Hello, everyone!
It's been some time since we were all here together—but it feels good to be back. The summer is hot, the air quality is poor, and the investment we call 'Education' is rotting in the Sun like a forgotten tomato.
If you're looking at this post, then odds are you've seen the email from Dr. Sanders about Kean's accreditation. You should know that, while it doesn't come straight out and lie about the situation, it's a load of crap. Have you ever heard of Rank's model? It's basically a schema for identifying, and effectively negating, intensification and downplay in communication. The way it works is simple: When a critical eye notices intensification, it's owner responds by downplaying it; when that eye finds downplay, it's owner intensifies. As you might notice from the rather strongly worded title of this article, we're rank's-modeling the shit out of this one.
Sanders first tells us to "rest assured" because "Kean University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education." Yes, this is true: Kean is still accredited—-but that's because Middle States won't pull accreditation all at once. Rather, Kean's accreditation is on warning. To put it in layman's terms, Kean has been told to get its shit together for us, the students, or lose its status as a center for higher education. For Kean to be put on warning, it must not have been in compliance with standards for accreditation. That means, if you follow the logic, that Middle States believes Kean does not currently deserve accreditation.
Furthermore, this is the second time MSCHE has warned Kean about this scenario: The first time it happened was in 2006, but the warning was unofficial. The administration was given five years to fix the problems addressed at the last overview, and rather than fight their way to compliance, they told us all would be well and let the whole ordeal slide. Sanders claims that MSCHE "warned" Kean to "make improvements." This is true, but only when speaking about the 2006 review. MSCHE didn't simply 'warn' us about standards this time--they put us on 'Accreditation Warning,' which is a completely different situation. Sanders is downplaying peril our school is in, and doing it hard.
Sanders also states that we "excelled" in 12 of the 14 standards for accreditation. That's not what Middle States says—-we "comply" with 12 standards for accreditation. To say we "excel" is to warp the true meaning of the report with glorifying language. Yes, we meet most of the requirements to be an accredited university; but WE STILL DON'T MEET ALL THE REQUIREMENTS to be an accredited school.
Just before the end of the spring semester, our self-study team reported to the Tower (our Comm. Department's newspaper) that we were not in any danger of being put on warning. According to Sanders, they admitted we fell short in two categories. If this is true, then they lied to the newspaper, and to the students.
Last but not least, let us not forget the constant barrage of language in the email that equates Kean to the ivy-league. To say that we provide the finest education in NJ is a load of crap (no offense intended towards our professors, of course). To say that is to ignore the existence of reputable and ivy-league schools inside our state (Princeton for instance, or Rutgers our State Research University). To claim that our warning is something that these schools have faced as well is also a lie. To the best of my knowledge--and we'll be looking into it to be certain--Harvard, Cornell, and NYU have never received a probationary judgement from MSCHE. Neither have Princeton, Rutgers, or TCNJ just to name a few.
Don't forget to take the words in these emails with a grain of salt. Nothing is ever exactly what it seems, especially at Kean University.
OH! Almost forgot: MORE TEACHERS, LESS TREES!
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
CNBC Reports on the Day of Action and NJUS
Here's the article:
TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — Students from the state's public colleges say they need to hold jobs and take out loans to be able to afford a higher education in New Jersey.
Students met with lawmakers Tuesday to plead for more higher education funding. An action day is scheduled on campuses Wednesday.
Rutgers University President Richard McCormick told a Senate budget panel Monday that the state's four-year schools expect to hold tuition increases below 10 percent if Gov. Chris Christie's budget is approved.
The budget calls for $714 million in operating aid. That's about the same as last year.
Rutgers senior John Aspray said a 9 percent tuition increase would mean about $1,100 more per student.
Daniela Jorge of William Paterson University says 70 percent of students work 25 hours a week or more.
TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — Students from the state's public colleges say they need to hold jobs and take out loans to be able to afford a higher education in New Jersey.
Students met with lawmakers Tuesday to plead for more higher education funding. An action day is scheduled on campuses Wednesday.
Rutgers University President Richard McCormick told a Senate budget panel Monday that the state's four-year schools expect to hold tuition increases below 10 percent if Gov. Chris Christie's budget is approved.
The budget calls for $714 million in operating aid. That's about the same as last year.
Rutgers senior John Aspray said a 9 percent tuition increase would mean about $1,100 more per student.
Daniela Jorge of William Paterson University says 70 percent of students work 25 hours a week or more.
Kean Buys Student Publicity...
If any of you have seen the recent facebook post on the Kean University fan page, or gotten an email about the 'Share your experience' contest, then you might be excited at the prospect of doing a small amount of work (writing 250-300 words about you life at Kean) to win an iPad, Dell Netbook, or color Nook. What you might not have thought about is this: Is Kean really so messed up that it needs to buy good publicity from its students?
I'm not saying that there's nothing good to write about at Kean... But I do recognize that students who really, really want that iPad are probably going to sugarcoat their submissions, if not lie outright. I know, for instance, that I could write the shit out of that contest and tell only truths--but is it worth it to ignore all the heartbreaking experiences I've endured here just to play around on an iPad?
The truth is, I really love iPads. And I would totally enter a contest to own one--but not at the cost of betraying my own beliefs. Certainly not at the cost of betraying all of you out there who read this blog, and most assuredly not at the cost of misleading prospective students who might check out the Kean Facebook page to see what current students are saying about their school.
I looked at the contest on the Kean University facebook page today and saw a comment left by a student, Adolfo, who is in a similar situation to mine. He wrote, " I originally came to KEAN UNIVERSITY to major in Philosophy but then I found out it was dismantled and could no longer major in it." I was a Philosophy Major when I entered Kean, but I am no longer. The department that once fed my intellectualism is dead, the courses that first led me to question the 'system' at Kean are gone, and yet I definitely took a moment to think, Man! I could totally win an iPad in this contest!
I guess iPads are incredibly persuasive technological devices. I guess it's easy to forget the things that hurt us in the past when things are going well, again.
But its not worth it to forget just because the dissemblance of Social Work and Philosophy are in the past. Just because they're 'old news' doesn't make the fact that they happened unimportant. It doesn't diminish the cost to the students. I've learned to live with it, at this point--all of us have, mainly because we have to--but the fact that we can live with it doesn't mean we should have to. What we need to do is remember that we were wronged, remember that we deserved better treatment from the school, and the President, that claim to love us like their children.
Don't lose yourself in it, don't mope. Just remember.
That way, when Kean offers you an iPad or a laptop or some other mouthwateringly attractive device in exchange for a publicity sound-bite, you'll recognize that they're trying to pay you off to do it. So please, all of you out there who might have considered entering that contest the way I did, refrain from it unless you really do have only good things to say. Don't sugarcoat. Don't lie.
Or, even better, go ahead and post something--just tell the truth. Tell it like it is.
I'm not saying that there's nothing good to write about at Kean... But I do recognize that students who really, really want that iPad are probably going to sugarcoat their submissions, if not lie outright. I know, for instance, that I could write the shit out of that contest and tell only truths--but is it worth it to ignore all the heartbreaking experiences I've endured here just to play around on an iPad?
The truth is, I really love iPads. And I would totally enter a contest to own one--but not at the cost of betraying my own beliefs. Certainly not at the cost of betraying all of you out there who read this blog, and most assuredly not at the cost of misleading prospective students who might check out the Kean Facebook page to see what current students are saying about their school.
I looked at the contest on the Kean University facebook page today and saw a comment left by a student, Adolfo, who is in a similar situation to mine. He wrote, " I originally came to KEAN UNIVERSITY to major in Philosophy but then I found out it was dismantled and could no longer major in it." I was a Philosophy Major when I entered Kean, but I am no longer. The department that once fed my intellectualism is dead, the courses that first led me to question the 'system' at Kean are gone, and yet I definitely took a moment to think, Man! I could totally win an iPad in this contest!
