Faculty showed true grit at UVA!!

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College Professors Chatboard

Faculty showed true grit at UVA!!

by Other Options

Jun 26, 2012

I must say that during the last two weeks it was something to see the Faculty Senate really come alive and show the determination to get a really good person and strong university president reinstated. There are lessons to be learned from this experience which higher education across all sectors and states must come to grips with and soon. It might be interesting to start a discussion here.

Tuition and loan repayment interest rates are finally both reaching the tipping point for there to be the scrutiny of higher education that there should have been a long time ago. Some basic questions to ask:

- How many professors in a department teach? - Not only what is their course load, but what kind of course do they teach and to how many students? - How many have bought out of teaching undergrads at all? - Does the tenure and promotion system really reward those who do want to teach in higher education? - If the university does not have a year-round course program, does there...See More

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bernoulli Most of the issues below refer to Research universities where the major concern is research, not teaching. It is expected that faculty will write grant proposals to do research and get funded. A large percentage of grant funding goes to the university as "overhead". Some of it is used to replace the faculty member's teaching time with adjuncts so h...See MoreMost of the issues below refer to Research universities where the major concern is research, not teaching. It is expected that faculty will write grant proposals to do research and get funded. A large percentage of grant funding goes to the university as "overhead". Some of it is used to replace the faculty member's teaching time with adjuncts so he/she has more time to do research. The overhead funds much of the university budget, so I wouldn't expect the system to change soon.

Budget cuts are causing some of the changes you are proposing. On my campus it is mostly by not fully replacing faculty and staff when they retire or leave. The result is a larger burden on the faculty and staff left behind.

On 6/26/12, Other Options wrote: > > I must say that during the last two weeks it was something > to see the Faculty Senate really come alive and show the > determination to get a really good person and strong > university president reinstated. There are lessons to be > learned from this experience which higher education across > all sectors and states must come to grips with and soon. It > might be interesting to start a discussion here. > > Tuition and loan repayment interest rates are finally both > reaching the tipping point for there to be the scrutiny of > higher education that there should have been a long time > ago. Some basic questions to ask: > > - How many professors in a department teach? > - Not only what is their course load, but what kind of > course do they teach and to how many students? > - How many have bought out of teaching undergrads at all? > - Does the tenure and promotion system really reward those > who do want to teach in higher education? > - If the university does not have a year-round course > program, does there really need to be 12-month > administrators in all functions? > - As K-12 staff often has differentiated summer coverage, > perhaps in a university support staff might be broken down > into 9-month, 10-month, or 11-month jobs with "shared summer > coverage" in some university or school functions. > - Is there any management training provided to Deans of a > school or department chairmen? > - Just what should a college student expect for the tuition > paid? > > I think that a discussion about what basic reforms any > college or university might consider is a really relevant > point for consideration.

Jun 27, 2012

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a lurker urdue University has just named the current Indiana governor as its new president. He has no experience in academia. However, he does have an impressive resume in other areas when it comes to business and leadership. A lot of concerns UVA has is also Purdue's concerns like most large universities. It will be very interesting to see what this out of...See More

Jun 28, 2012

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Prof Phil On 6/28/12, a lurker wrote: > Purdue University has just named the current Indiana governor as > its new president. He has no experience in academia. However, he > does have an impressive resume in other areas when it comes to > business and leadership. A lot of concerns UVA has is also > Purdue's concerns like most large universitie...See More

Jun 29, 2012

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marjoryt I'll respond to your queries from the cc instructor stand point > > - How many professors in a department teach? ALL cc instructors teach - that's what we are hired to do. We generally get NO time off for research or other duties - they are folded in around teaching.

> - Not only what is their course load, but what kind of > co...See MoreI'll respond to your queries from the cc instructor stand point > > - How many professors in a department teach? ALL cc instructors teach - that's what we are hired to do. We generally get NO time off for research or other duties - they are folded in around teaching.

> - Not only what is their course load, but what kind of > course do they teach and to how many students? All freshman and sophomore, including more nontraditional and at risk, and very high numbers, especially in lecture based classes such as psychology and history. I teach English composition, and generally have 250 students per semester for fall and spring.

> - How many have bought out of teaching undergrads at all? That's all we do. I have two co-workers, both with Ph.D.s who are trying to work their way out of teaching freshmen students, to teach only sophomore level literature courses. They don't realize it, but they are actually endangering their careers! Many universities are drastically cutting the course hours for undergraduate degrees, and those lit classes are among the first to go. I see this already - we just don't have our American and English literature sections fill any more. I teach American Literature online, and even they don't make every semester.

> - Does the tenure and promotion system really reward those > who do want to teach in higher education? Tenure and promotion?????? What's that? We have yearly contracts.

> - If the university does not have a year-round course > program, does there really need to be 12-month > administrators in all functions? Community colleges do have year round programs, especially in our technical and career programs. Not only that, but we are seeing growth in the short term classes. About half of my last graduate degree courses were done in short term classes between semesters - the professors wanted to teach the grad courses then, and do the undergraduate and research during the Fall and Spring.

> - As K-12 staff often has differentiated summer coverage, > perhaps in a university support staff might be broken down > into 9-month, 10-month, or 11-month jobs with "shared summer > coverage" in some university or school functions. Some of our career technical instructors, coaches, and music instructors have those positions, because they must do recruiting and prep work. Personally, my Spring semester ended in May, and this summer I'm teaching June and July. Our classes begin in August. We need to offer the summer classes, and many of my coworkers want the summer off. This means I'm on call.

> - Is there any management training provided to Deans of a > school or department chairmen? IMHO, almost nothing worth their time. There is a "leadership" program offered to some instructors - mostly being groomed for future department chairs or to move into management. I would LOVE to see ccs hire people with backgrounds in business management. Not only that, but many ccs tend to hire locally - to the point that administration seems a clone of the local university.

> - Just what should a college student expect for the tuition > paid? That's a really good question. Right now, in that online American Lit course I have, 18 of my 23 students are co-enrolled a universities in and outside the state. They are taking my course because it's 1) offered during the summer, 2) cheaper, 3) online, which lets them travel, and 4) is accepted by the English departments of their universities. Number 4 is because I've had to provide my syllabus and sample tests to those departments to "prove I'm teaching a real course" -this in spite of the articulation agreements on the books at the state board of higher education. Tell me - would YOU be willing to share YOUR syllabus and tests with instructors at another institution, so that they can "grade" your effectiveness? > > I think that a discussion about what basic reforms any > college or university might consider is a really relevant > point for consideration. I can agree. Here's a point I propose: If university professors do not want the freshmen and sophomores, then why teach them at all? Why not set up universities to handle juniors, seniors, and grad students? Let the community colleges deal with the freshmen and sophomores. By the time the student transfers to a university, we've weeded out or tried remediation for the under-prepared student.

Jul 5, 2012

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Other Options Just happened to check back on this board. I think what will happen is that the community college will become an option for many students and families and even be encouraged in time by the universities. Why - so it will help them avoid any kind of real change and restructuring for at least a while - other than continuing to raise the tuition. It re...See More

Nov 7, 2012

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