Annual Report 2001   •   Special Issue
	In this Issue
	ANNUAL REPORT
	Ramapo Faculty: Unique Perspectives Shape Higher Education (l. to r.) Dr. Yolanda Prieto, professor of sociology and recipient of the 1999 Henry Bischoff Award for Excellence in Teaching, presents the 2000 Award to co-recipients Dr. Robert J. Shine, professor of chemistry and computer science, and Dr. Anthony T. Padovano, professor of literature and religious studies. Below: Florence Thomases (center), who with her husband created the Fred and Florence Thomases Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching, Scholarship, and Service, with 2000 Award co-recipients Dr. Henry J. Frundt (left) and Dr. Frances Shapiro-Skrobe (right). Dedication, commitment, and scholarship define the faculty at Ramapo College. Ramapo’s faculty lead the way in building a growing national and international reputation for the College. Ninety-four percent hold doctorates or other terminal degrees; some are practicing lawyers and CPAs; several are Fulbright scholars and Guggenheim fellows. Faculty members are often leaders, role models, mentors, and friends to the students they teach. Founders’ Day Honors Faculty Founders’ Day 2000 celebrated the 31st anniversary of the state charter for Ramapo College of New Jersey. In addition to recognizing professors emeriti, founders, pioneers, and retirees, these faculty members were honored: Dr. Robert J. Shine, professor of chemistry and computer science in the School of Theoretical and Applied Science and Dr. Anthony T. Padovano, professor of literature and religious studies in the School of American and International Studies, are co-recipients of the Henry Bischoff Award for Excellence in Teaching. Dr. Shine is a founding faculty member of Ramapo College. He is an accomplished researcher and scholar who has authored twenty-three articles and reports in American, English, and French chemistry journals. A key contribution to the organic chemistry program was the addition of microscale laboratory experiments that consume fewer chemicals and are better for the environment. Dr. Padovano is also a founding member of the faculty and is known internationally as a theologian and scholar. The author of twenty-six award-winning books and plays translated into seven Asian and European languages, his personal and professional papers are permanently archived at the University of Notre Dame. Dr. Henry J. Frundt and Dr. Frances Shapiro-Skrobe were co-recipients of the Fred and Florence Thomases Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching, Scholarship, and Service. Frundt began his career at Ramapo in 1973. His teaching interests span urban-rural sociology, development studies, and labor issues. He is an active member of the American Federation of Teachers, secretary of the Labor Studies section of the Latin American Studies Association, a member of the U.N. Commission on Disarmament Education, and a board representative on the U.S. Labor Education in the Americas Project. Dr. Shapiro-Skrobe, professor of English in the Division of Basic Studies, teaches English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL), writing, and teacher education programs, and has taught English and linguistics courses. She has written and presented frequently on ESL and gender, race, disabilities, and other curriculum transformation issues, served two years as co-editor of Transformations, the journal of the New Jersey Project. Faculty Grants Ensure Outstanding Programs Students at Ramapo College benefit from faculty excellence through involvement in many of the funded projects and research as well as the distinctive spirit evidenced in classroom instruction. Externally sponsored grants and awards from agencies and foundations supported new curricular and program efforts at the undergraduate and graduate level, faculty enrichment, and fruition of Ramapo’s international and intercultural mission. Faculty collaborated with staff in Institutional Advancement to secure and administer funding for these grants and awards. Highlights include: Dr. Angela Cristini, professor of biology in the School of Theoretical and Applied Science, secured a $400,000 grant from the National Science Foundation for “Targeted Investigations in Environmental Science (TIES).” She also obtained $64,500 from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection for “Riparian Restoration of Ramapo Reservation Lake,” administered by Dr. Cristini and colleagues in the Bergen County Parks Department and Omni Environmental Corp. In addition, she was awarded $24,400 from the U.S. Department of Environmental Protection for “Lead Safe Schools,” administered by Dr. Cristini and her colleague Joan Cook Luckhardt of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. Dr. Carol Frishberg, professor of chemistry in the School of Theoretical and Applied Science, secured $246,000 from the U.S. Department of Education TRIO Program for Upward Bound. In addition, she received $181,000 and $11,000 from the New Jersey Department of Education for the College Bound program, and to hold a regional College Bound conference. She also was awarded $10,000 from the College Board's “Public Service Outreach Greenhouse Program” to increase access to higher education for disadvantaged students. Other faculty in the School of Theoretical and Applied Science secured the following grants: $125,000 from the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation for the New Jersey Higher Education Partnership for Sustainability, administered by Dr. James Quigley. $75,000 from the National Science Foundation for “Assessing the Feasibility and Impact of Using Online Problem Solving in Computer Science,” administered by Dr. Amruth Kumar. Ramapo’s teacher education program received funding in the following areas: $332,000 from the U.S. Department of Education for “Preparing Tomorrow’s Teachers to Use Technology,” administered by Dr. Bernard Andrews. $179,000 from the New Jersey Department of Education for “Goals 2000” administered by Dr. John Mulhern. Mulhern also administered an additional $64,000 from the New Jersey Department of Education for a provisional teacher’s program called Alternate Route. Other units on campus that received funding: Jean Balutanski, director of the Office of Specialized Services, received $207,000 from the U.S. Department of Education’s TRIO program to continue providing academic and other support services for Ramapo students with disabilities. The Berrie Center received $27,000 from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts for general operating support. Demetria Royals was commissioned by The Black Arts Festival for a three-year fellowship in conjunction with Georgia Tech and Spelman College to produce a multimedia installation called “Report To The Ancestors.” She also was awarded $30,000 from the National Endowment of the Arts to complete a documentary, Brother Men. In addition, she received a $10,000 multidisciplinary grant from the NEA for her production of Mother Courage and Her Children, which was in residency at Montclair State University. This project also was awarded a Rockefeller Multidisciplinary Arts grant of $25,000 and Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation grant of $15,000. Faculty were recognized for other outstanding achievements: Dr. Phillip Anderson, professor of physics, received the “Inventor of the Year” award from the New Jersey Inventors Hall of Fame. He also was awarded a patent for a child-monitoring device. Dr. Paramjeet Bagga, assistant professor of biology, submitted a successful pre-proposal to FIPSE to partially fund a new major in Bioinformatics. Dr. Daniela Buna, assistant professor of physics, received the Fatima Al-Fehria award from the International League of Women in Science. Marta N. Bautis received the 2001 Distinguished Latinas Award from El Diario La Prensa, a Spanish-language newspaper. Dr. Robert Christopher received the 2000 National Faculty Award given by the Association of Graduate Liberal Studies Programs. Dr. Ellen Ross, professor of history, was awarded a National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowships for College Teachers. In this Issue Home / About Ramapo / Academics / Admissions / Athletics / Alumni/Foundation Berrie Center / Faculty/Staff / Library / Maps/Directions / News/Events / Resources / Student Life Search College Site - Search for Faculty/Staff - Telephone Directory - Site Map Ramapo College of New Jersey • 505 Ramapo Valley Road • Mahwah, NJ 07430 • 201-684-7500 Copyright 2008 Ramapo College of New Jersey. Statements and Policies. Webmaster. Add Ramapo RSS Feeds