State of the University Survey, 2000
1. The Administration is promoting a liberal
arts and sciences culture in an efficient and expeditious manner.
(“Administration” crossed out) faculty (it’s ours)
The job is complicated by the extraordinary diversity of faculty
opinion
and their desire not to abuse us!
2. The new Liberal Studies Program implementation
plans and procedures are proceeding in a timely, systematic, and
facilitative manner.
Too complex
BAD course approval process
Several modes / JINS / not ready for student demands
This is partly slowed by faculty inability to see how to juggle
current
responsibilities while adding new ones.
It appears the idiots who voted for it are unwilling to put
their classes
in, eh?
Directions from each committee as to requirements for classes
to qualify
for each mode or for LAS are extremely vague and this is very
counter
productive in encouraging faculty to submit courses!
This year yes, previously, no.
3. Assessment of student learning is appropriately
collected and reported, thereby facilitating a reflective culture
aimed at improvement.
Students are frustrated by the hoops
Is improvement occurring?
Students don’t take it seriously.
Yes its reported but nobody reads the reports.
We collect it. We report it. We don’t analyze it to improve.
4. The currently implemented expansion of
Freshman Week is the appropriate tool for increasing retention
and graduation rates and for promoting a living/learning community.
(“the” circled & changed to “an”FW
is *an* appropriate tool)
Some departments have been cut out. ie Business
No one knows the answer.
(Score: 6) assumes “the” = “only”; = “only”
or “an”? (and “the circled FW
is *an* appropriate tool)
(“the” circled) THE? It’s one of many, I hope.
Is an (not “the”)
Time will tell & ask students
Still needs refinement!
5. Physical facility resources (e.g., space,
supplies, etc.) are adequate for my teaching and scholarly needs.
Needs much improvement
(Score: 8) but I am in Violette Hall
I can’t even get a decent envelope some days!
I worry about wasted resources in some of our remodeling (unusable
space in
Violette Hall, rumors about Science Hall plans).
6. Enhancement of the liberals arts culture
and the living/learning environment through expansion of the Residential
Colleges Program should remain a top priority of the University.
Res Colleges are using a lot of faculty resources. Can we sustain
the program?
(Added: ) and other means
(Underlined “top priority”) Single tract selection
is never a good strategy
for overall improvement!
7. The current or proposed plans for enhancing
technology on campus are, or will be, adequate for my teaching,
service, and scholarship needs.
Going outside improves prospects for better service
I have real concerns about the unnecessary expense associated
with Colleges
(their profit margins)
What plans?
At present, I have access to the technologies I need.
Time will tell
I hope so! This need is critical.
8. Adequate time, support, and resources
are available for my scholarship needs and requirements.
Course load
Same as 5.
Time lacking
Who doesn’t need more time?
9. Salaries and benefits at Truman are commensurate
with comparable institutions and reflective of the teaching, service,
and scholarship loads undertaken by faculty.
Too lowbenefits are inconsistent, bad for spouses &
children.
I hear they’re not but am not sure.
Some of us are producing at lower levels than colleagues at
other
institutions! (Scholarly activity and teaching)
Too even within divisions. Too unequal across divisions.
10. The University’s use of part-time and
non-regular faculty positions is appropriate.
Would be OK if part-timers were paid better.
Varies by division.
(Score: 9) At least as far as SS Division is concerned – I
don’t know about
other divisions.
I agree with administration that some flexibility is needed.
The university is making it up as it necessary. I don’t know
of any extant
policy toward part-time and non-reg. faculty positions. I think
the
Warren-era scare tactics of belittlement and eradication are upon
us. (P.S.
I’m fulltime & tenured…)
11. Morale among faculty at Truman is currently
very high.
The overly complex course approval mess for the LSP pits faculty
against
each other.
Hiring remains a serious problem. I was very glad to hear that
the BOG
intends to look into this.
The entire governance structure needs to be revamped.
I hear lots of people talk about leaving.
Mine is better than 3 years ago! Most of my burden is me!
Differs by rank!
comments about the state of the University:
The history of science search is a fiasco. The university is
too ingrown already, and the insider VPAA with an MFA makes it
worse.
