Governing bodies seek
spirit of cooperation

In an effort to improve cooperation and communication among the governing bodies of NC State, the chair of the Staff Senate and the student body president addressed the Faculty Senate during their regular meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 15.

“We want to build a discussion of what faculty, staff and students can do and work on together,” said Nina Allen, faculty chair.

Whil Piavis, president of the student body, and Melissa Watkins, chair of the Staff Senate, each outlined before the Faculty Senate the main issues and concerns facing their respective governing bodies.

Piavis began with proposed tuition and fee increases. He said the student advisory committee believed a $175 tuition increase “was sufficient,” and they were worried about the accessibility of college to lower-income individuals and higher debt loads. He said Student Government was exploring financial aid programs similar to UNC-Chapel Hill’s Carolina Covenant, a financial-aid program that pledges some low-income students will graduate debt-free.

Other issues being raised by the student body, Piavis said, included transportation, student input into the remodeling of Talley Student Center and restrictions on tailgating during home football games. He also said the Student Government would like to implement a review process for advisors similar to the way students review their professors at the end of each semester.

Watkins said the Staff Senate’s most pressing issues related to salary and benefits, including health care, and parking on campus. She said the cost of parking permits may increase by 9 to 10 percent next year, and the Staff Senate was exploring ways to respond to the potential effects of parking fee increases.

Regarding goals for the year, Watkins said the Staff Senate would like to form an advisory committee that more frequently brings issues of concern to the UNC Office of the President. She also said she would like for there to be “more teamwork” and a greater exchange of information among faculty, staff and students.

In other senate business:

• A resolution was introduced that calls for an audit of current and projected student enrollment, and an audit of the faculty and their teaching loads and class sizes with respect to projected enrollment. The resolution also proposes to “repeal all course number (level) restrictions and/or requirements in fulfillment of General Education Requirement’s leading to graduation” until the appropriate number of resources, including faculty and facilities, are provided for the undergraduate programs.
• Katie Perry, senior vice provost for Academic Affairs, provided an update on the restructuring of the university standing committees.
• The senate unanimously approved two resolutions. The first resolution charges the College Leadership Survey Committee to begin developing an evaluation instrument of college deans that is designed to elicit faculty and staff views and recommendations. The second resolution pertains to joint and associate faculty status and appointments. Regarding joint faculty members, departments will jointly recommend promotions and salary adjustments, with one department designated as having primary responsibility for the process.

Posted Nov. 18, 2005

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