February 14, 1997
Minutes of the Faculty Council
February 14, 1997
Attendance
Present (55): C. Anderson, J. Anderson, Bangdiwala, Barefoot, Beckman, Bluestein, Bose, Brink, Bromberg, Brown, Chambers, Conley, Dalton, Eckel, Evens, Farel, Favorov, Fletcher, Foshee, Hattem, Hodges, Hogue, Holmgren, Howard, Hyatt, Jenkins, LeFebvre, Lentz, Leonard, Loda, Maffly-Kipp, Mandel, Mauriello, G. McNeil, L. McNeil, Owen, Pagano, Panter, Passannante, Peacock, Pielak, Platin, Rabinowitz, Rinehart, Rutledge, Salgado, Shapiro, Shea, Skelly, Stidman, Strauss, Stuck, Tauchen, Tysinger, Williams, Yankaskas.
Excused absences (24): Andrews, A. Bailey, L. Bailey, Beck, Bentley, Brice, Conover, Danis, Estroff, Fox, Frankenberg, Gless, Herman, Irene, Jackson, Ji, Lachiewicz, Matson, Mill, Renner, Sayre-McCord, Searles, Weber, White.
Unexcused absences (5): Brink, Crimmins, Dodds, Johnstone, Rosenman.
Memorial Resolution for Professor Fred T. Seminuk
Professor Emeritus Leroy D. Werley [Pharmacy] presented a memorial resolution for the late Professor Fred T. Seminuk.
Chancellors Remarks
Rankings.
Chancellor Hooker reported that UNC-CH has been named by Kiplingers Magazine as the best public university, and that our library has moved up from 19th to 17th in rankings by the Association of Research Libraries.
Governors budget recommendations.
The Chancellor next commented on Governor Hunts proposed budget for the 1997-99 biennium. He noted that the governor has not recommended further budget cuts for the University; reductions recommended for the University System only carry forward reductions previously approved in the 1996 session of the General Assembly. The governors salary recommendations, however, are very disappointing. A 3% increase is inadequate to enable us to remain competitive with our peer institutions, particularly Michigan and Virginia. He will continue to press for a larger increase in faculty salary funding.
Dean searches.
Searches for five deans are in various stages of progress: Medicine, Public Health, Business, Arts & Sciences, and Education. The search for Dean of the School of Medicine is nearing completion; an offer will be made soon. The search committee for Dean of the School of Public Health has reported and the Chancellor is now meeting the candidates. This will take some time due to his crowded schedule. The Arts & Sciences search committee has pared its list to 10 candidates and will soon begin the interview phase of its process. The search committee for Dean of the Kenan-Flagler Business School has just been appointed. It is chaired by former dean Paul Rizzo. The search for Dean of the School of Education, which has been on hold, will be resumed later in the spring.
Lunches with the faculty.
The Chancellor has been surprised and pleased by the response to his invitation for faculty members to have lunch with him. More than 500 people responded. Perhaps the best outcome of these gatherings is that faculty members from across the institution have had an opportunity to meet each other and learn something of what colleagues are doing. He read from an email message he recently received from one of his lunch guests: To learn that student writing skills are not declining, that the French are behind the Eurodollar, and that the eyes are the key to conducting an orchestra brings home how diverse and how incredible a resource the UNC faculty is to the State of North Carolina.
Teaching awards.
The Chancellor has notified eighteen faculty members that they are the recipients of teaching awards. They will be recognized at the Wake Forest mens basketball game.
Performing arts center.
The Chancellor said that he has revived the effort to obtain for the University a performing arts center. In recent conversations with President Keohane of Duke, she and he agreed that the region needs one and that neither institution currently has the resources to build one. The Chancellor is talking with development prospects and alumni about this and has found warm receptivity.
Professor Steven Bachenheimer [Microbiology] said that he regrets that most people are assuming that a new performing arts center will be located near the Friday Center. It should be located on the main campus and should include adequate parking. Chancellor Hooker replied that he initially held the same view, but has changed his mind. We have not been able to identify a suitable location on the main campus. He had thought that the area adjacent to the Forest Theater would have been a good location, but this property carries deed restrictions that require us to maintain it in its natural state.
Chair of the Facultys Remarks
Elections. Professor Brown commented on the impending faculty elections and announced the three candidates for Chair of the Faculty. They are Professors Richard (Pete) Andrews, Thad Beyle, and Townsend Ludington.
