College Dean Meredith Woo spoke to the General Faculty Council yesterday, addressing concerns about budget cuts and also discussing the changes she intends to make in the undergraduate experience.
Woo assured faculty members that the University does not intend to lay off any current faculty as a result of the ailing economy.
“I don’t know what the future is going to bring us,” she said. “But whatever it brings, I hope we will be working closely together to get through these rough times.”
Woo noted that the University faces major economic concerns. She said she anticipates this year’s commonwealth budget cuts will be reflected in the University’s 2009 budget, which both she and members of the General Faculty felt could impact future research funding.
In addition to discussing economic concerns, Woo also talked about her experiences so far with the University in comparison to her work at other institutions. She noted that she has been particularly impressed by the University’s use of faculty advisors, which she called “unusual and unexpected.” Woo said she feels using faculty advisors within the College allows for a more intimate academic community.
“Everyone pitches in to make undergraduate education something truly meaningful,” she said, adding that in other schools, highly paid professors do not take on such “menial tasks” as advising and concentrate instead on their research and lectures.
Woo also expressed her goal of improving the academic culture of the University by making the College a more internationalized institution. She mentioned that she would like to offer more academic travel opportunities, including some programs that would not last a full year or semester, but rather a few weeks, in hopes that more students would be willing to leave Grounds if only for a short time.
During Woo’s report, Asst. Science, Technology and Society Prof. Peter Norton, a Council representative from the Engineering School, voiced his concerns about the results of the 2007 Faculty Recruitment, Retention and Welfare Survey. The survey revealed faculty dissatisfaction with transparency within the University concerning the differences in duties between tenure-track professors and full-time assistant professors.
Norton said he feels the lack of a concrete description of the two positions causes a confusing disparity among the academic departments and suggested that the College look into clarifying those positions.
The meeting concluded with a discussion of the human resources restructuring initiative and the way it will change the composition of the University faculty.
“We need to begin having that important conversation,” said Council Chair Dawn Anderson, adding that the General Faculty Council will keep a close watch on this issue in the coming months.
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