Thursday, March 30, 2017

Rider Faculty Needs Solidarity! Appeal to PREA and PRESSA

Dear  Princeton Regional Education Association President and Princeton Regional Education Support Staff Association,

I am writing you independently of any organization, including the Rider AAUP, to request you to take immediate steps in solidarity with your sisters and brothers in Rider AAUP.



As neighbors to Westminster Choir College and Rider University, in recent years you might have followed the turmoil of your sisters and brothers in Rider AAUP, with intransigent and underhanded tactics of the Rider Administration that even after a contract is negotiated, leverages threats to cut programs and AAUP staff positions in order to force mid-contract concessions.

In 2014 the administration threatened to force a strike but Rider AAUP stayed unified with widespread support from parents and students to maintain many protections in its contract.

But in 2015, administration threatened to cut the Piano Department and programs at Westminster and a dozen other majors on the Rider Lawrenceville campus.  Administration leveraged those threats to force a wage freeze and other major concessions which saved those vital programs but savaged the contract only one year in.

Now in 2016 through 2017 the administration used the threat to shut Westminster Choir College to leverage further pressures on the Rider AAUP membership body.  The administration is also applying underhanded tactics to try to undermine the Rider AAUP position in the negotiations of a new contract.  The current contract expires August 2017 and administration is threatening to refuse to bargain after August – an act that could lead to a lock out of your sister and brother AAUP members.  See RiderAAUP.net for more details.

Here are specifics on the underhanded moves of administration against Rider AAUP: 

http://www.rideraaup.net/response-to-dellomos-communication-21017.html 

For its part, Rider AAUP has steadfastly opposed the shuttering of this internationally proclaimed institution, unifying itself and working together with students, staff, faculty, families and alumni in a leadership capacity to oppose the closing of Westminster.

On March 28, Rider University announced its decision to delay the closing of Westminster Choir College for at least a year while it looks for another institution to buy the Choir College and take over its administration.  Also on March 28, in a move that was obviously closely coordinated with Rider Administration, Princeton Public School Board voted to fund an effort to purchase the land only of Westminster Choir College Campus – including a referendum – and if that transpires it could force the complete closure of Westminster Choir College.  If such a land transfer occurs, and Princeton Public Schools takes possession of the property, in the unlikely event that another university or entity purchases the institution portion of Westminster, without the real estate – it will force Westminster Choir College out of Princeton.

The principle demand of all of the forces trying to save Westminster, including the Rider AAUP, has been to save Westminster on the Princeton Campus.

This situation calls for immediate acts of solidarity by your organization, your leadership body and your membership.  You can play a pivotal role now in contributing to the efforts to save  Westminster Choir College IN PRINCETON.  You can do so by making it very clear that your organization will do everything it can TO MAKE SURE THAT ANY REFERENDUM ON PURCHASING THE WESTMINSTER CHOIR COLLEGE CAMPUS FAILS!

This could be the most important act of sisterly labor solidarity on the table for you right now.
As you know across the board teachers are under attack, public education is under attack as is higher education.  Westminster Choir Choir College produces many of the finest public music education professionals – your future sisters and brothers in unified struggle for improvements in public education and the survival of the public teaching profession. That is why I am asking you to act now – under the principles of unity, solidarity and mutual support – to help Save Westminster Choir College and the positions of AAUP members . . . as well as to support AAUP in its tough battle with Rider administration.

This letter is my own initiative – the Rider AAUP did not ask nor consult with me about this letter.

The following are the suggested steps:

1.       Contact Rider AAUP to get a full understanding as to the repercussions of the Westminster Choir College property being sold to Princeton Public Schools.

2.       Communicate to the school board opposition to the sale and the plan for a referendum.

3.    If it comes to it, campaign to defeat a referendum to raise funds to purchase the property of Westminster Choir College.  If you are amenable to it, I would be happy to meet with one or more officers to discuss this issue further.

Please call or text 908-881-5275 to discuss further.

Thank you for your attention. 

Offering Solidarity and Support in your Continuing Success of Protecting the Contract for your members!

Bob Witanek


Wednesday, March 29, 2017

CALL OFF THE PARTIES AND CELEBRATIONS UNLESS THEY ARE CELEBRATIONS OF ESCALATED RESISTANCE!

Boxed in by security as Dell Omo approaches Press Briefing - I made him walk a narrower path into the Press Briefing where he announced.
Related: Rider Faculty Needs Solidarity! Appeal to PREA and PRESSA

Yesterday, Rider - President Dell Omo - announced its long awaited decision to attempt to sell Westminster Choir College to another institution to take over operations.

