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Dear Colleagues,
I look forward to seeing all of you today at the College meeting. President Koppell will be our guest.
Last Monday, several students gathered in front of Dickson Hall to express their concerns about the future of CHSS. President Koppell shared two of the speeches delivered that day with me. He asked that we study their concerns and address them.
I was deeply moved by the students’ passion, eloquence, and care for their faculty and college. In my written response to them, I highlighted three points:
- We are in full agreement about the critical importance of the humanities and social sciences. The students articulated beautifully the essential role these disciplines play in our society.
- This is an ongoing, collaborative process. The broad outlines are defined, but many decisions remain open and will be taken based on input from all members of the college.
- Student education is protected. No programs are being closed. No majors are being eliminated, changed, or renamed. Our ultimate goal is to strengthen what students value—giving faculty more time for teaching and mentoring, preserving disciplinary foundations, and building meaningful connections across fields.
I also apologized to them for the fear and uncertainty our process has created, acknowledging that we needed to communicate more clearly and consistently.
On Wednesday, President Koppell attended the Student Government Board meeting to explain the rationale behind the restructuring and answer questions (his opening statement is here). A recurring question from students revealed an important source of confusion: the tension between hearing about "all that is changing" and our assurance that "nothing that matters to them is changing."
In subsequent email conversations with some of the students, I offered the following analogy: Think about system upgrades on a phone or laptop. The operating system changes—leading to more efficiency, better security, new features—but none of the user's content changes. All their apps are still there, their data is preserved, their experience remains familiar. If anything, they usually have a better experience because the system runs more smoothly.
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This is what's happening with our restructuring. We're upgrading the administrative operating system to make everything run more efficiently and open up new possibilities. These changes impact faculty and staff. But student programs, majors, faculty connections, and courses—all the content that matters to their education—remain as they are.
As we continue this process, I ask for your help in ensuring our students receive accurate, consistent information. Their concerns are genuine, and they deserve our clarity and reassurance. The CHSS Student Advisory Board that we just formed will begin meeting in January, and I will be attending a student town hall this Wednesday for students to ask questions directly.
Thank you for your continued engagement and dedication to our students during this time of transition.
See you all at 2:00 pm today.
Fatma
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President Koppell joined the Student Government Association Town Hall on December 3, to outline the rationale behind the CHSS restructuring and address student questions. He emphasized that while organizational structures are shifting, the student experience, academic programs, and available support remain unchanged.
You can watch his opening remarks here.
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AI Distinguished Speaker Series
As the fall semester of our AI Distinguished Speaker Series draws to a close, we are grateful to everyone who joined us for the inaugural three lectures. Together, the talks examined what meaningful AI literacy looks like across different contexts, how generative AI tools shape public understanding and trust, and where the limits of AI become clear when compared with human imagination and innovation. If you missed a session or want to revisit the conversations, you can view all three recordings via the links below.
We’ll be back in February with more speakers and new perspectives — stay tuned!
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Partnering with ACUE to Enhance Excellence in Teaching and Student Support
Montclair has been selected as a participant in the Carnegie Corporation of New York Initiative for Deliberative Dialogue in partnership with The Association of College and University Educators (ACUE). As part of this initiative, all faculty and staff will have the opportunity to complete the Deliberative Dialogue series via the ACUE Commons and a selected group will be able to earn ACUE’s Certificate in Effective Teaching. Faculty and staff will also be able to access several other quick study courses as part of the ACUE Commons, including courses in Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education.
Apply to Enroll in ACUE’s Effective Teaching Practices Course
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Click here to learn more and to apply.
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Click here to register for our virtual Information Session on December 8th at 4pm.
- Please note that space is limited to 45 participants this year, and selections will be made based on distribution across departments and faculty roles to ensure broad participation.
- Course begins January 26, 2026.
Activate Your ACUE Commons Account
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In the next month, look for an invitation from ACUE – email address support@acue.org – to activate your account and join this virtual teaching community.
- Explore the menu of one-hour Quick Studies on emerging topics, with special emphasis on completing the five-part Deliberative Dialogue series.
Please reach out to John David Yi, Director of Teaching & Learning for The Center for Teaching and Academic Innovation, should you have any questions.
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Dr. Fiore’s Talk About Her Sabbatical Project in Floridia (Siracusa, Italy)
Dr. Teresa Fiore was invited to present on the subject of her sabbatical project (the Allied Landing in Sicily) at a community talk in Floridia (province of Siracusa). Organized by the local museum Nunzio Bruno, the talk included a presentation by Giuseppe Caramma, a historian affiliated with the University of Catania, and Daniele Valvo, an engineer-turned-WWII-guide whose approach with the audience is interactive.
Read More
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Kudos is a space to celebrate one another—whether it’s expressing gratitude to a colleague, sharing milestones, or recognizing accomplishments and awards. Help us spotlight the people and moments that matter: send us your Kudos for an upcoming edition.
- To Sara Matsuzaka (Social Work and Child Advocacy), whose proposal, “Risk and Protective Factors Among Substance Use Treatment Populations Seeking Recovery from Alcohol Use Disorder,” has been approved for $6500 in external funding by the National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers (NAATP) Foundation for Recovery Science and Education (FoRSE).
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Gabriel Rubin (Justice Studies), who has conducted research on Gen Z, is quoted in this Newsweek Article about how Gen Z feels about the Democratic and Republican parties.
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Jason Williams (Justice Studies) is quoted in this NJ Spotlight News article about funding for violence prevention groups in New Jersey.
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CHSS Resource Guide
This guide is designed to support our faculty, instructors, and staff by providing quick access to the tools, policies, and information you need to carry out your work effectively. Inside, you’ll find resources on office operations, administrative processes, technology support, and campus services all in one place. Whether you’re new or a tenured colleague, this guide will help you throughout the academic year. If you have a question and cannot find the answer in this guide, or don’t know who to contact, start with the Administrative Services Team.
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