Post-tenure review. Professor Brown asked for comments on the most recent version (5th) of the post-tenure review principles. Professor Barry Lentz [Biochemistry] called attention to the wording of paragraph 1.H. which says that the institution should “consider” resources needed for a meaningful system. He thought this should say “budget” instead. It is not enough to consider what’s needed; resources must actually be available. Professor John Anderson [Public Health] asked about review of tenured professors who are currently holding appointments as deans or department chairs. Professor Bernadette Gray-Little [Psychology], speaking as a member of the Advisory Committee, replied that it is contemplated that review will be limited to faculty who are primarily engaged in teaching or research. Those whose current duties are primarily administrative will not be reviewed. Professor Miles Fletcher [History] said that this University’s procedures should differentiate among faculty at different career stages. Professor Sarah Chambers [History] asked whether the document is on the Web page yet. Professor Brown replied that it is, and that it also has been printed in the University Gazette.
Educational Policy Committee
Professor Anthony Passannante [Anesthesiology] presented the annual report of the Educational Policy Committee. He first summarized two matters that the committee has declined to address at this time.
Projected enrollment increase.
The Executive Committee of the Faculty Council referred to the Educational Policy Committee a request that the Faculty Council participate in designing this institutions response to a projected increase in undergraduate enrollment. The EPC has declined to undertake this assignment because it does not have the expertise or the resources to offer helpful advice. Professor Brown asked the Provost to comment. Provost Richard Richardson announced that he has established a campus-wide committee of twelve, headed by Professor Linda Spremulli [Chemistry], to undertake this assignment. The committee has been charged to look into the possibility of creating a new undergraduate degree–BA in Liberal Studies–and to consider other alternatives such as distance learning. He hopes to have a report from the committee by this summer.
Eligibility standards for undergraduates.
Dean Bobbi Owen [Arts & Sciences] brought to the EPC the question of eligibility standards for undergraduates. It is now relatively easy for undergraduates to maintain eligibility for readmission for the following semester, but the requirements are not neatly meshed with the requirements for graduation. It is possible for a student to maintain continuous eligibility for readmission for eight semesters and still not be eligible for graduation at the end of that time. The EPC has deferred action on this matter to enable sufficient time for all of the interested parties to discuss the implications of the current system and possible changes in it. The EPC intends to establish a subcommittee to consider this question and hopes to report recommendations to the Council next year.
Catalog Committee.
Professor Passannante moved adoption of Resolution 97-4 to disband the Catalog Committee and transfer its functions to the Educational Policy Committee. The Catalog Committee itself asked that it be disbanded, and the Committee on University Government recommended that the function of maintaining general faculty oversight of catalogs be transferred to the EPC. The resolution was prepared by the Committee on University Government.
Resolution 97-4 was approved unanimously and has been referred to the Committee on University Government for preparation of an implementing amendment to the Faculty Code of University Government.
Final examination policy for undergraduates.
Professor Passannante moved adoption of Resolution 97-3 which would amend the final examination policy for undergraduates to clarify the procedure for gaining approval for non-traditional examinations such as take-home exams. The EPC took up this subject upon the request of Dean Stephen Birdsall [Arts & Sciences], who indicated to the committee that an increasing number of faculty members are deviating from the examination policy or are requesting exceptions. This suggests that the policy needs to be re-examined.
After an extended discussion, it was apparent that many members of the Council were unfamiliar with the current policy and were therefore uncertain as to how the proposed changes would affect them. In particular, several Council members thought that the proposed changes would be unwieldy for multi-disciplinary courses. Professor Passannante moved to re-refer the resolution to the EPC so that it can be brought back to the Council in March with more background information and clarification. The motion to re-refer was adopted.
Policies and guidelines for a cooperative learning environment.
Professor Passannante called attention to Resolution 97-5 which was distributed as a part of the EPC report. This document was first presented to the EPC in 1995 under the title Student Bill of Rights. It was originally prepared by Stacy Brandenberg and George Jackson, who were at that time undergraduate students, and has undergone several revisions. The document now before the Council is in two parts. Part I discusses several existing University policies of which the faculty may or may not be fully aware. Part II speaks to several issues arising from the student-teacher relationship. Professor Passannante asked that members of the Council study the document carefully and be prepared to vote on it at the March Council meeting.
