Motion: 2007-Nov. -#03
Topic: UNC Tomorrow Initiative
Proposed by: Faculty Assembly at Nov 16, 2007 meeting
Disposition: Approved 11/07

 

WHEREAS, the UNC Tomorrow initiative is of crucial importance to the state of North Carolina and to the University System; and

WHEREAS, more than 1,000 faculty members from throughout the System have recently attended faculty listening forums and have followed the progress of the UNC Tomorrow Commission and the Scholars’ Council in other ways; and

WHEREAS, the Faculty Assembly and those whom its delegates represent wish to assist in making the next stage of the UNC Tomorrow initiative effective,
 
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED,
 
  1. The Faculty Assembly requests General Administration to encourage Chancellors, Chief Academic Officers, and other personnel to constitute campus UNC Tomorrow Response Teams so that at least 50% of their membership are drawn from the non-administrative rank-and-file faculty (with at least half of the faculty serving in this capacity appointed by Faculty Senates).
  2. The Faculty Assembly requests Faculty Senates on the individual campuses to dedicate time to discussing key issues raised by the UNC Tomorrow initiative, designate faculty representatives to serve on UNC Tomorrow Response Teams on the campus level, and work with the Faculty Assembly in its efforts to move forward with key initiatives related to UNC Tomorrow.
  3. The Faculty Assembly declares its intention to devote time and attention to key UNC Tomorrow focal areas during spring semester 2008, recognizing that there are numerous other issues that likewise deserve attention at a later time. It will endeavor by May to develop possible recommendations for action strategies relating to the following topics, on the understanding that effective action will require the allocation of requisite resources rather than imposition of unfunded mandates:
 
  1. PreK-12 education, including strategies for
    1. Identifying best educational practices;
    2. Developing curricular materials in targeted areas such as citizenship education;
    3. Identifying strategies to bolster educational success for minority students including in particular African-American males and Hispanic students;
    4. Engaging faculty and students from the liberal arts, sciences and other disciplines in supporting K-12 education;
    5. Creating programmatic linkages between education, health, social work, and management programs to bolster school effectiveness; and
    6. Engaging faculty working together from across the system in other ways.
  2. Sustainability, including strategies for
    1. Focusing university research as appropriate on sustainability, including alternative energy development and best practices in water, waste, and energy management;
    2. Providing environmental education and bolstering environmental “literacy” for both UNC students and the community at large;
    3. Taking a leadership role in resource conservation and management on UNC campuses and among UNC institutions;
    4. Fostering the dissemination of sustainability best practices throughout constituent campus environs, the UNC system, state of North Carolina, and Southeast region.
  3. Enhancing higher education quality, through
    1. Identifying best practices in key areas such as writing across the curriculum;
    2. Using effective outcome assessment measures and maintaining high academic standards in all facets of educational programs, including on-line learning;
    3. Identifying and supporting effective learning models such as service-learning to foster deep understanding as well as community engagement;
    4. Recruiting, supporting and retaining diverse students;
    5. Supporting a seamless transition for students transferring from community college to university programs.
  4. Allowing interested faculty to address critical priorities facing the state and the public through greater opportunities for engaged scholarship and teaching, including
    1. Reviewing tenure and promotion rules to minimize barriers and provide rewards (e.g., compensation, time, recognition) for high-quality engaged scholarship and teaching by interested faculty;
    2. Fostering opportunities for a larger proportion of faculty members to become involved in engaged scholarship, teaching and public service at various points in their careers;
    3. Identifying strategies to document and assess the work of faculty members’ involvement in engaged scholarship and public service;
    4. Identifying strategies to review the performance of chancellors, provosts, deans, and department chairs in supporting engaged scholarship, teaching and public service efforts of their faculty members;
    5. Identifying models for effective faculty engagement, such as creation of scholars’ councils to address key topics on the university system and campus level; implementation of targeted competitive peer-reviewed research initiatives; and establishment of a system for disseminating relevant work by faculty and students to assist those facing key problems in communities around the state, nation, and abroad;
    6. Identifying models to assist interested faculty members to build effective research and teaching partnerships that are responsive and attentive to public needs and concerns;
    7. Recommending ways in which the university system could create organizational structures, infrastructure, and other methods to link faculty from across the system in targeted initiatives for the betterment of the state.

 Unanimously adopted by the UNC Faculty Assembly, November 16, 2007