Dear Colleagues:

I invite you to help me kick off our Family Weekend events by showing your school spirit.  This Friday, dress in Blue & White, or wear your Monmouth University imprinted clothing to celebrate a number of recent academic and athletic accomplishments.

Our undefeated #1 seed women’s soccer team will get an early start on the weekend when they host a MAAC Semifinal game against #6 Niagara at 5:00 p.m. Thursday on Hesse Field. 

On Friday, we will cheer on our nationally-ranked Field Hockey team as they open postseason play as the top-overall seed in the America East Championship, on Friday at 11 a.m. on So Sweet A Cat Field.

Our Blue & White Day will also celebrate the recent successes of our Debate Hawks, Model UN Team, and the winning members of our second Intercollegiate Real Estate Academic Competition, who bested teams from Baruch CUNY, Lehigh, Montclair, Rutgers and Villanova on November 1.  Earlier in October, the two pairs of Debate Hawks took first and second place at the Brad Smith Invitational Debate Tournament at the University of Rochester.  Both teams went undefeated with 6-0 records before heading into the playoff rounds, marking the first time the Debate Hawks took both a first and second place team award.  Other competing schools included NYU, West Point, Rochester, and the New School. 

At the end of October, members of our Model UN Team won four individual speaking awards at the prestigious Oxford University Model United Nations competition, besting Oxford, Cambridge, and the London School of Economics in the process. 

Our Family Weekend will also showcase a home game for our football team, who soundly defeated the #4 ranked team in the country – Kennesaw State last weekend and earned its highest national ranking in 27 years.

Let’s Go Hawks!

Patrick Leahy, Ed.D.
President

TO:	Members of the Campus Community
FROM:	Dr. Patrick F. Leahy President
RE:	Strategic Plan Steering Committee
DATE:	October 24, 2019

****

In my Convocation address on September 11, 2019, I announced that the University will undertake a strategic planning effort over the course of the next eight months that will provide direction for all of our initiatives as we work collectively to set a new path for Monmouth.

I’m pleased to announce the members of the Strategic Plan Steering Committee that will oversee this process over the next three months.  The faculty members were elected by Faculty Council and FAMCO; students were appointed by the Student Government Association; and the administrators and staff members were identified by the newly formed Staff Council and other nominators.  The Strategic Plan Steering Committee members are as follows:

Co-Chairs:
Dr. Patrick Leahy
Mary Anne Nagy

Faculty Members:
Dr. Christopher Hirschler
Dr. Christine Hatchard
Dr. Nancy Uddin
Dr. Robert H. Scott III

Students:
Demi Ardic
Naser Haroon

Administration/Staff:
Nina Anderson
Amanda Klaus
Jennifer Lawlor
Dr. Tracey Mulvaney
Dr. Zaneta Rago-Craft
Bea Rogers

Our process will be comprehensive, inclusive, collaborative, and outcome-oriented. You should anticipate learning from the committee soon on how, as a community, we will proceed to ensure a successful strategic planning process.

Join me in thanking these individuals for their service to our community.

If you have any questions regarding the process, please contact Mary Anne Nagy or me directly. 

Thank you.

Dear Colleagues:

With sadness I share the news that Professor Emeritus Robert Rechnitz passed away peacefully on Sunday, October 13.  Dr. Rechnitz’s influence on generations of students during his more than 30 years as a professor of English and American Literature, as well as his contributions to the entire University as a generous friend and benefactor, will never be forgotten.  

Dr. Rechnitz was named Professor Emeritus in 1996 and was recognized with the Maurice Pollak Award for Distinguished Community Service in 2001 at our Founders’ Day celebration and convocation. 

His legacy at Monmouth extends to almost every area of our University, including scholarship and internship opportunities for students, academic programming, and substantial investment in Monmouth University’s Center for the Arts and Urban Coast Institute.  Robert and Joan generously funded the showcase instructional arts center named in their honor and officially dedicated in 2013. They were also the lead benefactors of the successful $5 million Challenge Grant campaign to support the Urban Coast Institute’s Marine Science & Policy Initiative.  More recently, they established the endowed Rechnitz Family Urban Coast Institute Chair in Marine and Environmental Law & Policy.

His philanthropic commitment to the arts, healthcare, the environment, and civic improvement across our entire region enhanced the quality of life for many who were not fortunate enough to know him personally.

Our flag will remain lowered half-staff in his memory, and I will share details about additional memorial services planned as they are available.

Sincerely,

Patrick F. Leahy
President

Dear colleagues:

At our Fall Convocation in September, I announced the creation of a Staff Council that will serve as an advisory body to gather feedback from staff constituents and advance ideas to share with the Cabinet and with me. 

