Faculty feedback

Missing from your coverage of the UNC system’s five-year planning is that the Advisory Committee for Strategic Directions has not revealed its plans for two sections of the report: “Maximizing efficiencies” and “Ensuring an accessible and a financially stable university.”

These documents will appear just two days before the systemwide Faculty Assembly meets Friday, its only meeting before the Board of Governors’ vote Feb. 8. That leaves no time for the Assembly to examine the final draft or to gather feedback from faculty across the system.

Judging from a video of the Jan. 9 meeting of the Advisory Committee for Strategic Planning, the section of the report on “Maximizing efficiencies” will likely call for larger classes and the merging and elimination of some programs. These actions directly affect teaching and curricula, responsibilities of the faculty.

UNC System President Tom Ross should direct the committee to present the final draft for a vote in April. Extending the timetable will allow faculty to read the document and respond. The current haste short-circuits faculty feedback, itself a serious consequence of valuing efficiency over education.

Mark Driscoll
President

Altha Cravey
Vice president, American Association of University Professors, UNC-Chapel Hill Chapter

Carrboro