A few parting shots from a faculty veteran

Academic programs. We stand at the brink of a new era, with an imaginative new general education curriculum and re-imagined classes greeting entering students this fall. Faculty in the College of Arts and Sciences deserve great praise for "making connections," particularly when budgets are so constrained. May this creative work of building bridges between disciplines and ideas prove energizing for all concerned. I hope, too, that we'll continue to link the classroom with enrichment opportunities, such as those provided by the program for the performing arts.

Students. Our students are exceptional, from those who enter to those who graduate with doctorate and Juris Doctor degrees. All keep their teachers on their toes. I tip my hat to elected leaders, as well as unsung heroes and heroines, who organize vigils and speak to a friend in need. I'm delighted that our graduate students have a higher profile and are increasingly supported by the Board of Trustees. We need to continue our efforts to enhance academic advising and psychological counseling and support our teams while giving academics the priority deserved.

Educational costs. Tuition and fees have escalated to supplement scarce state funding, with nonresidents and graduate students too often bearing the brunt of increases such as these. It's critical that we maintain our long-standing commitment to need-based aid while also increasing merit-based awards as we've done through revamping the use of University logo receipts.

Assessment. Our faculty and administration has devoted increasing attention to issues of assessment. We need to know how our students learn and how well our institution meets goals we've set. We've worked intensively to prepare for the reaccreditation review that is going on as I write. We have excellent plans for quality enhancement with innovative programs such as the new "Maymester," as well as innovative ways to connect undergraduates with research and the world abroad.

Campus climate. We appreciate core values of honor, integrity and mutual respect that are embodied in our Honor Code. Because society is now deeply divided along political, ideological and religious lines, we need more consciously to bolster our ability and willingness to engage in "difficult dialogues." I promise to do my part and hope you will, too.

Campus infrastructure. We're in a period of construction, and some days it seems more than we can bear. Soon we'll enjoy resulting benefits (or so they say). We need to think beyond buildings, however, and pay attention to other needs. Our libraries need support in an era of burgeoning prices and specialty journals.

Community. UNC always has been interchangeable with "community" in my mind. With the aid of the chancellor and outstanding staff leaders, we've been able to address compelling staff needs and put a new Ombudsman Office in place. There's more to do, however. Town-gown relations have frayed in recent years, though the Carolina North leadership advisory council might get things back on track. We also must remember to reach beyond our campus and engage with communities and the public, sharing our learning and pushing the frontiers of knowledge as we work together to address compelling problems our society still faces.

Faculty. My days begin and end with an awareness of the talents and needs of esteemed faculty colleagues I've been privileged to serve. All of us who value UNC and its role in linking enlightenment to liberty need to remember the centrality of the faculty in making that dream come true. I'm grateful that we've devoted more attention to faculty recruitment, support and retention. We also need to attend to the escalating time pressures that have made it more difficult for faculty creativity to bloom. We consciously need to develop new faculty leaders and to build a renewed commitment to shared governance traditions that seem to have eroded in recent years. Hail and farewell, Carolina. Thanks for letting me serve you. You're the best. Contact Wegner at judith_wegner@unc.edu.