I guess iPads are incredibly persuasive technological devices. I guess it's easy to forget the things that hurt us in the past when things are going well, again.
But its not worth it to forget just because the dissemblance of Social Work and Philosophy are in the past. Just because they're 'old news' doesn't make the fact that they happened unimportant. It doesn't diminish the cost to the students. I've learned to live with it, at this point--all of us have, mainly because we have to--but the fact that we can live with it doesn't mean we should have to. What we need to do is remember that we were wronged, remember that we deserved better treatment from the school, and the President, that claim to love us like their children.
Don't lose yourself in it, don't mope. Just remember.
That way, when Kean offers you an iPad or a laptop or some other mouthwateringly attractive device in exchange for a publicity sound-bite, you'll recognize that they're trying to pay you off to do it. So please, all of you out there who might have considered entering that contest the way I did, refrain from it unless you really do have only good things to say. Don't sugarcoat. Don't lie.
Or, even better, go ahead and post something--just tell the truth. Tell it like it is.
DAY OF ACTION TOMORROW!
Kean is hosting an NJUS State-Wide Day of Action event tomorrow:
New Jersey does NOT provide for its college students! Join us at Kean University to peacefully protest the problems with NJ's Higher-Ed system that are falling on the backs of public university students! The NJUS Day of Action is happening simultaneously at all of NJ's Public Universities—so don't be left out! Join the movement that's changing the game at the state level: Austerity is out, and Education is number one on April 13th!
The Frisbee-Toss for Student Freedoms:
Join fellow students outside the University Center and Library for lively games of frisbee—feel free to get competitive or just fool around. Bring your own frisbee and your own friends, or join a game and take the opportunity to meet other Kean students, discuss the problems that NJ Higher Ed faces both on campus and at the state level, and learn about the US's first-ever state-wide Student Union, NJUS.
The Towel-Lay Against Tuition Hikes:
You've heard that we're not allowed on the grass at Kean University? Well apparently it's A-Okay if you're laying or sunbathing on a towel, so bring one by and enjoy the grass that's so much greener without foot-traffic! Share your college experience with other New Jersey students and learn why our state is number 50 out of 50 in provision for Higher Education. Make your voice heard (in the most relaxing way possible) by laying on the grass!
New Jersey does NOT provide for its college students! Join us at Kean University to peacefully protest the problems with NJ's Higher-Ed system that are falling on the backs of public university students! The NJUS Day of Action is happening simultaneously at all of NJ's Public Universities—so don't be left out! Join the movement that's changing the game at the state level: Austerity is out, and Education is number one on April 13th!
The Frisbee-Toss for Student Freedoms:
Join fellow students outside the University Center and Library for lively games of frisbee—feel free to get competitive or just fool around. Bring your own frisbee and your own friends, or join a game and take the opportunity to meet other Kean students, discuss the problems that NJ Higher Ed faces both on campus and at the state level, and learn about the US's first-ever state-wide Student Union, NJUS.
The Towel-Lay Against Tuition Hikes:
You've heard that we're not allowed on the grass at Kean University? Well apparently it's A-Okay if you're laying or sunbathing on a towel, so bring one by and enjoy the grass that's so much greener without foot-traffic! Share your college experience with other New Jersey students and learn why our state is number 50 out of 50 in provision for Higher Education. Make your voice heard (in the most relaxing way possible) by laying on the grass!
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
NJUS State-Wide Day of Action (Wednesday, April 13th)
Well, April 13th is only a week away and Day of Action is planned, plotted, and poised to call college students from Ramapo to Trenton into action.
That's right—New Jersey's United Students are going to be demonstrating all across the state next wednesday in the hope of calling attention to toll of underfunding public higher-education. New Jersey ranked 50th this year in provision for public universities, a mark that sits in stark contrast to the states previously impressive funding for primary and secondary public education. It might seem as though higher-ed is just another victim of Governor Christie's budget cuts, but a look into the past proves otherwise:
New Jersey's funding for public universities has dropped 18% since 2007, before Christie took office, and moved us back in the state rankings for post-secondary school expenditures... Moved us back an astonishing single place from 49th to 50th, to be exact. So it's pretty apparent that the Garden State hasn't given its college students the money they deserve for a while, now.
NJUS plans to change that, and their first orchestrated call-to-action is next Wednesday. Students will be walking out, demonstrating, holding discussions, spreading the word, making a racket and having a damn-good time doing it (especially if they are sad they missed the 70's)—all to call attention to the gross mistreatment of public higher ed at the state level. Montclair State University, William Patterson University, Jersey City University, Ramapo College of New Jersey, Rowan University, TCNJ (The College of New Jersey), all three Rutgers Campuses, and—you guessed it—Kean University will be hosting events put together by local NJUS members.
Kean's schedule of events is still in the works, but we know about two things that are definitely happening between 12:30PM and 4:30PM:
The Frisbee-Toss for Student Freedoms:
Join fellow students outside the University Center and Library for lively games of frisbee—feel free to get competitive or just fool around. Bring your own frisbee and your own friends, or join a game and take the opportunity to meet other Kean students, discuss the problems that NJ Higher Ed faces both on campus and at the state level, and learn about the US's first-ever state-wide Student Union, NJUS.
The Towel-Lay Against Tuition Hikes:
You've heard that we're not allowed on the grass at Kean University? Well apparently it's A-Okay if you're laying or sunbathing on a towel, so bring one by and enjoy the grass that's so much greener without foot-traffic! Share your college experience with other New Jersey students and learn why our state is number 50 out of 50 in provision for Higher Education. Make your voice heard (in the most relaxing way possible) by laying on the grass!
Check out Kean's Day of Action Facebook event, which is open to all, as well as the NJUS Statewide Day of Action Facebook event in order to sign up, show your support, and learn more!
That's right—New Jersey's United Students are going to be demonstrating all across the state next wednesday in the hope of calling attention to toll of underfunding public higher-education. New Jersey ranked 50th this year in provision for public universities, a mark that sits in stark contrast to the states previously impressive funding for primary and secondary public education. It might seem as though higher-ed is just another victim of Governor Christie's budget cuts, but a look into the past proves otherwise:
New Jersey's funding for public universities has dropped 18% since 2007, before Christie took office, and moved us back in the state rankings for post-secondary school expenditures... Moved us back an astonishing single place from 49th to 50th, to be exact. So it's pretty apparent that the Garden State hasn't given its college students the money they deserve for a while, now.
NJUS plans to change that, and their first orchestrated call-to-action is next Wednesday. Students will be walking out, demonstrating, holding discussions, spreading the word, making a racket and having a damn-good time doing it (especially if they are sad they missed the 70's)—all to call attention to the gross mistreatment of public higher ed at the state level. Montclair State University, William Patterson University, Jersey City University, Ramapo College of New Jersey, Rowan University, TCNJ (The College of New Jersey), all three Rutgers Campuses, and—you guessed it—Kean University will be hosting events put together by local NJUS members.
Kean's schedule of events is still in the works, but we know about two things that are definitely happening between 12:30PM and 4:30PM:
The Frisbee-Toss for Student Freedoms:
Join fellow students outside the University Center and Library for lively games of frisbee—feel free to get competitive or just fool around. Bring your own frisbee and your own friends, or join a game and take the opportunity to meet other Kean students, discuss the problems that NJ Higher Ed faces both on campus and at the state level, and learn about the US's first-ever state-wide Student Union, NJUS.
The Towel-Lay Against Tuition Hikes:
You've heard that we're not allowed on the grass at Kean University? Well apparently it's A-Okay if you're laying or sunbathing on a towel, so bring one by and enjoy the grass that's so much greener without foot-traffic! Share your college experience with other New Jersey students and learn why our state is number 50 out of 50 in provision for Higher Education. Make your voice heard (in the most relaxing way possible) by laying on the grass!
