Happy New Year and Welcome Back to the semester they call spring (??) This report and the relevant back up information are available on the faculty assembly website at http://phobos.ramapo.edu/facassem .

1.  Our condolences to Angelica Berrie for the loss of Russ Berrie who died on Dec. 25.

2.  In-Service Day, 1/29: We will be holding in-service day on January 29, 2003. There will be lunch for all faculty in SC136-138 from 12-1 and a special Faculty Assembly (see below) from 1-3 in SC136-138. The remaining schedule for the day is as follows:

8-10 International Education Task Force, Curriculum Subcommittee, C209

8:30-10 Tour and open house of A and B classrooms and labs, led by Phyllis Pickens. All faculty welcome.
Teacher Education Task Force, C101 (Commons)

10-12 Open house (coffee &) at the new Faculty Resource Center E216, Phil McLewin, Director. All faculty welcome.
International Education Task Force, Administrative Subcommittee C209
Teacher Education Task Force, C101 (Commons)

12-1 Lunch served in SC136-8

1-3 Faculty Assembly SC136-138

3-5: Teacher Education Task Force, C101 (Commons)
Psychology Convening Group, SSHS Conference room
International Education Task Force, SC136-138

3. Faculty Assembly, 1/29 1-3: There is a special faculty assembly scheduled for 1-3 on Jan. 29 in SC136-138. See Agenda . The meeting is the result of a vote at the December 13, 2003 faculty assembly (see Minutes ) to hold a special faculty assembly devoted solely to the question of the Provost's 12/09 memo re: courseload adjustment and Hank Frundt's proposal re; multi-credit curriculum.  Ed Cody has subsequently sent out a supplemental memo dated 01/17/03. Because this is a dedicated assembly there will not be regular committee reports etc. and the discussion will be restricted to the issues raised by Ed Cody's memo(s) and faculty responses to it. In order to ensure that as many people as possible get to address this complex and difficult issue, I ask that everyone observe the 3 minute limit on comments. However, if faculty wish to write statements regarding this issue in advance you can send them to me in Word format before 1/24/03 and I will post them to the faculty assembly website as " Courseload Commentary " under the Agenda. (Note at the moment  (1/18/03) this link is empty.)  You can also post comments and discussions on Factalk.  To join factalk see Factalk Guide .  The question of a 3-credit course structure is a very charged one for many faculty, so I ask that we work extra hard both in written documents and in discussions to ensure that the conversation remains issue-focused and not divisive.  (This is my shy way of saying "Please don't get personal.")  As agreed at the Faculty Assembly in December any resolutions that emerge from the discussion on 1/29/03 will be then ratified by a mail-in paper ballot.
Other Faculty Assembly Meetings this spring:  2/19 2-4 SC136-138; 3/19 3-4:30 SC136-138; 4/16 2-4 SC1346-138; 5/22 10-12 Pavilion (followed by faculty luncheon and inservice day events).

I will maintain the posted comments and add any additional comments people wish to send until some decision is rendered.  To ensure consistency in our analyses, please request and make use of data from the Institutional Research Office, Babs Varano, Director.

4.  Upcoming Event:  Musical Theater Evening Street Singers doing Rodgers and Hammerstein songs this Friday night 1/31 8:00 p.m. Sharp Theater.  Admission is free but please reserve tickets.  This is a rescheduled event due to a December snow storm.

5.  Upcoming Event: Studs Terkel's American Dreams:Lost and Found , 1/29 Sharp Theater, 7:30 p.m.
( Other Spring Berrie Center events )

6:  Upcoming Event:  The State of the African American Professoriate conference will be held Apr. 16-19.  More details will be available later but save the dates.

7.  CA Events:  Don't miss the student production of Top Girls directed by Maria Vail Guevara (3/6-8, 12-15 at 8pm; 3/15 at 2pm.) and of The Fantastiks directed by Mary Ellen Allison, 4/24-26, 30, and 5/1-3 at 8pm).  Warner Wada will be exhibiting photographic works 2.19-3/21 in the Pascal Gallery; Shalom Gorewitz is presenting recent computer works in the Potter Library Gallery frin 2/19-3/21 and a new video work in The Curtain Call Cafe; and Margaret Murphy is presenting watercolors in the Potter Library Gallery from 4/8-6/14.

8.  Congratulations to Dr. Henri Lustiger-Thaler, Associate Professor Sociology, SSHS who has been named President of the International Sociological Association's Research Committee on Social Classes and Social Movements.

9.  Strategic Plan: The Strategic Plan draft was issued  in November, 2002.  It is currently under review by the Board of Trustees who will probably act on it at their February meeting.  In a recent all day meeting the Board reviewed the plan very favorably and made several suggestions that are being addressed currently.   In the meantime President Smith has invited faculty and staff to have a final opportunity to respond to the Plan. There has already been a great deal of input through the various task forces who worked on the different elements of the plan and from various campus constituencies through hearings and meetings and emails, etc.  The draft that exists now reflects all that effort.  If you wish to offer suggestions in writing please email them to me at kfowler@ramapo.edu or to Letizia Gambrel-Boone, Special Assistant to the Presidentat lboone@ramapo.edu .  We will also host 3 open hearings on the Strategic Plan on Feb. 5, Feb. 10, and Feb. 11 from 1-2 p.m. in the York Room.  Plan to attend one of these hearings.

