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OPENING DAY PROGRAM
Address by Richard J. Gigliotti, Dean

Good afternoon.

Welcome back to the veterans and welcome aboard to our new faculty and staff.

I hope your summer was productive, enjoyable, and reinvigorating.

Among the many challenges we faced last year as a community, there was one that we all found exhilarating: that of hiring new faculty and staff.

Bringing new members into our community is not simply a pragmatic act for meeting the demands of students; hiring new faculty and staff has much symbolic value.

It positively reflects the good work that have all done over the years to warrant hiring new colleagues.

….And it signals the confidence of the community in the growth potential of our departments, programs, and colleges.

If this year's group of new faculty is any indication, our future is indeed bright.

And the many people who served so diligently and effectively on the various search committees must be commended for their major contribution to the future of Montclair State University.

This past year we were authorized for 21 searches, of which 17 were successfully concluded.

When you meet our new colleagues at today's reception, or at future activities, I am sure you will quickly come to share my pleasure at having each of them with us.

At this point I will call upon the department chairs to introduce their new faculty and tell us a little about the person's background and specialty areas.

Saundra Collins - Psychology

- Yoav Arieh
- Deborah Ragin
- Valerie Sessa
- Selcuk Sirin

Jack Zahner - Spanish and Italian

- Andrea Dini

Timothy Renner- Classics and general Humanities

- Senta German

Larry Schwartz - English

- Jonathan Greenberg
- Patricia Matthew
- Wendy Nielsen
- Tanya Pollard
- Jess Row

Leslie Wilson - History

- Dawn Hayes
- Julia Landweber

Michael Kogan - Philosophy and Religion

- Yasir Ibrahim

Luis Montesinos - Anthropology

- Neeraj Vedwan

Jay Livingston - Sociology

- Yong Wang

And Greg Waters has rejoined the English department faculty.

New key professional staff people in our college:

Claire Taub to introduce Heidi Fuld

William Rosa to introduce Tina Bollettieri

Saundra Collins to introduce Minnie Parker and Nadia Foster

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VISITING SCHOLARS

Dr. Jae-In Kim is a senior research fellow in the Education Research department at the Korean Women's Development Institute in Seoul, Korea. Dr. Kim is an independent scholar sponsored by Global Education. She will team teach a course with Sally McWilliams, and conduct research for a comparative study.

Dr. Hyun Wook Jung is a professor of Sociology and Urban Studies at Wongkwang University in Iksan, South Korea. Dr. Jung is a Global Ed Scholar jointly sponsored by the CHSS. This semester he is teaching in Sociology, a graduate program on evaluation and another class. Next semester he will teach a course on Korean Society. Encourage your students to attend.

Both Dr. Kim and Dr. Jung have an office in Sociology. Please welcome them.

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REFLECTIONS:

The last academic year was a challenging one for us all as we struggled to find ways to sensibly meet two significant budget cuts in the CHSS... first for $850,000 and then for $1,450,000.

In addition, we faced the increasingly severe space shortage situation in Dickson, a challenge that will continue to worsen until the new building is complete.

No one could be happy with what we had to go through... least of all me. But we survived, and I believe that what doesn't kill us makes us stronger and wiser.

The academy has had cycles of good years and bad years, each of which we have survived. And each of which we will survive again.

Focusing on the positive events of last years:

1. 790 BA graduates (499 women and 291 men)

2. 237 MA graduates (208 women and 29 men)

3. Among our 1027 graduates is evidence of the commitment our faculty has for addressing access and opportunity issues. We had 99 African-American graduates (9.6%) and 126 Hispanic graduates (12.3%).

4. We generated 112,150 SSHs during the Fall and Spring semesters, an increase of 8.5% over the previous year. In the process, we significantly increased our instructional efficiency as a college.

5. We held our first ever convocations.

6. We increased our grant and contract applications as well as rewards.

7. Our scholarly output continued at its usual high pace... setting the lead for the university.

8. Linda Levine (Spanish) received the university's Distinguished Teacher award.

9. Six faculty received indefinite tenure

10. 10 of our most accomplished professors received a range adjustment.

11. There were eight promotions under the new system, two to Professor (Linett and Montesinos) and six to Associate professor. There eight are 3 to 4 more than we received under the allocation system.