Many thought the decision yesterday was the least offensive of 3 bad options.  (The other two options were complete closure and moving Westminster to Rider's Lawrenceville campus location.)  GUESS AGAIN!

The demand was always SAVE WESTMINSTER CHOIR COLLEGE IN PRINCETON.  That was *not* accomplished.

Princeton Public Schools Wants to Buy Westminster Choir College Property

https://planetprinceton.com/2017/03/29/princeton-public-schools-board-wants-to-buy-westminster-choir-college-property/

I was unable to clip the text describing what was passed so instead took this pic of it:



You thought - well at least we have another year - we can probably find someone to buy us out and keep us in Princeton?

You thought that everything will be ok after all?

That we had pushed back just enough for the best of the worse . . .

THE FOR SALE SIGN IS STILL UP!

As Rob sang:

NOT FOR SALE AT WESTMINSTER!

The administration was quite crafty - as the release of this additional information was delayed until the NEXT DAY - the opposition comments in the paper were - "well it's the best of 3 bad proposals" - so they cleverly undermined more hard hitting commentary on the day the media was most interested.

While Rider committed to trying to find a parent institution to purchase Westminster Choir College it obviously did NOT commit to the idea that the institution would purchase Westminster Choir College TO STAY IN PRINCETON - which has been the principle demand.

Questions:

Is Rider in negotiations with Princeton District?

How long have those negotiations been engaged?

Is Rider willing to sell the property in a separate transaction from the sale of the institution of Westminster Choir College?

Obviously - Princeton District was privy to the decision before it was announced to be able to roll out its plan to move on the property.  Obviously they have researched the Rider decision and made sure that Rider's commitment to sell the institution does not preclude it from selling the property to another buyer.

Yesterday's press briefing was scheduled for 1 pm but did not occur until around 2pm - perhaps Dell Omo was giving Princeton District some time to line up its ducks for last night's meeting at which the move on the property was approved.  Princeton District and Rider Administration are OBVIOUSLY coordinating.

Another point . . . selling the land (and the buildings) out from under Westminster Choir College is an important asset.  It is questionable what portion of student undergraduate body will follow the college to another site.  At least part of the faculty will not be able to relocate.  So a diminished student body, no land and diminished faculty - what is left to sell?  What is to attract the institutions that WCC supporters hope to be able to pitch to?  So this could be a blueprint for closing - just a year later.

Who wants to carry the banner at the next Princeton Planning Board meeting where the plan to make a move to destroy WCC will be proceeding?  Princeton Public Schools is trying to schedule their move against Wesminster Choir College on the agenda of that meeting.
To contact Princeton Planning Board: 
April 6 7:30 pm

Facebook event:
https://www.facebook.com/events/409504999424114/

Princeton Planning Board
Lee O. Solow, PP, AICP - Planning Director
Ilene Cutroneo, Planning Bd. Coordinator
400 Witherspoon Street, Princeton, NJ 08540
609-924-5366 - Fax: 609-688-2032 

Call or text 908-881-5275 if interested.

I will add more to this article - but this firms up my oft stated proposal.

THAT WE NEED TO MARCH DOWN 206!!!



Here are the addresses of the Princeton Public School Board that voted to make these moves against Westminster Choir College:

Princeton Public Schools Board of Education
betsy_baglio@princetonk12.org
bill_hare@princetonk12.org
connie_witter@princetonk12.org
dafna_kendal@princetonk12.org
debbie_bronfeld@princetonk12.org
evelyn_spann@princetonk12.org
fern_spruill@princetonk12.org
greg_stankiewicz@princetonk12.org
justin_doran@princetonk12.org
patrick_sullivan@princetonk12.org

Update March 30:

WCTC Article

Quote from article:

“While we appreciate their interest and deeply value our place in the Princeton community, as President Dell’Omo informed the Rider community, over the next 12 months, our highest priority is to find an institution willing to acquire Westminster Choir College and keep it in Princeton,"

I find this apparent attempt to reassure to be DISINGENUOUS and here is why:
it suggests that after the 12 month period - the parameters change A, and B - it says that is its highest priority but it does NOT say that they will NOT also be entertaining other offers to buy the property separately.

If you put that together with statements made by Dell Omo that his concern is purely financial - in the transcript of his meeting with faculty - that has not changed.

The administration public position all along on this was that they were talking about merging to Lawrenceville. 

