Sent to all faculty from Faculty Assembly President and Provost.

Dear Faculty Colleagues,

The next Faculty Scholarship Symposium is Wednesday, December 4, from 10:30 am to 12:00 pm in the Alumni Lounges (SC-158).

We will once again have three exciting talks followed by a brief panel discussion, centered around the theme of Enhancing Research Through Community-Engaged Scholarship. Abstracts for the talks can be found on the FSS webpage. Special thanks to our speakers for this session: Michael Bitz, Debbie Yuster and Ann LePore!

We are very happy to provide this space for faculty to share aspects of their research, explore connections, and engage in intellectual discussion around issues of common interest.

We hope to see you Wednesday!

Warmly,

Ken & Michael

Sent to all full time faculty and Teaching & Learning Core staff.

Dear Colleagues,

I would like to remind you that the College is providing professional headshots for faculty and staff tomorrow, November 20, in the A-wing second floor balcony.  For best results, dress in solid, professional attire (avoid busy patterns).  Reserve your spot here.

Warmly,

Michael

Sent to all faculty.

Dear Faculty Colleagues,

Applications for the International Education Faculty Fellow position are due this Friday, November 15.

The Faculty Fellow will play an integral role in enhancing the international and study abroad experiences for Ramapo College students. This position involves collaborating closely with the Director of Study Abroad, faculty, and staff to develop and promote study abroad programs, advising students, and contributing to the college’s mission of international education.

Interested applicants should send a letter of interest and their most recent CV to provost@ramapo.edu by the deadline.

This role is a three-year position, renewable annually, with a detailed position description attached.

Warmly,

Michael

Sent to all faculty and Teaching and Learning Core staff.

Dear Faculty and Teaching and Learning Core Staff,

I wanted to make you aware of a training opportunity provided by the Student Well-Being Core.  The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention New Jersey Chapter will be presenting Talk Saves Lives:  An Introduction to Suicide Prevention on Thursday, November 14th at 10:00 am in Pavilion 1 and 2.  The presentation will focus on the risk factors for suicide, how to spot the warning signs, and what we can do to offer referrals and resources for students.

I encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity.  If you are interested in participating, please register here.

Warmly,

Michael

Sent to all faculty from Faculty Assembly President and Provost.

Dear Faculty Colleagues,

Thank you to all who attended Wednesday’s Faculty Scholarship Symposium on Undergraduate Research: Success Stories and Lessons Learned. It was exciting to see such a strong turnout (over 75 people!) and such a lively discussion about both the contents of the individual talks as well as the general theme. In case you missed the Symposium or would like to dig into the content a bit more, the slides for all three talks are posted on the Symposium webpage. As a community, let’s give a special thanks to our speakers, who did a fantastic job of highlighting some of their scholarly work while also sharing their insights into the unifying theme of involving undergraduates in research.

Let’s do it again! Our next Symposium date is Wednesday, December 4th. There seemed to be a very positive response to the approach of (1) centering the talks around a somewhat general theme that cuts across all disciplines and (2) leaving time at the end for an open-ended panel discussion led by the speakers. To this end, the theme for the next session will be Enhancing Research Through Engagement with External Community Partnerships. At next week’s Faculty Assembly meeting, we will share a fully fleshed out Theme/Prompt and call for speakers.

We are very happy to provide this space for faculty to share aspects of their research, explore connections, and engage in intellectual discussion around issues of common interest. If you missed the first event, please consider jumping on board in December. We hope to see you there!

Warmly,

Ken & Michael

Sent to all faculty from Faculty Assembly President and Provost.

Dear Faculty Colleagues,

We are very pleased to announce that the first Faculty Scholarship Symposium will take place on Wednesday, October 30th, from 10:30 am -12:00 pm in the Pavilion (1). The theme for this first symposium is Undergraduate Research: Success Stories and Lessons Learned. We have three exciting talks, the abstracts for which can be found on the Symposium webpage here.

