Faculty concerns about the University's recently accepted Semester at Sea program dominated discussion at the most recent full faculty meeting of the College of Arts & Sciences held yesterday by Dean Ed Ayers. The controversy centers on issues of faculty governance and the academic integrity of the study-abroad program.
While the first hour of the meeting focused on a review of the University's undergraduate advising system, the latter half consisted of an open dialogue regarding Semester at Sea.
Ayers began with an outline of the steps taken to gain the approval of the academic sponsorship of the Institute of Shipboard Education program from both the administration and faculty.
Karen Ryan, a professor of Slavic Languages and Literature and associate College dean, joined Ayers in describing the adoption of the program. Ryan said she visited the ship last summer at the request of the provost to examine the program in action and summarized her subsequent report which was provided to the Provost's Office.
"My turf was to look at the existing academic program," Ryan said.
Ryan said she found a program consisting of "the most focused, bright and ambitious" students who represented "a more diverse lot than U.Va." However, she also described classes that were "pretty light" and "superficial" and "high on entertainment value."
Ryan went on to say that faculty of the Semester at Sea program were sometimes not experts in all the areas they covered and that she felt "language and/or linguistics simply must be added to the curriculum".
"The University went into this knowing that our role was going to be to raise the standards of the current academic program," said University spokesperson Carol Wood, who did not attend yesterday's meeting.
Ayers stated that all issues involving academic credit, curriculum and faculty selection within College programming must be presented to the dean and the chairs of departments with enough time to consult faculty in a full meeting.
In addition, Ayers said that the Faculty Senate will retain full control of academic consideration as it pertains to the State Council of Higher Education of Virginia.
Ayers also said he will place this statement online in order to solicit faculty opinion about Semester at Sea.
Discussion was then turned over to faculty members, many of whom voiced their concerns in regards to the academic quality of Semester at Sea program.
"The Semester at Sea has been afloat for a good long while now and I've been looking at it for about 10 years," said Frank Papovich, assistant dean in International Studies. "For many years we didn't accept credit from Semester at Sea because of its horrible reputation."
Papovich then added that the University recently began issuing provisional credit based on an evaluation of each individual course.
The conversation expanded to include concerns regarding a lack of faculty governance in the approval of not only the Semester at Sea but other University programs.
"As a faculty member, as a significant constituent that governs this University, I am now obligated to sign off on a program that has had no input from that significant entity," said Religious Studies Prof. Cory Walker. "We have a particular problem of governance and scope of governance
Read More
Beardsley’s appointment as president sees largely negative reception from state leaders
By Ford McCracken | 7 hours agoYoungkin and Earle-Sears appear to have stood alone in congratulatory reactions from state officials, as Democrats moved quickly to say they were not backing down from the fight to stop the appointment.
U.Va. paid McGuireWoods over $1.8 million in legal fees during DOJ investigations
By Brendon Bordwine | 12 hours agoMcGuireWoods’ work advising the University was authorized under a broader appointment by the Attorney General’s Office to serve as special counsel for general civil litigation matters.
U.Va. leaders react to Beardsley’s presidential appointment
By Grace Little | YesterdayA common theme among reactions gathered was frustration with the Board’s timing.