Check out Kean's Day of Action Facebook event, which is open to all, as well as the NJUS Statewide Day of Action Facebook event in order to sign up, show your support, and learn more!
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Student Org Elections Start Tomorrow!
Hey there everyone,
Don't forget to vote in the student organization elections that start tomorrow!
You have until Tuesday at 6:00PM to make your voice heard!
Don't forget to vote in the student organization elections that start tomorrow!
You have until Tuesday at 6:00PM to make your voice heard!
Thursday, March 24, 2011
APRIL 13: State-Wide Day of Action!
Public Universities across the Garden State are rallying together to support funding for higher-education. Don't miss what's happening at Kean!
"We are forced to live in debt to afford this education. And they still want us to pay more, we dont have any more money, it is time we fought back." -Joel Salvino
Check it out on Facebook
"We are forced to live in debt to afford this education. And they still want us to pay more, we dont have any more money, it is time we fought back." -Joel Salvino
Check it out on Facebook
APRIL 5th National Teach-in!
(This is all taken right from the Teach-In flyers)
FIGHT BACK USA:
CORPORATE GREED, DEBT, AUSTERITY
APRIL 5th, 2011
Content Themes for Local Teach-in
If you are organizing a campus/local event on April 5th, you might considering the themes listed below. These themes form the core of the NYC live stream webcast Teach-in. The order is suggestive of the logic of the widespread crisis. All themes overlap of course, but this is a rubric for thinking about how to “connect the dots” for your audience.
Most importantly, the final theme “Into Action” is designed to get your group thinking about local action strategies that coordinate with existing campaigns around:
1) Anti-austerity
(union fight back on collective bargaining rights, teacher and other public sector union campaigns, protest of cuts to social services for the poor , war/war spending protests…)
2) Anti-bank protests
(anti-foreclosure movement, student loan/debt protests, bank bailout protests…)
Help make this the most memorable spring for US social justice movements in decades!
THEMES
CORPORATE GREED
Income Inequality ( the growing income inequality gap that characterizes the US and global economy)
Wealth Transfer (bailouts of banks and corporations) with tax dollars from working people people who slide deeper into crisis.
Corporate Tax Breaks and Rising Profits (tax policy and relief designed by and for a rich and tiny minority, while starving essential services --at all levels of government--for the majority)
DEBT
National Debt (war spending, bank bailouts, tax-breaks for the rich)
Predatory Lending by Banks
Mortgage Crisis
Student Loan Crisis
Consumer Debt Crisis
AUSTERITY
Manufactured Crisis, Manufactured Solution
Austerity as Myth (pretense for assault on civil society)
Assault on Collective Bargaining and Union Rights (impact on worker’s rights of all workers going forward)
Assault on Social Service Spending at all Levels of Government (impact on the poorest Americans)
Demonizing Public Employees (teachers, civil servants, higher education)
Sacraficing the Many for the Few
INTO ACTION!
Identify Existing Local/Regional Campaigns (anti-austerity; workers rights/union campaigns; anti-bank actions)
Include Representatives from these campaigns in your Teach-In (utilize local campaigners as speakers)
Focus on Campus-Community Connections (strategize as to how campus energy and bodies can be leveraged for existing efforts; think through how different sectors --state workers, students, homeowner…-- posses different points of institutional leverage. Consider how, where and when direct action can be most effectively used to maximize different tyes and points of leverage.
ACT ! (decide an action focus and start ORGANIZING!
Help make this the most memorable
spring for US social justice movements in decades!
FIGHT BACK USA:
CORPORATE GREED, DEBT, AUSTERITY
APRIL 5th, 2011
Content Themes for Local Teach-in
If you are organizing a campus/local event on April 5th, you might considering the themes listed below. These themes form the core of the NYC live stream webcast Teach-in. The order is suggestive of the logic of the widespread crisis. All themes overlap of course, but this is a rubric for thinking about how to “connect the dots” for your audience.
Most importantly, the final theme “Into Action” is designed to get your group thinking about local action strategies that coordinate with existing campaigns around:
1) Anti-austerity
(union fight back on collective bargaining rights, teacher and other public sector union campaigns, protest of cuts to social services for the poor , war/war spending protests…)
2) Anti-bank protests
(anti-foreclosure movement, student loan/debt protests, bank bailout protests…)
Help make this the most memorable spring for US social justice movements in decades!
THEMES
CORPORATE GREED
Income Inequality ( the growing income inequality gap that characterizes the US and global economy)
Wealth Transfer (bailouts of banks and corporations) with tax dollars from working people people who slide deeper into crisis.
Corporate Tax Breaks and Rising Profits (tax policy and relief designed by and for a rich and tiny minority, while starving essential services --at all levels of government--for the majority)
DEBT
National Debt (war spending, bank bailouts, tax-breaks for the rich)
Predatory Lending by Banks
Mortgage Crisis
Student Loan Crisis
Consumer Debt Crisis
AUSTERITY
Manufactured Crisis, Manufactured Solution
Austerity as Myth (pretense for assault on civil society)
Assault on Collective Bargaining and Union Rights (impact on worker’s rights of all workers going forward)
Assault on Social Service Spending at all Levels of Government (impact on the poorest Americans)
Demonizing Public Employees (teachers, civil servants, higher education)
Sacraficing the Many for the Few
INTO ACTION!
Identify Existing Local/Regional Campaigns (anti-austerity; workers rights/union campaigns; anti-bank actions)
Include Representatives from these campaigns in your Teach-In (utilize local campaigners as speakers)
Focus on Campus-Community Connections (strategize as to how campus energy and bodies can be leveraged for existing efforts; think through how different sectors --state workers, students, homeowner…-- posses different points of institutional leverage. Consider how, where and when direct action can be most effectively used to maximize different tyes and points of leverage.
ACT ! (decide an action focus and start ORGANIZING!
Help make this the most memorable
spring for US social justice movements in decades!
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
This one goes out to the Biology and Sciences students:
We have in our possession a letter addressed to Kean’s Faculty from Dr. Eric Boehm, whose name you may recognize from recent posts on this blog. Dr. Boehm has been a Professor in the Biology Department for the last four years and was recently informed that he will not be reappointed next year, at which point he would have received tenure. After two separate appeals for reappointment, it became clear that the decision about Dr. Boehm’s tenure was set in stone; he was no longer welcome at our University.
After realizing that he could “only be fired once,” Dr. Boehm wrote this letter to his colleagues to express his bewilderment at the restructuring of the Science Departments, and to warn them about Dr. Eaton, the new Director of the equally new School of Environmental and Life Sciences (SELS), whom Boehm believes was “hired with the express purpose of dissolving our department, and consolidating an "us against them" policy” within the ranks of its teaching staff.
“With the creation of the School of Environmental & Life Sciences (SELS), as a separate entity within the College, and the sudden administrative decision, without any prior faculty consultation, nor any effort to build faculty consensus, to physically relocate half of our faculty to another bldg separate from the Biology Dept., the Administration has effectively brought an end to our department,” Boehm wrote in his letter—a description that draws a stark parallel to the aftermath following the dissolution of our Philosophy Department where the staff, previously housed in Hutchinson Hall, have been moved out of their offices and split between Willis Hall and the Child Study Institute.
Boehm also mentions that, so far, SELS has failed to draw new majors into its programs. Apparently, SELS has begun a “Sustainability Initiative,” a plan to pay students to enter the program after “a year plus of ‘no-takers.’” It is hard to imagine that the Administration will continue the program if these enrollment trends continue, especially in light of the justification provided for the restructuring that has already occurred on campus: The ratio of Full-Time Enrolment to Faculty numbers.
You may recall the article we put up a few months back, “For the Record: A Defense of the Philosophy and Religion Program.” I know we keep referring to Philosophy as a comparison to this situation, but we only do so because this ‘restructuring’ happened to Philosophy first and, since the plan has already been in place for nearly a year, it is one of the only Departments where we are beginning to see the real ill effects of the Administration’s campaign to transform Kean.
