The fifth and final candidate in the search for provost and executive vice chancellor, Risa Palm, met with faculty Tuesday to discuss her views on the University’s reputation and faculty promotions.
Palm is the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
She said she applied for the provost job because she knew Chancellor Mark Emmert from her time at the University of Colorado and through his reputation. She also said the position would broaden her responsibilities and that the University is on its way to becoming a nationally recognized university, adding that as a former geography teacher she has known about the geography department and its faculty for a long time.
Palm said she was able to meet with Student Government leaders during her visit to the University. She said it is important that when leaders are elected to SG, they must be in touch with the provost and deans if they want to carry something out.
Though she did not talk about her role with students, faculty members questioned Palm about the University’s national position and faculty promotions.
She said the University is in a unique place because most states are reducing the amount of state support they give to higher education when there is an increase in the costs of attending a college or university.
Palm said the costs are increasing because schools are competing for top faculty and students.
For the University to promote itself nationally, Palm said it must continue to compete and win battles for students and faculty.
“We need to increase faculty size or reduce the student body so they can have intensive and productive interaction with each other,” Palm said.
Palm also said the University needs to work on building the international community and trying to get students included in international experiences.
Faculty members questioned Palm about her opinions on the importance of tenure-track faculty and on what basis faculty members should be promoted to full professorship.
“High-quality teaching, research and the future are more important” in promoting faculty, Palm said.
She said contributions faculty members make at 30 years old and at 60 years old are different and should be considered differently.
“Important contributions over lives are valued and not devalued at the end,” Palm said.
Palm also addressed increasing the number of graduate students.
She said the University has taken an important step in offering tuition waivers to graduate students.
Palm said the more resources the University receives, the more will go to increasing stipends. She said it is important for areas that can receive external grants to compete for them, so money can help finance graduate students’ education.
If chosen as provost, Palm said she hopes to decrease the student-to-faculty ratio, increase the percentage of graduate students and increase the entering ACT and Graduate Record Examination scores. She also hopes to have all facilities built or a plan to build them and to give undergraduate students a deeper respect for the University beyond the football team.
Karl Roider, chair of the provost search committee, said the decision depends upon Emmert.
Roider said the committee probably will meet with Emmert to discuss the candidates, but he will choose the person he can trust and work with well.