No top menu
<!-- no script -->
|
|
An Open Airing of the Issues |
| By
Don Koralewski |
|
|
Jan 25, 2002 |
|
More than 65 people from across the University community gathered on Friday morning to specifically identify the issues that pervade the institution with regard to trust, communication and effectiveness.
The meeting was called by UT President Daniel Johnson in response to issues raised in the fall -- specifically the findings and fallout of advertisements for hiring faculty.
"I'm not quite sure where the idea came from, whether it came out of my office, or someone suggested it to me," said Johnson. "But, perhaps if we just had a conversation to solicit ideas... the kind of ideas that address the challenges of rebuilding trust and confidence and communication across the campus, that would provide a platform for us to move ahead in achieving our goals."
At the end of the last semester, Johnson sent out a campus-wide e-mail asking for volunteers for the conversation. The atmosphere of the meeting that resulted was one of collegiality and of friends talking to friends about what was really on their minds, said Dr. Robert Cryan, interim chair and professor of childhood physical and special education. "I came away with a very positive feeling of doing something. That there will be a positive outcome, that we will come up with suggestions and I'm confident that specifics will be implemented."
Roundtable groups discussed what they saw as the pressing interpersonal and administrative issues that stand as obstacles in the organizational and community life of the institution. They later reported their conclusions and suggestions. Among them were: Loss of institutional memory; Responsiveness needs to be incorporated at all levels of campus life; Embrace best practices model for administration at all levels of institution; Strengthen accountability; Provide clear justification for current positions and for new positions; Councils and committees should make available open, detailed and clear minutes to community; and, reallocate resources from the administration to the faculty and re-evaluate methods and levels of compensation.
The groups will provide more detailed reports to the President's Office and a smaller core of participants from the roundtable sessions will compile a report and identify areas for action for the University community. Johnson said he'd like to get a report out to the University community within 30 days.
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
