Dear Colleagues,
Whether or not you have declined or volunteered to participate on a campus transition committee, the proposed consolidation of the two campuses by September, 2020 will be the main focus of the academic year. The enormous risks involved demand that all voices be heard on a plan that will cost millions and shape the future of not only Westminster Choir College but of Rider University.
Unfortunately, a decision that will so profoundly affect every member of our community was made without any input from that broad community. In fact, committees are not being asked to discuss if or when the consolidation will occur, or even which spaces will be utilized. All of that has been already decided.
Nor has the community—including the working groups—been provided with the information needed to participate in a rational conversation on this issue. As the voice of the faculty, the AAUP’s repeated requests for information have so far been rebuffed by the administration. We will continue to demand that this process be carried out in a truly open and transparent way without the outcome being predetermined by the president.
In the meantime, we will use our resources to provide information to the community as a whole. In furtherance of that goal we have gathered information on the physical spaces and equipment that is necessary in order to deliver the Westminster curriculum and have put that information into the attached report. We urge everyone to carefully consider this information so that we may all participate in an informed conversation about the proposed plan to move the faculty, students, and curriculum of Westminster Choir College to the Lawrenceville campus by September 1, 2020.
AAUP Westminster Choir College Advocacy Team
9/2/19
Whether or not you have declined or volunteered to participate on a campus transition committee, the proposed consolidation of the two campuses by September, 2020 will be the main focus of the academic year. The enormous risks involved demand that all voices be heard on a plan that will cost millions and shape the future of not only Westminster Choir College but of Rider University.
Unfortunately, a decision that will so profoundly affect every member of our community was made without any input from that broad community. In fact, committees are not being asked to discuss if or when the consolidation will occur, or even which spaces will be utilized. All of that has been already decided.
Nor has the community—including the working groups—been provided with the information needed to participate in a rational conversation on this issue. As the voice of the faculty, the AAUP’s repeated requests for information have so far been rebuffed by the administration. We will continue to demand that this process be carried out in a truly open and transparent way without the outcome being predetermined by the president.
In the meantime, we will use our resources to provide information to the community as a whole. In furtherance of that goal we have gathered information on the physical spaces and equipment that is necessary in order to deliver the Westminster curriculum and have put that information into the attached report. We urge everyone to carefully consider this information so that we may all participate in an informed conversation about the proposed plan to move the faculty, students, and curriculum of Westminster Choir College to the Lawrenceville campus by September 1, 2020.
AAUP Westminster Choir College Advocacy Team
9/2/19
| wcc_teaching_spaces.pdf |