Resolution on the New Brunswick Honors College Recent Curriculum Revisions

Rationale:

The Rutgers Honors College is integrating the undergraduate honors programs from multiple schools based on a Task Force Report. The NBFC has not yet provided input into curricular changes that are likely to have wide-ranging impacts,¹ and it is unclear whether non-managerial faculty input or school-level approval of this curriculum has been obtained. Representatives of the NBFC—like other New Brunswick faculty—became aware within the last 48 hours of the finalized new Honors College curriculum, presented to the Honors Council before implementation.

There also appears to be a lack of transparency around the final steps of the process, with program directors from the schools—and even some Honors Council members—expressing surprise at the speed of implementation. While we understand that efficiency can be important, the current timeline does not allow sufficient time for academic planning at the program, departmental, and school levels.

For example, the Academic Affairs Committee has learned that the new curriculum changes will impact the World Language Programs. Other programs may also be affected, but the extent of the curriculum changes and their impact is currently unknown. Faculty involved in language programs report that they may need two or more years to adapt to the changes due to their academic timelines. Moreover, these changes could potentially impact the training of Rutgers undergraduate and graduate students, as well as the pipeline of future faculty scholars in these fields.

Resolution:

Whereas Rutgers has an established history and culture of shared governance;

Whereas the New Brunswick Faculty Council is a Rutgers shared governance body constituted of faculty elected by New Brunswick departments/schools/units to represent New Brunswick faculty interests;

Whereas the NBFC expressed concern 10 years ago over the faculty input and governance of the, then new, Honors College (https://nbfc.rutgers.edu/documents/concerns-and-recommendations-regarding-new-brunswick-honors-college);

Whereas curricular changes are the purview of the faculty and schools;

And whereas there are concerns about the method of approval, the timing and speed, the lack of transparency, the lack of wide-spread consultation with faculty, departments and schools, and NBFC prior to curriculum adoption,

Be it resolved that the Rutgers NBFC calls on the New Brunswick Chancellor to:

• Build more transparency into processes related to curriculum changes and implementation; and
• Delay the implementation of the new Honor College curriculum to allow for further consultation with the faculty and their deliberation over the impacts.

¹ While NBFC was sent in Fall 2024 an initial report dated July 2024, we did not find a deadline provided for submitting input on the proposed changes nor timeline for curricular implementation