October 2008

The Rowan Report is published the second Monday of each month. To submit items for the Noteworthy section, contact Patricia Quigley at quigley@rowan.edu.

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Summer brought concrete changes to RU

A few weeks of redirected traffic and grumbling about a closed Rt. 322 paid off with improvements made to campus and surrounding areas this summer.

Possibly the most noticeable of the many projects completed by Facilities, the borough and/or the state was the demolition of Bosshart Hall and the installation of a new plaza in the vicinity of nearby Savitz Hall and Science Hall, including new ramps and benches. Work will continue throughout the fall to complete the landscaping on the site of the former science building.

Also this summer, the borough replaced aging sewer mains from the vicinity of Whitney Avenue to the Campbell Library, from Rt. 322 directly to the library on the campus and on the north side of campus from Education Hall toward Carpenter Street.

The New Jersey Department of Transportation repaved Rt. 322 and installed curbing and bicycle lanes along the shoulders from the railroad tracks near Triad Hall to the vicinity of Whitney Avenue, among other efforts. The NJDOT still plans to add the final crosswalks—textured, lined and lit at night—at three locations on Rt. 322 on campus. "While the work necessitated some detours, the end result will mean improved pedestrian and bicycle safety," said Dr. Joseph Orlins, assistance vice president for Facilities.

Rowan complete other work as well, from renovating restrooms in Willow and Bozorth halls to installing new fire alarms in Chestnut and Magnolia halls.>> Back to Top

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Campus is going wireless

Rowan is wiring for wireless. Despite the irony of that idea, the University is in the midst of a multi-phase initiative to bring wireless access to the entire campus. The effort began last spring, and with the completion of the first phase over the summer, the residence halls are online and currently working, according to Anthony Mordosky, associate provost for Information Resources.

Providing service to the academic buildings is next on the list and set to be completed during the fall semester this year. Currently there is some wireless capability in these buildings, but it is not pervasive and additional access points are being added. The next phase will be to bring non-academic buildings onboard during the spring semester. Campbell Library will be part of the spring phase, since it requires substantial work as the building needs to be completely wired.

The final part of the plan includes installing a mesh network that will pick up all the "green," or outdoor, spaces on campus. The exact areas covered by this network will be determined through analysis of what is called the "bleed-through," or the areas around a building where the signal can be accessed. The goal is to complete all phases of the project by August 2009.

Mordosky also noted that older buildings on campus will present challenges to offering complete wireless service throughout, but adds that "literally every building will have wireless access."

Aside from moving Rowan forward technologically, the project meets an even broader educational goal, as Mordosky points out: campus-wide wireless access means "almost any place on campus could be a learning space.">> Back to Top

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Bosshart Hall discovery opens gateway to Rowan's past

According to official school policy, students must be in their dorms by 9 p.m. on Friday nights unless they register for permission, which buys them time until midnight.

This was a strict campus rule according to a 1962 standards and regulations handbook recently found in a Bosshart Hall time capsule.

As the former science building was demolished this summer, workers accidentally located the time capsule behind the cornerstone. Filled with numerous school documents, the capsule points out unimaginable differences, as well as similarities, between college life 46 years ago and today and some fun trivia. That includes:

• The major college costs for an academic year were tuition ($150), fees ($131), books ($100) and room and board ($650).
• Applicants to the College had to sign a written agreement promising to serve as a teacher in the public schools of New Jersey the first two years following graduation.
• The College's only degree was in education.
• Off-campus students were forbidden to room in housing unsupervised by the school, to room with non-Glassboro students, to have access to alcohol or to reside on the same floor as students of the opposite sex.
• Route 55 did not exist, but the Reading Seashore Lines Railroad stopped in Glassboro.
• An article in the October 1961 "The Whit" denounces deviant attire such as "sawed-off khakis and ragged sweatshirts."
• A November 1961 edition of "The Whit" addresses the parking issue escalated by construction on campus. The students were upset over the limited number of spots while the administration was concerned over students' illegally parked cars.

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Board approves new programs

Rowan's Board of Trustees recently approved a new bachelor of arts degree in chemistry, a master of arts in applied behavior analysis, three minors in business and two certificates of graduate study in education.

The bachelor of arts degree in chemistry is designed for students who wish to teach chemistry at the high school level or for those who want to work in chemistry-related fields. The new master's in applied behavior analysis, which is expected to be implemented in the spring, will provide students with the coursework, knowledge, abilities and skills to become a behavior analyst.

In the Rohrer College of Business, minors were approved in marketing, management information systems and human resource management. The marketing minor is designed to provide non-business majors with an understanding of the importance of marketing in the business environment. The minor in management information systems will give students a strong understanding of how information systems are used in business, while the minor in human resource management will provide non-business majors with the skills they need to quality for entry-level human resource management positions.

