Dean candidate advocates inclusivity, globalization

For Keith Whitfield, the father of four children with nine degrees among them, education has always been a priority.

Whitfield, a psychologist and neuroscientist who serves as vice provost of student affairs at Duke University, is one of five candidates to replace Karen Gil as the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. He tackled problems of diversity, budget constraints and how to globalize UNC in his open forum Friday.

Whitfield emphasized his plan to connect learning to technology, improve faculty retention and create interdisciplinary connections.

“(By) making sure that our outward-facing piece of UNC is very dynamic, not static, and also through our connections with our collaborators, we tell them a little bit about the University,” Whitfield said.

During the forum, Whitfield, the only candidate of color, was asked what he would do for the University’s diversity without seemingly siding with one group.

“That’s one of the challenges of diversity, is saying, ‘When is it diverse?’ I think the problem is that a percent does not mean the same thing as having the right climate,” Whitfield said. “I would never set a goal, never set a number. But what I would work toward is having an inclusive climate.

“You don’t know when you’re there, but you know when you’re not there.”

O.J. McGhee, chairman of the Carolina Black Caucus, agreed with Whitfield that diversity is about inclusion and environment, not numbers.

“He and I agree (that) a lot of times when individuals talk about diversity, they talk about naming a group or having some numbers, but I think the piece that a lot of people miss is the inclusion piece,” McGhee said.

While fielding questions from the crowd of dozens of faculty members, Whitfield was asked by religious studies professor Todd Ochoa what the candidate would do if the college received a 10 percent budget cut.

Ochoa said he wanted a dean who is willing to stand up to the state legislature in Raleigh. Whitfield, who serves at a private university that is not governed by the state legislature, made it clear that the burden of such a budget would not fall on a single department.

“The way that that process would start is that all the rest of my hair would go completely gray. The next thing I would do is call the provisional deans and get some discussion going and see what sort of realities people are dealing with,” Whitfield said.

“We will all rise together and drop down together, but we all stay stronger. I would scour the budget and try to find the things that help faculty do what they need to do the most.”

After the forum, Ochoa said UNC needs a dean that can boost faculty morale and stand up for the school’s interests.

“I want a dean that’s creative, who’s not afraid to break some eggshells, who is willing to challenge his own administration. I want a dean who’s willing to speak out,” Ochoa said.

Whitfield said he knows how much work is put into the job of being the dean of the College of Arts and Science but that the position is critical to making UNC great.

“I just genuinely have a deep love and enjoyment and passion for leadership.”

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