The LSP is over emphasized and is seriously hurting the major
areas of study. Students and parents are interested in the major,
not the LSP!
There seems to be developing a trend among faculty where they
do not consider the students’ lives. These faculty members have
the attitude that the student is only taking their class and is
not involved in other classes or an average of 2 or 3 outside
activities (which the school encourages all students to be involved
in).
In house hiring, hiring with “bending” of rules of
nepotism, damage our reputation as a highly selective academic
institution. Lack of ethics by the Pres & VPAA embarrass the
faculty & university community.
Administration, as always, is an Old Boys’ Club. One individual
doesn’t dare vary from the others or the pre-determined party-line.
1) My division doesn’t reward research and publication and
doesn’t consider a minimal amount necessary for tenure. 2) My
division hires too many of its own alumni thereby creating a faculty
which is resistant to an increase in expectations of faculty and
students.
3) My division is unable to deal with unethical behavior of a
few of our members.
4) The university continues to concern itself with appearances
instead of learning and achievement. 5) The short cuts the university
has attempted to hire the president’s son are disappointing.
LSP penalizes faculty who are best suited for or are required
to teach both introductory/service courses and major courses.
Changes have been too much too fast. LSP has fostered an “in-group”
/ “out-group” culture.
With President McClain & Vice Pres. Kruegger faculty felt
respected and cared for. With President Magruder & Vice-President
Gordon faculty no longer have this feeling.
The administration continues to forge blindly ahead with the
Liberal Studies Program when it has been clear for two years that
it was folly. Refusal to consider the prudent and sane action
(i.e. stop the
multipronged attack, pick the most important thing (maybe two),
work on that till it’s right and the kinks are out, and then move
on to the next important thing) continues to be extremely costly
in real dollars as well as stress and more work for faculty. NOT
good for morale.
I’m still distressed at the VPAA hiring, both the inside-job
aspect and his lack of a PhD. The Sci Div “search” (for
hist of sci) is a kick in the fact to integrity. Finally, the
attempts at implementing the LSP are doing more than anything
else to destroy trust & collegiality. What a mess!
Medical benefits are very poor. Salaries are below average.President
Magruder is involved in nepotism.
The university has given the faculty and the students too much
power. This has hurt the implementation of the LSP (3/3 3/4 loads
in LL & SS) and the number of available seats (W policy failed).
I feel that the new liberal arts & science core although
well conceived in concept is not being supported adequately with
resources. This core should never have been implemented without
resource issues addressed appropriately. This is an administrative
failure – not a faculty failure.
Who will be the next President, as a change cannot be far distant?
Is this the movement to question the entire Divisional structure?
The handling of the Hist of Science position hire is only the
most recent evidence of administrative mismanagement. Meanwhile,
the VP keeps threatening to increase faculty course loads for
disciplines already supporting the LSP. Can things get worse??
Convenors are like slythy tones that gyre and giuba in the
wabe.Administrators are like Walrus & Carpenter.The entire
scene resembles something out of “Atlas Shrugged.”
I think that the workloads have substantively increased, though
no real rewards are given for that increase. Faculty morale is
low. Administrative arrogance and paranoia is high. The working
environment on campus is taking a nose dive!
We need a new dean (or director) of admissions. The vast majority
of the incoming students since Fall 1995 are socially underdeveloped,
not well-balanced nor diverse in their interests, culturally naive,
and cannot communicate well with their peers. Although their test
scores are
impressive, I find them dull, boring, and insipid.
Administration must decry English fluency certification legislation
of foreign faculty/staff.
We need administration with liberal arts experience / background
– then many of our problems become more readily solvable!We currently
lack “the vision thing.”
The salaries in the Division of Business and Accountancy are
too low. The faculty in that department sacrifice more salary
(measured in dollars or proportionately) than any other disciplines
on campus. Little or no appreciation is ever shown by the administration
or other parts of campus. Comment on liberal arts and science.
When Truman adopted a new mission, the institution had an opportunity
to define that mission in a contemporary era. This was not done.