New certificates of graduate study in both reading/writing literacy and special education are targeted to current K-12 classroom teachers. Reading/writing literacy will help teachers hone their skills, develop new knowledge and concentrate on instructional strategies and content knowledge in the area of literacy. The certificate in special education is designed to train general education teachers to effectively meet the needs of students with disabilities and to provide special education teachers with graduate course work.>> Back to Top

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Freshmen add up to achievers

As usual, the start of a new academic year brings an influx of new students to campus. With the first two weeks of classes now completed, the campus has a better picture of the Class of 2012.

Rowan welcomed a freshman class of 1,353 students, as well as the addition of 957 transfer students. On average, the RU freshman class placed in the top 20 percent in high school rankings, and members had an average SAT score of 1158. The University now boasts a total enrollment of 10,271 (9,037 undergraduate and 1,234 graduate students), up nearly 200 from last year.

Move In Day on August 31 represented the start for 1,101 residential freshman students moving into the residence halls. Dr. and Mrs. Farish were on hand to greet students and lend assistance, along with dozens of student volunteers, University staff members and parents.>> Back to Top

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University sees increase in international students

Increasingly, Rowan's campus is going global. And its international flavor has nothing to do with what's being served in The Marketplace.

According to Craig Katz, director of international student services, Rowan has seen a substantial increase in enrollment of international students in the last few years. From 2006 to 2007, enrollments of international freshmen, graduate and exchange students increased 50 percent. This fall, enrollment is up another 20 percent, with 78 new international students from 20 different countries. Altogether, the University has 156 international students and scholars, according to Katz.

Katz said the University has become more active in recruiting internationally. "The majority of our new students are from China," he said. "China is a huge market, and the United States is a popular destination for Chinese students seeking a quality education."

Katz sees the increase in international enrollments as a benefit to both the students and the University as a whole.

"One of the most valuable services we can provide to the student body, and the entire Rowan community, is creating a globally aware environment. We can do this by encouraging our local students to study abroad and welcoming students and scholars from around the world to share their experience, knowledge and skills with the University community."

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CoE jumps to 12th spot in U.S. News rankings, Rowan again in top tier

Rowan's College of Engineering jumped from 16th place last year to 12th this year among the nation's best undergraduate engineering programs whose highest degree is a bachelor's or master's degree. That's according to the latest issue of U.S. News & World Report's "America's Best Colleges."

Chemical Engineering was ranked third, and Electrical and Computer and Mechanical Engineering were ranked 10th.

For the ninth consecutive year, U.S. News & World Report ranked Rowan University among the best institutions of higher learning in the nation, placing it in the top tier of the Best Universities-Master's (North Region) category in the publication's annual compilation of the nation's top colleges and universities. Rowan is ranked 28th in the category, which includes universities that provide comprehensive undergraduate and master's programs. Rowan was tied for 28th last year. Additionally, the University is listed fourth among the top public universities in the Best Universities-Master's (North Region) category by U.S. News.>> Back to Top

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ABET accredits MIS program in Rohrer CoB

The Computing Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board of Engineering and Technology (ABET) recently accredited the Management Information Systems (MIS) program in the William G. Rohrer College of Business.

The accreditation was awarded after a thorough peer review process by the non-profit organization.

The Rohrer College of Business also holds an accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), and the MIS program is now one of only a handful of schools in the country that hold both prominent recognitions

According to its website, ABET's vision is to "provide world leadership in assuring quality and in stimulating innovation in applied science, computing, engineering, and technology education."

"This prestigious accreditation will reinforce the value of the MIS degree earned at the Rohrer College of Business and will make its students more desirable by prospective employers," said Dr. Niranjan Pati, dean.>> Back to Top

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Investiture to celebrate endowed RTF chair

The University will hold a formal Investiture ceremony to celebrate the Charles & Lucille King Family Foundation chair in the College of Communication on Thursday, September 25, at 4 p.m. in the Eynon Ballroom of the Chamberlain Student Center. Michael Donovan, a longtime professor in Rowan's Radio/Television/Film Department, holds the endowed chair.>> Back to Top

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Rowan opens first building of South Jersey Technology Park

Rowan University will hold a ribbon-cutting and dedication ceremony for the South Jersey Technology Park (SJTP) at Rowan University on Monday, October 27, at 10 a.m. at the site, on Rt. 322 near the Rt. 55 interchange in Mantua Township.

The event will mark the grand opening of the Samuel H. Jones Innovation Center, the first structure of the proposed 25-building, 1.5-million-square-foot SJTP located about a mile from Rowan's Glassboro campus.

The event is open to the University community. For more information on the dedication ceremony or SJTP, visit http://www.sjtechpark.com.>> Back to Top

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