That is how they played up until the last couple of weeks so a press statement has no real commitment - especially with all the subterfuge that has occurred compliments of Dell Omo and administration. I am not discouraging those who have the wherewithall to seriously broker a deal with an institution to keep WCC in Princeton but i believe there is more potential for this PPS deal than some are giving it - the quote is trying to assuage concern over it - my suspicous mind tells me that helps them continue to foster the deal - IN THE DARK!

Tuesday, March 28, 2017

O Westminster! Published and Distributed March 28

1700 copies distributed today - 500 during this mornings rally, 500 distributed to Rider students at the cafeteria - 500 handed off to Rider Students Union President Kenny Dillon who will handle their distribution and about another 200 shared with AAUP members and others who will assure their distribution.

A total of 4000 were printed so that leaves another 2300 that need to be shared.  If you want a pile of them or a few call / text 908-881-5275 with information about how many and how to get them to you.

While the decision has been announced - there is still a great deal of work to do and part of that is redefining the power relationships on the campus - especially with the current level of administration generated turmoil toward faculty.

The following is a link to an important article - the other articles that were not previously posted on this blog will be posted in the days ahead.


The PDF is available in the files of Faceboook group:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1820836201505158

The paper:










What if There is a Strike (Or Lock Out) at Rider University and Westminster Choir College

This blog article that was first published in the historic O Westminster
paper published on March 28, 2017.
The contract Rider AAUP has now with administration is through August 31, 2017.  Right now administration is placing severe unreasonable demands against faculty.  Faculty made concessions fall semester, 2015 in order to stave off the cuts of the piano major from Westminster Choir College and about a dozen majors on the Lawrenceville campus.

Administration, in spite of contract requirement to recognize AAUP as the sole bargaining unit sent a letter directly to the membership with misrepresentations of the current negotiation situation.

The take it or leave it way administration is currently sitting at the table suggests that there is a possibility of a forced strike or lock out this fall.  If that occurs, Rider might hire temp-renta-profs to supposedly teach the classes.   There will be a strong effort by administration to pressure students to accept this replacement staff as the education that they have invested in.

The first thing to do for students is to learn about the issue. The best way to do that is to go directly to the source of the information, the leadership of the AAUP.  Students should invite these campus leaders to as many  venues as they can schedule to meet with students and fully understand the situation.  Please see  the AAUP letter to its membership for a current assessment of the challenging position faculty is in right now given administration's take it or leave it approach to negotiations.

The process of engaging the AAUP for such meetings should likely begin now so that students can have a better understanding of where the situation is at currently.  Through such cooperative engagement, perhaps efforts can be made immediately to pressure the administration to make a more respectful position.

There will be plenty of opportunity to hear the administration position directly from e-mails from adminsitration and various forums with administration that will no doubt be arranged.

The kinds of forums that will not be organized by the administration are with faculty - these need to be initiated by the students.

Once you are fully aware of the real issues on the table and the real circumstances, as opposed to those that might be presented by the administration, then you can make a decision to accept the replacement staff as what you have invested your tuition in or figuring out how to work with the AAUP to bring about a quick resolution  to get the true quality of education you invested in.
Look at who is by your side now to try to save Westminister.

Administration? or AAUP?
There is a common interest to save Westminister.
That includes the Westminster Faculty.

Sunday, March 26, 2017

SAVE WESTMINSTER CHOIR COLLEGE! Unified Protests Planned for March 28

SAVE WESTMINSTER CHOIR COLLEGE!

Unified Protests Planned for March 28


WESTMINSTER AND RIDER STUDENTS, FACULTY, STAFF, ALUM, COMMUNITY SUPPORTERS OF MUSIC AND THE ARTS - UNIFY!

 Tuesday, 3/28 at 8:30 am in front of North Hall on the Rider University Campus
Please share widely!

RAIN OR SHINE WE ARE ON THE LINE!

This notice was posted at the Rider AAUP site:

There is an action planned on Tuesday, 3/28 at 8:30 am in front of North Hall on the Rider University Campus. The Board of Trustees will be on campus to vote on the fate of the Westminster Choir College. A large contingent from the Westminster campus will be coming down so that the Board can see the faces of those individuals that will be directly affected by their decision. Please come out and show your support for the students and faculty of Westminster Choir College at this crucial time.

With this graphic:





It looks like everything is worked out for the protests on Tuesday against the pending decision for some form of closing, either complete or the closing of the campus and the attempt to merge with existing facilities on the Lawrenceville campus.

There will be a period of quiet protest called for by the Student Governing Association with widespread support from the student body.

Then later after the silent events are completed, there will be an opportunity for those who are opposed to be able to speak out and express their reasons for opposition and possible proposals for the way forward to block the move from happening and save Westminster Choir College and Rider University in the process.

