Farahi’s contract extended to 2020

By Joshua Rosario | Published Oct. 20, 2017

Kean University’s Board of Trustees, with a unanimous vote of 10-0, agreed at the Sept. 11 trustee meeting to extend University President Dawood Farahi’s contract until June 2020. Farahi’s contract was set to end in June 2018.

The decision was made behind closed doors, without any public discussion, before the meeting returned to open session. The board’s decision was based on allowing Farahi’s Vision 2020, his strategy plan for the university’s future growth and development, to come to fruition.

Farahi will also receive a two-percent raise, which brings his annual salary to $314,571.

The plan was unveiled by Farahi in 2011 and approved by the board in 2013, according to Kean’s website.

“Years ago we set a course with Vision 2020 and I am proud that much of it has been realized,” said Farahi in his 2017 opening day address at Kean.

But this recent vote comes amidst, and in spite of, continued criticism from the Kean Federation of Teachers (KFT) of both Farahi’s continued tenure as president and his priorities for the future of the university.

In 2012, Farahi faced charges of misrepresenting his academic credentials on his resume. The Middle States Commission on Higher Education placed the university on probation for numerous violations until it was reaffirmed in 2012.

“We’re concerned about additional attentional accreditation problems,” said KFT President James Castiglione. “ The faculty have clearly expressed their voice in the past that the university needs a new direction and you can only get the sort of new direction that we need with new leadership.”

Also in 2013, all 13 university sports teams were placed on probation for four years by the NCAA, and the women’s basketball team was banned for that whole season after it was disclosed that some academic classes were being invented and grades were adjusted to benefit basketball players.

Castiglione is also concerned the university will continue spending on new buildings that go unused, excessive spending over beautification of the campus and groundskeeping, excessive spending on public relations, and excessive spending on legal fees.“

All of these expenditures divert money away from the classroom,” said Castiglione.

Farahi’s contract won’t be up for consideration again until June 30, 2020.

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