FA Minutes 1/21/26

Faculty Assembly Meeting Minutes
January 21, 2026
1:00 pm
Alumni Lounges

Faculty Assembly is open to a general college audience, including administrators, but only FA members may vote. Faculty, including library faculty and all full-time employees contractually obligated to teach are FA members as defined by our bylaws.

Meeting minutes taken by FA Secretary Matthew Jobrack.

Agenda:

Approval of Minutes (12/10/2025)

Reports:

Faculty Assembly President’s Report (slides)

College President’s Report:

• Welcome back
• Acknowledgement of the Provost’s birthday
• Appreciation for Ken’s tenure as FA President
• Report from the NJ Governor’s inauguration
• Presidential Health Care Advisory Group has been very successful.
• Acknowledgement of Scott Frees in setting up scholarships and internships for Data Analytics students
• Chief Nurse of Army ROTC will be visiting Ramapo to create more opportunities for scholarships and employment for nurses.
• 78.4% retention of students from second year to third year, up 4% from the prior year. 85% retention from first to second year.
• Status of administrative reorganization: Public Safety is now under Mike Yankovich, Athletics is under Melissa Van Der Wall.
• Discussion on the mental health of our students
• Welcome two new Board of Trustees members
• Ramapo is the only NJASCU school rated as least risk financially.

Provost’s Report:

• Welcome back to faculty
• Opportunities for faculty:
  • Provost’s AI working group on Impact of AI on Teaching and Learning
  • Revive the Research Committee

Announcements:

• Diversity Convocation
  Nicole Morgan Agard, Chief Equity & Diversity Officer/VP for Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Compliance
  • Wednesday, Feb 11, 3-4 pm, Sharp Theater
  • Keynote Speaker: Fabiana Pierre-Louis (NJ Supreme Court Justice)
• FRC Spring ’26 Programming (slides)
  Rikki Abzug, FRC Director
• Gen Ed Revision Reminders (slides)
  Christina Connor, GECCo

Presentations/Discussion Items:

• International Education Committee (IEC) – Faculty Engagement Proposal
  Paul Currant, Director of Study Abroad/International Education
  • Please fill out the faculty international education survey to be sent out soon
  • 18 Ramapo faculty are about to start a COIL (collaborative online international learning) course
• Student Preparedness (slides)
  Ken McMurdy, FA President
  • Discussion of possible FA Task Force to investigate and make recommendations on College response to concerns regarding student preparedness
  • FAEC will develop a charge, taking into account feedback, and bring to FA for a vote.

Meeting adjourned at 2:45.

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