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   from the issue of December 9, 2004

     
 
Forum ponders UNL

 BY KIM HACHIYA, UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS

After reminding the crowd of the lawyer's dictum "silence equals consent," Chancellor Harvey Perlman induced a reticent group of faculty and staff to discuss a list of UNL's core values at an open forum Dec. 2.

It appeared many in the group of about 75 agreed with the list, which was first promulgated by the chancellor in his September State of the University Address and later refined by the academic deans. The Dec. 2 meeting was held to solicit faculty input, according to Senior Vice Chancellor Barbara Couture. She, along with Perlman and IANR vice chancellor John Owens, convened the forum.

The core values were drawn from several sets of documents, Couture said, and attempt to list those beliefs that guide the university's decisions. Academic units are doing strategic planning, and they are to express in their plans how their priorities confirm the core values.

Several suggested the list order be modified. Katie Weichman, student president, said some students had noticed that students were first mentioned in bullet item four on the list. She suggested students be a higher priority. John Wunder, former academic senate president and professor of history, suggested that bullet point six be the concluding or "wrap-up" statement and bullet point seven be ranked higher.

Perlman said the list was in no rank order - each item is a priority of equal weight, but he agreed that creation of a list did imply a pecking order. "Perhaps we could list them in a circle," he joked.

Couture said some have suggested to her that the first item, commitment to excellence, is the core value and all the others help UNL achieve excellence.

Wunder also said the term "learner centered" is current jargon and had some "loaded" implications. Couture asked for language that might better express the commitment to student learning.

Don Beermann, head of animal science, suggested that language encouraging or urging collaboration among units be included.

Dave Steffen, vet and biomedical sciences, urged consideration for a "putting the customer first" philosophy. "We need to structure ourselves to make sure that things are done for our customers' convenience," he said. Couture noted we have many customers - students and citizens as well as faculty and staff.

Among other suggestions for changes:

• State that UNL is a welcoming, inviting community

• Demand, rather than create, a diverse community

• Challenge, encourage and support community contributions to core values

• State a commitment to fiscal accountability and responsibility

• Mention mentoring and advising as critical to academic climate

• Promote a university culture that values and rewards faculty citizenship

• Confirm that we are a "caring" university.

Carolyn Edwards, psychology and family and consumer sciences, asked if there would be a mechanism for units to view other units' plans. Couture endorsed the idea and said they are exploring ways to put the plans on Blackboard.

Faculty asked how the planning documents will be evaluated. Couture said a large group of individuals - including deans, directors, senior staff and students -- will hear each unit's presentations this spring. Perlman said he hoped the documents will not be thought of as "final term papers" in which units are hoping to earn an "A" but become working documents that help guide future decisions.

Couture said that she thinks current decisions sometimes are made independent of how they affect other units or the entire university. This process will help integrate decision-making, she said. It also will help UNL prepare for its 10-year accreditation review, which begins in 2006.

"We're here to make you successful," Perlman said. "We can't do that unless we know where you want to go." Perlman said he suspects the university will enter a capital campaign soon, and having some notion of units' desires helps inform fundraising efforts and also helps him when he speaks to potential donors.

Owens said a similar session will be held on East Campus during the spring semester.

Statement of core values

• Commit to an uncompromising pursuit of excellence

• Stimulate research and creative work that fosters discovery, pushes frontiers and advances society

• Establish research and creative work as the foundation for teaching and engagement

• Prepare students for life through learner-centered education

• Engage with academic, business and civic communities throughout the state and the world

• Encourage, support and challenge every member of the university community to make meaningful contributions to our core values

• Create a university culture that values diversity of ideas and people.


GO TO: ISSUE OF DECEMBER 9

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