The annual faculty convocation recognized new, recently promoted and deceased faculty members in the Jubilee auditorium Friday afternoon. The university's executive cabinet talked about the challenges they will face in the future.
This year, a heavy emphasis was placed on the role of technology in the university community and the importance of allowing faculty members to gain tenure.
Larry Robinson, provost and executive vice president of the university, remarked that the is- sues of tenure, technology, promotion and academic research are all in direct competition with each other and are actively affecting the way Seton Hall is run.
"While we embrace these challenges, the very lives of our faculty stressing the importance of continuing recruitment efforts. He noted that while the current freshman class is the second largest in 30 years, graduate and law school enrollment is down more than 13 percent from previous years.
Following the executive cabinet's addresses, the deans of each school welcomed the university's more than 30 new faculty members and congratulated 10 recently promoted professors.
"You will be the transmitters of the values and virtues of Seton Hall University," said Esteban.
The highlight of the evening was the awarding of the Albert Hakim Faculty Service Medal to John Shannon, who celebrated his thirtieth anniversary as a member of the Seton Hall family.
"I'm not sure where all that time went, but it's been a great ride," Shannon said.
Following the ceremony, faculty members were treated to a cocktail reception where they were able to connect on a social level and reminisce about their years of service to the university community.
"The convocation gives us a chance to acknowledge the new guys and to celebrate as a community," said Dr. Peter Ahr, associate professor of religion. "And this (the reception) is sort of like a reunion for us. It's important to us."
Joseph Grogan can be reached at joseph.grogan@student.shu.edu.