The organization of this symposium series is a collaborative effort between Faculty Assembly and the Provost’s Office, aimed at supporting and celebrating the scholarly work of our faculty and enhancing intellectual engagement on campus, by offering sessions of talks linked by some multidisciplinary theme. Please come and join us for this inaugural session as we learn more about our colleagues’ work, engage in a stimulating intellectual conversation, and gain insight into the particular theme of involving undergraduates in research.

Light refreshments (coffee/tea, bagels/scones) will be provided. We hope to see you there!

Sincerely,

Ken & Michael

Sent to all faculty.

Dear Faculty Colleagues,

As we reach the midpoint of the semester, I wanted to take a moment to acknowledge your continued dedication to our students and our shared mission of providing a transformative liberal arts education. The energy and commitment you bring to your classrooms and scholarly work are essential to fostering an environment of intellectual curiosity and growth.

As we move forward in implementing the Comprehensive Academic Plan including our goal of advancing inclusion, this moment also presents an ideal opportunity to update you on several key initiatives that are shaping the future of our institution. These initiatives reflect our collective efforts to enhance the student experience and strengthen our academic programs in alignment with our strategic priorities.

TAS Dean Search

Earlier today I charged the committee for the School of Theoretical and Applied Science dean search.  The TAS Dean is a key leadership role at Ramapo. This new dean will be instrumental in shaping the academic and faculty landscape, including the direction of our Science, Math, and Healthcare programs, efforts to enhance faculty and student scholarship, the development of strong industry partnerships to benefit our students, faculty recruitment, and advancing diversity and inclusion initiatives.  In consultation with shared governance leaders across campus, I’ve assembled a committee that ensures voice across TAS and across the college. The large size of the committee indicates the importance of broad representation and perspective in the process.  The committee members are:

Susan Hangen, Chair, Dean of Humanities and Global Studies

Nicole Morgan Agard, Vice President for Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Compliance

Daniela Buna, Professor of Engineering Physics

Kathleen Burke, Assistant Dean and Professor of Nursing

Sarah Bolton Carberry, Associate Professor of Chemistry

Max Goldberg-Rugalev, Professor of Mathematics

Keivon Hemmings, Student Development Specialist, EOF

Joost Monen, Associate Professor of Biology

Sandra Suarez, Director, STEM Center

Osei Tweneboah, Assistant Professor of Data Science

I hope each of you will share the TAS Dean position announcement in your professional communities so we can get a strong pool of candidates to consider. 

International Education

A key pillar of education at Ramapo is an emphasis on international understanding to broaden student perspectives and provide them with a strong foundation of learning for their lives. There are three key changes to our approach to international education that I’d like to share with you.  

Vice Provost Joyce Shim will now oversee our efforts at enhancing international education, including oversight of the Office of Study Abroad and chairing the Committee for International Education.  I am confident that her leadership and experience will provide a strong path forward to rebuild our international programs, including support for faculty curriculum development and study abroad trip development.

I’m pleased to announce that we are now searching for a Director of Study Abroad.  The Director of Study Abroad will be responsible for the strategic planning, development, implementation, and assessment of all study abroad and study away programs at Ramapo. It is especially important that the Director work closely with faculty, staff, students, and international partners to manage and promote study abroad programs, including faculty-led programs, ensuring they are accessible, safe, and of high academic quality.

Finally, I want to ensure closer ties between faculty and our international programming.  I’m creating a new exceptional service position of International Education Faculty Fellow.  The Faculty Fellow will play a key role in supporting and enhancing the international and study abroad experiences for students at Ramapo College by collaborating with the Director of Study Abroad, faculty, and staff to develop and promote study abroad programs, advising students, and contributing to the overall mission of international education at the college. If you are interested in serving in this role, please send a letter of interest and your most recent CV to me at provost@ramapo.edu by November 15. As with other similar positions, the Fellow will serve for three years on an annual appointment, with the possibility of renewal. A position description is attached.

Enhancing our Capacity and Culture of Scholarship

Supporting research in a liberal arts college environment not only enhances the educational experience but also contributes to the advancement of knowledge in ways that align with the broader mission of liberal arts education—creating thoughtful, informed citizens who can make a positive difference in the world.  Additionally, by sustaining scholarship we open the doors to faculty-student collaborations that benefit both teachers and learners. 

