Council Hears UNC Issues

Chancellor James Moeser opened the meeting in Wilson Library and addressed implications of the Master Plan, a model for long-term growth approved Thursday by the Board of Trustees.

Council members expressed concern that the relationship between UNC and town officials might become strained because town officials and local residents wanted to delay University action on the plan.

But Moeser reported cordial interaction between the town and campus leaders.

"This is a plan which, in my view, greatly benefits the community as well as the University," he said.

"I think most people realize that a dynamic university must be allowed to grow."

Faculty Chairwoman Sue Estroff further expressed anticipation of the upcoming growth as a result of the plan's ratification.

"We are experiencing what seem to be growing pains and pleasures," Estroff said.

The council also used the meeting to discuss several other issues affecting the University.

Moeser thanked faculty members for their work in obtaining research grants, citing a recent increase in research money the University has been awarded from the National Institutes of Health.

Mikisha Brown, president-elect of the Graduate and Professional Student Federation, attended her first Faculty Council meeting and spoke to the council about her goals for the GPSF.

"A major part of my tenure ... will be focused on improving student life," she said.

Graduate students Andrew Leiter, Jon Lepofsky, Brian Thomas and Michael Everton also attended the meeting to advocate increased pay and health care benefits for teaching assistants and other student employees.

The students stressed that these benefits would allow graduate students to focus on their studies rather than relying on second jobs to pay for daily needs.

John Hammond, chairman of the Administrative Board of the Library, spoke on several issues currently facing the University's libraries.

Hammond discussed the need to eliminate inefficiency in the library materials budget to keep pace with the library's growing expenditures and maintain the library's ability to promote scholarship.

Aside from local issues, Moeser discussed his recent trip to the Monterrey Institute of Technology in Mexico and the University's growing alliance with the school.

He described Monterrey Tech as one of the most technologically advanced universities of the western hemisphere and expressed hope that the alliance would contribute to UNC's study abroad programs in Mexico.

Moeser said, "I believe there is a very fertile ground for interaction."

The University Editor can be reached at udesk@unc.edu.