I am guessing that Westminster faculty are understanding for students missing classes on Tuesday though I would still recommend that students notify their teachers if they do not plan to attend class.

I would hope that many who come for the silent event stay and participate in the later event as well – it will be a great opportunity to learn the varying angles on opposition to this administration decision.

I believe there will be opportunity for students to speak, sing, slam some poetry, maybe play something on an instrument – however they want to express their opposition.

It will be a perfect opportunity for everyone to meet in the area of the protest, to exchange tactical and strategic ideas and to determine next steps forward. 

I will bring my Megavox system and make sure the batteries are fully charged.  If it is not utilized – ok – but I will have it ready.  It is possible that AAUP or others might have access to a better system so that’s fine too!

The pending decision is a horror but the unity we show will be GLORIOUS!


ALL OUT!  ALL UNIFIED!  WESTMINSTER SHALL IN PRINCETON STAY!


First 4000 people to show up get the historic issue of O WESTMINSTER!


Thursday, March 23, 2017

HOW TO PROTEST THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE CLOSING OF WESTMINSTER CHOIR COLLEGE?

Thing about protest . . . people have different ideas as to what sort of protest should occur.  Now just a couple days before the possible announcement of the closure of WCC - SGA - that has not up until this point even passed a resolution opposing the shuttering ot the WCC campus in Princeton - announces "silent" protest.

Now that might be the way to go . . . but it might not be.

I don't think there was a vote in the efforts to block this - and admittedly my voice is just a very small part of that melieu - for a protest that is silent.

But also - those that would prefer to protest in a silent way SHOULD have an opportunity to do that.  What they don't have a right is to tell all others how THEY should protest.

I do not believe that the SGA voted among its membership on the text of the letter it sent out in January.  The letter did seem to speak approvingly of cost savings of combining campuses . . . which is kind of rash toward the elimination of positions of AAUP members and other staff that provide the class rooom education and other education support services that would be combined (and eliminated).

So possibly the morning can be segmented into a little time for SGA silence that others can recognize.  But then if the AAUP has a particular position on the matter that they want to talk about - - I would be the last one that would want to SILENCE the AAUP!

The AAUP - BASICALLY IS WESTMINSTER CHOIR COLLEGE!  That is a fact!  Westminster Choir College IS the BELOVED FACULTY.  The faculty are the AAUP!  The faculty stand to be RAVAGED by the shuttering of WCC.  That is a point that many do not get.

Now the SGA can ASK the AAUP if it wants to participate in a silent protest and the AAUP can decide its own approach to represent the grievances of their stake in the loss of Westminster Choir College.  Their perspective could be different . . . but silence might or might not be their choice.

There are several other important organizations that have EVERY RIGHT to protest the closing of Westminster Choir College.

THe Coalition to Save Westminster in Princeton, soon to be incorporated - maybe they would go for a silent protest.  I would not be the one to ask them that.  The SGA CAN ask them that but they CAN NOT IMPOSE silence on them.

The SGA can not impose silence on any voices - that includes mine and that includes students that want to pose behind a banner supporting the beloved WCC and beloved Faculty.

That includes the Rider Students Union - that LED the student fight to SAVE Westminster (I truly believe that attack piano was the beginning of the end - even moreso now) last year while the SGAs held forums with administration and NEVER OPPOSED the cuts to the majors.  I would not silence RSU NOR encourage their silence but the SGA can ask them that.

There might be other campus organizations that have an interest in expressing their own views in their own way.

Alumni organizations and active alumnus might have ideas how THEY want to participate.

That includes others that might be coming to the campuses to support Westminster and address other issues here.

That includes leaders in the field that might want to come - sing - speak - participate.  Maybe even one or two board members want to SPEAK OUT AGAINST THE MADNESS!

So the SGA can PROPOSE silence to anyone it wants and I woudl respectfully yield some silent time if I had any input to decisions on any content of the type of protest.

But if other groups have other ways that THEY want to convey the message I am good with that.

I have a fairly decent sound box - not perfect - kind of old - about 10X bull horn if folks want to have like a rally - singers - rap artitss . . . whatever we want to do.  I am not saying we have to do that but if that is decided I got some goods.

There were other groups working on doing something before the SGA announced a silent protest.

They had not said silent or anything but maybe that is what they envisioned.  They did nto want to announce it yet - they were planning on announcing on Monday.

But the SGA should not act like they CALL THE SHOTS as to how the groups that have been swinging with both of them since December should protest.

WCC Students Assert Support for Campus - SGA Members Call Security - 4 MORE DAYS!