On October 30 from 10:30 am – 12:00 pm in the Trustees Pavilion, we will hold our first gathering of a faculty scholarship symposium series. Each gathering will provide the opportunity for faculty to present their research and also focus on a common theme.  Next week’s theme will be “Undergraduate Research: Success Stories and Lessons Learned,” and our presenters will provide examples of how they have involved undergraduates as researchers, scholars, and creative artists as part of their work.  I hope you’ll join us for this first gathering.

In the next couple of weeks, we will launch a new standing committee on research, scholarship, and creative activity.  This committee will serve as a catalyst for promoting scholarly inquiry, facilitating interdisciplinary collaboration, and advancing the mission of the institution to generate new knowledge. Through its initiatives and support mechanisms, the committee aims to enhance the academic excellence and reputation of our college while contributing to the intellectual growth of both faculty and students.

Finally, applications are due November 1, 2024 for faculty to participate in our first Research and Engagement Academy in the Spring semester.  The academy will be the opportunity for a small cohort of faculty to be mentored through the process of submitting a funding request to an external agency or foundation.  This year’s theme is “Research and Scholarship with Undergraduate Students.” We hope the academy will become an annual offering as we build our capacity to support scholarship across the college.

Thank you again for a strong start to the academic year.  I’m looking forward to working closely with you as we move forward together to build a Ramapo Experience that is rich in its academic offerings, support for students and faculty, scholarly engagement, and service to the community.

Warmly,

Michael

Sent to all faculty and Teaching & Learning Core Staff.

Dear Faculty and Teaching and Learning Core Staff,

Last spring and this fall, the Office of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Compliance (EDIC) held workshops regarding the State Policy Prohibiting Discrimination.  This workshop is mandatory for all faculty and staff.  If you have not already attended a session, please attend the final workshop on Wednesday, October 23rd from 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. in ASB 136.  Please register here.

The workshop will include an overview of the State Policy, the rights of employees in accordance with the Policy, and examples will be provided to help employees better understand the statements, comments, and/or actions that could lead to a State Policy Violation.

Questions can be directed to diversity@ramapo.edu.

Warmly,

Michael

Sent to all faculty.

Dear Colleagues,

The Office of Grants and Sponsored Programs, in collaboration with the Provost, would like to invite full-time faculty to apply to the Ramapo College Research and Engagement Academy (REA). This Academy will be an annual opportunity for a small cohort of faculty to be mentored through the process of submitting a funding request to an external agency or foundation.  As an REA Fellow, you will work one-on-one with an Academy Coach who is a Ramapo faculty member with a successful track record of securing extramural funding.  You will also have the opportunity to take part in a writing group and workshop series led by these Coaches, other Ramapo colleagues, and expert guest presenters.

A full description of the Academy, as well as the application link, can be found on the attached document.

Sent to All Faculty

Dear Faculty Colleagues,

Advances in Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology continue to rapidly advance and impact our work in the classroom.  Several questions have been brought to my attention over the last few weeks.  I want to remind each of you that our Academic Integrity Policy has been updated with particular attention to artificial intelligence and other technology tools and websites that have raised questions and concerns.

There are also pragmatic implications in response to the impact of AI on teaching and learning.  This challenge is not easy to address as technology changes and our students’ level of use of AI increases.  Professor Michael Bitz and the Instructional Design Center (IDC) have offered workshops over the summer on “How to Talk With Students About AI” (recording – password: 3WrQRjmX;  slides) and “AI-Resistant and AI-Assisted Assignments” (recording – password: Hb5xR2BR;  slides).

I know many of you are updating syllabi and assignments to adjust to these changes and I am urging you to develop AI guidelines for your classes that allow students to learn how to use generative AI tools ethically and effectively in their discipline and classroom.  The Brandeis Center for Teaching and Learning compiled this list of examples of AI use statements. Including guidelines in your syllabus and discussing them in class would help ensure that your expectations for appropriate interaction with generative AI tools are clear.  Over this semester I’ll be working with a faculty committee on how to better support you with this approach to AI in the classroom.

