Faculty Assembly Executive Council [FAEC] Meeting Minutes<\/b><\/p>\n
Date<\/b>: Wednesday, April 17, 2019 | <\/span>Location<\/b>: A220 \u00a0| <\/span>Time<\/b>: 10:30 am to 12:00 pm<\/span><\/p>\n Attendees<\/b>: Kathryn Zeno, Tae Kwak, Donna Flynn, Sam Mustafa, Renata Gangemi, Christina Connor, Hugh Sheehy, Eva Ogens, <\/span>Catalin Martin<\/span><\/p>\n Secretary<\/b>: Nakia Matthias<\/span><\/p>\n Guests<\/b>: TAS Student<\/span><\/p>\n Voting items for May 1st FA meeting must be decided by next week 4\/24\/19. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Graduate Student Council was last Thursday. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n 5 tenure-track lines were approved for the forthcoming Data Science Program (2 in Data Science, 2 in Computer Science, and 1 in Math) that the Provost has been endorsing and promoting. \u00a0TAS faculty from Computer and Math submitted an ARC application for a BS program and an MS program in Data Science which has been approved by the Graduate Council. The 5 faculty lines will support the curriculum for the program. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The Provost explained that his desire to shift to a three credit system will enable students to obtain certificates and enroll in elective courses, allowing students more breadth of education that a four-credit system cannot provide for. \u00a0However, several students stated that they were minoring or double-majoring. Additionally, the implications of the three course load shift was not fully explained. Based on their responses during the event, Some students did not understand these implications and \u00a0there was no education in helping them understand. It appears that the Provost is interested in a move to a 3 credit system rather than restructuring.<\/span><\/p>\n During the SGA Forum Students from TAS mentioned that they were \u00a0informed by their dean that they would need a total of twenty three-credit courses or more classes versus their current course load should a shift to a three-credit system occur.<\/span><\/p>\n Currently the requirements for schools\u2019 programmatic needs dictate students\u2019 ability to enroll in certificates and take on additional electives rather. \u00a0\u00a0Some programs such as nursing or business programs have accreditation requirements that bear structured course loads which may not prevent extraneous courses. <\/span><\/p>\n Many RCNJ students currently double major, enroll in certificate programs, and take elective courses toward these ends. \u00a0Limitations to students\u2019 uptake of electives may be based upon the program\u2019s needs or accreditation requirements that constrict extraneous courses. \u00a0This is not a college-wide issue but rather a matter of the needs-based structure of some programs. <\/span><\/p>\n For example many ASB students enter RCNJ as transfer students. These students may not have certain prerequisite courses which would allow them to pursue certificate or to have a minor. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n However, Freshman students in ASB have a different experience and can enroll in two to three electives. \u00a0Some courses could double count in business and other certificate programs. Such is the care whereby many ASB marketing students are also minoring in psychology. \u00a0The four to three credit shift could add classes while reducing the number of courses that students can take. The purview of the convening group should be made to assess prior performance with three versus four credit courses. \u00a0For programs such as Nursing this model simply adds credits but does not improve the major.<\/span><\/p>\n The number of core courses for some majors has not changed since RCNJ\u2019s move from three to four credits. \u00a0There is concern that a switch to a three credit system will result in an increase in core courses. Too many classes were converted on a 1 to 1 many were three credits but became four credits without proper auditing or adjustments. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The potential for shifting to a three credit system also raises concerns over what will happen with the General Education curriculum work that has been done. \u00a0Since the State\u2019s exemption is indefinite for 128 credits but the move to a 120 credit model may only be important for community college cohesion and transfer student ease. \u00a0However RCNJ should not prioritize compatibility at the cost of the quality of education and the structure of curriculum.<\/span><\/p>\n During the student forum assumptions were made about faculty regarding class contact time. It was mentioned by some students that faculty do not use the full class time for teaching. \u00a0Faculty must be sure to take full advantage of class contact time and ensure that final exam time is used accordingly,<\/span><\/p>\n The AFT informed the FAEC that even if faculty are on a 4\/4 teaching load three preps is the maximum that faculty contracts provides for. \u00a0Lab courses constitute a 4th course for some full time faculty.<\/span><\/p>\n Class capacity sizes relate to the nature of classroom size that a course is assigned to and is not the ideal or recommended number of student enrollment for teaching effectiveness. Pushing caps up for first year seminar may jeopardize the very purpose for the seminar as a retention tool. \u00a0Making theses classes larger will not enable students to receive individualized support and attention. Cost savings in support of maximizing efficiency has been presented as the need for increasing class caps. At present o save one million dollars RCNJ would need to close 167 classes taught by adjuncts. \u00a0To save three million dollars RCNJ would need to close 500 courses. <\/span><\/p>\n President Mercer requested that the FAEC affirm the task force to promote diversity as defined within the strategic plan. <\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Faculty Assembly Executive Council [FAEC] Meeting Minutes Date: Wednesday, April 17, 2019 | Location: A220 \u00a0| Time: 10:30 am to 12:00 pm Attendees: Kathryn Zeno, Tae Kwak, Donna Flynn, Sam Mustafa, Renata Gangemi, Christina Connor, Hugh Sheehy, Eva Ogens, Catalin Martin Secretary: Nakia Matthias Guests: TAS Student I.\u00a0 FAEC Minutes Approved Voting items for May […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4094","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n
\nI.\u00a0 FAEC Minutes Approved<\/b><\/h4>\n
II.\u00a0 Data Science Program Tenure Track Positions<\/b><\/h4>\n
III.\u00a0 SGA Forum [attended by FA member]<\/b><\/h4>\n
IV.\u00a0 Teaching loads, \u00a0Course Capacity, and Cost Savings<\/b><\/h4>\n
V.\u00a0 Shared Governance<\/b><\/h4>\n
VI.\u00a0 Special Faculty Forum, 2:30-4:00 pm, Padovano Commons<\/b><\/h4>\n
Meeting Adjourned at 12:00 pm<\/b><\/h4>\n