"
Pictures from today's Westminster Choir College banner holding photography event - and members of SGA falsely accuse this writer (and for today photographer) of "harassing students" (look through the pics - do they look harassed?) - go to security office resulting in this video.  Enjoy the wonderful pictures!

I hereby invite students from SGAs on campuses where they actually oppose administration policy and support student rights to express their opposition to administration policies to a workshop on Rider campus.  I am not sure if the administration will provide space but maybe we can meet unofficially on the campus.  There needs to be a rethinking at Rider as to the role of the SGA regarding student participation in administration decision making.

It should be understood also - the repression of this banner and picture session today by SGA members and Rider security is also suppression of an important message - - the message on the banner: SUPPORT BELOVED FACULTY!  It is important for students to recognize the commonality with AAUP over this issue - AND MOST OF THE OTHER ISSUES RIGHT NOW AT ! 
The holding of the banner is the beginning of the recognition of this - SAME STRUGGLE - SAME FIGHT!  It is only through such understanding can students and faculty proceed on all of the related issues.  So when the banner fell after 6:11 it was also a hit on the potential unity between these issues and groups.

About 51 students participated in the photo-banner shoot!




Westminster Power














Wednesday, March 22, 2017

Sign of Hope: Not One But Two Banners !

On the eve of destruction for Westminster Choir College, a small sign of hope!

I had advertised in the activist group I started (all genuine fighters welcome) Keep Westminster Choir College In Princeton – Activist to promote the creation of banner designs for a possible day after action once the decision to drop the wrecking ball on Westminster is announced.   I personally vote for a march down 206 – with possible front gate action at Rider – a 7 mile march from Westminster – AAUP should call it!

Any way – like many of my “great” ideas on this matter – there was not a big rush to design banners.  So I asked my youngest son Ethan if he would help out.  We worked together and came up with this design.

I was able to complete the order by Tuesday evening for pick up at a local shop. 

When I got there, I saw what looked like our banner in the garbage – as another one was slowly inching off the banner print machine.

So I asked the staff what happened and they said the first one had gotten scuffed up.

I asked if I could take a look at it and then if I could have it – the initial answer was no.

So then I said – what if I paid for it – a reduced charge and he said yes.  I offered $10 and he accepted!

The original was $130 ish all told – BUT I GOT A SECOND ONE ALMOST AS GOOD FOR $10.  

The damages are minimal – nothing more than what might happen after one march.

SO NOW WE HAVE TWO!

I will be coming onto Westminster campus between Seabrook and the main building with the cafeteria between 5 – 6:30 pm tomorrow (Thursday March 23) and I will invite students and faculty who are going to the cafeteria to stop for a few minutes (or longer if you want to help guard the photography / banner station) to take pictures holding the banner (which will be shared on social media).

Event on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/311658649250046/

My son Robert is doing a run out tomorrow so he can not host my presence (I need to be a guest of student or staff to protect against any attempt by administration, etc. to eject my presence).

So I need one or more students or staff members to cover the time to accompany my presence and state that I am their guest should the police be engaged.

This is purely a photography – and possibly literature distribution – effort – not a march, rally or protest – though if folks want to stick around a little while, socialize and talk about the situation  - that is all good!

If you can help with the coverage – please call or text 908-881-5275 – as soon as you can.

I hope to see you tomorrow – please help spread the word and confirm on this Facebook event – for Facebook uses – please also invite your student / staff friends.

If we were in better shape – both campuses would be festooned with banners with various messages supporting our demand to defend against the closure of Westminster Choir College.  Students would be demanding the placement of the banners on the wall inside William H. Scheide Student Center/Dining Commons.


Nonetheless – come show your support for Westminster Choir College – both the campus and the faculty – tomorrow and get captured in a snap shot holding the banner and showing your support for the beloved Westminster Choir College!

Tuesday, March 21, 2017

Dell Omo’s Threat to Propose Complete Closure of Westminster: Is it a Ploy or is it Genuine?

From a transcript of an excerpt of a recent talk by Rider President Dell Omo, he stated 3 options that could be presented to the Rider Board of Trustees – none of which included Westminster Choir College staying at its current location in Princeton.

Speaking of the March 28 special Board of Trustees meeting, Dell Omo stated:

 "And at that meeting our plan is to be able to make a recommendation to the full board on one of those scenarios:

 either one campus, or spin off, or even closure possibly."
Rider President Greg Dell Omo from
 transcript of a recorded excerpt from presentation to faculty on the Rider Lawrenceville campus

Up until that point, all public statements coming from the administration were that the plan is to consolidate Westminster into the Lawrenceville campus – it was even said – into a “more robust” program.