However, it seems things could go rotten more quickly in Biology; symptoms of this disease are already manifesting themselves in ways the students can see: first on the list is “the relocation of Dr. Yu’s anatomy teaching rooms in a separate bldg. from where the lectures are held, with no prior consultation with [Dr.] Yu [or the students];” as well as forcing Dr. Boehm to teach BIO 3305 on the East Campus without a Lab; threatening professors with dismissal; calling on professors to author as many as “6 papers before tenure” instead of using their valuable time to meet with and advise students; the exile of Dr. Hayat who, according to the Biology Department’s Faculty page is the only ‘Distinguished Professor’ on the staff list, and who, according to Dr. Boehm, “Scientifically… put Kean on the map;” and lastly, the reduction teaching staff.
The Inside Higher Education article ‘Disappearing Departments’ also highlights the possibility of accreditation issues following the split-up of faculty between buildings as well as between schools in accordance with their involvement in either the B.A. or B.S. Majors.
Stripling explains that “bachelor of arts programs in science will be placed in one school, while bachelor of science programs in the same disciplines will be housed in another school. Since faculty frequently teach courses in both degree programs, there’s a practical concern about how to cover the teaching if faculty are divided between B.A. and B.S. programs…. The independent national accreditation for the B.S. program in chemistry, for instance, hinges in part on full-time faculty numbers. Those numbers would presumably be reduced if some chemistry professors were devoted purely to the B.A. program, as the plan appears to prescribe.”
What’s more is that we’re seeing similar Accreditation fears in Kean’s Graduate Program in Social Work where, after the undergraduate degree was deleted over the Summer and the undergrad staff were either released or given a graduate schedule, the program may not have enough full-time faculty to maintain itself in the eyes of the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
In concluding his letter, Dr. Boehm displays emotions similar to those I’ve seen in several recent comments on this blog. “I now realize,” He says, “that leaving Kean has actually been a blessing in disguise…. I am glad to be free of it, and can only wish those of you who remain behind much success, and a fair amount of luck, as you will need it.”
I know that some of you have expressed to us that, if we give you definitive proof of this situation, you will leave the school—we urge you to consider that carefully. It is possible, as one of you commented after speaking with a Bio advisor, that nothing will realistically change for the program’s students or their degree expectations. It is more likely, as we’ve seen in the aftermath of other departments’ restructuring, that this is not the case. Either way, we also wish you luck; you all deserve your degrees and you all deserve to know the story—the best defense any of us have in such a sea of uncertainty is our ability to question. The more they know you know, the safer you and your Major Programs are.
After realizing that he could “only be fired once,” Dr. Boehm wrote this letter to his colleagues to express his bewilderment at the restructuring of the Science Departments, and to warn them about Dr. Eaton, the new Director of the equally new School of Environmental and Life Sciences (SELS), whom Boehm believes was “hired with the express purpose of dissolving our department, and consolidating an "us against them" policy” within the ranks of its teaching staff.
“With the creation of the School of Environmental & Life Sciences (SELS), as a separate entity within the College, and the sudden administrative decision, without any prior faculty consultation, nor any effort to build faculty consensus, to physically relocate half of our faculty to another bldg separate from the Biology Dept., the Administration has effectively brought an end to our department,” Boehm wrote in his letter—a description that draws a stark parallel to the aftermath following the dissolution of our Philosophy Department where the staff, previously housed in Hutchinson Hall, have been moved out of their offices and split between Willis Hall and the Child Study Institute.
Boehm also mentions that, so far, SELS has failed to draw new majors into its programs. Apparently, SELS has begun a “Sustainability Initiative,” a plan to pay students to enter the program after “a year plus of ‘no-takers.’” It is hard to imagine that the Administration will continue the program if these enrollment trends continue, especially in light of the justification provided for the restructuring that has already occurred on campus: The ratio of Full-Time Enrolment to Faculty numbers.
You may recall the article we put up a few months back, “For the Record: A Defense of the Philosophy and Religion Program.” I know we keep referring to Philosophy as a comparison to this situation, but we only do so because this ‘restructuring’ happened to Philosophy first and, since the plan has already been in place for nearly a year, it is one of the only Departments where we are beginning to see the real ill effects of the Administration’s campaign to transform Kean.
However, it seems things could go rotten more quickly in Biology; symptoms of this disease are already manifesting themselves in ways the students can see: first on the list is “the relocation of Dr. Yu’s anatomy teaching rooms in a separate bldg. from where the lectures are held, with no prior consultation with [Dr.] Yu [or the students];” as well as forcing Dr. Boehm to teach BIO 3305 on the East Campus without a Lab; threatening professors with dismissal; calling on professors to author as many as “6 papers before tenure” instead of using their valuable time to meet with and advise students; the exile of Dr. Hayat who, according to the Biology Department’s Faculty page is the only ‘Distinguished Professor’ on the staff list, and who, according to Dr. Boehm, “Scientifically… put Kean on the map;” and lastly, the reduction teaching staff.
The Inside Higher Education article ‘Disappearing Departments’ also highlights the possibility of accreditation issues following the split-up of faculty between buildings as well as between schools in accordance with their involvement in either the B.A. or B.S. Majors.
Stripling explains that “bachelor of arts programs in science will be placed in one school, while bachelor of science programs in the same disciplines will be housed in another school. Since faculty frequently teach courses in both degree programs, there’s a practical concern about how to cover the teaching if faculty are divided between B.A. and B.S. programs…. The independent national accreditation for the B.S. program in chemistry, for instance, hinges in part on full-time faculty numbers. Those numbers would presumably be reduced if some chemistry professors were devoted purely to the B.A. program, as the plan appears to prescribe.”
What’s more is that we’re seeing similar Accreditation fears in Kean’s Graduate Program in Social Work where, after the undergraduate degree was deleted over the Summer and the undergrad staff were either released or given a graduate schedule, the program may not have enough full-time faculty to maintain itself in the eyes of the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
In concluding his letter, Dr. Boehm displays emotions similar to those I’ve seen in several recent comments on this blog. “I now realize,” He says, “that leaving Kean has actually been a blessing in disguise…. I am glad to be free of it, and can only wish those of you who remain behind much success, and a fair amount of luck, as you will need it.”
I know that some of you have expressed to us that, if we give you definitive proof of this situation, you will leave the school—we urge you to consider that carefully. It is possible, as one of you commented after speaking with a Bio advisor, that nothing will realistically change for the program’s students or their degree expectations. It is more likely, as we’ve seen in the aftermath of other departments’ restructuring, that this is not the case. Either way, we also wish you luck; you all deserve your degrees and you all deserve to know the story—the best defense any of us have in such a sea of uncertainty is our ability to question. The more they know you know, the safer you and your Major Programs are.
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Disappearing Departments: An Inside Higher Ed Article on Kean's Restructuring, Accreditation, and Fiscal Concerns
To read the entire article by Jack Stripling, click here.
Here's an abstract:
The Document they're referring to is a draft proposal addressed to Dr. Farahi from Mark Lender, at the time the Interum Vice President for Academic Affairs, about a plan to restructure the University starting last June. We've been watching the plan unfold for a semester and a half so far—at the price of faculty and academic programs—so if you want to read the proposal, dated last April, download it HERE from InsideHigherEd.
Here's an abstract:
“The document you have is a Frankenstein’s monster with missing parts and no way to animate it,” Maria Montaperto, an assistant professor of English said.
Other departments that now exist are similarly concerned with the implications of being split apart. The plan stipulates, for instance, that bachelor of arts programs in science will be placed in one school, while bachelor of science programs in the same disciplines will be housed in another school. Since faculty frequently teach courses in both degree programs, there’s a practical concern about how to cover the teaching if faculty are divided between B.A. and B.S. programs.
