From toatley@email.unc.edu Mon Apr 17 10:12:38 2006 Date: Mon, 17 Apr 2006 10:09:44 -0400 From: Thomas Oatley To: Andrew J Perrin Subject: Re: Request for Information from Candidates for Faculty Office Dear Andrew, Thank you for sending me your interesting and important questions. I have tried to answer them the best I can. Some of them require knowledge and data I do not have. In other instances, such as question 2, I was unclear about what you were asking. Where my answers may appear less forthcoming, I have tried to indicate why that is so. If you have additional or clarifying questions, please don't hesitate to get back to me. I apologize for being a bit tardy on these answers, but I had a busy week last week. Regards, Thomas Oatley Department of Political Science 1.) To what extent do you believe faculty interests differ from those of administrators? I don^Rt readily buy into the notion that there exists a "faculty interest" and an "administration interest." Faculty and administrators share a common interest in strengthening the University. There will be instances in which people will have different and perhaps incompatible ideas about how this broader goal is best achieved. Sometimes this will place faculty on one side and the administration on the other. Just as often, however, disagreements are likely to exist within these broad groups. Consequently, my approach to university governance is one that focuses on and considers the merits of individual proposals on specific issues and strives to build broad-based coalitions to support the ^Sbest^T solution. 2.) How should we maintain academic integrity in the face of increasing financial pressures? I do not what you mean by "academic integrity." In my experience, this term is most often used to refer to cheating by undergraduates. This also seems to be the most common usage, at least according to my unscientific Google search which returned a plethora of sites on how to reduce student cheating. A search on UNC's website returned the same results. I suspect, however, that this is not what you mean by academic integrity, for I see no relationship between academic integrity in this sense and budget constraints. So, while I am happy to answer this question, you need to rephrase it so I understand what you are asking. 3.) What are your views on increasing inequalities within the faculty based on, for example, tenure-track vs. fixed term appointments and differing salary levels? I am a social scientist. Consequently, before I form any views on this issue I would want to know (a) what in fact are the trends? (b) Across what groups is inequality most troublesome? As I have no data with which to answer these questions, it is difficult for me to provide you with anything other than a platitude--I believe in equal pay for equal work. I think that this implies that the University should focus first on removing inequalities that exist within rank (controlling for productivity) and focus secondarily on inequalities across ranks. I am not sure what the right approach is to inequality in the tenured vs. fixed-term. This is an issue I am aware of but have not examined closely. Consequently, I think I have a rather open mind to consider a range of possibilities. 4.) How would you respond on behalf of the faculty if you found out that administrators had circumvented serious faculty consultation to pursue major outside funding for a controversial new curriculum? This question raises two distinct issues, one about process^Wto what extent is the administration obligated to consult with faculty about major initiatives^Wand one about substance^Wis the hypothetical curriculum a good idea? The process issue in turn raises legal and normative issues. Legally, as I understand it, the Faculty Council is an advisory rather than a policy making body. Consequently, a failure by the administration to so consult does not, as far as I am aware, violate institutional rules. Normatively, it would be nice for the administration to recognize the need and the importance of consulting the faculty on issues about educational policy and curriculum change. On the procedural issue, therefore, I would work to encourage the administration to consult with the faculty. On the second issue, concerning the substance of the hypothetical curriculum, my response would reflect the positions of the faculty I represent^Wand as your hypothetical curriculum is ^Scontroversial,^T it seems I would have to balance the interests of a significant number of faculty who supported the proposal against the interests of a significant number of faculty who did not. 5.) Would you prefer to see a faculty governance system that is focused on prominent University issues (e.g., academic freedom and educational policy) or one that is more focused on faculty's specific needs (e.g., benefits and salary)? Or, alternatively, how would you seek to balance the two? As a legislative body charged with ^Sadvis[ing] the Chancellor on any matters pertaining to the institution that are of interest and concern to the faculty^T (/_Faculty Governance: Origins, Development and Current Structure_/, a Powerpoint file), the Faculty Council should focus on the issues that the faculty it represents consider important. At times this will be salary and benefits. At other times this will be broader policy issues. Andrew J Perrin wrote: > To Whom it May Concern - > > I am writing to you as a candidate for Faculty Chair, Faculty Council, > or another important elected office. I realize this is a busy time, > but I and some other concerned faculty would like to learn more about > the candidates' ideas on several important issues before we vote. I > would very much appreciate it if you could provide responses to the > questions below. Feel free to add more ideas or information as you > like. I will forward your responses on to other interested faculty, > and I will also post them to an informal website for the purpose at > http://perrin.socsci.unc.edu/fg . > > Thank you in advance for your time. Since balloting begins this > Wednesday (April 12), I would prefer to receive your response by > then. If, however, you can't make that time, I'll be happy to post and > forward your ideas whenever you can get them to me. > > 1.) To what extent to you believe faculty interests differ from those > of administrators? > > > > > 2.) How should we maintain academic integrity in the face of > increasing financial pressures? > > > > > 3.) What are your views on increasing inequalities within the faculty > based on, for example, tenure-track vs. fixed term appointments and > differing salary levels? > > > > > 4.) How would you respond on behalf of the faculty if you found out > that administrators had circumvented serious faculty consultation to > pursue major outside funding for a controversial new curriculum? > > > > 5.) Would you prefer to see a faculty governance system that is > focused on prominent University issues (e.g., academic freedom and > educational policy) or one that is more focused on faculty's specific > needs (e.g., benefits and salary)? Or, alternatively, how would you > seek to balance the two? > > > > > > Once again, thank you for your time. > > Very best wishes, > Andrew Perrin > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > Andrew J Perrin - andrew_perrin@unc.edu - http://perrin.socsci.unc.edu > Assistant Professor of Sociology; Book Review Editor, _Social Forces_ > University of North Carolina - CB#3210, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3210 USA > New Book: http://www.press.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/hfs.cgi/00/178592.ctl >