However it is clear that a robust choir program is not that important to Dell Omo if he would even SUGGEST the complete closure – in what he apparently thought was a private meeting with a department at Rider.

The question is:

IS DELL OMO REALLY CONSIDERING PRESENTING  COMPLETE CLOSURE TO THE BOARD?

WAS THAT MENTIONED JUST AS A THREAT TO GET THE RIDER AND WESTMINSTER COMMUNITY TO BE RELIEVED IF THEY ARE “ONLY” GOING TO CONSOLIDATE INTO RIDER’S FACILITIES?


These are questions that we should ponder.  And we should reject out of hand ANY settling – any talk of “WELL AT LEAST THEY ARE NOT TOTALLY SHUTTERING.” 

If he really IS considering advancing the complete closure option – that would just reveal ONE MORE EXAMPLE of the duplicitous nature of Dell Omo.  Even that he is saying that – it shows how THE ADMINISTRATION USED the Westminster SGA to soft sell the process because nothing in the letter that SGA sent to the student body – – included ANY POSSIBILITY of complete shuttering.

Such a duplicituous tactic would add just one more reason why AAUP needs to reconvene for another crack at a NO CONFIDENCE VOTE and this time make sure that it has all the ducks lined up.  Even that he is bantying that option about shows that he is NOT FIT TO CONTINUE TO SERVE as president of Rider and Westminster.

AND IF IT IS JUST A  TACTIC . . .

That is just as bad.  That is coercion.  Dishonest toying with emotions of faculty, staff, students, parents, community.  It is rule by chaos.  It is consistent with last years ploy to attack the majors including the Beloved Piano Department as a means to force faculty to undermine the agreement it fought hard – with support of parents, students and community – the prior year to protect.

DELL OMO obviously is full of himself and he thinks he plays a nasty chess game to get what he wants.  As a university president he is basically a butcher.  The latest antics are his tactics to undermine the AAUP by communicating directly to the faculty with a smear sheet of lies about the direction of the negotiations.  He has no problem promoting lies to get to his ends and to misrepresent his position and to use threats.

President Dell Omo –

like Dr. Suess’s Marvin K Mooney – 

WONT YOU PLEASE GO NOW!







WHAT ABOUT A STUDENT / FACULTY UNIVERSITY WIDE STRIKE ON MARCH 31?


Westminster Power!

Monday, March 20, 2017

WHAT ABOUT A STUDENT / FACULTY UNIVERSITY WIDE STRIKE ON MARCH 31?



We should have a “day after” response to the announcement!
Not literally the day after – I would suggest Friday March 31 as a day of absorption of the reality of what went down.

Why not a university wide – student – faculty – one day strike?

The AAUP has enough skin in the game.

If Westminster closes completely – an option recently suggested by Dell Omo – tremendous loss of faculty positions and support staff results.  That is a tremendous blow to Rider AAUP strength, resources and deleterious disruption to the lives of dozens of faculty members.

If it is announced that the campus is closing and the college is supposedly being moved to Lawrenceville, that will also result in tremendous staff reductions.  The consolidation will certainly be used by Dell Omo administration to eliminate departments, programs, facilities and services.  I do not even know if anyone has fully assessed the job hits that such a consolidation would result in.  (It would be wise to do that!)

Faculty is already reeling from the underhanded bad faith actions of the administrationsending communications to the faculty totally misrepresenting the sequence of events of the negotiations that have been occurring.  This action by administration is strongly suggestive of the potential for an attempt to break the AAUP by forcing a lock out in the fall.

Students of course have much to lose as well.  If the college is closed completely – of course – find somewhere to transfer to that will accept your credits and will accept you, that you can afford to relocate to and afford the costs.

If there is so-called consolidation – you might want to pursue that option as well because the Westminster you have come to know and love you will not find on the Lawrenceville campus.
There is nothing wrong with the Lawrenceville campus and the education for Rider students but it is not the same as what you have now in Princeton – and be clear that the consolidated Westminster Annex will be nothing of what you have now.

So maybe it is time for a DAY TO ABSORB THE VIOLATION TO THE STUDENT, FACULTY, STAFF AND COMMUNITY – a day of classes outside – classes about why it is necessary sometimes for musicians, students, faculty, staff workers – to fight – to rally – to march – to STRIKE!

While an argument can be made that it will be TOO LATE at this point - but if this is already in the works when the board meets - perhaps they will table a decision on the proposal.

`Now I accept the very real possibility that this might not happen but I am throwing it out there for all to consider.  And if you think it’s a good plan – lets do it.  If not – let’s hear your plan!
A whimper and a moan don’t cut it!


