Online at: www.bergen.edu/thetorch December 2007MySpace: www.myspace.com/bcctorchnewspaper Vol. XII Issue 9 Changes Ahead for Remedial Math MTV’s Real World Cast BY AMANDA FERRANTE Developmental education is in suggests that one of the factors existence to serve diverse popula- affecting our graduation rate is EDITOR-IN-CHIEF tions with diverse needs like those developmental math,” he said. Members Visit Bergen Regular program evaluation, at Bergen Community College. The pass rate has declined over combined with a disappointing BCC prides itself as the leading time; in 2002 it was at 58 percent, pass rate and other statistics, has community college in the state, and it has been steadily decreasing prompted the college administra- but the BCC Student Information since then (see chart). tion to make some changes in System reports a 48 percent pass The most visible change will be Developmental Math Courses, rate in remedial math, which does reduced class sizes. Beginning in beginning next semester. not coincide with the visions of the fall 2008 semester, Academic Vice President Dr. the administration for academic Developmental Math classes will Gary Porter said there will be success, said Dr. Porter. be limited to the mid 20s. changes in testing and also in class In addition, passing “We believe that class size is one of size, and it’s all about students’ Developmental Math may be con- a number of strategies that needs to academic triumph. tributing to the college’s 11 be put in place to increase the pass “Creating success for students in percent graduation rate. rate for students,” Dr. Porter said. this area is one of my top priorities,” “When I see a neighboring Another change can be seen in Dr. Porter said. “There’s nothing community college with a higher the spring ’08 course catalog that more important than this.” pass rate in math, and with a higher graduation rate than we have, it See Dev. Math . page 6 Remedial Success Rates FY2002 FY2003 FY2004 FY2005 FY2006 Number %Pass Number %Pass Number %Pass Number %Pass Number %Pass STAFF PHOTO/AMANDA FERRANTE Remedial English 5,552 69.1% 6,335 69.6% 6,746 67.9% 6,709 67.7% 6,850 66.1% Ruthie Alcaide (left) and Danny Roberts speak in honor of Remedial Math 6,134 58.2% 6,389 57.6% 7,098 50.7% 7,172 49.9% 6,999 48.7% Source: IE&R BCC Student Information System GLBT Week (see story page 3) Faculty Buyout Means Goodbye to Profs Meditation Room Still Not BY JILL BARTLETT administration as a way to keep even though their accumulated Permanent but Remains Open tuition costs at bay, especially since sick time is worth $75,000. MANAGING EDITOR New Jersey is facing a huge budget Enter the buyout’s mathematics. BY JILL BARTLETT Noting this a member of the Full-time faculty members who crisis. If a faculty member earning Turkish Club brought up the idea of have been with the college for more He added that the program is an $100,000 a year with no accrued MANAGING EDITOR petitioning students for a prayer economic benefit to both the sick time enters the program, he than 10 years as of Jan. 1, 2008 After several requests from Bergen room. to Lena Bakir, the Turkish college and the faculty, as they are would walk out with a total of 60 have an important decision to Community College's Muslim Club's advisor and tutoring center make between now and Feb. 1, able to derive more monetary percent of his annual salary, or Student Association, a "meditation staff member. They informed the 2008: Should I stay, or should I go? value from their unused sick time. $60,000. room" is temporarily available to all students that they would support Bergen Community College is in “Instead of being passive, we can Under the same agreement, if the members of the college community. the petition if it was presented as an the process of offering a “buyout,” appeal to the economic self-inter- faculty member earns $100,000 a The room, located L-230 has “interfaith”, or “meditation”, room. which would offer a one-time, est of faculty,” Dr. Redmond said. year and has accumulated 150 sick windows facing both East and This way, students and faculty of all faiths and spiritual backgrounds lump sum payment to longtime The buyout centers on sick pay. days he would be permitted to an South, allowing anyone who uses it Over the course of many years, it is amount equal to the accumulated for Islamic prayer to face Mecca in could make use of the room. faculty who agree to retire at the The students collected over 250 end of the 2007-08 school year. possible that a professor could sick leave for up to 75 percent of the East. accumulate