Leave a

Legacy

Partner Spotlight

Partner Spotlight

UCNJ president taking a photo of her and the crowd of graduates behind her.

UCNJ Union College of Union County, NJ supports faculty with pedagogical development to engage students, leading to increased course completion, and faculty love it .

Learn how ACUE’s Effective Teaching Practice Framework equipped UCNJ Union College of Union County, NJ  faculty with a toolbox of practices to implement in the classroom, leading to transformational results.
Location

Cranford, NJ

Institution Type

2-Year Public

Aspen Prize Finalist

for C.C. Excellence, 2025

Instructional Staff

0

Enrolled Students

0

Retention Rate

0 %

Q&A

with UCNJ

UCNJ President Margaret McMenamin headshot

Dr. Margaret McMenamin

President

UCNJ Provost Maris Lown headshot

Dr. Maris Lown

Provost & Vice President of Academic Affairs

What goals or challenges led you to partner with ACUE?

Sign that says "Aspen Prize Finalist for Community College Excellence 2025"

How would you describe the culture of teaching and learning at UCNJ before and after partnering with ACUE?

We had a culture where we had passive, faculty-centric teaching and learning, and now we have an active, engaged teaching and learning culture.

What results have you seen at UCNJ from your partnership?

Large group of UCNJ graduates at commencement preparing to flip their mortar board tassel

We have seen improved course completion, which is a critical leading indicator to student success and graduation."

Dr. McMenamin

What feedback have you received from faculty who have become certified in ACUE's Framework?

Every single person who’s taken an ACUE course has loved it. Every single one. That is very unusual for higher education.

A table filled with printed ACUE Framework certificates

Dr. McMenamin's legacy in the making

What is the legacy you hope to leave at UCNJ regarding teaching and learning?

UCNJ president taking a photo with a graduate during a commencement ceremony

“We are committed to supporting faculty in the classroom so that our students get better instruction and our faculty become the best professors they can be. The institutional goal of many colleges, in the past, was to expand access, to give people an opportunity. Getting women, people of color, and impoverished people into higher education. But that didn’t get students across the finish line. So, the focus moved beyond access to thinking about how we can support students so that they earn their degree.  

Now, we are starting to think about students’ post-completion agenda. Are they matriculating into bachelor’s programs in their majors? Are they graduating with a bachelor’s in a reasonable time after they transfer? For career students, are they earning family-sustaining wages?

But we can’t do that unless students are completing their degrees, so the focus on student success remains vibrant.”

Ready to build your legacy?

Join institutions like UCNJ in bringing effective teaching to your campus. The Association of College and University Educators (ACUE) has helped over 550 institutions achieve student success by supporting great teaching. Our faculty development solutions, endorsed by the American Council on Education (ACE), will help you build a culture of great teaching.

Let’s connect to talk about how partnering with us will boost retention, empower faculty in the classroom, and build the foundation of student success upon which you can execute your strategic vision. 

Young college graduates holding their diplomas while standing in a row and smiling