Dell Omo’s Threat to Propose Complete Closure of Westminster: Is it a Ploy or is it Genuine





Saturday, March 18, 2017

Westminster Choir College Might Close Completely: Countdown 8 Days from Day Zero

Westminster Choir College Might Close Completely: Countdown 8 Days from Day Zero 

 "And at that meeting our plan is to be able to make a recommendation to the full board on one of those scenarios:

 either one campus, or spin off, or even closure possibly."
Rider President Greg Dell Omo from transcript of a recorded excerpt from presentation to faculty on the Rider Lawrenceville campus

March 28 is the date when the plan is going to be announced – a plan long in the works – probably since Dell Omo first stepped on to the Rider campus for his first interview with the search committee charged with replacing the outgoing Mordechai Rozanski.
We have 10 days to either sit around whimpering about it or to escalate opposition.

The faculty was unable to pass a NO CONFIDENCE measure at its March meeting though it was discussed and then tabled.  They are also dealing with underhanded tactics of the same Dell Omo – false statements from administration sent to the faculty body and an apparent plan to force a lock out this fall.

Alumni for the most part have decried any sort of activist approach.

10 days out and nobody is organizing:

Soon we might be able to say:



They closed our school and we didn't even . .. 


Create a fund to provide student stipends and fund resources for student opposition
March down 206
Hold a campus rally
Leaflet the Lawrenceville dorms
Flash mob Lawrenceville cafeteria
(SGA's) Pass a resolution clearly opposing any move or shuttering
Hold a student strike
Make a banner
Drop banners from the dorms
Disrupt a Dell Omo presentation
Record the O Dell Omo song in 6 parts
Hold a campus meeting against the move
Ally with AAUP in its struggles to save Westminster and protect the faculty


Will Westminster die with hardly a whimper?





Saturday, March 11, 2017

March 28 D-Day for WCC? Could Close Completely! If / When it is too late - how will you answer the question - what did you do to stop it!

Rider President Dell Omo has been on a whirlwind tour speaking to the faculty departments on the Rider and Westminster campuses - likely his goals are to undermine support for a strong AAUP stance regarding contract negotiations and to sell his Westminster for sale snake oil.

The following is information gleaned from a recent presentation by Dell Omo to a Lawrenceville department faculty group.

  • The Dell Omo "study group" proposal will be put before a special meeting of the Rider Board of Trustees on March 28.
  • Options being considered INCLUDE THE COMPLETE SHUTTERING of Westminster.  Quoting from transcript: "And at that meeting our plan is to be able to make a recommendation to the full board on one of those scenarios:

     either one campus, or spin off, or even closure possibly."
  • The other two options include consolidation of Westminster onto the Rider Lawrenceville campus and trying to find another institution that can purchase, take over and operate Westminster.
  • Keeping Westminster in Princeton per the current two campus model is NOT one of the options
  • Improving the financial performance of Westmnster on the Princeton campus is not considered viable.

So D-Day for Westminster about 2 weeks away - on Tuesday March 28.

There has been talk of a lawsuit and 1000's have been collected for such purpose.

Faculty are mobilizing around the contract issues but they were unable to pull consensus together for NO CONFIDENCE at Rider AAUP's March meeting.

LAST 3 YEARS OF RIDER / WESTMINSTER STRIFE

The case for NO CONFIDENCE!

Students seem confused and inactivated on the issue.  Those students that did try to address the issue came under proverbial attack from the administration allied Student Governing Association - which has yet to take any position at all on the issue as a body - aside from an apparent pro-administration letter on the matter sent out during the student winter break.

Rider Students Union is in the fight and are preparing a newspaper printing and distribution and meetings on various campus topics including Westminster.

Westminister is precarious now.

I always believe that people have the ability to prevail when confronted with various forms of oppression.  But as of now - I do not see us making the moves to challenge this with any effectiveness.  There have been little or no protests of late - there are no calls for a march down 206,

When it is too late - how will you answer the question - what did you do to stop it!


Westminster Complete Closure Being Considered - Transcript from Dell Omo Talk to Faculty - March 24 D-Day for WCC?

The following was posted by Westminster Faculty member Thomas Faracco in our group:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1820836201505158/

Below is a transcript of a recording made during a meeting President Dell'Omo had with a department on the Lawrenceville campus. I do not know who made the recording or which department. It is only part of the meeting, but it centers on Westminster and the reasons for studying the plan to consolidate the campuses. It will give you some insight into the thinking of this president as well as some of the board members concerning this issue. The legacy of Westminster Choir College, world renown for the excellence of it's programs and contributions to society through the success of alumni in schools, churches, universities, concert stages and opera companies, has been reduced to a financial bargaining chip.