Dividing faculty between degree programs also presents potential concerns for accreditation. The independent national accreditation for the B.S. program in chemistry, for instance, hinges in part on full-time faculty numbers. Those numbers would presumably be reduced if some chemistry professors were devoted purely to the B.A. program, as the plan appears to prescribe.
“How do you maintain accreditation if one part of your program is in one school and another part of your program is in another school? We’re absolutely aghast and we’re very concerned about accreditation and losing it,” said Lees, who helped the school secure accreditation with the American Chemical Society nearly 30 years ago.
The Document they're referring to is a draft proposal addressed to Dr. Farahi from Mark Lender, at the time the Interum Vice President for Academic Affairs, about a plan to restructure the University starting last June. We've been watching the plan unfold for a semester and a half so far—at the price of faculty and academic programs—so if you want to read the proposal, dated last April, download it HERE from InsideHigherEd.
Keep your eyes on the Tower
The Tower has an article up about Kean and Middle States right now—and they found out something we missed. If Kean is not reaccredited, then apparently State and Federal funding for the schools students disappears with it.
(Check out the article here)
(Check out the article here)
Friday, March 4, 2011
Dr. Boehm of the Bio Department was given notice but not given a reason...
In conjunction with the recent move to dissemble the Biology Department, Kean has begun firing the program's faculty: Dr Boehm, the only professor I've ever known to receive a perfect 5.0 out of 5.0 in every category on RateMyProfessor.com, has been given notice. Dr. Boehm is not yet tenured, and therefore can legally be released at any time—but the events surrounding his termination point to retribution as a motive for the action.
Dr. Boehm is apparently an active and outspoken Professor who expected the quality of his instruction and his dedication as a teacher would protect his position; he did not account for how little the Administration cares about the quality of its staff.
In other news, it appears that Kean may have expected the Accreditation for the Biology Program to lapse due to the condition of its laboratories and equipment, which are all significantly outdated. They may have made this move to strike the Bio Major because doing so would avoid the necessary cost of rennovating their labs. This is, of course, speculation—but it's an explanation that fits.
More to come soon, everyone...
Dr. Boehm is apparently an active and outspoken Professor who expected the quality of his instruction and his dedication as a teacher would protect his position; he did not account for how little the Administration cares about the quality of its staff.
In other news, it appears that Kean may have expected the Accreditation for the Biology Program to lapse due to the condition of its laboratories and equipment, which are all significantly outdated. They may have made this move to strike the Bio Major because doing so would avoid the necessary cost of rennovating their labs. This is, of course, speculation—but it's an explanation that fits.
More to come soon, everyone...
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
KEAN DISSOLVES BIOLOGY DEPARTMENT
This is an URGENT message to all 800 of Kean's BIOLOGY MAJORS:
Kean University is dissolving the Biology Department—This means that, just like the students in the Philosophy and Social Work Majors, you are going to have to switch your program of study!
Talk to your professors!
(More to come soon...)
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
The Middle States Petition
Hello again, everyone.
Here at TBK we are all incredibly impressed with your response to our petition so far. Not only are you becoming more aware of the perils we face at the loss of our accreditation each day, but hundreds of you have rallied to our cause by adding your signatures to our list.
Our ultimate goal was to get 1,000 names on our petition; given the near-unanimous response from everyone we've talked to, we have decided to up the ante and shoot for 1,400 signatures, 10% of Kean's student body. With numbers like that, the Administration and Board of Trustees will have no choice but to listen to the voice of Kean's students.
Over the last few days we've taken note of the questions you all have asked us about the petition, and I think it's pertinent that we take the time to address some of them here on the blog. So, without further suspense, here is the Middle-States FAQ!
Frequently Asked Questions about the Middle States Petition:
1) How is this petition going to save Kean's Accreditation?
The truth is simple: It can't. Only the Administration can save Kean's accreditation; the purpose of this petition is to show middles states that, first, Kean's students are neither stupid enough to deserve their accreditation being snatched away and, second, that Kean's students are in fact aware of this situation despite the Administration's attempt to keep it quiet.
The idea is that, since the Administration won't listen to their Student Body, it is more likely that Middle States will, and that the Administration will in turn listen to Middle States.
2) Some of us like Adjunct Professors... Why do we need to decrease their numbers on campus?
Our petition does not actually suggest that we decrease the number of Adjuncts on campus. We all recognize that, because of the size of our University, Adjuncts are a necessity in our modern economic climate; what we also recognize is that Middle States suggests a maximum of 40% Adjuncts on a campus and Kean's full-time faculty number less than 40%. The best solution, we think, is to hire those Adjuncts who truly deserve tenure as full-time professors. TBK would never suggest reducing the number of professors on our campus--to the contrary, we want more, and we want them to be tenured.
3) Where do we get our information?
All of our information comes from documents released by Kean University (many of which are on the Kean.edu website, some of which have been acquired through Open Public Records Act requests), interviews with Kean faculty, interviews with Student Org officers and representatives, and articles that have been published in newspapers or online through reputable sources. We link to EVERYTHING that we can here on our site, and frequently give you the opportunity to view documents right from our Blog without having to travel elsewhere. If you want more info, read up: you've got months worth of TBK reporting right at your fingertips!
4) What did Kean offer Student Org in exchange for their transition into a Department?
As far as we can tell, The administration offered SO the use of their copying and printing services at no cost, as well as the use of their Media and Publications department. The thought was that the cost reduction created by utilizing free office-services would allow SO to allocate more funding to students... That much is certain.
The rest of the deal still remains somewhat shrouded. Student Org signed away a lot of its power when it became a department, and has certainly lost any latitude it once had in putting items to vote. Why the officers agreed to this is uncertain, but our guess is that they were newly-placed in their offices and therefore unaware of what, exactly, they were doing. The Administration could not get SO to vote, initially, on becoming a department, and so they pushed for the next best thing: They compromised, allowing the Org to remain independent for one more year, and then forcing them to vote on the topic of Departmentalization after the next round of elections. Was it really a compromise? Or a quick bait-and-snatch trick? We can't tell you--but we'll sure as hell give you our opinion.
This ends the FAQ on our Middle-States Petition... if you have any additional questions, feel free to come to our meetings at 3PM in the Grand Study Hall (3rd Floor Library) on Wednesday afternoons, or email us at takebackkean@gmail.com.
Until next time,
Keep on Signing, Kean University!
Here at TBK we are all incredibly impressed with your response to our petition so far. Not only are you becoming more aware of the perils we face at the loss of our accreditation each day, but hundreds of you have rallied to our cause by adding your signatures to our list.
Our ultimate goal was to get 1,000 names on our petition; given the near-unanimous response from everyone we've talked to, we have decided to up the ante and shoot for 1,400 signatures, 10% of Kean's student body. With numbers like that, the Administration and Board of Trustees will have no choice but to listen to the voice of Kean's students.
Over the last few days we've taken note of the questions you all have asked us about the petition, and I think it's pertinent that we take the time to address some of them here on the blog. So, without further suspense, here is the Middle-States FAQ!
Frequently Asked Questions about the Middle States Petition:
1) How is this petition going to save Kean's Accreditation?
The truth is simple: It can't. Only the Administration can save Kean's accreditation; the purpose of this petition is to show middles states that, first, Kean's students are neither stupid enough to deserve their accreditation being snatched away and, second, that Kean's students are in fact aware of this situation despite the Administration's attempt to keep it quiet.
The idea is that, since the Administration won't listen to their Student Body, it is more likely that Middle States will, and that the Administration will in turn listen to Middle States.
2) Some of us like Adjunct Professors... Why do we need to decrease their numbers on campus?
