February 10, 2010 - Faculty Governance

Faculty Governance News

vol. 4.9

February 10, 2010

From the UNC Office of Faculty Governance
200-204 Carr Building
UNC-CH Campus Box 9170
Contact: Anne M. Whisnant (anne_whisnant@unc.edu)

Faculty Nominating Committee meeting now, planning spring faculty elections for April 12-19

The Faculty Nominating Committee has now held two of its four planned meetings to develop a slate for the spring 2010 faculty elections, which will take place April 12-19. We received about 160 responses to the interest survey we sent out asking for volunteers for committee service (down about ten responses from last year), and these responses are proving very helpful to the committee. Thank you to everyone who participated. Secretary of the Faculty Joe Ferrell will be getting in touch with potential nominees soon. If he calls or emails you, please say yes! Participating in faculty governance is a great way to meet people outside of one’s own department or school and to learn (and influence) what’s going on around the university.

FAQ of the Week: Do fixed-term faculty members have voting rights in faculty elections?

Yes, fixed-term faculty at UNC who meet certain qualifications have had voting rights in faculty elections here since 1995. The qualifications for voting are spelled out in the Faculty Code, section 1-4 and say that voting rights are extended to fixed-term faculty whose positions satisfy the following criteria: (1) the position is for not less than 75% of an equivalent full-time position and is not a visiting appointment; and (2) the duties of the position include teaching, research, or both; and (3) the actual or anticipated length of service in the position is at least three years. This criterion is satisfied if (i) the current term of appointment is for three years or more, or (ii) the appointment is a renewal appointment to the same position and the combined length of the current term and the immediately preceding terms is three years or more.

Carney discusses process and priorities for new five-year academic plan

The University Gazette‘s February 10 issue features an article on the process now getting underway to develop a new academic plan. Interim Provost Bruce Carney has now appointed a steering committee to drive the planning process, and he discussed his vision for the plan at the recent Board of Trustees meeting. The Gazette article notes that in his presentation to the Trustees, Carney outlined six themes the 2010 academic plan will promote and advance: (1) the strongest possible academic experiences; (2) faculty prominence, recruitment, development and scholarship; (3) interdisciplinary teaching, research and public engagement; (4) campus inclusivity and diversity; (5) engagement with the profound challenges of the state, national and global communities; and (6) carolina’s global presence in research and teaching. Read the Gazette article here, or view Carney’s PowerPoint presentation to the Trustees here.

Association for Women Faculty and Professionals invites you to two events:

The UNC Association for Women Faculty and Professionals invites you to two upcoming free events:

Taking Care of Yourself: Balancing Work and Wellness
February 18, 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm
Ackland Art Museum
101 S. Columbia St. At this workshop, Susan Gaylord and Joanne Marshall will make presentations on mindfulness and yoga that will provide you with easy, hands-on instructions to integrate health into your work and personal life. Susan Gaylord is director of the UNC Program on Integrative Medicine, Dept. of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (http://pim.med.unc.edu/). Joanne Marshall is a distinguished professor in library science and a yoga instructor (http://sils.unc.edu/news/releases/2009/11_joanne_marshall.htm). A wine and cheese reception will follow the program. All are welcome!
Women, Work, and Family: Prospects for Gender Equality in a Challenging Economy, a talk featuring Dr. Maxine Eichner, UNC School of Law
March 23, 12:30 pm to 2:00 pm
Pleasants Family Room
Wilson LibraryClaims that gender equality has been achieved now abound. “It’s a Woman’s Nation and that changes everything,” Maria Shriver recently declared. Women now constitute more than half of the American work force, and the vast majority of women contribute income to the family economy. Indeed, the recession is accelerating this trend as women attempt to mitigate job losses mostly experienced by men. But has the gender playing field really been leveled? This talk will examine the status of gender equality and explore the continuing dynamics among work, gender, and families. It will compare, as well, the United States’ approach to these issues with those of other countries. Please feel free to bring your lunch.

Elluminate (web conferencing) available to all instructors and staff

OASIS has announced that a new tool called “Elluminate” is now available that allows groups to meet, present, and collaborate in real-time from anywhere there is an internet connection. The only equipment required for participants is a computer connected to the internet and possibly a microphone if audio is desired. You can read more about how this works here: http://oasis.unc.edu/what-we-do/academic-support/trainings-and-training-recordings/.

Lots of award and grant deadlines . . . faculty are eligible for all:

Faculty Curriculum Development Awards (application deadline February 12). Provides support for faculty to add international content to their courses.
Carolina Women’s Leadership Council’s Faculty Mentoring Awards (nominations due February 19). $5000 prize for outstanding faculty mentors.
Phillip and Ruth Hettleman Prizes for Artistic and Scholarly Achievement by Young Faculty (nominations deadline is March 5). $5000 prize for junior tenure-track and tenured faculty.
Public Service Awards (nominations deadline extended to February 12). Three different awards recognize outstanding efforts in engaged scholarship and service.
Ueltschi Service-Learning Course Development Grants (applications due February 19). Large and small grants for developing and enhancing service-learning courses.
University Diversity Award s (nominations due March 1). Recognizes support and furtherance of diversity on campus and in the community.
University Research Council (URC) Small Grant Program (application deadline February 22). Grants up to $5000 support research and publication by full-time faculty in the tenure, tenure-track, full-time research position or clinical ranks, or professional librarians in the analogous librarian ranks. Adjuncts, lecturers, and instructors are not eligible.
Women’s Advocacy Award (nominations due March 1). Recognizes contributions to gender equity and advocacy for women.

Faculty Athletics Committee partners with Carolina Athletics to sponsor upcoming Faculty/Staff Family Day events

UNC Athletics and the Faculty Athletics Committee are pleased to announce that the Faculty/Staff Family Day events, which include free game tickets, conversations with coaches, and “meet and greet” sessions with student athletes, will resume in March. The goal is to increase UNC faculty and staff knowledge, involvement, and interest in the broad range of Carolina Athletics, and to do so in the context of enjoyable family-oriented events. Upcoming Family Day events for the spring semester include softball, baseball, gymnastics, and women’s and men’s lacrosse and tennis. Information about Faculty/Staff Family Day events is posted at: http://www.tarheelblue.com/facultystaffevents, which can also be reached via the “Inside Athletics” tab on TarheelBlue.com. Please e-mail any questions about Faculty/Staff Family Day events to Assistant Marketing Director Bonnie Clarke at bclarke@uncaa.unc.edu.

Faculty Governance Reading Room

Articles, books, or other resources of interest to faculty. This week’s selection:

Coalition on the Academic Workforce’s statement One Faculty Serving All Students, issued February 8 and signed by 14 disciplinary organizations and the American Federation of Teachers, calls on colleges and universities “to recognize that they have ‘one faculty’ and to treat those off the tenure track as professionals, with pay, benefits, professional development and participation in governance.” (Quotation is from an article about the statement from Inside Higher Ed.)

About Faculty Governance News

The Faculty Governance News is published every two weeks throughout the academic year by the Office of Faculty Governance. Archived issues and the publication schedule for 2009-10 are available online here. Information to be considered for inclusion should be sent to Anne Whisnant (anne_whisnant@unc.edu) by Monday before an issue is scheduled to appear.

For more information on any of these items, please contact Anne Whisnant in the Office of Faculty Governance.