ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1995, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, December 8, 1995 TAG: 9512080061
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG
SOURCE: ELISSA MILENKY STAFF WRITER
Faculty members in Virginia Tech's College of Education are taking a public stand against President Paul Torgersen's decision to dissolve the college as an independent entity.
During a meeting called by the college's executive committee, about 22 faculty members agreed to circulate three strongly worded resolutions to all faculty within the College of Education via e-mail this week for a full vote. The resolutions include:
A direct protest of Torgersen's decision in November to merge the College of Education with another college or reorganize it into a school.
Opposition to the way Torgersen reached his decision, which was made through a "circumvention of normal university operating procedures" and without input from faculty and staff, according to the resolution.
A request that the university maintain the College of Education's restructuring program developed during the past 18 months, which would cut 20 percent of its budget and better serve public schools.
The faculty tabled a resolution to merge with the College of Human Resources if such a move is required, after several members said the college should not give up on a reversal of Torgersen's decision.
Terry Wildman, president-elect of the executive committee, said the resolutions will be given to Provost Peggy Meszaros and possibly the university's budgetary and planning meeting if the college's faculty members approve them. The faculty senate passed a resolution last month saying it regretted faculty input was not sought in the decision to close the college.
"When we take this to vote, this will be the first, official statement by the [education] faculty concerning how we view this," said Wildman, a professor in the college. He said closure of the college would minimize the program's prestige, could affect accreditation of teachers and lessen the resources available to undergraduate and graduate students.
Torgersen announced on Nov. 8 that he suspended the search for a new education dean and wanted the College of Education to consider merging with another college. A committee that includes Meszaros, Wildman and other faculty from the college must come up with a plan for a merger or another alternative by Jan. 15.
Although Tech was closed Thursday because of the snow, 27 people braved the cold to attend an afternoon meeting and express their anger and concerns regarding the decision. Many in the group, which included interim Dean Wayne Worner, faculty, staff and students, said the decision was not based on data or real consideration.
"What's the truth in restructuring in higher education?" asked Jerry Niles, department head of curriculum and instruction in the college. "We did the cutting they wanted us to do." He added that dissolving the college would not save a significant amount of money and called it a "surface cut" that would take away the college's identity.
Worner told the group he is in "this curious role" because he disagrees with Torgersen's decision but cannot encourage fellow faculty and staff to do something counter to the university.
"If you as individuals are inclined to stimulate whatever response from your constituency, this is the time to do it," he added.
Individuals have been directly opposing Torgersen's decision. School superintendents such as Deanna Gordon in Roanoke County are sending letters to their colleagues blasting the plan, saying it diminishes Tech's commitment to public schools and is contradictory. An outside fund has been set up to finance mailings to inform people about the college's future.
Several education graduate students sold apples on campus Wednesday to raise money to defend the college and bring attention to its possible demise. Graduate student Catherine Pinson, who helped collect $108 from the apple sale, said the decision to merge the college was "ill-planned, badly managed and horribly timed."
LENGTH: Medium: 75 linesby CNB