An Opportunity for Faculty Facing Retrenchment

Dear Members of the NJCU Community:

The most difficult part of the financial crisis that New Jersey City University has faced this academic year is the impact it has had on our people. As we prepare to sunset some academic programs, the greatest pain is the realization that we will need to say goodbye to some talented faculty and staff. The university continues to explore alternative options for those impacted, and today, we are happy to announce one such opportunity for faculty.

For those faculty who find themselves facing retrenchment, and in collaboration with our talks with AFT Local 1839, we are offering an opportunity to continue to serve students in New Jersey. The university will offer any retrenched faculty member the opportunity to complete one of our alternative pathways to teaching programs — tuition-free. We believe this opportunity would allow faculty to remain in New Jersey and to continue to impact the lives of students.

NJCU has three alternative pathways to teaching: PK-3, ESL, and K-12. Each pathway includes graduate programming that is completed while the individual is employed full-time in a pre-K-to-12 classroom. For each, a faculty member would first apply for a Certificate of Eligibility through the New Jersey Department of Education. The individual would then complete a non-credit 50-hour Introduction to Teaching course that could be completed this summer. The faculty member would begin teaching under a provisional certificate this fall while completing the program coursework over two years. Each of the programs includes 24 hours of graduate credit, and the coursework can be completed online. 

New Jersey continues to face a teacher shortage. According to the New Jersey Monitor, schools are particularly struggling to find teachers in special education, science, and bilingual education. A report by the New Jersey Policy Perspective (NJPP) paints a bleak picture for the state. The number of students in New Jersey completing degrees in education has declined by 60% in the past seven years. The report also noted that New Jersey colleges and universities produce fewer teachers than colleges and universities in the rest of the country. This report compares areas of teacher need to the number of prepared candidates. In addition to the areas mentioned by the New Jersey Monitor, NJPP also notes that teachers are needed in math, art, and in foreign languages. 

We believe this opportunity would keep talented and committed educators in the state and in classrooms, where they will make a difference. If you are facing the possibility of retrenchment and would like to explore this possibility, I would encourage you to reach out to my office at provost@njcu.edu. If you would like additional information regarding the programs, I encourage you to reach out to Dr. Lourdes Sutton, Acting Dean of the College of Education, at lsutton@njcu.edu. 

Sincerely,

Donna Adair Breault, Ph.D.
Acting Provost and Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs
New Jersey City University