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updated 09/14/03
Intranet | Faculty Assembly
Home | Faculty Websites | Faculty
Resources | Academics | Web for faculty | Provost Site
|
updated 09/14/03
Task Force on Graduate Programs — 2002-2003 Academic Year
Questions:
The Graduate Council has finished "Structure and Operating Procedures for the Graduate Programs at Ramapo College of New Jersey". The attached document has been approved by all the Graduate Directors and the Provost and is posted on the web. This document establishes the roles and procedures for all existing Programs at Ramapo. The MALS, MBA, and MSET are wholly Ramapo Programs, the MS in Nursing is a joint program between Ramapo and UMDNJ. The faculty and staff of Master of Science in Nursing Program are totally supported by funding from UMDNJ, totally administered by UMDNJ, therefore; UMDNJ policies are enforced.
All courses in the Ramapo programs carry one additional credit for the instructor over the credit for the student (i.e. 4 credits for teaching a 3 credit course). This is consistent with the majority of graduate programs in New Jersey.
The graduate directors have agreed on a common compensation for thesis or project work - $500 per student/per semester.
Presently all the tuition that is generated by the graduate programs is first used to fund:
Additional funds that are generated by the programs are moved to the General Fund to be used by the College. In 2000-2001 the programs generated $297,600 excess of revenues over expenses, in 2001-2002 the programs generated $524,597 excess of revenues over expenses. Please see the attached sheet for budget details for each of the programs. The MALS program shows deficits in 2001 and 2002 because it is supporting a full time faculty line in AIS for instruction at the undergraduate level; disregarding this line would result in MALS showing an excess of revenues.
The Graduate Directors should have substantive input into the budget process including priority items. They believe that excess funds should be available if there are special needs, first to the graduate programs and the schools that support them, and then to the General Fund.
Below is a list of Ramapo faculty/staff/administrators who teach in the graduate programs (2000-2002). The primary faculty for the MSN Program are from UMDNJ.
MSET MALS MBA MSN
Angela Cristini TAS Sydney Weinberg AIS Anita Stellenwerf AB Cherrie Kassem SSHS
Rena Bacon TAS Roger Johnson CA Fred Champlin AB Ron Kase Foundation
Annette Benedict TAS Michael Rif Holocaust Center Constance Crawford AB Angela Cristini TAS
Sandra Clark MSET Anthony Padovano AIS Carole Campana SSHS Pat Chang SD
Abigail Amissah-Arthur Carol Campana SSHS Angelo Terallo AB
TAS Carter Meyer AIS George Gonpu AB
Mike Edelstein SSHS Carol Duncan CA Wayne Hayes AIS
Kay Fowler SSHS Mark Howenstein AIS Peter Hellawel AB
Ted Halpern TAS Henry Frundt SSHS Anthony LaManna AB
Ron Kase Foundation Bob Christopher AIS Cherie A. Sherman AB
Cherrie Kassem SSHS Shalom Gorewitz CA Philip Anderson TAS
Carol Bowman SSHS Martha Ecker SSHS Susan Eisner AB
Jean Balutanski SS Bob Cassidy AIS Thomas Heed AIS
Kathy Sunshine CA Bernie Langer TAS Stephen Klein AB
Andre Perry CA Flavia Alaya SSHS Alexander Vengerov AB
Richard Russo SSHS Ed Shannon AIS Imad Zbib AB
Ellen Ross SSHS William Frech AB
Elaine Winshell TAS Eric Haye AB
Frank Karpiel AIS Jason Hecht AB
Henry Bischoff SSHS Ben Jakacki AB
Rosetta D’Angelo AIS Gary Ketlitz AB
Yolanda Prieto SSHS Tiery Rakotobe-Joel AB
Patricia Hunt-Perry SSHS Murry Sabrin AB
Cherie Sherman AB
Joseph Le May AB
Donna Singer CCIS
It is clear that the programs involve faculty from across the campus in all of the Schools. The graduate directors strongly support the continuation of the Ramapo policy NOT to have a separate graduate faculty.
Questions 5 — 8
The task force decided to address these four interrelated questions in two parts; Part A will include information on the relationship of current and future programs to the mission and "four pillars" of Ramapo College; Part B will address issues associated with size and development of new programs.