Professor Michael Bitz and the IDC and Professor Rikki Abzug and the Faculty Resource Center (FRC) will be holding a Faculty Professional Development Day on Wednesday, October 23 focused on artificial intelligence with an exploration of how AI tools may be useful in teaching, learning, research, scholarship, and creative activities.  More details on the day will follow, but I urge you to hold the day and plan to join us on campus for this vital conversation.

Thank you again for your attention to this important development. A goal for me this semester is to develop greater capacity on campus for the best use of new, exciting and generative technology tools and to support that use with appropriate academic policies.

Warm regards,

Michael

Sent to All Faculty

Dear Colleagues,

As we gear up for a new academic year, I invite you to please take a moment to view this welcome video.  

Additionally, please review the attached document which contains various TLC announcements.

I hope you enjoy these last few days of summer, and I look forward to seeing you on campus.

Warm regards,

Michael

Sent to All Faculty

Dear Colleagues,

As I hope you are aware, I value and strive to support your scholarship and creative work.  The Ramapo Foundation allocation grants provide support for educational and scholarly excellence. The grants are allocated through a competitive process which will now be administered by the Provost’s Office with oversight from the Foundations Allocations Committee. The process for grant applications can be found here, with a deadline this Fall of September 13, 2024. Please contact Bernadette Connors (bconnors@ramapo.edu) for any questions or assistance with the application. 

Warm regards,

Michael

Sent to All Faculty from Provost & VP of POER

Dear Colleagues,

We’re excited to share some updates regarding changes within the Employee Relations (ER) and Provost’s Office.

Over the past year, ER and the Provost’s Office have worked together on several initiatives and integrated various processes. As we review the College’s new Comprehensive Academic Plan, we believe it’s time to realign ER with the Provost’s Office. ER was previously part of the Provost’s Office before being reassigned to People Operations & Employee Resources (POER) in Fall 2019. We now think that bringing ER back under the Provost’s Office is the best path forward.

Effective August 26, 2024 and starting with a two-year pilot, ER will be reorganized under the Provost’s Office. This shift will allow the Provost’s Office to better support the faculty experience.  It will also allow POER to focus on professional development and training for staff and managers as well as other mission driven initiatives of talent acquisition, classification and compensation, labor, employee benefits and payroll, and employee wellness. Throughout this transition and beyond, we are committed to fostering strong collaboration, integration, and trust between our teams.

In the coming weeks, we’ll be reintroducing the team and hosting an open house for the Employee Relations Team’s new office in the G Building. We look forward to sharing more with you soon!

Warm regards,

Dr. Michael Middleton, Provost/Vice President for Teaching, Learning, & Growth

Virginia A. Galdieri, Vice President for People Operations & Employee Resources

Sent to All Faculty

Dear Colleagues,

I hope you are enjoying a wonderful summer.  It’s hard to believe the Convocation is right around the corner and that the students will soon be returning to campus!

I’m excited to share that Victoria Christopher Murray will be this year’s Convocation speaker.  Victoria Christopher Murray is the co-author (along with Marie Benedict) of The Personal Librarian, this year’s First Year Seminar summer reading book.  Convocation will be held on Tuesday, September 3, 2024, at 1:30 pm in the Bradley Center Arena.  I hope to see you there!

Warm regards,

Michael

Sent to Faculty, Teaching & Learning Core Staff, and Mission Element Team

Dear Colleagues,

The Office of the Provost invites you to meet the incoming Vice Provost, Dr. Joyce Shim. We are excited to welcome her and celebrate her arrival. Please join us.

Dr. Shim was previously the Dean at the School of Nursing, Arts, and Sciences at SUNY-Delhi. Her PhD is from Columbia University in Social Work with a concentration on Policy Analysis. Her complete CV is found here: link

Date: Tuesday, July 16, 2024
Time: 4pm – 5pm
Location: The Birch Mansion – York Room

Warm Regards,

Michael

Sent to all faculty and Teaching & Learning Core staff

Dear Colleagues,

I am pleased to announce that Rikki Abzug, Professor of Management, will assume the role of Director of the Faculty Resource Center effective July 1, 2024.  Professor Abzug has been with Ramapo College since 2006 and has distinguished herself as an outstanding teacher and leader across the campus.  In this position, she will manage FRC programs and activities including new faculty orientation and other various workshops throughout the academic year. Her contributions will have a significant impact on our shared work and support the vision of teaching and learning at Ramapo College.  I look forward to working with Rikki in this capacity.