The goals of the Staff Council are:  to consider issues and provide counsel on matters that impact the university and to foster greater communication to all members of the university community.  

In order to launch this initiative quickly, I asked senior administration for an initial slate of nominations of individuals for me to appoint to the Council.  It is my sincere hope that the members of the Council represent an active cross-section of staff members from across all divisions. 

I asked the individuals listed below to serve an initial term on the Staff Council for the 2019-2020 academic year, and am grateful that each has accepted this responsibility.  Going forward, immediate agenda items will include: designing standard procedures and developing a process to elect new members. 

The first meeting of the Council will be Thursday, October 3. At the meeting, members will be briefed on their role and responsibilities, and elect a Chair.

Al Acerra	Police Department
Karen Blaney	Information Support
Bill Byrne	Facilities
Mike Callahan	Veteran Services
Jon Cascone	Rec, Fitness, Intramurals
Carolyn Ciervo	University Advancement
Kathy Dabney	Student Activities
Liz Gensemer	Undergraduate Admission
Mary Kate Kane	School of Education
Nancy Kusch	Finance – Bursar’s office
Mark Mohrman	Athletics – Communications
Karen Morrow	Office of the General Counsel
Rosaly Rivera	Human Resources

Please join me in thanking our colleagues for supporting this important initiative. I fully expect that you will be hearing more from the Staff Council in the near future. 

Sincerely,

Dr. Patrick Leahy
President

Dear colleagues:

One of my core beliefs and a foundation of the University community is providing all students and employees an equal opportunity to succeed at Monmouth and to be free from discrimination.  It is a responsibility that we all share.  The attached Reaffirmation of Monmouth University’s Equal Opportunity Policy is provided to you for your information.  Department heads should ensure that a copy of this Reaffirmation is posted on the department bulletin board and the previous one removed. 

We are required by law to adopt and publish a policy against discrimination. We are also required to publish grievance procedures to provide for prompt and equitable resolution of discrimination/sexual harassment complaints.  In order to comply with these requirements, a copy of the Monmouth University discrimination and harassment policy can be found on-line at https://www.monmouth.edu/equity-and-diversity/discrimination-and-harassment.  Links to a copy of the most recent “Procedures for Reporting and Resolving Complaints of Discrimination and Sexual Harassment Against Non-Faculty Employees” and “Procedures for Reporting and Resolving Complaints Regarding Discrimination/Sexual Harassment [Faculty]” can be reached from this page. A hard copy of these documents may be obtained by calling the Office of Equity and Diversity at x7577.  Please take the time to peruse and familiarize yourself with this important University policy. 

Finally, attached you will find a Complaint Procedure Notice which department heads should post on department bulletin boards or other conspicuous location within your department.  When posting this notice, please remove any previous notice which may be on the bulletin board. 

Thank you for your continued support and cooperation.

Dr. Patrick Leahy
President

Dear campus community:

On Wednesday, September 11, our country will mark the anniversary of the tragic events of the terrorist attacks of 18 years ago. 

The University, in partnership with the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, is offering a day of public programming including art and discussion.  The day includes a video screening, a panel discussion, and a gallery exhibit.  You can find additional details by clicking on this link. 

In addition, in honor of our country and in remembrance of all those who lost their lives, there will be a tolling of the University bells for two minutes at the following times:

            8:46 a.m.          AA Flight 11 was flown into the World Trade Center North Tower.
            9:03 a.m.          AA Flight 175 was flown into the World Trade Center South Tower.
            9:43 a.m.          AA Flight 77 was flown into the Pentagon.
           10:10 a.m.         UA Flight 93 crashed in Somerset County, PA after heroic actions by passengers and crew.

Members of the Monmouth University community who are on campus are invited to observe a moment of silence at these times.

At noon the University bells will ring out our National Anthem.

Sincerely,

Dr. Patrick Leahy
President

Dear Campus Community:

At approximately 2:15 p.m. today, the Monmouth University Police Department responded to a report of a vehicle accident on the north side of the University campus. A vehicle operated by a 61-year-old male crashed into a parked vehicle and subsequently changed direction and came to rest after crashing into Hesse Hall. No students were injured or involved in the crash. Hesse Hall was evacuated and the building damage is being evaluated by a structural engineer. Students housed in the affected areas of Hesse Hall will be relocated until those areas are deemed safe for occupancy. The driver of the vehicle has been transported to Hackensack Meridian Health Jersey Shore University Medical Center. There were no other occupants in the vehicle and no other injuries were reported.

We are grateful for the support of our first responders from the Monmouth University Police Department and our neighboring communities. If necessary, support services are available for students, faculty, and staff at Counseling and Psychological Services (732-571-7517) and the Office of Student Life (732-571-3417).

Sincerely,

Dr. Patrick Leahy
President