Transcript – DellomoandWCCMar9
We have some real structural problems at this University that we have to address. And to do that we’ve really got to look at how we operate, one of which—a big one of which is we’ve got to reevaluate whether or not Westminster—the two campus model of Westminster Choir College—still makes sense for Rider given its current finances and where it needs to go in the future. And so they approved us to do that study and to examine that issue. And so what happened was we put together a task force that’s made up of 11 board members, three of whom are Westminster board members, and that includes obviously senior management, includes the management of Westminster—Matthew, the Dean, Marshall, the Associate Dean, and some others in terms of data collection—and we’ve just been spending since November up ‘til today I mean doing a lot of analysis. And basically what we did was we said we’re going to look at every possible scenario that you can think of—everything from, ‘do you keep the two campus model? And if you were, how do you make that work?’ to ‘consolidate and onto the Lawrenceville campus and sell the Westminster campus and if so what does that mean in terms of what you’re going to do? What kind of price do you have to get for the sale which would then generate proceeds that you can invest on this campus which go to facilities and other things you need to run that and what programs would you bring over? <1’25”> to, ‘do you look at partnering with another University to take over the College itself—Westminster—and keep it in Princeton, pay for the land of course?’ or do you move it to another University and then sell the property to a third party? Or, all the way up to closure. <1’40”> I mean we’re looking at every scenario including there are some land use arrangements and different kind of possibilities. No decision has been made yet. And that, I’ll give you time to <inaudible> in one second. The only thing we knew early on is that the two-campus model just is not feasible, even with some cost-savings. Because a lot of people, when they heard we were doing this, put it in the context of “Well what’s it going to take to make Westminster profitable?” Well that’s just one of the issues—that’s not the whole issue. It’s all about Rider University. And even though Westminster does lose money every year and you could try to do some things to make it a little bit, lose less money, that’s really not the big problem. It’s overall how does it fit into the overall financial structure of Rider. <2’25”> So where are we now? We’ve gone through the exercise and we have a special board meeting scheduled for March 28th so a couple, about three weeks. And at that meeting our plan is to be able to make a recommendation to the full board on one of those scenarios:

 either one campus, or spin off, or even closure possibly. <2’49”> 

So we are looking at all the different options in that case. And the important point is, it’s all part of, even though this ties into the strategic planning process, we’ve sort of slowed the strategic planning process down for the University even though a lot of work had been done over the last year and a half on the strategic plan, the reason why we slowed it down a little bit was the Westminster piece is such a critical component of that because the thinking is, if you sell Westminster, that generates a certain amount of net proceeds for the University that then can be used to address some of the other issues at the University, particularly in the areas of deficit reduction but not only deficit reduction, it would also allow us

to invest in things that have . . . new program development, bond issues—float another bond to get more bond money to allow us to do more academic facility upgrades, residence hall upgrades and also begin to do a comprehensive capital campaign primarily directed to finance scholarship moneys. So it has to be part of an overall strategy on how we’re going to reallocate the resources and make the investment, ‘cause when we started the task force, as you can imagine—and this was by design—it was a very diverse group of people, <inaudible> people coming into it with very different backgrounds and perspectives and agendas. That’s why we wanted to have a large Westminster focus on the task force. <4’08”> But knowing that, people are going to come at this from all different angles. And if we’re going to have any chance of getting any sort of consensus on a recommendation one of the first things we have to do is decide what’s the criteria we’re going to use to hopefully make a decision? And that took a lot of discussion but we eventually came up with a two-pronged set of criteria: First, whatever decision we made regarding Westminster and how it fits into the overall strategy for Rider, it has to first help with deficit reduction. It won’t solve all of our deficit problems but it’s gotta really make a contribution. <4’41> There’s gotta be enough net proceeds to get us into a, closer to a balanced budget situation that allows us to do some other things financially—to float a bond and other things—but also it’s got to allow us to have some resources to allow us to begin to quickly pivot to make some investments in the growth of Rider University . . . particularly as I said, program development, facility improvements, academic, residence life, and other areas. And so it had to satisfy those two components and that’s how we’ve been driving the decision process. So, once we have the Westminster piece sort of done, then we’ll be able to plug it all in to the overall strategic plan and continue that conversation with the University community and share those discussions. The one last thing I’ll mention—and I’ll ask DonnaJean to talk in a moment or two about it—is program prioritization, how that fits into all this. <End Recording 5’32”>