William H. Race: Process no hindrance

Among the remarks of newly appointed UNC system President Margaret Spellings quoted in the Oct. 24 news article “UNC’s next chief ready for challenge” is this one: “My expectation is that I will work with the Board of Governors to bring them together around our shared goals, to be about results over process.”

Results over process? That is precisely what the BOG has been accused of doing throughout its tenure when it inexplicably fired Tom Ross and secretly hired Spellings. The board members, and apparently Spellings, seem to believe that process is an impediment to their goals.

This is alarming to faculty in higher education, where process is highly valued, both in its shared governance and in its clear procedures for conducting research. It is through process that research is subjected to peer review. It is process that determines the validity of research, not its goal.

Finally, this “ends defy the means” policy is undemocratic. It implies a patronizing imposition of “goals” by appointed officials who have no experience as faculty in higher education.

Spellings may work well with this particular BOG, but she has a long way to go to gain credibility with the faculty.

This story was originally published October 26, 2015 at 4:28 PM with the headline "William H. Race: Process no hindrance."