Warm regards,

Michael

Sent to all faculty

Dear Colleagues,

As we come together for Arching and for graduate and undergraduate Commencement ceremonies in the next week, I want to extend my gratitude for your dedication, creativity and tireless effort in fostering a supportive environment of intellectual growth for our students.

We’ve certainly had many successes to celebrate in the past year. Just in the last few weeks, faculty members have been awarded a grant to support their work in climate change education and a Fulbright-Hays Award to study global sustainability.  These two examples are representative of the overall increase in sponsored research proposals and funding we’ve had this year to support your scholarship. With your mentorship, students in Psychology and Physics have presented their research at professional conferences, and been awarded NJ Governor’s Hispanic Fellowships and Critical Language Scholarships.  These and other successes are important to recognize, as are the day-to-day successes that occur in our classrooms, labs, tutoring sessions, and office hours.  I’m deeply appreciative to those who have invited me into your learning spaces, since in those moments I can truly appreciate the day-to-day teaching and learning moments that make Ramapo special.

As I reflect on my first full year at Ramapo, I also want to thank you for your effort to engage in shared governance and to create a more collegial and collaborative environment which makes teaching and learning possible.  In the Fall, you endorsed the Comprehensive Academic Plan (CAP), providing a blueprint for many of the efforts we’re making to strengthen the student experience, to cultivate inclusive excellence, and to nurture community partnerships that advance knowledge and problem solving. Over the last few months, we’ve found a way to improve our process for curricular innovation and change in order to be more collaborative, transparent and timely. Improving the ways we work together – both in processes and in collegiality – adds to the quality education we can provide our students.

With this spirit of coming together, I’m also thinking ahead to our shared challenges for the next academic year, including:

• Improving our reappointment, tenure and promotion process to clarify and revise professional standards that reflect our institutional mission, create an environment of constructive feedback to support growth, and provide mentoring and guidance throughout a faculty member’s career.
• Advancing interdisciplinary curriculum and scholarship as foundational to the way in which faculty collaborate and students learn;
• Based on task force recommendations, enacting changes in our academic structures and convener model to improve the ways we work together.

I hope you’ll reflect on these challenges and plan to join me in addressing them together in the Fall.

Thank you again for your exceptional contributions and dedication that make me proud to be part of our community. I’m looking forward to our shared celebrations over the next few days, and hope that the summer is restful and rejuvenating for each of you.

Warm regards,

Michael Middleton

Sent to all faculty

Dear Colleagues,

As we gear up for end-of-year activities, I thought it might be helpful to share a schedule of the many exciting events to celebrate the class of 2024!

Wednesday, May 22, 2024

Graduate Programs Commencement Ceremony, Bradley Center

4:00 pm: Doors Open

5:15 pm: Ceremony Begins

Thursday, May 23, 2024

10:00 am: Nursing Pinning Ceremony, Sharp Theater

12:00 pm: Rites of Passage, Friends Hall (Reception in Alumni Lounges)

2:00 pm: Academic Achievement Ceremony, Sharp Theater

3:00 pm: Pictures & Music in the Grove

4:15 pm: Organization/Lineup of Graduates, Faculty, Staff, & Guests

4:30 pm: Arching & Post Reception, Arch/Bandshell Lawn (Rain Site:  Cherry Lane & Bradley Arena)

Wednesday, May 29, 2024

Undergraduate Commencement, Prudential Center, Newark, NJ

7:30 am: Doors Open

8:40 am: Ceremony Begins

Processional Attire

Reminder:  If you process in any of these events, the attire is academic regalia.

Additional information can be found here.

Warm Regards,

Michael

Sent to all full time faculty

Dear Colleagues,

If you are a full-time faculty member interested in a position of extraordinary College service in AY24-25, we are currently accepting applications for the Director of the Faculty Resource Center.  This role requires the appointee to produce concrete deliverables as outlined in the job description.

