FAEC 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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