At the first meeting of the Faculty Council today, members are standing in support of Chancellor Holden Thorp.
Members said they commend Thorp’s handling of academic misconduct in the Department of African and Afro-American Studies, particularly the two independent reviews he has launched, despite criticism he has faced.
“There have certainly been rumblings by some people, and some don’t think he has done enough … He is moving in the right direction but he can’t do it overnight,” said Jan Boxill, chairwoman of the Faculty Council.
“We commend the chancellor’s actions because he supported and encouraged the formation of subcommittees and has taken actions to restore confidence,” Boxill said.
Following the release of a report unveiling academic irregularities in the Department of African and Afro-American Studies, the faculty executive committee, a subcommittee of the council, conducted an independent investigation during the summer.
The Faculty Council will propose a resolution that specifically endorses the report and also commends Thorp for his actions.
Boxill said the investigation was conducted because faculty members wanted more information about the report.
“The (subcommittee), acting on behalf of the faculty, wanted to look to see if there is something we need to know, if there is something we need to look at more,” said Jean DeSaix, a member of the group.
“We knew there were faculty concerns. We knew faculty would be more likely to trust colleagues’ opinions. It made sense to have faculty look again,” she said.
