Rider Chapter of AAUP - Letter On Why They Are Not Participating in SGA Forum w/ Dell Omo on 1/26

-----Original Message----- 
From: Arthur Taylor 
Sent: Jan 25, 2017 10:54 AM
To: Bob Witanek 

Subject: Re: State of Rider U: Student, Fac, Alum, Fam Perspective Forum Planning

Bob,

  We (the Rider AAUP Chapter) will not be participating in the WCC SGA student forum with Rider's president. The AAUP executive committee did not think that was a good venue for our participation. This is not in any way a softening of our position in support of Westminster faculty. We fully support WCC fauclty's position that the Princeton campus is the best location for them to offer a quality education for their students. We just do not think a forum concerning a decision by president Dell'Omo to publicly discuss moving the WCC campus is appropriate for us. The decision to make the statement was president Dell'Omo's so he is the appropriate person to discuss that decision with the students. Additionally, the content of administration's study on moving WCC, or on the cost of running WCC is information which the Rider AAUP chapter does not have and we would not have the ability to comment on the validity of any such information. 

  We do look forward to participating in the Rider State of the University event you and the Save WCC Coalition are planning. I look forward to speaking with you about that event. 

 -- Art Taylor, President, Rider AAUP Chapter

2014 Gesture of Westminster Solidarity with Rider Faculty:

The following piano solo was recorded in 2014 around midnight at Bristol Chapel by Rob C-Dubs after he leafleted the WCC dormitories in support of a meeting with AAUP members at Westmininster in opposition to administration attempts to force a strike - the video appeared on the Rider Chapter of the AAUP website for a couple of weeks as a coalition of the AAUP, students and families was able to block the worse of what was being imposed by administration - a victory it was for quality of education at Rider and Westminster.

Related - the student letter:
http://us14.campaign-archive1.com/?u=0bbad7a974c6aaab359f4c690&id=58c2d56b0b 

What is the Time Frame for the Shuttering of the Westminster Choir College Princeton Campus? Will Dell Omo unequivocally state at the Thursday Forum that Westminister will be in Princeton through 2017-2018 and 2018-2019?

In a recent campus wide letter to students from the WCC SGA it was stated:

“This process would take several years to come to fruition. The study has just recently begun and progress on the study will be reported to the Board of Trustees in late February. No decisions will be made until the study is completed. The President has shared his commitment to allowing the process to take all the time it needs so the right outcome can be determined.”

This SGA / administration letter is misleading because it implies that the shuttering of WCC in Princeton will not happen during the next and possibly even following school year.

However, understanding how real estate marketing works would suggest that any business interests, public entity or private interests that is looking to expend 10s of millions to purchase the campus would likely want to take possession of the property as soon as they expend their millions, so that they can begin to re-purpose the property toward their needs and make the most of their real estate investment.

As Dell Omo / administration has framed its desire to sell the property as a response to an emergency in the finances of Rider University, that suggests that administration is seeking the funds sooner than later – also suggesting an earlier time table to turn over the Princeton property to the buyer.

It is likely true that it would take years to properly prepare the Lawrenceville campus for a fully functional choir college, if the property were to be turned over early – as would likely be needed to meet administration’s aggressive demand for a budget solution, it means that the Princeton campus could end up shuttered before Lawrenceville is even ready to fully support Westminister Choir College facility wise and in every other way,  This process could be a blueprint for a total disaster for Westminster.  We could end up with a couple of years of a half baked choir college – resulting in declining enrollment and a stained reputation nationally and internationally.

There was no confirmation in the SGA letter or from any other administrative source that the Princeton campus would not be shuttered as soon as the sale is complete.  There has been no authoritative statement from Dell Omo or administration that “The 2017 – 2018 year (and the 2018 – 2019 year) will not be impacted."  Without such clear assurance - it is misleading to try to reassure that the process will take years and not impact one or two of the next school years.

If 2017-2019 were not going to be impacted, the administration would certainly announce it because such an announcement would reduce the number of current students directly impacted by the proposed shuttering of Princeton.  That there has been no such announcement at this point, suggests that Dell Omo / Administration is keeping all options available.  Of course Rider’s flexibility in this regard – to be willing to turn over the property sooner – would optimize its marketing position on the property which is the apparent priority of the administration.  No doubt, Rider has serious potential buyers in place and is negotiating with them each day.