many unused sick days their base salary ($75,000), plus It is a modest room, containing a signatures in support of the room. Though neither the college Bakir and Haedo then presented administration nor the Bergen because the nature of the job is one the maximum amount of sick pay desk, a chair, an old cabinet, and where attendance in class is an ($17,500), for a total of $92,500. plenty of peace and quiet, but Executive Vice President Dr. Community College Faculty Michael D. Redmond with the peti- Association, the union that “If a faculty member finds this apparently, it was quite a while in coming. tion. Dr. Redmond was supportive represents the faculty, disclosed exact 20 to 22 faculty members acceptable, then I believe [he] and asked Ms. Haedo to investigate dollar amounts, the college is said to should take it, and if [he doesn’t] Student members of the Muslim Club who devoutly observe Islam what was done at other schools. have about $2 million earmarked for have expressed an interest find it acceptable, [he] should not practices sought clean spaces to “Many four year schools had an the program that could conceivably take it. In the end, it is not a interfaith room but also had a obligation to students, said Tobyn collective decision.” Professor Peter pray. They realized the need for a cover some 25 professors. room for the specific purpose chaplain on campus. Jersey City Typically, the idea behind a DeMarco, Professor of Arts and Martin of the Health and Wellness [State] College had an interfaith Humanities and Secretary of the department said of the issue. around two years ago when Dr. buyout is to eliminate costly, long- Judith Winn was Bergen’s president. room and they had also hired a chap- BCCFA. When an employee Although a subcommittee of the time employees who have higher The Muslim student population lain even though they are a state col- salaries than newcomers. The accumulates so many sick days and Board of Trustees approved the currently accounts for about two lege,” Ms. Haedo wrote in the email. downside is the loss of seasoned decides to retire, the question program, it still needs approval percent of the general population. “Many of the two-year schools employees. becomes, as DeMarco put it, from the State of New Jersey The Muslim Student Association [researched] offered rooms [which Michael D. Redmond, executive “What is the just thing to do?” Division of Pensions and Benefits itself has about 20 active members, were] very informal. One school vice president of the college, said The BCCFA’s current contract before it can be formally offered to according to Christine Haedo, the even partitioned off a corridor to the buyout is what “colleges do rou- with the college provides retirement faculty. About 20 to 22 faculty club’s advisor. allow the Muslim students to pray.” After presenting their findings, tinely for many factors… including for the employee either if they are members have expressed an interest Originally, the club was given half the club heard nothing more about cost control.” The last time the over 58 years of age with 10 years of in the buyout, Dr. Redmond said. a club room in the student center. continuous service or if they have Schepisi and McLaughlin, P.A. Ms. Haedo divided the room with their request for some time. The college offered a buyout to faculty two advisors were first promised a was eight years ago. accumulated at least 15 years of the college’s attorney, is still in the a curtain so that Muslim students continuous service overall. They are process of drafting a formal letter could have some privacy. During room in West Hall that was still Dr. Redmond referred to the under construction at the time. entitled to leave with half of their of retirement for those who decide the semesters that followed, the term “breakage,” which is the Then, they were told that Dr. Winn monetary savings on salary that available sick time at the daily rate to submit written notification of club’s numbers fell and their half of the room was given to another alluded to a permanent room as a the college will derive from the of 0.005 percent of their salary. their intention to take part in the part of the renovations to take place buyout and plow back into hiring. This number, caps off at $17,500. program. organization. Devout students were told to ask Public Safety to open up in the student center. no that Dr. “We would like to hire more full- For example, an employee earn- “It is a hard decision to make,” Winn is gone, plans of a permanent ing $100,000 a year with 150 Redmond stated, “If you have empty rooms.