A Frank Update from the President’s Desk

As I wrote in my previous “Frank Talk”column, the college administration has been preparing several critical searches, about which the elected faculty leadership—the Academic Senate Executive Committee, the Academic Department Chairs, and the NCCFT—expressed serious concerns. I am happy to report that our discussions with the administration have successfully addressed those concerns with respect to the composition of the search committees for Director of the Educational Opportunities Program (EOP), Dean of Health Sciences, AVP ofInstitutional Effectiveness and Strategic Planning(OIESP), AVP of Distance Education and, of course, President of Nassau Community College. These search committees will include a broad spectrum of Administrators, Faculty and Staff representing their various constituencies on campus. As a result, a necessary and appropriate variety of individuals will be helping to ensure that the administrators hired to direct the future of Nassau Community College will be the ones best suited for the job. I wish these committees the very best, and I am confident everyone will serve with the best interest of the College in mind.

Furthermore, Prof. Anissa Moore, Prof. Noreen Lowey and myself have agreed to serve with the administration as the steering committee for a college-wide colloquium, to be scheduled in the Fall 2018 semester, which will focus on the future direction of Nassau Community College with respect to recruitment and retention. As a result of our discussions with the administration, Dr. Keen gave an overview of these plans at the General Faculty meeting on April 5^th. The outline is available on the President’s Desk in your portal.  Please contact anyone on the steering committee if you have any suggestions for this event.

We have received an overwhelming response in our recommitment card drive from the membership. However, we still have not received all the cards back and will be reviewing this with the NCCFT Executive Board next week. You will be receiving in your mailboxes this week a copy of Dr. Phil Nicholson’s “Reflections of a Golden Anniversary,” which he wrote in honor of our union’s 50^thanniversary. Dr. Nicholson will be speaking about this at our NCCFT General Union meeting on May 1, 2018 in the CCB Multi-Purpose Room. The agenda for that day also includes a presentation on the Janus case by Prof. Richard Newman. Please look for an exhaustive review of the organizations behind the anti-union movement and the kind of united response we will need to fend off their efforts to destroy us.  I hope to see you there.