Please review the information below and apply by emailing provost@ramapo.edu by Wednesday May 22, 2024.  Please include an explanation of your interest and qualifications (1 page maximum) and your CV. I look forward to learning of your interest!

Position:  Director of the Faculty Resource Center (FRC)

Term:  Three (3) years; appointment reviewed annually

Compensation:  $10,000 summer stipend and four (4) credits of reassigned time for the fall and spring semesters.  (Please be aware that, as per the AFT Collective Bargaining Agreement, faculty are not permitted to teach overload in any semester in which they receive course releases/reassigned time.)

Responsibilities:

• Plan and execute the summer new faculty orientation;

• Plan and execute programs and activities of the FRC throughout the academic year;

• Assess FRC programs and submit annual assessment plans and reports;

• Manage the FRC budget;

• Support the vision of teaching and learning at Ramapo College and respond to faculty needs in this area;

• Communicate FRC opportunities and resources to Ramapo College faculty;

• Coordinate activities with the Instructional Design Center and other ad-hoc groups as needed;

• Develop and maintain contact with other teaching and resource center professionals outside the College;

• Maintain and consult with an FRC Advisory Board; and

• Maintain and update the FRC website.

Sent to all faculty

Dear Colleagues,

I know the next few weeks will be busy with guiding students in their final projects and papers, preparation for exams, and other teaching activities.  I’m looking forward to joining many of the year-end celebrations of our students’ work that would not be possible without your guidance.

I’d like to update you on a couple of matters of college-wide importance.  First, I’m pleased to announce the following appointments of faculty in key service roles directing programs:

Professor Tammi Redd – Faculty Resource Center

Professor Michael Bitz – Instructional Design Center

Professor Peter Campbell – First Year Seminar Program

Professor Monika Giacoppe – Studies in Arts and Humanities (SIAH) Course

With the recommendation of the Comprehensive Academic Plan Implementation Team, I’m also appointing two short term task forces to examine and make recommendations to me on critical structures of the College – the composition of our Schools and the role of convening groups and conveners.  The members of the task forces are listed below.  I’m sure you will hear more about their work as it evolves and will be given the opportunity to weigh in on the task forces’ recommendations.

Task Force on the Roles of Conveners and Convening Groups

Co-Chair:  Dean Susan Hangen – HGS

Co-Chair: TBD

Anne LePore – CA

Kokila Kota – TAS

Emily Leskinen – SSHS

Tim Haase – ASB

Tae Kwak – HGS

Jessica Steinheimer – Office of Student Success

Jenn Hicks-McGowan – People Operations and Employee Resources

Task Force Examining Academic Structures

Co-Chair:  Dean Ken Goldstein – CA

Co-Chair:  Emma Rainforth – TAS

Ruma Sen – CA

Sangha Padhy – SSHS

Kathleen Ray – Graduate Programs

Malavika Sundararajan – ASB

Lisa Cassidy – HGS

Katie Cohen – LLC

Kathy Stathis – Fiscal Health Core

Anthony Dovi – Admissions and Enrollment

Thanks to all the members of our community who are willing to serve.

Warm regards.

Michael

Sent to full time faculty via email

Dear Colleagues, 

If you are a full-time faculty member interested in a position of extraordinary College service in AY24-25, we are currently accepting applications for the following positions:  Director of Studies in Arts and Humanities Course, Director of the First Year Seminar Program, Director of the Faculty Resource Center, and Director of the Instructional Design Center.  These roles require those who are appointed to produce concrete deliverables as outlined in the job descriptions.  

Please review the information below and apply by emailing provost@ramapo.edu by Friday, January 12, 2024.  Please include an explanation of your interest and qualifications (1 page maximum) and your CV. I look forward to learning of your interest!  

Position:  Director of Studies in Arts and Humanities (SIAH) Course

Term:  Three (3) years; appointment reviewed annually

Compensation:  Four (4) credits of reassigned time per academic year.  (Please be aware that, as per the AFT Collective Bargaining Agreement, faculty are not permitted to teach overload in any semester in which they receive course releases/reassigned time.) 

