UNC system’s strategic plan receives criticism

The committee tasked with developing the UNC-system’s path for the next five years has been criticized by students and faculty for its lack of representation.

But UNC-system administrators have expressed interest in hearing student and faculty voices on the Advisory Committee on Strategic Directions to renew the system’s five-year strategic plan.

Both students and faculty members are worried about the lack of their voice on the committee, said Catherine Rigsby, chairwoman-elect of the UNC-system Faculty Assembly, in an email.

The five-year strategic planning committee — composed of members of the system’s Board of Governors, state legislators and business leaders — met for the first time last week to discuss how to make UNC-system universities more efficient, affordable and globally competitive.

The committee intends to recommend a plan to UNC-system President Thomas Ross by January.

Rigsby said implementing academic changes will not be effective unless faculty are involved from the beginning, due to their direct involvement with students.

North Carolina Student Power Union members are concerned that the committee is Republican-dominated, said Alanna Davis, a member of the organization.

And she said the group is worried business leaders will work to tailor education to corporate interests, promoting business and sciences while ignoring liberal arts and the humanities.

“We’re concerned with those who are trying to change the face of public higher education,” she said.

The union is asking that the committee create student forums where concerns can be heard. The previous five-year committee had student forums, Davis said.

“Our demand is instituting a concrete forum with opportunities to give feedback. Our one concrete demand for removal is the removal of Art Pope,” she said.

Tensions have been mounting between conservative donor Art Pope, CEO of the retail stores conglomerate Variety Wholesalers Inc., and the union. N.C. Student Power protested Pope’s position on the committee outside the Sept. 27 Civitas Institute Luncheon, where Pope spoke.

Davis, who met Pope at the luncheon, said the meeting was less than friendly.

“He is convinced that we think he’s part of some ‘right wing conspiracy to defund higher education,’” she said.

Although system administrators have yet to address the union’s demand for Pope’s removal, progress has been made, Davis said.

Ross expressed interest in instituting the student forum, though nothing concrete has been established she said.

Board chairman Peter Hans and Ross also responded positively to including faculty voices on the committee, Rigsby said.

Joni Worthington, spokeswoman for the system, said in an email that the specifics haven’t been worked out yet, but the committee is open to working with faculty and students.

Faculty and students met at the UNC-CH Campus Y Monday to work together to accomplish their goals.

“We’ll make the people that make up the committee realize how serious the faculty and workers are, and that we won’t be backing down,” Davis said.

Contact the desk editor at state@dailytarheel.com.