From cernst@email.unc.edu Mon Apr 9 22:39:22 2007 Date: Mon, 9 Apr 2007 22:33:02 -0400 From: Carl Ernst To: 'Andrew Perrin' Subject: RE: Faculty Governance Survey -----Original Message----- From: Andrew Perrin [mailto:aperrin@perrin.socsci.unc.edu] Sent: Thursday, March 29, 2007 9:17 AM To: cernst@email.unc.edu Subject: Faculty Governance Survey Greetings- I am writing as part of an effort to generate more information on candidates running for faculty governance positions at UNC. This survey is a project of the American Association of University Professors' UNC chapter. Any answers you choose to provide to the questions below will be posted to my faculty governance page at http://perrin.socsci.unc.edu/fg and will be publicized to interested faculty. Thank you for your service to the university! Best wishes, Andrew J. Perrin Department of Sociology andrew_perrin@unc.edu 1.) What issues, concerns, and areas do you hope to address through your service on faculty government? I am interested especially in improving the sense of shared governance at the university, in protecting academic freedom, and in maintaining as much as possible the independence of academic research. I think it is important that faculty members take an active role in defending these central aspects of our activities, especially at a time when there are pressures from outside forces. 2.) To what extent to you believe faculty interests differ from those of administrators? At heart I think we basically share similar goals, although there is a tendency over time for administrative procedures to become more efficient and avoid the messy negotiations that characterize active faculty involvement. This tendency can end up eroding significant faculty participation in decision-making. From time to time, it is necessary to reinvigorate faculty engagement in these processes. 3.) How should we maintain academic integrity in the face of increasing financial pressures? There are outside groups and organizations that have ideological and financial interests in taking control of American universities. While it is undoubtedly necessary to continue seeking external funding for academic programs and infrastructure, it is necessary to be vigilant about preserving the independence of the university. This can best be done by maintaining transparency and active faculty involvement in the formulation of policies as well as programs that are dependent on outside funding. 4.) What are your views on increasing inequalities within the faculty based on, for example, tenure-track vs. fixed term appointments and differing salary levels? The increase in the proportion of fixed term appointments in American universities is a disturbing trend, eroding the professional standing of colleagues with good qualifications. While the forces of the marketplace cannot be ignored, I would be in favor of serious efforts to maintain and increase the proportion of tenure-track appointments among the faculty. 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? It seems to me that faculty governance needs to focus immediately on the structural issues that frame the university, such as academic freedom and educational policy. These are areas of decision-making where faculty members can realistically expect to be heard and have some impact in the near term. The areas of benefits and salary will require longer-term efforts including external fund raising in order to be successful. 6.) Are you a member of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP)? Yes. 7.) Any additional comments? I would look forward to working with colleagues around the university for the improvement and strengthening of UNC.