 At
the same time students are asked to pay more and more, the
Faculty Senate is asking to do less and less.
With a $600 tuition hike on the horizon, 35 percent of which
will go to faculty salaries, the Faculty Senate has asked
to set the normal teaching load at nine hours a week and
remove from the Faculty Handbook the wording specifying the
number of office hours faculty members must keep.
The current handbook specifies faculty must only hold 10
posted office hours a week.
Add the proposed tuition hike, a reduced courseload and no
required office hours together and it seems as if certain
members of the faculty want more to do less.
The Appalachian does not take this as the overall attitude
of Appalachian State’s faculty.
Both motions were passed earlier this semester by the Faculty
Senate, which is only a small representation of the entire
faculty.
However, one of the stated reasons for the proposed tuition
increase is to strengthen the university while state support
is lacking.
It seems a less available faculty will only hinder the strengthening
process.
Students are required to take at least 12 hours of class
to be considered full-time.
If the faculty teach fewer classes, who will fill the void?
Or will the university offer fewer classes?
With no posted office hours, students could have a difficult
time finding with their professors.
As stated in the rationale of the motion, the current requirement
“creates a climate of disrespect … suggesting
that [the faculty] are not sufficiently mature to understand
the needs of their students.”
Given the existing circumstances, The Appalachian is forced
to ask if the Faculty Senate is sufficiently mature enough
to understand the needs of the students.
We are under the pressure of paying more than ever for a
college education at Appalachian State, and the faculty representatives
tell us they would rather pursue “other creative activity
interest.”
Appalachian is not a Research I institution and prides itself
on providing an overall Liberal Arts education. To do this,
we need our faculty to teach and meet with students.
The senate acted in the interests of the students who pay
their salaries when it tabled the motion to increase the
proposed tuition hike and allocate more to the faculty.
The senate must continue to keep student needs in mind and
the students need an ally in this time of swelling tuition.
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