Committee on Black Faculty and Students
Professor William A. Darity, Jr. [Economics], chair of the Committee on Black Faculty and Students, presented the committees annual report which focuses this year on the Carolina Minority Post-Doctoral Program. The committee studied outcomes of the program over the past fifteen years. Professor Darity said what we demonstrate fairly clearly is that the program has not been used for its initial purpose, which is to generate additional Black faculty at the University. It really has not had much of an impact and we are hopeful that we can structure some ways to make the program more effective in achieving that goal.
At the request of Professor Brown, Vice Provost Thomas Meyer spoke to the committees report point by point. He noted that the intent of the General Assembly in funding the program was to increase the number of Black faculty by providing post-doctoral opportunities to enhance research skills and scholarly potential. This program, however, should be seen as only one asset in a larger strategy for faculty recruitment. He is trying to bring the program back to its original purpose while at the same time encouraging other strategies as well. Vice Provost Meyer is skeptical of expanding the program, as suggested by the committee. If we are now unable to assimilate five post-doctoral fellows into the faculty each year, enlarging this program to twelve or more may not be the most effective way to use our resources to gain the ultimate objective. The administration is moving ahead on most of the other recommendations in the report.
Professor Darity called attention to the reports observation that over time the Minority Post-Doctoral Program has de-emphasized recruitment and focused primarily on enhancement of research skills and scholarly potential. He does not think these are mutually exclusive goals. If we are going to engage in recruitment successfully, we have to simultaneously emphasize enhancement of research skills and scholarly potential, [but] we have to focus on the recruitment angle much more strongly than the program has in the past.
There was discussion of the procedure for selecting candidates and assigning them to departments. Some Council members thought that the process has been uneven in allotting candidates among departments willing to participate.
Professor Steven Leonard [Political Science] was concerned about defining success in the program solely in terms of recruitment and retention on this campus. We could be overlooking indirect contributions the program could be making to our recruitment efforts, such as good will engendered among faculty at other institutions who did post-doctoral work here. There may be a danger that the program could be eliminated or curtailed because of failure to achieve a narrowly-defined goal.
Professor Darity replied that there is no intent to eliminate or curtail the program. Also, he noted that good will runs in both directions. Many of the post-doctorals who have left here are deeply resentful of the fact that they were not even considered for faculty positions. They are not likely to encourage others to come here.
Professor Genna Rae McNeil [History] said that much of the problem of recruiting Black faculty is not the ability to assimilate but the will. She hoped that we will look at how final selections are being made and be more responsive to departments that have demonstrated their determination to change their hiring practices.
Provost Richard Richardson said that he found the data presented by the committee to be extremely disturbing. He said that the most frequent response from departments about recruiting minority post-doctoral fellows to the faculty is if youll give us a salary line, well consider hiring this person. This mindset is not going to get the job done because there are not enough faculty positions to go around. He agrees with Professor McNeil that a change in departmental recruiting strategies is the key. If we can keep post-docs here only by giving new lines in salaries, we will never get any better than we are in the current data.
Committee on Research
Professor James Gallagher [Education] presented the report of the Committee on Research and moved adoption of Resolution 97-6. The resolution calls on the administration to provide seed money grants of $15,000 to $20,000 to faculty members wishing to pursue multidisciplinary research projects. The program would be administered by the Vice Provost for Graduate Studies and Research. The resolution was adopted.
Committee on Established Lectures
Professor Bobbi Owen [Dramatic Art] presented the report of the Committee on Established Lectures for Professor Arne Kalleberg [Sociology] who could not attend. She moved adoption of Resolution 97-7 which urges the Committee on Established Lectures to develop and report to the Council a proposal for reorganizing the coordination and planning of established lectures. The resolution was adopted.
Committee on Honorary Degrees and Special Awards
On motion of Professor Weldon Thornton [English], the Council went into closed session for the purpose of considering candidates for honorary degrees.
Professor Thornton, chair of the Committee on Honorary Degrees and Special Awards, nominated one person to receive an honorary degree at Commencement 1997, and five persons to receive honorary degrees at Commencement 1998.
There was discussion of the procedures for nominating candidates for honorary degrees.
The candidates nominated by the Committee were approved and will be submitted to the Board of Trustees.
Addendum to January Minutes
Professor Miles Fletchers remarks concerning prestige scholarships were the result of an investigation he had made of this topic at the request of the Chair of the Faculty, Professor Jane Brown.
Joseph S. Ferrell
Secretary of the Faculty
