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Notes from Chair Persons

On my first day walking through Kendall Hall to my new Senate office, I noticed a sign, "Human Subjects Moved to Sutter 233." I had heard of awful things happening "across the creek" but had no idea of the magnitude of the problems. I understand that many of the subjects were not even aware that they were being moved.

Life as chair of the academic senate is almost as exciting as having two teenagers (one who just got her driving permit and the other who can't understand why we want to know where he is after midnight). As one former Senate chair advised, just pretend that you are the skipper of a luxury ocean liner in the North Atlantic and remember that a rather innocent-appearing problem brought to the chair, is generally just the tip of the iceberg: "You will have to dig deep to find out what is really going on, or sink."

Conversing with a new tenure track faculty member last week, I was surprised to hear him exclaim that he had to be careful and watch his step. I can understand some anxiety with a new job, but I wondered what this young scholar was so worried about. When queried, he explained that, coming from graduate school, he had no health insurance, and he just learned that the faculty health care he was promised would not become effective for several months. He would not get his first paycheck until October, and he simply could not afford any unexpected medical expenses. First and last month rental payments, moving expenses, student loan payments, and new clothes for the job had him buying Top Ramen by the box at Costco. I don't know what to do about the other expenses, but we should be able to provide health benefits sooner to new faculty.

This job requires my presence at meeting after meeting after meeting. Durng the Campus Planning Executive Committee (CPEC) in July, we spent more than 45 minutes on more details than any one person should have to endure on an electronic signboard installation, with queries about the type of screws to be used and the possible effect the sign may have on a seeing eye dog. We were asked to approve a fence for an experiment funded by a "Venezuela Oil Company" that involved exposing ducks to toxic levels of oil. This item was not on the original agenda and, in contrast to the electronic sign, there were absolutely no details about the slaughtering of the ducks. I moved that the fence not be approved until we were provided with more specifics. The motion passed. Later that week, President Esteban approved the fence and the oil experiment on the ducks (I understand with more details than provided to CPEC).

The March 2000 Atlantic Monthly featured an interesting article, The Kept University, by Eyal Press and Jennifer Washburm. It warned of commercially sponsored research putting at risk the "disinterested inquiry" of higher education. As we listen to the cry for more assessment and accountability of the quality of the learning environment, the same should be true for grants and other funding opportunities. At some point, the purpose and essence of education is lost in the search for corporate partnerships and joint private/public ventures. Funding becomes the driving force, often at the expense of the less popular or profitable programs.

This next year we can expect to see continuing and learned debates on workloads, merit pay, year-round operations, admission policies, general education, assessment, technology, and distance learning. With 77 faculty retiring last year, this is a changing institution with many new faces and exciting times ahead. The landscape is changing, and it is as important as ever that faculty and staff become directly involved. I hope to facilitate more faculty/staff input in the decision-making process. -- Paul Persons, Chair, Academic Senate