Press

By Patricia Alex, Staff Writer, The Record.

Kean University is launching an architecture school bearing the imprint of design guru Michael Graves, but the dean of the state’s premier public architecture program six miles away says the initiative is a waste of public money.

“The idea of having yet another program motivated by prestige or other considerations ... it doesn’t make any sense,” said Urs P. Gauchat, dean of the New Jersey Institute of Technology’s College of Architecture and Design. “We have invested millions in keeping up with technology. … It behooves us not to duplicate."

Making

Joshua Rosario, Kean Tower

Ten of Kean University’s 21 General Education lecturers who advise and oversee about half of the freshmen class as well as teach will be let go this summer and were not given a reason.

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The KFT is trying to overturn the layoffs and will hold a walkout and rally on May 6 outside Kean Hall in advance of the university’s Board of Trustees meeting.

“We believe the student voice will be a powerful contributor to overturning these illegitimate terminations of lecturers and professional staff,” said Castiglione.

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Emma Pettit, Chronicle

Heather E. Connors got good news in December. Because Kean University values its general-education faculty, a letter from the provost said, any lecturer who returned in the fall would get a pay bump, including her.

But in March another letter arrived, this time bearing bad news. The provost would not be recommending Connors, who teaches writing, for reappointment.

In fact, 10 of the department’s 18 lecturers would not be recommended for reappointment, even though all 18 received the same letter that Connors did in December, said James A. Castiglione, president of the New

Adam Clark, NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Ten lecturers at a New Jersey college are being let go without explanation, fueling accusations the college retaliated because they complained about losing their private offices, union leaders say.

Kean University recently told the 10 lecturers from its general education school that they would not have their one-year contracts renewed, said James Castiglione, president of Kean’s faculty union.

Lecturers are adjunct professors hired on yearly contracts without the same job protections as full-time professors. Each of the 10 had complained to several