12. Many faculty received significant recognition from professional and community groups, including three who received Fulbright awards.

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POSITIVE INITIATIVES ALREADY IN PLACE FOR THIS COMING YEAR:

The new year has barely begun, and we already have some exciting news:

1. Mary English has been named editor of Classical Outlook, the largest circulating Classics journal in the U.S., and the journal office and operations have been moved from the University of Georgia to Montclair State University.

2. Last spring, a preliminary announcement was made about the fact that a large endowment was received by MSU to establish a new institute. In fact, I am pleased to announce the establishment of The Joseph and Elda Coccia Institute for the Italian Experience in America... to be housed in our college.

This interdisciplinary institute is backed by the largest endowment ever received at Montclair State University.

The Coccia Institute will support a variety of teaching, research, and outreach initiatives focused on the interplay between the people, cultures, and societies of America and Italy. The focus will not be time bound, and will allow for historical, contemporary, and futuristic analysis.

Though housed in the CHSS, it is our expectation that the good work of the institute will involve all segments of the university.

We are presently searching for a director of the institute.

The dedication will be held on Wednesday, October 8, and a press release will be issued today.

3. On a related note, our $1.25 million partnership campaign with Unico National to establish an endowed chair in Italian or Italian-American Studies at MSU is in its second year. Despite the unsupportive economy, we have already raised over $350,000 in cash and pledges. We are doing background work to secure a signature donor, one whose contribution is so significant that the chair will be named after her/him. Your support with potential leads is greatly appreciated.

4. Work on our newly revamped Translation Lab is done, and I hope you were able to attend the open house this morning. A beautiful and functional facility. Michael Heller also informs me of his desire to ass another key service to that room, that of a video conferencing center that all of us can use for a variety of professional purposes.

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OBJECTIVES FOR THE NEW YEAR

1. Obviously, continued dedicated quality instruction.

2. Curriculum review and curriculum development. Many departments engaged in the process last year and will continue it this year. This is a critical objective if we are to remain viable and competitive.

3. Improved understanding of the transition we are making from a comprehensive institution to a research intensive school. This includes, among other things:

- Development of degree programs
- Changing expectations of faculty and administrative staff, and
- Financial dimensions

4. Completion of our wireless program in Dickson. Most faculty now have laptops with a wireless card. When the work is complete, you will be able to access the Internet from any location in Dickson, including all classrooms. This, coupled with the new data projectors we have purchased, will provide greater diversity for classroom pedagogy.

5. Improving our already good technology services by firing another full time staff person to complement Elisabeth Mayfield. This position will be largely created and paid for by consolidating dollars we have been spending to hire part time student assistants.

6. Another major objective is to begin preparing for our Middle State review in Spring of 2007. We have to have our self study document by the end of calendar year 2006, two years from now. This review includes developing measures of learning outcomes, as well as evidence of curriculum review, renewal and development.

7. We have to continue addressing our space challenges until the new building is complete. A major help was the construction of 10 office modules in 281, the old computer lab. These modules house many, thought not all of our adjuncts, thereby freeing up offices for our incoming new faculty. Please take a moment to check out this new facility. It is very nice, with each module having its own telephone, computer, and ample drawers and cabinets.

8. A most important objective for this coming year, one that will engage many departments and faculty, is to successfully complete each of our 16 authorized searches with top quality faculty.

We have received permission to search for two sociologists, three psychologists, a social philosopher, two historians, a Russian scholar, 3 English professors, one speech pathologist, one classicist, an anthropology department chair, and a person from either legal Studies or Sociology who will support our newly proposed MA in Child Advocacy.

Of these 16 lines, five are newly created lines, additions to our college faculty to address growing demand.

In all, CHSS will be searching for 33 %of all new faculty hires, and 43 % of all new faculty. A strong demonstration of support from President Cole and Provost Lynde.

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So.... We enter yet another year engaged in this noble and important profession.

There are many people in the real world who would love the opportunity that we have to work in an occupation that can truly make a difference.

Embrace this challenge and despite the many pressures, don't compromise your standards and those of your profession.

I wish you a happy, successful, and productive year. Let's work together to maximize those objectives.

Thank you.

Montclair State University
Montclair, New Jersey, USA 07043