If it is true as SGA is trying to lead on that the process will take years and the 2017-18 year (and the subsequent year) would definitely not be impacted – the administration should state that clearly.  It would actually help the administration in selling the issue to the students if 1/3 or 2/3 of the directly affected student body were to learn that they will not be impacted after all.

Until any such pronouncement – IT BEHOOVES ALL CURRENT STUDENTS, FAMILIES, FACULTY AND STAFF AT WCC TO ASSUME THE WORST – that the campus could be shuttered during 2017 – 2018 school year AND that the shuttering could occur before Lawrenceville could even be ready to accommodate the relocation process facility-wise.

Therefore – students, faculty, familes, staff and alumni need to hold steady to the demand:

NO CLOSING OF THE WESTMINSTER CHOIR COLLEGE PRINCETON CAMPUS – BLOCK THE MOVE!

Update January 20, 2016

The following is in response to someone that has criticized my asking of the above question:

We were told to ask questions of the Rider U president in the SGA letter to Westminster students. This question needs to be asked. Students at Westminster right now have a right to know where Westminster classes will be conducted in 2017-18 - as do those who have applications pending or have accepted offers from Westminster. That is basic appropriate treatment of those investing a quarter million or so in the college over a 4 year period. It behooves the administration to put this question aside by answering the question - where will the classes be 2017-18?

This is a basic fundamental question that we deserve an answer to.

This is in the interest of protecting the integrity and trust of the university and the community

Full honest disclosure is what needs to be insisted upon.

Response to SGA Letter on Closing Westminster Campus

The Lawrenceville and Westminster Chapters of the Rider Student Union and the Student Chapter of the Coalition to Save Westminster Choir College in Princeton are committed to transparency, and the sharing of all information regarding the proposed closing of the Westminster Choir College Princeton campus and the affects it has on the students as well as the school as a whole. We find the actions and the recent email response by the Westminster’s SGA to be inappropriate and unprofessional in the current situation. They made no moves to engage The Coalition to Save Westminster in Princeton about any possible stances on the subject, sent no emails and made no connection to keep us in the loop with administration. Rather they went onward and went along with administration in promoting this "study" of closing Westminster.  Also we are unaware of any attempt by the SGA to seek guidance from the Rider AAUP in its assessment of the current situation.

There has been no vocal opposition to this move by SGA. Why do they fall silent and release an email vaguely justifying the move with Dell 'Omo thinking about it?  As of right now,  the SGA has been vocally silent, offering no opposition to this move which leads us at the Coalition to suspect they are for the closing. When will they go against administration and realize what their silence has already done?

There has also been no written or vocal statement by Dell 'Omo himself, instead he speaks through the SGA or through a third party, The Coalition would like for Dell 'Omo to address Westminster with his concerns, instead of saying through an SGA email that you are thinking about our concerns. We have no  way of knowing if Dell 'Omo will share his concerns about the closing with the team conducting the survey. We also have no idea in what way he will address his issues to the Westminster student body as well as faculty. We would like full transparency when it comes to the delivery of his statement. We would also like to feel secured in his statement, because we as the Coalition understand that written word and also spoken word is not always a promise.

We would also like access to the concerns posed by SGA to Dell 'Omo and Dean Shaftel.  Were the SGA's concerns in writing? We would like access to all current information or stances that SGA or Dell 'Omo have. We would also like information as to the concerns posed by SGA, if they were on an individual basis or if they were posed as a group. This can change the view points and can lead to unity in the schools concerns. We would also like to pinpoint the opposing views that SGA had, if any, because they have failed to mention any actual opposition to the move.  The SGA needs to represent the students by opposing the move and not the administration – by soft selling it – as it is currently doing.

