What kind of nincompoops schedule a major campus construction dig on the last day of the semester?! The nincompoops running OCC do! We all realize that building things takes precedence over teaching and learning and people, in general, but to plan an excavation in between two buildings that house a huge amount of students, faculty and staff on the last day of the semester is just asinine. Didn't anyone ask themselves what the worst-case-scenario might be if something went wrong? Wasn't it obvious that most students would be taking final exams and would like to have a relatively quiet environment in which to take these tests? Way to go, Buffoons!
How is the Memorandum of Agreement for the Master Course Development Team Member or Content Reviewer a benefit to the full-time faculty? The college "may" (or may not) invite us to serve on a development team and the faculty member's name would be listed within the course as being part of the development team and we will have the option to teach the course during the testing phase. What about what happens after the testing phase? We still have no rights of ownership to any course content after develping it. We have no guarantees that we will even get a chance to teach the course. How is this MOA any different from the college's original proposal? What are we getting in return for signing this MOA?
So many faculty members have expressed concern about the new negotiating team and its seeming willingness to acquiesce to the demands of the administration. Many of us still feel like we were thrown under the bus with the last contract. The last contract is still better than what the college has allegedly proposed. Please do not sell us out. Please demand real negotiations where we may give something but we get something in return.
There were several posts in the last thread about a faculty member who was allowed to "chastise" fellow faculty members regarding attendance at a program of events. If anyone felt or still feels bullied by this faculty member, then perhaps they should speak to their dean about it. It is uncivil, at least, and bullying, at worst, for a colleague to publicly scold another colleague(s). We have been encouraged by the VPAA to identify any bullies or bullying that occurs, so please do so!
I wish everyone a peaceful, relaxing summer.
Webmaster
OBL: Is it on the faculty Google site?
Posted by: Webmaster | August 03, 2011 at 11:42 PM
Someone e-mailed it to me. Webmaster, is there any way to post it here? If not, does anyone have a website they could post it on? I guess I assumed there were copies floating around, but if not, I'm willing to e-mail it to someone who can post it on a website or otherwise distribute it.
OBL
Posted by: Osama Bin Larson | August 03, 2011 at 01:54 AM
The QD is the new Dean of E-Learning, I believe, & not the newly disposed Dean of MSE.
OBL: where are the faculty surveys located? I remember reading them, but lost track of their whereabouts.
No idea about math DA's movements. Had heard he went to Russell building but didn't hear anything about a return trip.
Posted by: BlueStateBlues | August 02, 2011 at 11:42 PM
Back to the DA. Even for OCC, this is bizare. It has been confirmed by several witnesses that the DA moved to math for one day (movers moved his stuff), and back to science the next! I'm confused, but what has being going on over there this summer? One more question...if the QD is who I think it is, why hasn't there been any record of her severance in the board minutes? Only VP PW wishing her well in a mass email.
Posted by: Forlorn | August 02, 2011 at 11:23 PM
You make a good point, OBL and it's certainly worth a shot. Things can't get much worse.
Posted by: crushed peanut gallery | August 02, 2011 at 02:52 PM
The survey responses really don't give off that vibe. The people who wrote responses don't sound like whiny, entitled crybabies - they sound like people who honestly care about education but who are truly terrorized at work. I say it's worth a shot, especially if several people all send it in at the same time. (It's likely that Our Dear Leader has an informant at the local papers, but they could be sent in anonymously.)
OBL
Posted by: Osama Bin Larson | August 02, 2011 at 02:46 PM
OBM: Love the name! Not to sound negative, but I suspect people would have the reverse reaction: That we are a bunch of whiney profs who should be happy to have jobs. Maybe I am wrong.
Posted by: crushed peanut gallery | August 02, 2011 at 02:23 PM
Not to sound like a broken record, but do you suppose it might do any good to send copies of the "Ocean County College Faculty Climate Survey" to the local papers? I think the residents of Ocean County might be very interested in knowing about the climate of terror over there. Sure, there's a possibility that all of the local papers are in Our Dear Leader's pocket, but you never know if you don't try.
OBL
Posted by: Osama Bin Larson | August 02, 2011 at 01:38 PM
Dear dear WM: Oh my. Moles embedded in all departments. Not sure WHO it is in Science ( but pretty certain I can deduce it's Eng.QD's BFF), but obviously it IS.
How intriguing. How twisted.Makes me want to stay under the covers through the winter break.
Posted by: crushed peanut gallery | August 02, 2011 at 11:44 AM
English has kept their DA but there is confirmation that the science department's mole is now relocated to math. Let's see what kind of trouble he can stir up there.
Posted by: Webmaster | August 02, 2011 at 11:03 AM
Lots of things going on, I'm sure, when faculty is conveniently off campus and then we can all be "surprised" at KJ's Fall Colloquium announcements. Applause, please. I cannot imagine the "double agent" assuming said person is in the English Department would be moved downstairs unless Iam totally misunderstanding who the DA is/was --Ex-Dean or her BFF? I was told recently however by a staff person that the deanies are all being assigned "assistants" which were mostly political predetermined appointments through yet another sham of a search. Let's all try to enjoy and preserve what's left of our vacation and our sanity.
Posted by: crushed peanut gallery | August 02, 2011 at 07:46 AM
Can anyone confirm a rumor that the "double agent" (see Webmaster post July 16) has been relocated to the Math Dept? It seems that there is no new dirt left in science to report to VPPW, and math needs thinning. Is English next?
Posted by: Forlorn | August 02, 2011 at 12:04 AM
Someone forwarded me a copy of the "Ocean County College Faculty Climate Survey". Absolutely chilling. Did anyone think to send a copy to the APP (and/or the Observer and/or the Star-Ledger)? If a lot of people sent it, it might be difficult for them to ignore. The residents of Ocean County deserve to know what's going on over there, and respond accordingly.
