Deans’ Council Meeting
February 6, 2014
Attendees: B. Barnett, E. Daffron, L. Chakrin, S. Rosenberg, E. Saiff, S. Perry, S. Rice, C.
Romano, and L. Siecke and guest J. Connell.
PRR – E. Daffron presented on the Periodic Review Report (PRR) which is due June 2015.
It is addressing a number of recommendations made at the last self study.
Report has been divided into 4 groups:
Governance
Institutional effectiveness
Curriculum
Student Services
Two areas that have the most concerns:


Shared collegial governance – communication between various groups and the
administration
Relationship between budget and planning - Middle states would like to see how budget
and planning are linked.
This is a report that has to be filed but Middle States can opt to have a site visit.
The Commission is in process of potentially changing standards. This will not affect PRR but
will affect the future of the self-study. At the same time the federal government is asking the
commission to ask Ramapo to report on more compliance related issues. One of these is
federal aid money and credit hours. The federal government wants to know that the aid being
dispersed is actually being awarded to students. Ramapo, fortunately, does have a credit hour
policy and CEC policy and policy on final exams. Program reviews, however, have to show
evidence that Ramapo is following the credit hour policy.
New addition to the Program Reviews – a table that IR will populate that will list every course
offered during the academic year asking if course met for the entire term and for the entire
class period (including CEC, if applicable). There was discussion about a possible form that
would be distributed by conveners to faculty to account for instructional time. The role of
conveners to be discussed at next deans’ council meeting.
Deans’ Lecture Series
S. Rice – spoke about Deans’ Lecture Series – Three speakers are lined up for spring 2014.
$10,000 has been set aside for the series; approximately $1500 is left. Deans lecture series to
be discussed in more detail at future deans’ council meeting.
C. Romano and J. Connell – gave updates on academic advisement, Connect and plans for
spring and next fall and the Advisement Council.
Advisement Council Updates:

Implemented mandatory sophomore advisement.

Transfer advisement day raised awareness and will continue in the future.

Advisement bulletin – short blurbs about new updates will continue to be distributed.

Juniors (Class of 2015) will have holds placed on their accounts for mandatory
advising. This does not include students who transferred into Ramapo.
Advisor updates:

There will be more information available to advisors online and additional training for
faculty.

Reinstatement and Readmission form have been updated
Connect – The success of the program was reviewed by J. Connell. Over 60% of faculty have
submitted academic progress reports and over 60% of classes have submitted progress reports.
Deans’ List dinner, will be held on Wednesday, March 12. Deans have been asked to attend
and encourage their conveners to attend. Deans asked that event start at 7:00 pm rather than
6:30 so that they could attend the Presidential Scholarship Reception at the President’s house.
Arching ceremony – this year the barbecue that follows the arching ceremony will be replaced
by individual receptions held by each school. This will be paid for by the college. The Deans
endorsed this change and indicated that this will allow faculty and students an opportunity to
connect one last time before graduation.