SGA continues to show its agreement to the move, by posing positive aspects of the move and that no position will be posed until the study is done. We would like to know how they are so certain that these are benefits to the point that they have put them into a school wide email. We would like strong evidence available to everyone that they do not have any more information than the students. We would also like for administration to show us any or all communications with SGA and proof to the student body that they have not been given any information regarding so called benefits to the closing of Westminster. Are they aware of the costs of building state of the art music facilities for more than 300 musicians ranging from singers to organists? Are they aware of the numbers and the budget they will have to have? Were the savings that SGA mentioned tallied up against the costly construction that would have to be funded? SGA as well as Dell 'Omo have said the process will take several years, but have failed to mention pinpoint times and an accurate timeline of the shut down and movement of Westminster. Did Dell Omo state that 2017-2018 year will not be affected?  What about 2018-19?  If he has made no such commitment it is disingenuous for the SGA to imply as much.

If they have made a position such as this, it is correct to assume they have thought of a clear timeline of events as well. They also failed to mention in what way Westminster will function as a college as the sale of our land is being negotiated. Will we continue to be a functioning college or will Westminster begin our transition as soon as a land sale deal  has been made? Will the  sale of Westminster be more important than the functioning of our college, and will we begin to see our college turn into a bidding ground for buyers and sellers? Why has SGA and Dell 'Omo failed to portray a clear timeline and dates for such a move? SGA's email also mentioned staying positive and respectful. They failed to mention that being quiet and not opposing the move is not respectful, it is passive. We as the Coalition will not be passive when Dell 'Omo wants to move our college 

SGA has made clear in their response that being positive means to not go against the move, and that is wrong. You can be positive about opposing a bad plan. We as the students of Westminster must show Dell 'Omo that his plan has too many holes and we are unified in opposition. It is the role of SGA to talk for the students, not  administration. It is not the role of SGA to undermine those who are speaking up and fighting for the college they love. Boost up your love for Westminster; do not undermine those who choose to speak up.  The reference by SGA to unnamed individuals that are addressing the issue as “uninformed” is exactly the kind of negativity that the SGA is supposedly telling us to avoid.  It is a smear of the opposition and thus the student body.

SGA also mentions to stay well informed and to not believe everything we read. The whole email is strands of statements without any actual facts or proof to back up any claims you are trying to make. SGA is talking on behalf of administration. We have seen even less proof of dire financial information, and the administration has not released specific data supporting their financial analysis and the need to shutter Westminster Choir College Princeton Campus. They have jumped to the nuclear option of shuttering our beloved Princeton campus without showing us any other options with complete openness and honest facts.

In the SGA’s list of options that students can take, nowhere does it say to oppose the move, or make your voice known that you are vocally against the move.  SGA has routinely throughout this email portrayed resistance to opposing the move, and by listing what students should do and failing to include raising your voice and opposing the move, you have undermined what it means to be a Westminster student. SGA has shown us with this small list that they are much more inclined to have us continue the path of  ignorance and not grab the bull by the horns. SGA needs to stop telling our students be subdued in the face of a grave mistake.

SGA's job is to speak for the students of Westminster. They along with all the other students and faculty know of the opposition supported by the students and failed to show and give support to those who speak against the move. Rather, they offer soft passive options, saying why Westminster is great and lovely, instead of hitting home with actual changes. SGA needs to start representing the school and all of its students, and has to stop delivering to the school a soft sell of the move, and the idea that it is ok if we just think positive. Speak up and make noise, and do not feel as though SGA is the voice of the people when they cannot even break away from administration in the face of this administration imposed crisis for our beloved college and campus.

SGA is hosting a forum, and has failed to present any clear information on who the presenters will be. Will AAUP be invited to present?  Alumni?  Save Westminster Coalition?  Rider Students Union Westminster representatives?   Or will it be another administration platform to promote its Study / Move process?  They have continuously failed to bring to the table any facts or information on all of the claims they have made, and they wrap up with another vague statement.

SGA, you need to start being the voice of the students, and not the talking head of administration. If you cannot do this, then you are not the voice of Westminster, we are. Westminster is here to stay, and I will not be quiet when it comes to the closing of the place that has touched lives across land and time.

We call upon the SGA to convene immediately and to pass a resolution that:
* opposes the move unconditionally
* vows to do everything in its power to halt the move
* commits to communicate to everyone its commitment to use its powers to stop the move directly to President Dell Omo and the Board of Trustees.
* Allocates no less than $10,000 of student fees to the student efforts to block the move.

