FAEC Minute 9/11/2019

Faculty Assembly Executive Council [FAEC] Meeting Minutes

Date: Wednesday, September  11, 2019 | Location: A220  | Time: 10:30 am to 12:00 pm

Attendees: Kathryn Zeno, Tae Kwak, Donna Flynn, Renata Gangemi, Christina Connor, Eva Ogens, Scott Frees

Guest: Tamika Quick 

Secretary: Nakia Matthias

1. FAEC Minutes Approved [needed]

2. Degree Completion Program and 3 + 1 Program

There is indication from the Provost that RCNJ will be entering into 3+1 program agreements with Raritan, Passaic, and Essex county Community Colleges.  FAEC contends that the 3+1 program should not include classes outside of the purview of the faculty. Faculty should not be hired without consulting RCNJ conveners and Deans.  Additionally, the program should not offer ARC approved courses without the vetting of the syllabus and proper assessment. Adjunct instructors must be assessed for their fit in the convening group, although currently this is currently only done via course evaluations. The community colleges have an interest in offering courses that will be on demand.   RCNJ faculty have expressed concern about the quality of the RCNJ courses taught at community colleges.

A cost benefit analysis of 3+1 programs must be considered as they would be operating in addition to more hybrid and online courses.  Any cost related burdens with the community college should be absorbed by the community colleges. The programs must benefit students in the institutions, as well as Community Colleges and RCNJ.  Concerns were raised regarding potential cannibalization and the logic of the 3+1 program should students determine it cheaper to remain at 3+1 community college for a third year rather than transfer to Ramapo through a 2-2 transfer arrangement.  Assumptions behind potential revenue enhancement for 3+1 programs must be thoroughly discussed and communicated among the faculty. Furthermore, if Bergen Community College signs onto a 3+1 agreement it will not be beneficial to RCNJ as it serves as a feeder school to RCNJ and would be a net loss to RCNJ.

Presently there is a generic job posting for adjunct faculty within the Anisfield School of Business although ASB faculty have not been informed about the call for adjuncts. It is unclear as to whether the call is for faculty to support a 3+1 program with Raritan Valley Community College. ASB’s program requires accreditation and therefore any adjunct hired for must be approved by the ASB’s faculty.  

Provost Becker commented, “we don’t have it all figured out” and that the details of any 3+1 program still need to be hashed out.  He assured that a 3+1 agreement would not pose additional strain on RCNJ’s infrastructure, that it could positively impact the picture of enrollment at Ramapo, and that he would like for RCNJ to be part of the process.  

President Mercer declared that he is “not worried” about financial dimension because should RCNJ split in the third year the 70% of the revenue would go to the community college while 30% would be seen by RCNJ for providing the curricula and vetting instructors. He explained that the 3+1 programs between community colleges and RCNJ would be exclusive since the graduation rate is high at RCNJ and this is viewed as a positive for the sending colleges.  He also mentioned that the 3 +1 program would support students of color in their educational pursuits citing that 36% of the students at Passaic Community College and 89% of the students at Hudson County Community College are students of color.

The NJ secretary of Higher Education prioritizes access to higher education and thus support for 3 + 1 initiatives.  

3. Degree Completion Program

The FAEC President raised the fact that RCNJ is trying to normalize the Degree Completion Program. However, there must be some course correcting as there are oversight issues.  The program is using ARC approved course numbers and there is no input from faculty or conveners regarding the courses taught in the program.  

4. Tamika Quick [ Multicultural Center Exploration Team]

Tamika Quick, requested that FAEC nominate at least two faculty members to serve on a multicultural center exploration team.  Under the purview of EDIC the team will gather faculty, staff and students to brainstorm about the development of a Multicultural Center at RCNJ.  There is currently no timeframe for when the Multicultural Center would launch, however the application for the project was submitted three years ago.

The team will be charged with: 

(1) Understanding what others are doing/have done in the development and operation of multicultural centers 

(2) Establishing the vision for a Multicultural center at RCNJ

(3) Establishing the guiding principles of the center

Tamika informed the FAEC that Marva Hawkins was hired as Director of Affirmative Action and that EDIC is place and fully staffed.  She also addressed the campus-wide perception that EDIC is supposed to do, “everything” regarding Equity and Diversity on Campus. He encouraged other campus programs, faculty, and students to develop and conduct initiative to enlarge diversity at RCNJ.   She explained that EDIC’s charge is in part to develop an action plan that to understand how to address the Strategic Plan goal #2.

5. Faculty Searches, Diversity, and Student Involvement with Search Committees

There may be some changes to the way that students engage in faculty searches as they may be permitted to sit on search committees bearing access to applications and the ability to read applications. This decision comes from the Provost’s office.  The FAEC upholds that students should not sit on faculty search committees, read applicant materials, or be involved in internal discussion while faculty are evaluating candidates. Presently, students sit on the committee for the vetting of honors students.

Diversity in Faculty searches must be revisited as faculty are concerned that some searches do not  include faculty with academic expertise with a particular departments and programs. The FAEC suggest that rather than replacing people with area specialization on search committees to achieve diversity, that search committees aim for diversity premised upon a mix of academic specialization and demographic diversity.

6. Program Budget Funding and Cuts

The Provost explained that he as allocated funding to Deans that reflects “more or less” what they received last year and that there was clear distribution amongst the schools for faculty travel funding.

Meeting Adjourned at 12 pm

Categories: FAEC MEETING MINUTES 2019, RAMAPO FAEC, RCNJ Faculty Assembly Minutes 2019, Uncategorized