Responsibilities:  

• Assist the Dean with prescreening, recruiting, interviewing, and recommending qualified adjuncts for appointment;
• Address adjunct faculty needs and inform them of learning objectives and requirements of the course/program;
• Conduct classroom observations to evaluate first-time adjunct faculty and share written evaluations with the Dean;
• Recruit full-time faculty to teach these courses;
• Develop fall semester and spring semester Studies in the Arts & Humanities course schedules;
• Collaborate with Advisement, Enrollment Management, Admissions, Tutoring, and Library services;
• Serve as the General Education Committee (GECCo) representative for Studies in the Arts & Humanities; and
• Assist the Dean to facilitate grade disputes and address other issues for students and faculty in the program.

Position:  Director of the First Year Seminar (FYS) Program

Term: Three (3) years, appointment reviewed annually

Compensation:  $10,000 summer stipend and four (4) credits of reassigned time for the fall and spring semesters.  (Please be aware that, as per the AFT Collective Bargaining Agreement, faculty are not permitted to teach overload in any semester in which they receive course releases/reassigned time.) 

Responsibilities:

• Develop fall semester and spring semester First Year Seminar course schedules;
• Recruit, interview, and recommend qualified adjuncts for appointment;
• Address adjunct faculty needs and inform them of learning objectives and requirements of the course/program;
• Coordinate FYS activities;
• Recruit full-time faculty/qualified professional staff to teach FYS courses and work with them to ensure their continued contribution to FYS;
• Create and deliver an orientation to the course for new instructors of FYS;
• Coordinate and chair at least two (2) meetings with the FYS instructors in the fall semester;
• Conduct teaching observations of all new adjunct instructors during their first semester of teaching FYS at Ramapo;
• Collaborate with Student Success, the Center for Reading and Writing, Advisement, Enrollment, Admissions, and Library & Learning Commons services/staff on issues related to FYS;
• Work with the Director of Student Success to ensure that peer facilitators implement an appropriate curriculum in FYS;
• Organize learning outcomes and course syllabi for FYS and post FYS course syllabi prior to the first summer orientation;
• Attend, as appropriate, summer orientation sessions to stress the importance of FYS;
• Serve as the General Education Committee (GECCo) representative for FYS;
• Assess the effectiveness of FYS and submit annual assessment plans and reports;
• Manage the FYS budget;
• Attend meetings and work with the First Year Experience Board;
• Chair the committee to select the summer reading, review the summer reading outcomes and criteria with the selection committee and other stakeholders on campus, ensure that the book selection meets those outcomes and criteria, communicate the importance of the summer reading to first-year students, and coordinate the essay contest; and
• Assist the Dean to facilitate grade disputes and other conflicts for students and faculty in the course/program.

Position:  Director of the Faculty Resource Center (FRC)

Term:  Three (3) years; appointment reviewed annually

Compensation:  $10,000 summer stipend and four (4) credits of reassigned time for the fall and spring semesters.  (Please be aware that, as per the AFT Collective Bargaining Agreement, faculty are not permitted to teach overload in any semester in which they receive course releases/reassigned time.) 

Responsibilities:

• Plan and execute the summer new faculty orientation;
• Plan and execute programs and activities of the FRC throughout the academic year;
• Assess FRC programs and submit annual assessment plans and reports;
• Manage the FRC budget;
• Support the vision of teaching and learning at Ramapo College and respond to faculty needs in this area;
• Communicate FRC opportunities and resources to Ramapo College faculty;
• Coordinate activities with the Instructional Design Center and other ad-hoc groups as needed;
• Develop and maintain contact with other teaching and resource center professionals outside the College;
• Maintain and consult with an FRC Advisory Board; and
• Maintain and update the FRC website.

Position:  Director of the Instructional Design Center (IDC)

Term:  Three (3) years; appointment reviewed annually

Compensation:  $10,000 summer stipend and four (4) credits of reassigned time for the fall and spring semesters.  (Please be aware that, as per the AFT Collective Bargaining Agreement, faculty are not permitted to teach overload in any semester in which they receive course releases/reassigned time.) 