Do not go gentle into that good night,

Old age should burn and rave at close of day;

Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Though wise men at their end know dark is right,

Because their words had forked no lightning they

Do not go gentle into that good night.

-Dylan Thomas

State of the University, A Student, Faculty, Alumni, Family Perspective

"The leadership of Rider's AAUP chapter appreciates your long term support of Rider faculty.

    The Rider AAUP chapter is happy to participate in your planned event as a panel member. 

. . .   I recognize our numerous shared interests and I thank you for your long term support for labor at Rider. We will certainly provide any information we have on Rider's financial situation, and any other information which may be pertinent. You mention the possible elimination of the piano and organ programs in your letter. These eliminations are based on a 'strategic prioritization' effort by Rider's administration which we feel is lacking. We can certainly provide some information to refute administration's valuation of those programs."

   -- Art Taylor, President of Rider Chapter of AAUP in letter to Bob Witanek, January 13, 2017

The Rider AAUP has one of the most cohesive analyses of the current situation with the attempts to shutter Westminister Choir College in Princeton:

 AAUP Message of Support for Westminster Faculty Members

Colleagues,

The Executive Committee of the Rider AAUP would like to communicate our unqualified support for our fellow members at the Westminster Choir College campus. We understand that faculty on that campus are deeply concerned about the future of Westminster Choir College. We support their commitment to the educational pedagogy, community and the proud tradition that the Westminster Choir College Princeton campus provides for them and their students.

Westminster Choir College has consistently met or exceeded their enrollment goals, has a student retention rate above 93%, and has had stellar fundraising over the past five years. The connections between the Lawrenceville and Princeton campuses developed through the Westminster College of the Arts provide access to a world class musical education for Rider’s Lawrenceville students.

We question the University’s undisclosed evaluation which identifies a “financial inefficiency” in Rider’s current two campus model, and we question how the University can continue to depend upon the evaluations of the financial management team which has brought us to this point. It is unfortunate that Rider’s Administration seems more interested in the opinions of accounting staff and consultants than the opinions and input of committed faculty, parents, alumni, donors and students in the Rider community. We are committed to defending our members and the institution against the rash, disruptive actions which have been proposed. We believe that the current two campus model is the best means possible to maintain Westminster Choir College's status as a quality academic institution and we support our Westminster faculty members in their commitment to maintaining that model.


AAUP Executive Committee
Art Taylor, President
Elizabeth Scheiber, VP
Jeff Halpern, CGO
Joel Phillips, AGO
Dave Dewberry, Treasurer
Kathy Price, Recording Secretary
Jason Chiu, At-Large Member
Kathleen Pierce, At-Large Member

The forum that we are planning will feature a panel discussion.  There will be 6 to 9 panelists, made up of faculty members, students, alumni and parents.  The Rider Student Union, the Save Westminister Choir College in Princeton, AAUP leaders and hopefully Westminster facutlty representative(s) and Westminister students and family will be on hand to present the case for abandoning the study and plan to sell off the Princeton campus as a one off solution to solve Rider’s budgeting woes.  Time permitting there will also be a question and answer period.

Administration will NOT be represented upon the panel although they are welcome to attend as part of the audience.  This panel discussion is an attempt to equalize the discussion as the administration has a clamp down on much of the discourse around campus related issues on the Rider campuses.  The administration has access to the campus wide e-mail networks and regularly communicates to parents, faculty and students, often using the student elected SGA, to get its messages across.  When the SGA’s organize forums around campus issues, they neglect to invite AAUP representation – presenting administration as the keynote speakers – which provides a lopsided view on campus issues.

That is why it is imperative that we organize an alternative view of the situation so that our analysis and critique can get across without the smoke screen that administration creates when it pursues its drastic changes at Rider and Westminster – and this has been on an annual basis for the last 3 years.  (That will be subject of a future article.)

AAUP participation is integral to the success of this event and our working in sisterly support with AAUP will be integral in our potential for success in defeating the administration plan to shutter the Princeton campus.  Last year when the Dell Omo administration fired its first shot at the heart of Westminster Choir College by attempting to eliminate the Piano Department, as part of a scheme to eliminate about a dozen majors across both campuses, it was ultimately the Rider AAUP that came to the rescue of Piano at Westminster and the other programs slated for elimination.  The AAUP took it upon themselves to accept draconian – to the bone – givebacks on their just one-year old three year agreement in order to stave off the destructive administrative moves.  Most of the Rider and Westminster student body is unaware of the sacrifices that AAUP made to protect these vital university programs.

