DRAFT<\/b><\/p>\nRamapo College of New Jersey<\/b><\/h4>\n
Wednesday, March 13, 2019<\/b><\/p>\n
1 p.m. Pavillion<\/b><\/p>\n
FACULTY ASSEMBLY<\/b><\/p>\n
\nFaculty Assembly Minutes Approved<\/b><\/h4>\n
1. Faculty Assembly President\u2019s Report<\/b><\/h4>\n
Snow Days<\/b><\/p>\n
In the event of delayed openings, too few faculty and students are aware of the 60 minute rule whereby if a class has more than 60 minutes of time remaining, then it should continue to meet. \u00a0President Mercer clarified this by removing the policy from emergency preparedness site. Those classes that meet once per week and\/or engage in clinicals or labs are impacted the most by delayed openings and early closings. \u00a0It becomes difficult if not impossible to make up the missed time. Although not mandatory, instructors should clarify in their classes that they may be meeting of that they can meet on or after the stated opening time. It is imperative that instructors understand that they should not start class before the official opening time. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Provost\u2019s discussion paper <\/b><\/p>\n The provost\u2019s discussion document is not a timeline or agenda but rather an indication of matters that the Provost\u2019s would like to discuss concerning RCNJ<\/span>. \u00a0<\/b>The document\u2019s contents are<\/span> open to faculty feedback and it can be discussed among the faculty on Wednesday, April 3 during the next faculty assembly. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n MFSA – Discussion of RCNJ\u2019s Interim Suspension policy<\/b><\/p>\n Concerns were raised over the use of suspension as a means for corrective action upon students\u2019 first offense. \u00a0Additionally, suspension from academic activity at RCNJ bears a significant detrimental unintended impact to RCNJ students that have less socio-economic means. It was discussed that students of color are disproportionately affected by the suspension policies related to campus residential housing and hosting events that serve alcohol. \u00a0<\/span>A task force will be assembled to reevaluate the College\u2019s interim suspension policy<\/span><\/p>\n Faculty Promotion Process<\/b><\/p>\n The bottleneck for associate professor promotions has now turned out to be a bottleneck at the full professor level. \u00a0Currently there are more Associate Professor slots than actual applicants. This will be examined and by the Dean’s Council (Provost and Deans).<\/span><\/p>\n Forthcoming Surveys<\/b><\/p>\n Surveys for the assessment of the Faculty Assembly Executive Council and the Provost will be distributed among the faculty shortly.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The NJ Secretary of Higher Education will roll out the Strategic Plan at the end of March. \u00a0It was expected that it would initially be presented in February. Therefore, the plan will no longer precede the budget and thus inhibit a preview to budgetary priorities. \u00a0It is expected that the budget will increase by 675K.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/span>The budget is scheduled to be publicized by the end of the week and is said to be allocated according to an equity system constituted by the following:<\/span><\/p>\n Name Change for the <\/b>School of Humanities and Global Studies [SHGS]<\/b><\/p>\n Ramapo College of New Jersey is officially dropping Salameno from the <\/span>School of Humanities and Global Studies. \u00a0It was formerly the <\/span>School of Humanities and Global Studies<\/span> \u00a0The immediate action was determined as the Salameno\u2019s have confirmed that they are unable to fulfill their pledged financial obligation of three million dollars to RCNJ. <\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Faculty are invited to have lunch with the provost on \u00a0Friday 3\/29 at the Padovano Commons. The lunch is an informal time for faculty to \u00a0discuss anything that they have in mind.<\/span><\/p>\n Communication from Provost\u2019s Office will transpire via the Provost\u2019s Vlog. \u00a0This serves to enable the Provost and faculty to share ideas.<\/span><\/p>\n Student Opinion Surveys<\/b><\/p>\n Student opinion surveys will all be online and no longer on paper starting Spring 2019. \u00a0The Faculty Resource Center and IDC can share best practices for making sure that student response rates are significant or can be improved. \u00a0A panel discussion was conducted in reference to how to obtain better student response rates for online course evaluations. <\/span><\/p>\n The AFT noted that the content of the evaluations is not subject to negotiations and that the union has not been contacted about the procedure through which the evaluations will be implemented going forward.<\/span><\/p>\n The FA president indicated that if a change to a default delivery methods occurs there will need to be some assurance that there will be a statistically significant response rate. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n RCNJ Budget<\/b><\/p>\n The Provost pointed out that, while RCNJ is currently financially stable, due to the fact that the colleges expenses are increasing while the state appropriations and tuition revenue are not, the operational deficit is expected to be $6 million in the next fiscal year. \u00a0The provost does not desire to increase student tuition and suggests things need to be done to increase revenue and identify areas of growth to attract new students. \u00a0The Provost notes per Chris Romano\u2019s suggestion that in order to maintain the traditional undergrad enrollment numbers RCNJ must increasingly recruit graduate, non-traditional, and minority students. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The Provost pointed out that all divisions at Ramapo are charged with identifying measures that would result in 5% cost savings next year which translates to approximately $3 million for Academic Affairs. The Provost stated that if RCNJ functions from the sole premise of reaffirming its character through institutional identity then it risks closing its doors in the future. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The second draft of the Middle States self-study will be provided to the report\u2019s lead writer John Mc Tye. \u00a0The content and supporting evidence has come together toward this process. On April 17th from 2:30 to 4:00 pm the \u00a0third draft will be presented by members of the middle states committee to the faculty. It will also be available via RCNJ\u2019s self-study website:<\/span><\/p>\n2.\u00a0 President Mercer\u2019s Report<\/b><\/h4>\n
\n
3.\u00a0 The Provost\u2019s Report<\/b><\/h4>\n
\nHe has begun speaking with deans about this and he also proposes to offer programs that are interesting to potential students including Ramapo online courses, a data science graduate program, and satellite campus engagement. \u00a0The Provost has identified these as strategic areas of growth to make RCNJ more attractive. Through satellite campus programs, RCNJ will be positioned to work with select community colleges so that RCNJ programs are offered via their campuses as a means to generate additional revenue. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n4.\u00a0 Middle State Report, Stephanie Sarabia<\/b><\/h4>\n
RCNJ Self-Study 2020, \u00a0Middle States Commission on Higher Education Website:\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>https:\/\/www.ramapo.edu\/self-study\/<\/span><\/a><\/h4>\n