Deans’ Council Meeting
May 1, 2014
Attendees: B. Barnett, E. Daffron, S. Rosenberg, E. Saiff, S. Rice, L. Siecke, L. Chakrin, S.
Perry, C. Romano and guest J. Connell.
Deans’ Lecture Series
The deans met among themselves from 9 – 9:30 am to discuss a theme for the upcoming year’s
lecture series.
First-Semester Survey
C. Romano presented results from the First-Semester Survey which is administered each fall in
FYS classes. It has the highest response rate of all the surveys issued at Ramapo.
Highlights from the Survey
Changes to be made in response to the survey results:
This coming year RA’s will enforce policies rather than public safety.
There will be a review of Summer Reading for First Year Students
The survey indicated that there is an increase in students needing study skills and help with
time management; this will be reviewed for future action.
Connect
Joe Connell presented information on Connect and future plans to include next year’s
sophomores in the program. Discussion of when transfers should be included is ongoing.
Each member of the faculty advisory board will be asked to present at each unit council
meeting to summarize how things will work with Connect.
Every unit has a representative from their school.
J. Connell is working on creating a Connect webpage.
Program Review and Outcome Assessment Data
B. Barnett reviewed what should be included in school plans including relevant goals,
objectives, and targets derived from the Academic Plan. Each unit has unique functions and
initiatives that may also be included in its goals and objectives.
S. Rice asked if there was a way that resource requests could be communicated back to
conveners. He suggested that resource requests be formalized, numbered, approved or
disapproved and returned back to the program level. B. Barnett stressed that the College
already has in place a number of mechanisms for communicating this information. For
instance, she tells deans which faculty lines will be funded, and Institutional Effectiveness
communicates decisions on SPIF requests. .
E. Daffron noted that Middle States would like to see stronger links between planning and
resource allocation. Using the program reviews along with assessments of student learning
more intentionally can demonstrate that link.
Discussion of new budgeting software system that will allow for better projections in the
budget office.
Faculty Assembly
Discussion on feedback from the Faculty Assembly meeting. This included curriculum and the
issues of transfer in of credits, FLEX and CEC, alignment of lab and studio hours with student
credit hours, and lack of double majors and minors.
.
Discussion of Book: “Change”.
Deans’ Council completed a discussion of Zemsky’s Checklist for Change.
E. Daffron reported on the work of an exploratory group to determine the feasibility of
expanding the living-learning community to all incoming first-year students.