. Tammi Redd served in that capacity through Spring of 2024 when Dr. Sharon Leathers served as interim Director. The current Director is Dr. Rikki Abzug.

Staff and Facilities

Rikki Abzug (PhD, Yale University), Professor of Management, Anisfield School of Business, and Director of the Faculty Resource Center of Ramapo College of New Jersey. A researcher and educator dedicated to organizations and social impact, Dr. Abzug is co-author (with Jeffrey  Simonoff) of Nonprofit Trusteeship in Different Contexts; and has published articles in: Academy of Management Journal, Organization Science, Journal of Management Education, Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, Nonprofit Management & Leadership, Voluntas: International Journal of Voluntary and Non-Profit Organisations, and Sexualities, among many others.  Dr. Abzug was formerly Chair of the Nonprofit Management Program at The New School for Social Research in NYC and Associate Director of Yale University’s Program on Nonprofit Organizations and is currently on the roster of Fulbright Specialists.

The Faculty Resource Center Advisory Board reviews, evaluates, and advises the Director regarding the formation, implementation, and effectiveness of policies and programs.  Its membership consists of both pre-tenure and tenured representatives from across campus.

The Center is located in the Mercer Learning Commons LC-202.  It contains a large seminar table  and seating for 23 people.  The Center also has a microwave, mini-refrigerator, and free coffee and candy.

Contact:

Director, Rikki Abzug

Confidentiality Policy

The basic principle guiding all FRC services:

• Faculty Resource Center will not provide any information that could be used for the evaluation of an individual in any personnel decision.

A written statement from (then) Provost Edward Cody to Founding FRC Director Professor Phil McLewin establishes the following policy:

• The Center’s Director and any future staff will be not be called upon by anyone in the administration to discuss individuals or to testify before grievances or other formal or informal hearings. Consultations with individuals will be confidential. No individual records will be kept of those meetings and contacts. The Director will not be part of any process involving personnel decisions. If on occasion, there is a need to initiate contacts with others then prior permission will be obtained from the individual.