Our petition does not actually suggest that we decrease the number of Adjuncts on campus. We all recognize that, because of the size of our University, Adjuncts are a necessity in our modern economic climate; what we also recognize is that Middle States suggests a maximum of 40% Adjuncts on a campus and Kean's full-time faculty number less than 40%. The best solution, we think, is to hire those Adjuncts who truly deserve tenure as full-time professors. TBK would never suggest reducing the number of professors on our campus--to the contrary, we want more, and we want them to be tenured.
3) Where do we get our information?
All of our information comes from documents released by Kean University (many of which are on the Kean.edu website, some of which have been acquired through Open Public Records Act requests), interviews with Kean faculty, interviews with Student Org officers and representatives, and articles that have been published in newspapers or online through reputable sources. We link to EVERYTHING that we can here on our site, and frequently give you the opportunity to view documents right from our Blog without having to travel elsewhere. If you want more info, read up: you've got months worth of TBK reporting right at your fingertips!
4) What did Kean offer Student Org in exchange for their transition into a Department?
As far as we can tell, The administration offered SO the use of their copying and printing services at no cost, as well as the use of their Media and Publications department. The thought was that the cost reduction created by utilizing free office-services would allow SO to allocate more funding to students... That much is certain.
The rest of the deal still remains somewhat shrouded. Student Org signed away a lot of its power when it became a department, and has certainly lost any latitude it once had in putting items to vote. Why the officers agreed to this is uncertain, but our guess is that they were newly-placed in their offices and therefore unaware of what, exactly, they were doing. The Administration could not get SO to vote, initially, on becoming a department, and so they pushed for the next best thing: They compromised, allowing the Org to remain independent for one more year, and then forcing them to vote on the topic of Departmentalization after the next round of elections. Was it really a compromise? Or a quick bait-and-snatch trick? We can't tell you--but we'll sure as hell give you our opinion.
This ends the FAQ on our Middle-States Petition... if you have any additional questions, feel free to come to our meetings at 3PM in the Grand Study Hall (3rd Floor Library) on Wednesday afternoons, or email us at takebackkean@gmail.com.
Until next time,
Keep on Signing, Kean University!
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Interested in Learning About Your University?
Have you ever heard of the compliment sandwich? It's when you take criticism and sandwich it nicely between a complement and a jovial approach to fixing the problem. Since Kean took down some of the documents we've linked to in other posts, here's what I'm going to term the Kean Compliment Sandwich Document.
Here's some of the meat—their words, not mine. Let's call it the TBK Top-10:
Here's some of the meat—their words, not mine. Let's call it the TBK Top-10:
1: The allocation of resources is not linked to formal planning and assessment processes
2: Debt per student is $35,645, about 2.8 times the median for A3 rated institutions
3: The University functions without a University-wide assessment plan
4: There are significant problems in the dissemination of information from the administration, President, and Vice Presidents to faculty and staff
5: The administration has usurped the role of the faculty in academic program maintenance
6: Lack in diversity of executive staff
7: No formal written criteria for tenure or promotion and apparently arbitrary processes as a result
8: The Office of Financial Aid does not recognize its role in increasing the graduation rates of students
9: The burdens placed on faculty that impede their professional development have become unsustainable even though increased teaching loads have been met by substantially increasing the adjunct/faculty ratio during the past five years
10: Advisement practices do not provide students the guidance they desire either about degree completion or career development: Too often students unknowingly complete courses out of sequence due to lack of explanation and knowledge
(Read the Report Here)
(Read the Report Here)
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Coming Soon: Kean might be trying to keep Student Org under-the-covers...
Why do we say this? Certainly SO has a prominent face on campus, but reference to it is lacking as far as reports to the Middle States Board of Accreditation are concerned. In fact, the Organization is not mentioned at all in the Self-Study Report that we've been telling you about for the past few months!
We think the reason has something to do with a little known plan to further reduce our student government. SO already lost its independence from the Administration but, if this happens the way it looks like its going to, SO will be little more than a funded group like, say, Crusaders for Christ, or the Asian Culture Club.
We think the school purposefully neglected to mention Student Org so that, once the next step of the transition is complete, it won't stand out as an issue in discussions pertaining to the renewal of Kean's accreditation.
Also, here's some food for thought: A week or so ago we told you that our fees, in total, have increased 148.9%. Well, as it turns out, our Student Activities Fee (the fee that contributes to funding Student Org and, through them, Student Groups) has remained constant at $63.75 since 2001. That means that it is one of the smallest fees we pay each semester. What does that say about how Kean views its Students?
More to come soon...
We think the reason has something to do with a little known plan to further reduce our student government. SO already lost its independence from the Administration but, if this happens the way it looks like its going to, SO will be little more than a funded group like, say, Crusaders for Christ, or the Asian Culture Club.
We think the school purposefully neglected to mention Student Org so that, once the next step of the transition is complete, it won't stand out as an issue in discussions pertaining to the renewal of Kean's accreditation.
Also, here's some food for thought: A week or so ago we told you that our fees, in total, have increased 148.9%. Well, as it turns out, our Student Activities Fee (the fee that contributes to funding Student Org and, through them, Student Groups) has remained constant at $63.75 since 2001. That means that it is one of the smallest fees we pay each semester. What does that say about how Kean views its Students?
More to come soon...
Historic Summit Brings Together Student Leaders From Nine Public Universities; New Organization Formed to Represent New Jersey College Students
New Brunswick, NJ – On Feb 5 at the Rutgers University campus, student leaders from nine of New Jersey’s public universities met and formed New Jersey United Students (NJUS). The new organization developed a mission statement and a vision for addressing funding cuts and tuition hikes in the public university system.
The NJUS mission statement reads, “We the students of NJ higher education institutions gather to form NJUS with the purpose of advocating, representing and educating all past, present, and future students of New Jersey colleges and universities.”
NJUS will work to promote the importance of higher education among all populations in the state and avert further decreases in public funding that will be detrimental to future generations.
“The state of higher education is in crisis right now. With more state money being allocated to incarceration than education, many opportunities for the State of New Jersey are being lost,” said John Aspray, a Rutgers University student who helped bring the coalition together.
Members also launched a campaign to promote awareness among school administrators, students, and legislators leading up to a statewide Day of Action on April 13 at universities across the state. The Day of Action will demonstrate to elected officials that students are not apathetic towards decreases in higher education funding and that they desire and deserve a stronger voice in Trenton.
In preparation for the April 13 Day of Action, NJUS will work to foster solidarity amongst student populations on the issue of higher education funding. Students will get involved directly by attending and testifying at the New Jersey state budget hearings in March.
Representatives from New Jersey City University, Ramapo College, Rowan University, Rutgers-New Brunswick, Rutgers-Newark, The College of New Jersey, William Paterson University, Kean University, and the New Jersey Institute of Technology were on hand for the formation of the coalition. NJUS intends to include the state’s other public universities in the immediate future.
(Courtesy of NJUS)
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Ticked off by Time Sheets: The Star Ledger takes interest in Kean
Hey everybody,
Check out this article that the Star Ledger ran this past Sunday: Ticked off by Time Sheets.
Also, information is available here: NJ Newsroom, Inside Higher Education, The Chronicle
It's about the new rule the Administration has imposed upon professors—they must now fill out a time sheet to track the hours that they work each week. Having talked to professors about the new rule, I can tell you that, as a whole, they feel demeaned by it.
Professors work incredibly hard to prepare us for the real world, whether we plan to enter it as teachers, scientists, mathematicians, journalists, or what-have-you. Their goal is to share with us the enormous amount of experience and knowledge they have accrued from their time spent in the field and as it turns out, most of them put in more than 50 hours each week. A good teacher does not leave his work in the classroom—rather, it follows him around wherever he goes. Preparing for class, writing up assignments and exams, examining texts, and grading students' work are all tasks that get done off the books, so to speak.
If the University thinks our instructors are not putting in enough time, then it is not just an insult to them, but also to us as students: it means that they believe we are not getting the education that we deserve. Furthermore, that the school has decided to require teachers to fill timesheets rather than judge performance based on how we feel about our instructors (remember those surveys we fill out every semester before finals week?), is an insult to our intelligence.