Instead we have a traditional liberal arts and
science curriculum oh yawn boring!
What’s with the radio station?
Turn off the heat sooner!
The level of scholarship and professionalism we expect from
our students needs to be reflected in our administrators.
The LSP is being promoted, but it’s very confusing. Nobody
seems to know where any one class fits in the LSP or if some classes
can be substituted, & what the heck are the requirements for
a writing enhanced course, anyway? Does anybody really know?
When will “the powers that be” realize that the Natural
Sciences ARE a liberal artNOT “and Sciences” as
an “afterthought / add-on”? Infrastructure continues
to lag behind stated objectives and currently stated status.
We desperately need an LSP czar.
Thanks for doing the survey.
Kindly ignore my comments for your tabulation purposes
The administration is happy with mediocrity, although they
call it excellence. I think that our standards for faculty performance
are too low. There is no incentive to remain active in research.
1) Naming Science Hall after President Magruder was most unseemly.
2) The search for a historian of science was a further embarrassment,
especially coming on the heels of President Magruder’s own appointment
&
the choice of Garry Gordon for FPAA over Anne Gommly (sp?).
Institute +’s and -‘s in final grades.
Improve family health benefits.
So what will we do?
It’s clear that the administration is too “lean”
to deal efficiently with all the major and new changes. Good ideas
but scanty resources. This discourages faculty and creates incivility
and skepticism.
I don’t know if the RCP is the best way to enhance the Liberal
Arts Culture. I don’t have any idea what the plans are for enhancing
technology, so how can I know if they’re appropriate?
We work too hard. Too much to do. Exhausted!
Faculty and students make Truman what it is today. Faculty
need to be rewarded monetarily for a job well done (same with
campus support staff). Administration needs to be aware that if
they solicit the input of
faculty that they should be willing to act on feedback. To “say”
our opinion matters and to demonstrate that it does matter are
two very different things. The latter creates a harmonious working
environment with high morale. The former is disrespectful &
creates contempt & distrust. This is
not intended as a threat by any means, but rather a simple truth.
I really like this university & I have seen worse.
Questions 5 & 8 should be split into more questions because
the answers to different parts are different.
It appears we cater to “new” hires (ie start salaries,
research startup monies, space allocations, etc.) at the expense
of the experienced (and highly involved, functional) faculty.
I realize some older hires are
collecting checks, but treat us as individuals with appropriate
awards and discounts. This is the way of the world except here
in the Ivory Tower. If our students are being trained to function
in society as members
and scholars, should not the entire faculty be expected do to
likewise? Realize this includes me! Thank you for this opportunity
to vent.
The university needs to address salary/contract concerns on
campus. What is the rationale for salaries? Why are Truman’s salaries
vastly different than our sister schools? What things are being
done to help
student-athletes on campus?
Salaries should be compared with “like” disciplines
in comparable institutionsnot between disciplines on the
same campus. Market forces must be considered when setting salaries.
“We” vs. “they” mentality of liberal arts
and sciences vs. professional programs seems to be improving
hope it continues. Going with Collegies was goodhope that
keeps improving, too.
The recent near debacle in hiring and subsequent shuffle from
it shows that despite all our talk about quality and assessment,
this place is mired in parochialism and old-boy thinking. The
divisional system and its personalities are used to manipulate
faculty and avoid accountability. As
hard as faculty and students work, the structural problems in
an administration that really doesn’t understand the liberal arts
will mean that we will continue to be stuck in the mud. We’re
getting lots of new buildings and we’re cheap, but with the choices
that we make, it will become increasingly hard to attract faculty
to come here and even harder to persuade them to stay. We are
already seeing this, and more faculty will be getting out while
the getting is good.
Not much improvement has occurred at the University since the
last AAUP evaluation. The Residential College system remains in
its permanent infantile state, there is still no effective day-to-day
management of the institution, a viable tenure/promotion system
continues to elude the University, inexperience reigns rampant
among the decision-makers on the campus, we are in dire need of
an elected faculty representative on the Board of Governors, and
Truman still has the same less than competent campus planner.
Other than that things are OK.