10.  BOT Walk-through: The Board of Trustees walk-through of classrooms and offices began yesterday.  The Board members visited parts of the library and the renovated and unrenovated classrooms and offices in B Wing and A Wing.  They plan to visit more of the campus before their next campus meeting.  They hope to see the entire classrooms and offices before the end of the semester.   Again if there are specific areas that people would like the Board members to see please let me know.

11.  Parking:  Parking continues to be an active discussion.  Pam Bischoff, Vice President of Student Affairs has asked that I post to the website and make available to you her recent memo on the parking situation .  Please read it.  Any comments or suggestions should be directed to our faculty representatives to the Parking Committee: Cherie Sherman, Rena Bacon, and Mark Newell.  The dedicated faculty/staff lot will shortly be gated (there have been delays due to the weather) and then faculty and staff will need to pick up proximity cards from security.  The first card will be free; replacements will cost $10.

12.  Capital Projects Update:  Part 3 of the Village is opening on schedule today and the renovated Birch Tree Inn as many of you found out earlier today has reopened as the student restaurant.  Any one can eat there for a fixed price of 4.35 for lunch or 5.15 for dinner -- all you can eat.  The Sports and Recreation Center and Phase VIII housing have both received successful bids.  The contractor in each case will be Century 21.  Work has begun on the Sports and Recreation Center because sufficient permits have been granted.  Ground breaking will probably be in late February.  There will be a traffic light temporarily installed at the south gate to ease traffic congestion when the road in front of the Recreation Center is closed off which will divide the campus in 2 pieces for at least a year -- and possibly two.   That will probably begin in March.  Phase VIII is awaiting various permits and approvals.  The President has invited members of the SBGB to meet with himself and with Dick Roberts and Vicki Bruni tomorrow, January 30, to discuss various aspects of the Phase VIII plans.  If you have concerns or questions you would like the SBGB to pursue at this meeting please email them right away to one of the members of the SBGB.  See SBGB Membership .

13.  Faculty Handbook: Recent revisions to the Faculty Handbook (regarding tenure and promotion) have been distributed by Denise Coleman from Employee Relations.  They have also been incorporated into the full Faculty Handbook which is available in downloadable format in part or in whole.

14.  Capital Projects Materials: Dick Roberts has placed a number of materials on reserve for faculty to read regarding the various capital projects underway or under consideration.  Please visit them.  Click on Course Reserve.  The Instructor's name is Roberts.  Any comments or suggestions should be sent to me or to some member of the Sustainability Buildings and Ground Board which was established at the last Faculty Assembly Meeting.  Members currently are: Angela Cristini, Joe Dallon, Michael Edelstein, Wayne Hayes, Howard Horowitz, Anthony Iannarelli, Roger N. Johnson, Eric Karlin, Richard Lowell, William Makofske, Elaine Risch, Eddie Saiff, and Eric Weiner.

15.  Information Systems: Kwesi Aggrey informs me that the college is converting its various information systems (such as SIS) to Banner over the next year or so.  Affected systems will include Student Information, Financial, Human Resources, Alumni Resources.  It is essential that as this system is being put into place we let people know of the kinds of needs we have for the information systems (for example being able to search the web registration system by course title).  Several faculty members will be asked to work directly with the various people converting the systems. If you wish to be involved or if you have specific suggestions please let Kwesi or myself know.

16:  Outstanding Alumni: Janet Dengel of the Alumni Office has asked faculty and staff to nominate outstanding alumni for the Presidents Award of Merit at Commencement.  Deadline is Mar. 1, 2003.

17.  Phased Retirement: Reminder that the deadline for faculty to apply for phased retirement is 2/03/03.

18:  Upcoming Conferences: RFPs Faculty Best Practices Showcase, Kean, 3.21.03   deadline Jan. 31, 2003; Faculty Colloquia, teleconferences  2/13/02; 3/5/02; 4/15/02 ;  RFPS Conf. Distance Teaching Learning 8/13-15, 2003   Madison Wisconsin, Deadline 1/31/03.

19.  Applications:   Applications for Fall 2003 are up 19% from where they were at this date last year.

20  Task Force on Academic Integrity:  The Task Force has met and a survey for students will be posted next week to the web.  This is part of a national survey being conducted in conjunction with the Center for Academic Integrity.  If you are interested in learning more about this contact Associate Provost, Martha Ecker.

21.  Signage: A consultant will be meeting 2/6/03 with an on-campus committee to design internal and external signage.  Elaine Risch , Library will represent the faculty to this group. Any suggestions that you have on signs throughout the campus direct to Elaine at erisch@ramapo.edu  before Feb. 6.