We are the consumer, and we should make the judgement. I know that my teachers, regardless of whether they put in 80 hours a week or 25, are educating me well. How do you feel about yours?
If you have any thoughts or comments, email the author, Kelly Heyboer, at kheyboer@starledger.com.
Check out this article that the Star Ledger ran this past Sunday: Ticked off by Time Sheets.
Also, information is available here: NJ Newsroom, Inside Higher Education, The Chronicle
It's about the new rule the Administration has imposed upon professors—they must now fill out a time sheet to track the hours that they work each week. Having talked to professors about the new rule, I can tell you that, as a whole, they feel demeaned by it.
Professors work incredibly hard to prepare us for the real world, whether we plan to enter it as teachers, scientists, mathematicians, journalists, or what-have-you. Their goal is to share with us the enormous amount of experience and knowledge they have accrued from their time spent in the field and as it turns out, most of them put in more than 50 hours each week. A good teacher does not leave his work in the classroom—rather, it follows him around wherever he goes. Preparing for class, writing up assignments and exams, examining texts, and grading students' work are all tasks that get done off the books, so to speak.
If the University thinks our instructors are not putting in enough time, then it is not just an insult to them, but also to us as students: it means that they believe we are not getting the education that we deserve. Furthermore, that the school has decided to require teachers to fill timesheets rather than judge performance based on how we feel about our instructors (remember those surveys we fill out every semester before finals week?), is an insult to our intelligence.
We are the consumer, and we should make the judgement. I know that my teachers, regardless of whether they put in 80 hours a week or 25, are educating me well. How do you feel about yours?
If you have any thoughts or comments, email the author, Kelly Heyboer, at kheyboer@starledger.com.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Student Non-Tuition Fees Increase 148% since Fall 2001!
We've brought up before the fact that Kean adds on fees like Capital Debt Service and Maintenance to our tuition bill, and that they often pay for things that we, as students, don't feel acutely responsible for. We did not cause the school to overspend by millions each year we've attended, and the debt seems disproportionate—at least to the TBK crew—to the amount of improvements we've seen on campus. Sure, we've got the STEM building and the Library addition, but what about the renovations to Hutchinson? Is there really a need for it? Will it be worth what we're paying? The faculty who are being displaced by the overhaul don't think their offices need improvement, and no one I've come across so far thinks the classrooms need more than whiteboards and Credenzas.
In other news, Kean has recently decided to privatize maintenance services. This means that they'll be turning to private contractors rather than posting bids in an open market, and we think it's an interesting coincidence that this is happening at the start of a new round of unnecessary renovation. The idea is that this switch-over will reduce costs for Kean, but the rumor is circulating that someone higher-up is getting kick-backs. Granted, these are just rumors—but we're good at doing research, and we'll get back to you if we find anything.
Last but not least: Here's what we got your attention with in the beginning of this post, and what becomes most relevant now: The way the University pays for all this renovation (aside from, of course, racking up debt):
In-State Undergraduates
total cost increase since 2001: 91.67%
total tuition increase since 2001: 70.96%
total fee increase since 2001: 148.9%
In other news, Kean has recently decided to privatize maintenance services. This means that they'll be turning to private contractors rather than posting bids in an open market, and we think it's an interesting coincidence that this is happening at the start of a new round of unnecessary renovation. The idea is that this switch-over will reduce costs for Kean, but the rumor is circulating that someone higher-up is getting kick-backs. Granted, these are just rumors—but we're good at doing research, and we'll get back to you if we find anything.
Last but not least: Here's what we got your attention with in the beginning of this post, and what becomes most relevant now: The way the University pays for all this renovation (aside from, of course, racking up debt):
In-State Undergraduates
total cost increase since 2001: 91.67%
total tuition increase since 2001: 70.96%
total fee increase since 2001: 148.9%
Out-Of-State Undergraduates
total cost increase since 2001: 118.8%
total tuition increase since 2001: 111.6%
total fee increase since 2001: 148.9%
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
This is just funny:
Have you ever seen President Farahi's Rate My Professor page? It explains why he had such difficulty getting tenure.
Monday, February 7, 2011
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
We didn't believe this when we saw it!
Kean has placed the Middle States Accreditation Reports up in plain view on the Kean website! Disclosure of this document is a huge step towards informing the student body of the current situation... Of course, someone still has to tell all of you that it's available—and that someone is us.
Remember—Middle States is the organization that gives Kean 'license to teach' so to speak. If Middle States Accreditation is lost, all of us are out on our rear ends in the snow.
Everybody should check this out... it's your future after all:
Middle States Self-Study Report: This is a report written by Kean Administrators concerning the University's battle to retain accreditation. We've done an article or so about it, and now you can read it too--honestly, you will be very surprised by some of the things written in there.
Middle-States Periodic Review: This is an overview of the major changes that have taken place at Kean in the last ten years—the last two sections, IV (Summary of Major Changes and Developments) and V (Planned Initiatives), are of the greatest interest.
Remember—Middle States is the organization that gives Kean 'license to teach' so to speak. If Middle States Accreditation is lost, all of us are out on our rear ends in the snow.
Everybody should check this out... it's your future after all:
Middle States Self-Study Report: This is a report written by Kean Administrators concerning the University's battle to retain accreditation. We've done an article or so about it, and now you can read it too--honestly, you will be very surprised by some of the things written in there.
Middle-States Periodic Review: This is an overview of the major changes that have taken place at Kean in the last ten years—the last two sections, IV (Summary of Major Changes and Developments) and V (Planned Initiatives), are of the greatest interest.
Some People Have Asked Us What The Purpose Of This Blog Is...
Here's a story that might help explain just that:
Two years ago, a student (let's call him David, because he has asked to remain anonymous) transferred to Kean with the intention of majoring in Social Work. He made the switch from Raritan Valley Community College to Kean in 2008 after recieving his Associates Degree in Human Services, primarily because Kean offered him an affordable and well-regarded program.
David could have moved on to Rutgers, or a variety of other State Schools that offered better student-to-faculty ratios and a better overall reputation, but instead chose Kean because he wanted to help people. Social Work is, after all, a degree centered around helping those who are less fortunate, those who fight the uphill battle towards financial security in hopes of realizing that elusive American Dream.
Where else, other than Kean University, would a New Jersey resident go for a Social Work Degree? Ramapo College, Monmouth College, Centenary College, Seton Hall, and Richard Stockton College all offer the BSW Degree, but none of them has Kean's incredible diversity. Furthermore, part of Kean's mission is to provide Education to those who are backed up against economic barriers. So where else, really, should a student who plans to make his living by helping those who face such economic barriers go? In Dave's opinion, nowhere.
Unfortunately, once Dave was accepted to Kean and attended the transfer-student registration session, he was told by his faculty advisor to avoid pursuing the BSW because the department was in shambles and on its way out.
Because he already had one foot in the door, Dave did build a schedule that day and has continued at Kean as a Sociology Major. He still intends to help people, and may eventually find his way into a Social Work position once he graduates, but the tools he had hoped would help him achieve his goals vanished out from under him.
What surprises me the most about the whole situation is this: Why would a school, especially one that focuses so predominantly on helping those in need, abandon a well-regarded Major designed to breed undergrads who would do just that? Moreover, why would a school that plans on eliminating a field of study in such a way plan to do so without informing incoming and transfer students who expect to earn degrees?
The answer, at least in part, resides in the Middle States Report: Two words, 'Fiscal,' and 'Crisis.'
Two years ago, a student (let's call him David, because he has asked to remain anonymous) transferred to Kean with the intention of majoring in Social Work. He made the switch from Raritan Valley Community College to Kean in 2008 after recieving his Associates Degree in Human Services, primarily because Kean offered him an affordable and well-regarded program.