A. Mission.
Ramapo’s mission states that the College offers programs in the liberal arts and sciences as well as in business and other professional studies. The proposed and existing masters programs are clearly professional programs that embody the liberal arts core of the institution as expressed in our mission.
All programs explicitly address the promise to turn students into "lifelong learners"; the practicing professionals who attend are clearly motivated to continue to learn or they would not apply for admission. In addition, some of the proposed Masters programs will be offered as a possible next step for Ramapo’s undergraduates. Our mission also says that Ramapo will create "thematic learning communities" and offer individual attention to students, especially through small class size. Creating communities of learners focused on important themes central to a discipline is the essence of our programs. The existing programs (MSET, MBA, MALS) all have created cohorts of adult learners who stay connected to each other and Ramapo after completion of their degrees to continue the discourse in their fields. Small class size is a hallmark of all masters programs.
Our mission, of course, stresses the interdisciplinary approach; all existing programs have the "Ramapo stamp" as exemplified by the variety of faculty and staff who teach in them. It is the central theme in the MALS program and the MSET and MBA programs each have courses taught by faculty from a variety of disciplines from 4 different schools at the College; any new programs will adhere to this standard. One of the four pillars of Ramapo is experiential learning; this is the heart of all graduate programs because our audience of employed adults have the ability to bring their working experiences to the classroom to share with other students. Classes are greatly enriched by this process; the proposed programs that will allow Ramapo undergraduates to participate will add to their knowledge. Our mission also includes international and intercultural education. International experience is possible but sometimes difficult for working adults. Ramapo is located in one of the most culturally diverse areas in the world which allows for constant attention to intercultural issues in classes. For example, teachers in the MSET program from the Ridgefield Park school district deal with students and parents who come from many countries and speak 75 different languages and dialects; discussion of pedagogy, content, and technology infusion must include cultural considerations.
B. Size and development of new programs.
The graduate directors, as requested by President Smith, have produced the following draft of a plan for graduate programs at Ramapo College in the next 5-10 years that would expand the numbers of graduate students potentially to 1,000. Professor Stellenwerf and Burke are preparing reports on additional concentrations in the MBA Program and other areas. Dr. Cristini has prepared the section on Education, it is presented here as a draft before the complete report is finished.
Presently there are 351 students in our programs:
There are some common features that have allowed the existing programs to provide quality, focused courses of study that succeed at Ramapo and generate revenues for the College. In 2000-2001 the programs generated $297,600 excess of revenues over expenses, in 2001-2002 the programs generated $524,597 excess of revenues over expenses (see attached table). The existing programs are directed at employed adults who at work during the normal business hours of Ramapo College. Students are seeking an advanced degree to improve their skills, alter their path in their chosen career, or in some cases, affect a career change. This has several implications for the College; notably, none of the graduate programs compete with the undergraduate programs for classroom and computer laboratory space during peak daytime class periods. MALS and MBA do compete with weeknight undergraduate classes: the MSET program operates on Friday night and Saturday and thus has little or no conflict with room scheduling.
The graduate directors strongly support the continuation of the Ramapo policy not to have a separate graduate faculty. Currently courses taught by Ramapo faculty that are "in-load" have the credits reimbursed to the undergraduate program from graduate program budgets. Courses that are taught as "overload" are funded directly from graduate budgets; the MSET program offers large numbers of courses during the Summer when Ramapo faculty are not on contract.
The following is a strategy to achieve the goal of creating a larger sustainable graduate student population at the College through programs that are in keeping with Ramapo’s mission and augment and enrich existing undergraduate and graduate programs.
This strategy will result in Ramapo’s ability to maintain its strong presence as an undergraduate institution while supporting several Master’s programs that conform to our mission and appeal to professionals who whish to expand their potential. The resulting Masters programs will be sustainable and provide faculty and resources that enhance the undergraduate programs.
Strategy Detail
Potential Master’s Programs
Education
Ramapo College has earned widespread recognition for its initiatives in effecting change through staff development programs for elementary and secondary educators throughout the greater metropolitan region. In 1996 Ramapo College was selected as one of three New Jersey sites to conduct Eisenhower Institutes for teacher Enhancement. The College has received three million dollars in grant funding from the National Science Foundation for the design of professional development programs for teachers in the K-12 environment. These programs are at the forefront of delivering science content through the production of technology enhanced curriculum materials using the World Wide Web.
