For the first time, the University of North Carolina Faculty Assembly came together at UNC Greensboro for their regular meeting.
The Faculty Assembly typically meets six times a year to keep up to date about changes in policy, and what to expect from the North Carolina General Assembly. The assembly is made up of roughly 60 representatives from the System’s Universities. It is an advisory body on System-wide issues, serving the President, the UNC System Office, the Board of Governors, the NC General Assembly, and campus faculty and administrative bodies.
There is also a Staff Assembly, representing both SHRA and EHRA non-faculty employees.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, all the meetings were held in Chapel Hill. They moved to remote meetings for a time, and this year they decided to have the different Universities host hybrid meetings.
About 30 faculty members from across the state met on April 14 in UNCG’s new Nursing and Instructional Building, with others participating remotely. They talked with North Carolina Senator Amy Galey and the System President Peter Hans.
Hans took questions directly from faculty members about measures being considered by the State House of Representatives and the State Senate, to learn more about how that might affect teaching, hiring, salary, and accreditation.
“We’re working all the time with lawmakers to discuss the impact of legislative proposals, to suggest other ways to accomplish goals they believe are important, and to make a strong case for what is better left for the System to manage,” Hans said.
Senator Galey also met with Chancellor Gilliam before speaking about her vision for higher education, and acknowledged that the disagreements between lawmakers and UNC faculty exist when it comes to policy. While taking questions, she said the UNC System serves to support the state’s workforce development and to help students answer existential questions.
“The role of higher education, to me, is more than just getting bodies in jobs, and having them trained to do what the boss tells them or running their own business,” said Galey. “Education is about understanding a person’s place in time, in humanity.”
She asked faculty members to share their greatest challenges teaching in higher education.
Bart Goodson is the System’s senior vice president of Government and Student Affairs. He gave faculty a behind-the-scenes look at the process of meeting with lawmakers in Raleigh and advocating for the good of the System.
“To me it’s a nine-inning game,” he told them. “Sometimes we have extra innings. Right now, we’re in about the third inning of the budget process.”
The day ended with a demonstration by Dr. David Wyrick, professor of public health education; Stephen Hebard, research associate at Prevention Strategies; and GracieLee Weaver, assistant professor of public health education. They announced UNCG will offer training sessions for GUIDE, a program that teaches faculty and staff how to help students navigate anxiety, stress, and other mental health challenges.
Wade Maki, director of UNCG’s Liberal and Professional Studies program, also serves as chair of the faculty assembly. He was re-elected to serve a second term during the meeting. Sociology Professor and Director of Graduate Studies Sarah Daynes serves as the outgoing UNCG Faculty Senate Chair and was re-elected to the position of secretary.
Story by Janet Imrick, University Communications
Photography by Sean Norona, University Communications