David could have moved on to Rutgers, or a variety of other State Schools that offered better student-to-faculty ratios and a better overall reputation, but instead chose Kean because he wanted to help people. Social Work is, after all, a degree centered around helping those who are less fortunate, those who fight the uphill battle towards financial security in hopes of realizing that elusive American Dream.
Where else, other than Kean University, would a New Jersey resident go for a Social Work Degree? Ramapo College, Monmouth College, Centenary College, Seton Hall, and Richard Stockton College all offer the BSW Degree, but none of them has Kean's incredible diversity. Furthermore, part of Kean's mission is to provide Education to those who are backed up against economic barriers. So where else, really, should a student who plans to make his living by helping those who face such economic barriers go? In Dave's opinion, nowhere.
Unfortunately, once Dave was accepted to Kean and attended the transfer-student registration session, he was told by his faculty advisor to avoid pursuing the BSW because the department was in shambles and on its way out.
Because he already had one foot in the door, Dave did build a schedule that day and has continued at Kean as a Sociology Major. He still intends to help people, and may eventually find his way into a Social Work position once he graduates, but the tools he had hoped would help him achieve his goals vanished out from under him.
What surprises me the most about the whole situation is this: Why would a school, especially one that focuses so predominantly on helping those in need, abandon a well-regarded Major designed to breed undergrads who would do just that? Moreover, why would a school that plans on eliminating a field of study in such a way plan to do so without informing incoming and transfer students who expect to earn degrees?
The answer, at least in part, resides in the Middle States Report: Two words, 'Fiscal,' and 'Crisis.'
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
State of the Union Event...
(This Post has been Removed Temporarily)
Hey, everybody—It is necessary to inform you that a mistake was made in the attribution of this article. It appeared as though we reported that Dare Thompson said Dr. Farahi controls Student Org, and this MUST be clarified.
Dare did not, in fact, say that. He told us that Student Org faces friction as a department at Kean, and that it is more difficult for the Org to operate now than three years ago before the change-over took place—but he never explained the nature of this added difficulty. Considering that Dr. Farahi is the highest-ranking Administrator at Kean University, and that Dare admits to new problems with SO since becoming a department within the administration, you may understand how this mistake occurred.
I also would like to stress that, in writing that article, I did not intend to make it appear that Dare did make a comment about Dr. Farahi: In all seriousness, if I was in possession of such a quote, it would be printed in the largest font that Blogger allows, bold, italicized, and—of course—in quotations. This information was my analysis of the situation, an attempt to 'connect the dots,' if you will.
That having been said, I would like to remind you all that Dare is a "Solution-based President," and that he is "For the students." He says that he is not afraid of the Administration and that he does not care about the them because the students are his priority.
So, to Dare as well as the rest of the Kean Student Body—
Please accept our apology. This article will be reposted shortly with the appropriate changes made to it.
Hey, everybody—It is necessary to inform you that a mistake was made in the attribution of this article. It appeared as though we reported that Dare Thompson said Dr. Farahi controls Student Org, and this MUST be clarified.
Dare did not, in fact, say that. He told us that Student Org faces friction as a department at Kean, and that it is more difficult for the Org to operate now than three years ago before the change-over took place—but he never explained the nature of this added difficulty. Considering that Dr. Farahi is the highest-ranking Administrator at Kean University, and that Dare admits to new problems with SO since becoming a department within the administration, you may understand how this mistake occurred.
I also would like to stress that, in writing that article, I did not intend to make it appear that Dare did make a comment about Dr. Farahi: In all seriousness, if I was in possession of such a quote, it would be printed in the largest font that Blogger allows, bold, italicized, and—of course—in quotations. This information was my analysis of the situation, an attempt to 'connect the dots,' if you will.
That having been said, I would like to remind you all that Dare is a "Solution-based President," and that he is "For the students." He says that he is not afraid of the Administration and that he does not care about the them because the students are his priority.
So, to Dare as well as the rest of the Kean Student Body—
Please accept our apology. This article will be reposted shortly with the appropriate changes made to it.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
URGENT ANNOUNCEMENT:
Senator Lesniak will be at Kean this evening for the screening of the President's State of the Union address! Even better, he'll be taking part in a Q&A!
Let's not waste this opportunity to ask some really interesting questions—the least it'll do is make him sweat.
Let's not waste this opportunity to ask some really interesting questions—the least it'll do is make him sweat.
State of the Union Address Viewing Party
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Doors open at 7 p.m. - University Center Game Room
On Tuesday, January 25, 2011, all Kean University students are invited to the University Center Game Room for a State of the Union Address Viewing Party hosted by New Jersey State Senator Raymond Lesniak, Assemblyman Joseph Cryan and Assemblywoman Annette Quijano.
For more information, please contact the University Center Information Desk at 908-737-5222.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Welcome Back, Ladies and Gentlemen!
Welcome back, everybody, to the Spring 2011 semester at Kean University.
We hope that you all had an enjoyable break from frantic, late-night paper-writing and exam-cramming: We certainly did.
What we did not take a break from, however, is our pursuit to enhance the students' voice here at Kean—and we are proud to unveil the next bend in the path that TBK has been cutting through the bureaucratic brush that has overgrown our campus. That's right: now that we've gotten your attention (Over 1700 page views in the last two months of the fall semester, and plenty of emails, comments and questions), we aim to put it to good use.
Being college students in New Jersey, I know you are all familiar with Rutgers University in New Brunswick. What you may not know is that over the last couple years, Rutgers students have gone viral in an attempt to influence administrative decisions. They founded a group called the Rutgers Student Union to both unify their massive student body and project a solid, unwavering, message of their dissatisfaction with the way their school functioned.
Once the Student Union was well-grounded, it became a breeding ground for Student Government candidates. After the most-recent elections, Student Union members control the entire Student Government at Rutgers, and the Union has become an honest-to-god forum for the student body to interact with that government. It is a step in the direction of the very first democracies, much like the Athenian City-State in Ancient Greece, where everyone has a voice and everyone is heard (or, at least, read on the internet).
Check out their Facebook Page: (Rutgers Student Union | Facebook)
If something like this could work at the largest state-school in NJ, why not here at Kean?
Remember, everybody, we're not crazy or maniacal, or even vengeful. We're students, just like you, who are shoveling our way through the snow towards graduation one class at a time. All we want is a chance to speak up and, just maybe, make a difference.
We hope that you all had an enjoyable break from frantic, late-night paper-writing and exam-cramming: We certainly did.
What we did not take a break from, however, is our pursuit to enhance the students' voice here at Kean—and we are proud to unveil the next bend in the path that TBK has been cutting through the bureaucratic brush that has overgrown our campus. That's right: now that we've gotten your attention (Over 1700 page views in the last two months of the fall semester, and plenty of emails, comments and questions), we aim to put it to good use.
Being college students in New Jersey, I know you are all familiar with Rutgers University in New Brunswick. What you may not know is that over the last couple years, Rutgers students have gone viral in an attempt to influence administrative decisions. They founded a group called the Rutgers Student Union to both unify their massive student body and project a solid, unwavering, message of their dissatisfaction with the way their school functioned.
Once the Student Union was well-grounded, it became a breeding ground for Student Government candidates. After the most-recent elections, Student Union members control the entire Student Government at Rutgers, and the Union has become an honest-to-god forum for the student body to interact with that government. It is a step in the direction of the very first democracies, much like the Athenian City-State in Ancient Greece, where everyone has a voice and everyone is heard (or, at least, read on the internet).
Check out their Facebook Page: (Rutgers Student Union | Facebook)
If something like this could work at the largest state-school in NJ, why not here at Kean?
Therefore, we would like to introduce you to the Kean University Student Union:
Remember, everybody, we're not crazy or maniacal, or even vengeful. We're students, just like you, who are shoveling our way through the snow towards graduation one class at a time. All we want is a chance to speak up and, just maybe, make a difference.
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