Ramapo’s undergraduate teacher preparation program produces approximately 100 elementary and secondary teachers each year. Many of the local school districts have participated in Ramapo’s Preparing Tomorrows Teachers to use Technology (PT3) project, funded over a three-year period by the U.S. Department of Education. Project members and Ramapo College have created a learning and planning project that has dramatically increased the use of technology by K-12 teachers in twelve New jersey school districts.
Escalating calls for graduate programs directed at the needs and concerns of the professional educational community and demonstrated excellence in this area spurred the College to design a focused graduate program in Educational Technology. The master’s program in Educational Technology (MSET) began its operation in January 1998 with its first class of 55 teachers; presently 200 teachers are enrolled.
The success of the graduate and undergraduate programs and the grant efforts has created a nexus of educators at the College and in school districts who possess a unique combination of content knowledge, pedagogical talent, and technological skill. This partnership can be expanded to create a Center for Technology Enhanced Education with 3 new associated masters programs that will offer opportunities for educators at the vanguard of educational practice, extend the excellence already demonstrated at Ramapo, and articulate with our undergraduate program. The Center will provide an opportunity for collaboration that will result in the opportunity for increased grant funding.
The proposed programs will be designed for the community of certified K-12 educators or people possessing a bachelor’s degree but requiring teaching certification. Programs would be designed as a 5th year program for select Ramapo students who would have the opportunity to complete a master’s degree with one additional year of study.
Master of Arts in teaching (MAT)
Audience — people possessing a bachelor’s degree but requiring teaching certification and Ramapo students in the 5th year option.
Master of Science in Administration and Supervision with a concentration in Technology Integration (MSAST)
Audience — certified K-12 educators and Ramapo students in the 5th year option.
Master of Arts in Early Education with a concentration in technology Integration (MAEET)
Audience — people possessing a bachelor’s degree but requiring teaching certification, certified K-12 educators, and Ramapo students in the 5th year option.
*** Existing program - Master of Science in Educational technology (MSET) ——certified K-12 educators — made available to Ramapo Students in the 5th year option.
The Masters programs will generate revenue that can be used to hire new faculty that will teach one half their load at the undergraduate level. The undergraduate education program will gain faculty through this process and not have to compete with the rest of the College — the new lines will be in addition to the lines the College already has planed to support the undergraduate majors. New faculty will also contribute courses to existing majors at Ramapo.
The existing and new education faculty will be able to teach at the graduate and undergraduate level and interact with school districts through the Center. The Center will provide support through grant funding for innovative programs for pre-service teachers and professional development for classroom teachers.
Budget Considerations
In FY 2001-2002 the MSET Program generated $393,317 excess of revenues over expenditures serving approximately 175 students. A quick calculation indicates that increasing the enrollment to 500 students in a five — eight year period could create close to $1,000,000/year in revenues used to support 5-8 new faculty lines and the administrative support necessary for the programs.
|
MSET |
MBA |
MALS |
||||
|
2000-2001 |
2001-2002 |
2000-2001 |
2001-2002 |
2000-2001 |
2001-2002 |
|
|
TOTAL REVENUES |
$563,000 |
$671,402 |
$289,315 |
$328,002 |
$79,704 |
$107,258 |
|
EXPENDITURES |
||||||
|
Salaries (faculty, admin. assistant, student assistants) |
$90,736 |
$94,062 |
$29,281 |
$34,685 |
$75,000 |
$69,301 |
|
Director (release time) |
$13,398 |
$13,398 |
$17,772 |
$17,772 |
$13,398 |
$13,398 |
|
Adjunct & Overload |
$159,454 |
$160,256 |
$102,681 |
$70,943 |
$19,206 |
$15,900 |
|
Marketing and advertising |
$20,000 |
$1,551 |
$21,650 |
$16,517 |
$15,000 |
$12,962 |
|
Other expenses (equipment, travel, supplies, library, extraordinary) |
$35,000 |
$8,809 |
$17,838 |
$47,546 |
$9,289 |
$3,499 |
|
TOTAL EXPENDITURES |
$263,304 |
$278,085 |
$189,222 |
$188,921 |
$126,893 |
$115,059 |
|
EXCESS (Deficit) of REVENUES over EXPENDITURES |
$244,696 |
$393,317 |
$100,093 |
$139,081 |
($47,189) |
($7.801) |