OBL
Posted by: Osama Bin Larson | July 30, 2011 at 02:14 PM
No matter how haunting those below deck find the thumping of Ahab's stump, for any crew member at OCC who chose an education career to serve the good of humanity, the greater anguish comes in the overhead beating of a wooden heart.
Posted by: Bebop | July 26, 2011 at 08:07 PM
A "vision" for a college, created by the ruling clique without consultation with the teaching professionals, sounds preposterous. Saddam Hussein had a "vision" for his society, too, and how constructive was that? It's amazing that all the precepts of effective leadership and morale building seem to be so absent at OCC. Inclusiveness? Complimenting people for their good work and encouraging their efforts? Listening to and considering suggestions from those most directly affected by possible administrative actions? It sounds as though oxygen has been sucked out of the air, replaced by mind-altering toxicity which numbs the spirit. I hope that the classroom can remain a place of hope and inquiry so that students will not become unwitting casualties. Faculty are laboring like the crew members of the Pequod, the thumping of Ahab's stump overhead, but knowing what must truly be done.
Posted by: Jefferson | July 26, 2011 at 02:35 PM
Shake a leg, NJ State Comptroller!
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/07/despite_hard_times_contracts_f.html
Posted by: Webmaster | July 25, 2011 at 08:18 AM
Spot on, BSB. The classroom is our domain and unless the SOB's and their spineless underlings decide to have unannounced drop-ins in a pathetic attempt to inntimidate and undermine us, we should continue to teach and serve our students as we always have. Maybe we should just dismiss the entire leadership "team" as irrelevant and useless. Success, they say, is the best revenge.
Posted by: crushed peanut gallery | July 24, 2011 at 09:36 PM
I don't think that the "vision" imposed upon us by the administration factors into my teaching at all. I go in to every class and do the best that I can to get as many students as possible to understand the material. I do that every semester, year-in and year-out and I will continue to do so.
The vicious bastards that run OCC try to break us in every way possible. I will not be broken in my own classroom. I think that almost every one of my colleagues feels the same way.
Larson may attempt and, at times, succeed in breaking our spirit but we are professionals and educating the students comes first and always. Screw Larson and company-they will rot in hell some day-I just hope that it's sooner rather than later.
Posted by: BlueStateBlues | July 24, 2011 at 09:03 PM
changing topics just a bit . . . we're soon to return to campus en masse. From what I can tell, most of the staff is miserable and scared. It's not just faculty. But meanwhile, we are getting thousands of new students and, as professionals, we owe them the best education that we can provide. Don't you agree?
So--do we all just strive to do the best that we can in our own classrooms? Or do you think that there is more that we can do in order to be there for our students, without having to simply play along with the "vision" that has been imposed upon us from the narrow upper levels of administration?
I'm really asking. Ideas, anyone?
Posted by: who else is there | July 24, 2011 at 11:59 AM
The vitriol in the comments defending Farahi (following the 7/21 letter calling for his ouster) reflect even more poorly on the Kean president than the accreditation crisis erupting under his watch.
With defenders and loyalists as nasty and hateful as commenter Bushdow, Farahi could garner more public sympathy by hiring a PR team of pit bulls.
Posted by: Bebop | July 22, 2011 at 01:23 PM
Bebop:thanks for posting this letter to the editor from Kean's faculty association president. I was interested to read the many responses from various readers. They are damning. One states that Farahi has created a climate of fear and fear of retaliation-no wonder that he & King Jon are in bed together.
Another interesting note about the responses is from the one who bashes the faculty in order to support Farahi. I guess that Kean has their own "Hubbs". I always envision her nasty self wringing her hands, wondering aloud in a hiss, how she can defend & spin all of the vicious, evil things that she, dick & Larson have perpetuated on the employees at OCC.
I wish that our faculty had the courage to vote No Confidence on these a**holes.
Posted by: BlueStateBlues | July 22, 2011 at 09:02 AM
The Star Ledger features a 7/21 letter from Kean's faculty association president citing the accreditation crisis as validation of the faculty No Confidence Vote in Farahi last year (by a majority of 83%) and calling for State intervention should Kean's Board not remove the president:
http://blog.nj.com/ledgerletters/2011/07/kean_university_faculty_no_con.html
Posted by: Bebop | July 22, 2011 at 07:52 AM
Spot-on clarity and wisdom, BTDT, from an abolitionist who knew that resisting the degradation of humanity calls for nothing less than an unyielding stance.
Posted by: Bebop | July 21, 2011 at 08:03 PM
Thank you Blue State Blues and Bebop for the valuable info.
Perhaps some words from William Lloyd Garrison are apropos: "With reasonable men, I will reason; with humane men I will plead; but to tyrants I will give no quarter, nor waste arguments where they will certainly be lost."
Posted by: Been Here, Done This | July 21, 2011 at 05:46 PM
Kean's accreditation woes, a warning by Middle States giving college officials until March 2012 to comply with assessment requirements in place since 2006, may not be the most serious threat facing the college leadership.
Kean University is also under investigation by NCAA for grade tampering of star athletes, and the college faces a wrongful termination suit by the 22-year Athletic Director who blew the whistle on the corrupt practice.
This scathing letter to the editor from a Kean Accounting professor, calling for the ouster of President Farahi, contains links to articles on both topics plaguing the college:
http://blog.nj.com/ledgerletters/2011/07/kean_university_professor_remo.html
Posted by: Bebop | July 20, 2011 at 02:55 PM