AAUP also has its own staff and they are pressuring the university to provide the data behind the vague pronouncements that the administration has put forward in support of its proposal to shutter the Princeton campus.  They also monitor closely and have an alternative view of the valuation model that administration deploys to assess what is or is not a program that is of value to the university.

 

Two years ago when students were mobilizing support for faculty and academic excellence as administration attempted to force a strike and draconian contract givebacks - students are holding signs stating "Support Our Beloved Faculty"

At this point we need to work out the date and the venue of this event.  We hope for it to occur before the February 22 Board of Trustees meeting at which the results of the Princeton campus shuttering study are to be presented – a meeting at which the decision to close the Westminster Choir College Princeton campus could be initiated.

As for the location – ideally we would like to hold it in Bristol Chapel.  However, we expect that we might run into problems with securing the facility for the event since the administration often creates obstacles to the democratic rights of students and faculty.  If need be we will see about a possible church hall in close proximity to the Westminster Choir College Princeton Campus though it will be a shame to have to hold such an historic event “in exile” from the campus we are fighting to save.

Stay tuned as the details will soon be provided as to how this event will proceed and if you are interested in getting involved, contact bwitanek@igc.org , call or text 908-881-5275.

O Dell Omo - Apologies to Orff Lovers Every Where . . .

In 2014, Westminster Symphonic Choir was accompanied by NJ Symphony Orchestra  for Orff's Carmina Burina.  So this popular classical song O Fortuna is no doubt an old favorite to many recent Westminster Choir College graduates and some graduate students still at the college.

The song is often used in scary movie scenes and if you do not know the story, you might think the song is about some haunting ritual.  The song is actually about debauchery, drinking and other fun.  However - the song also lends itself for a repurposing as an expression of opposition to the shuttering of the beloved Princeton Westminster Choir College - a sort of haunting if you will of the administration by the idea of an actively opposing student body.

In fact - we have done just that.  I have commissioned my son who is a graduate piano student at Westminster Choir College who is very much opposed the possible shuttering of the Princeton campus.

The lyrics are mine, however and I bear full responsibility for them.

I am interested in putting together another rendition.  I am willing to hire 6 students for 1 hour each for a re-recording of all 6 parts.  This is a very low paying job but it will be slightly higher than what Rider pays its minimum wage earning students.  Contact Bob Witanek on Facebook or bwitanek@igc.org to arrange participation.

You can express interest through this group as well:

Save Westminster Cultural Project

The idea also has come in to create a virtual chorus - to allow folks from afar to record voice tracks with the piano track in their ears - the recorded track should be voice only - and to get an audio expert to splice them all together - let's see if we can make that happen also.

For now we have a solo version sung by Robert in B Flat minor and a piano track in D minor for accompaniment practice for those that want to work on the parts.

Vocals B Flat Minor



Piano Track D Minor

Lyrics

O WESTMINSTER
STAND TOGETHER
WE MUST PROTECT WESTMINSTER

O DELL OMO
THIS DEAL MUST GO
DON’T DARE THREATEN WESTMINSTER

O DELL OMO
WE’RE SAYING NO
NOT FOR SALE AT WESTMINSTER

YOU HEED OUR SONG
WE ‘LL SING IT STRONG
JOIN THE FIGHT FOR WESTMINSTER

Repeat above stanza

Finale:

O DELL OMO
ITS TIME TO GO
NO CONFIDENCE WHAT WE SAY

WE ORGANIZE
WE MOBILIZE
WE MUST STOP THIS BIG MISTAKE

WE UNIFY
SING BATTLE CRY
RAISE OUR VOICE THE CHORUS WAY

AND WHEN WE WIN
WE SAY AGAIN
WESTMINSTER SHALL IN PRINCETON STAY

Possible Arrangement to follow,

Videos were created according to my precise spec with minimal rehearsal as public service announcement, prototype and introductory tool.  Any fault with the recording is mine as it was done precisely to my specification.