Responsibilities:

• Anticipate and plan for instructional technology needs of faculty/instructors;
• Read/research instructional technologies used in model schools;
• Collaborate with the Chief Information Officer and the Director of the Faculty Resource Center to identify faculty needs vis-à-vis teaching and learning with instructional technologies and to support their use of those technologies;
• Continue implementation plan to train and support faculty to use Canvas, at a minimum, as a communication resource for all Ramapo courses;
• Serve on the Teaching, Learning, & Technology Roundtable Committee;
• Plan, organize, and offer faculty technology institutes and other workshops, including best practices showcases for users across differing levels of experience and needs;
• Contribute to the selection and introduction of new instructional technologies in collaboration and consultation with the Chief Information Officer and the Instructional Design Center staff; and 
• Attend appropriate workshops and conferences.

Sent to all faculty via email

Dear Colleagues,

As we approach the middle of the Fall semester, I once again want to thank you for all your work with our students.  It seems that each day I learn about another accomplishment that a faculty member and their students are celebrating. It’s been a joyful experience for me to see what our goals of experiential learning and close faculty-student relationships look like at Ramapo.  Thanks also to the faculty and students who have invited me to join their class and observe first-hand.

One issue that seems to be a focus of daily conversation is the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in teaching and learning.  I am very pleased that this year’s Faculty Development Day will be centered around this very topic.  The Faculty Resource Center and the Instructional Design Center invite you to an in-depth discussion and exploration of Artificial Intelligence with special guest speaker Amanda Bickerstaff from AI for Education.  The event is Wednesday at 1:00 pm on the 2nd floor of the Learning Commons.  Click here for more information and to register.

I want to congratulate all of us for the development and endorsement of the college’s Comprehensive Academic Plan (CAP) that serves to reinforce our values and prioritizes strategies for helping us get closer to the educational goals we hold for our students. Special thanks to Professor Stephanie Sarabia and Dean Ken Goldstein for their leadership of the committee and to all who participated as committee members over the past year. I’m especially pleased by the number of faculty members who have mentioned their appreciation for the inclusive process that led to the formation of the document.  It serves as a model for our future work.

With the endorsement of the CAP, we now move to the implementation phase of the plan. Within the CAP is an Appendix that “serves as a blueprint for turning our plan into action.” In the next few weeks I’ll be putting together an implementation team who will meet with me regularly to monitor our progress on the plan and will advise on committees, timelines and governance processes for moving forward with the implementation tasks. The committee will be representative of the College and will include some members of the initial CAP committee for continuity as well as new members to broaden participation and voice.

Thanks again for your contribution to a successful start of the academic year!

Warm regards,

Michael

Sent to all faculty via email

Dear Colleagues,

As you prepare your course materials over the next few weeks, I want to raise some important considerations. The College has revised its Academic Integrity policy to include information about use of artificial intelligence (AI). As AI tools evolve and we all become more informed about how AI may be used or misused within our disciplines and classrooms, the policy seeks to empower our faculty in making decisions about appropriate use of emerging technology tools in their classroom.  After reviewing the policy, I urge you to include explicit direction for your students in what is acceptable/unacceptable use of artificial intelligence tools in your classroom and in student research and creative activity. You may also include a link to our Academic Integrity policy in your syllabi.

I also want to alert you to the existence of websites (see articles from the International Center for Academic Integrity and Inside Higher Ed ) that serve as a clearinghouse for course materials that students have supplied, at times for financial benefit. In some cases those materials include lecture notes, assignments, instructor feedback, course assessments and answers. Although this may not come as a surprise as we navigate a new reality of electronic communication, it may have important implications for how you move ahead with your classes in preparing course materials. Please be explicit and educative with your students and in your course materials about what materials students may or may not share with others. Please know that the integrity of academic conduct and protecting intellectual property is paramount to the College.  If you are aware of violations of the use of your course materials, you may request that course-sharing websites remove your course materials. In some cases, it would also be appropriate to report those violations in the Academic Integrity system. Please consult with your Dean if you’d like to discuss this further.

In the Fall, the Provost’s Council will continue reviewing our policies with regard to AI as the context evolves. I will also bring the matter of course sharing websites to the Council for developing a policy and information to guide our community.

Warm regards,

Michael