NIVERSITY NEWS June 1, 2011 ISSUE 31, VOLUME 78 UMKC’S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
NIVERSITY NEWS June 1, 2011 ISSUE 31, VOLUME 78 UMKC’S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER Cover article SPORTS: NEWS: A&E FEATURE Professor Interim Dean Local group UMKC looks competes in 2appointed for 9MRM displays 14aheads for international Arts & Sciences immense talent another successful year 22motorcycle race 2|News Vol. 78, Issue 31 New leadership for College of Arts & Sciences Vorsto t return as Economics professor; Associate Dean Wayne Vaught to step in as interim Nathan Zoschke worked to bring the A&S faculty chairs and it’s one of those things I helped develop Production Manager/Copy Editor together. 10 years ago,” Vorst said. “I think we need to “In any organization, you’re going move that back to a front burner.” n April 18, Karen Vorst announced to have conflicting arguments and On May 9, an email from Provost Gail her resignation as Dean of the disagreements,” Vorst said. “My Hackett announced the appointment of College of Arts and Sciences (A&S), management style has been very open, Associate A&S Dean Wayne Vaught as Oeffective June 30. transparent, inclusive. We’ve assembled Interim Dean. The resignation, announced to a group of a really good set of chairs who are eager Vaught, who teaches philosophy alongside A&S faculty chairs, came after more than five to lead. They’ve just been a real joy to his position as associate dean, said he was years as dean. work with.” contacted by the provost shortly after Vorst Vorst said she first considered the idea in With sharp budget cuts at the state announced her resignation. late March this year, and has stated there are level, managing A&S has not been an “The provost met with all the associate both personal and professional reasons for her easy task. deans and all the chairs in the department and resignation. “We’re all sort of scrambling, college and asked for information on potential “These decisions don’t happen lightly,” because the budget’s been cut by the candidates for the position,” Vaught said. Vorst said. “It’s not like you wake up one day state, and we’re trying to figure out Vaught will assume the position of Interim and you’re done. You come to a point when how to weather that storm,” Vorst said. Dean July 1, and said he will work to continue there are new perspectives, new visions. We “We need to get more students in here the vision established for A&S. had a good vision, and we had things working. and provide the best quality education “I think it’s a critical time for the college,” There are a whole host of things that come possible, and I think we’ve been able to Vaught said. “There are a lot of initiatives into this kind of consideration.” do that. Attracting students hasn’t been going on. I’ve worked closely with the current There has been speculation as to reasons for an overwhelming issue.” dean on a lot of those as they’ve pertained to Vorst’s resignation, including pressure from Vorst has also been an aggressive undergraduate education, and I believe I will Provost Gail Hackett. fundraiser. Under her leadership, be able to effectively serve that role. Overall, In Issue 30 of U-News, Political Science nearly $3 million has been raised for I think that the college has been moving in a Department Chair Dr. Harris Mirkin, a Associate Dean of Arts & Sciences (and soon-to- A&S through donations since 2008, very positive direction.” member of the U-News Board of Publishers, be Interim Dean) Wayne Vaught. endowing funding for 177 scholarships. Photoy b Nathan Zoschke Aside from business as usual, Vaught said said he thought the decision may have been Vorst also saw a $5 million increase he will oversee the creation of an honor’s influenced by someone other than Vorst. in automatic scholarship waivers for college and revision of general education “She [Vorst] said that the time had come to came to,” Vorst said. “We had an agreement incoming students based on ACT requirements. go, but I wouldn’t say that this was initiated by about my resigning. There are always going results and class rank. Vaught praised Vorst’s work as dean. the dean,” Mirkin said. “I don’t know if there to be some issues out there in which people Vorst said she is both proud and humbled “I think the current dean has established was a big fuss or what, but I think that she was differ.” by the accomplishments of A&S faculty. a pretty strong group of associate deans and Vorst said there wasn’t “I’ve had such an extraordinary time in this there is a very committed faculty,” Vaught I’ve had such an extraordinary time in any conflict over the office,” Vorst said. “What students may not said. “Together, we will work through this this office. I’ve worked with so many budget or enrollment to know is that we have award winning faculty. transition phase to make this as seamless a outstanding faculty and staff. lead to the decision to This year alone since January, we’ve had five process as possible.” resign. faculty win national fellowships and awards.” Vorst was also enthused about Vaught’s “ This includes two prestigious Guggenheim -Karen Vorst, Dean of Arts & Sciences In Issue 30, History selection as Interim Dean. Department Chair Dr. fellowships. “Wayne has been in this office as Associate shoved. That would be my guess.” Gary Ebersole noted that five years is about Vorst said it was rare for a publically-funded Dean for two years,” Vorst said. “He has ex- Mirkin said Vorst and Hackett didn’t always the average length of a dean’s tenure perience as department see eye-to-eye. nationally.” chair, and this year will “I think Karen’s style and Gail Hackett’s Vorst said she wasn’t sure of an average I think it’s a critical time for the college... be promoted to full pro- style were different,” Mirkin said. “Karen tenure, but was aware of deans who have fessor. He’s an excellent tends to be communal and her decision- Overall, I think that the college has been served for much longer lengths than she. choice.” making, and Gail is more hierarchical.” moving in a very positive direction. “It takes a while to really get going in a Vaught said a search Specifically, Mirkin noted conflict over the “-Wayne Vaught, Associate Dean of Arts & Sciences position like this,” Vorst said. “The college committee is being orga- college’s budget and enrollment. is very complicated; it’s the biggest unit nized to find a permanent “There were areas of conflict about the new on campus with the most diverse group of institution to receive even one Guggenheim dean, and that he expects an earnest search budget model and the amounts of money that academic units, departments and faculty.” fellowship. next fall. The search, he said, will be national, would come out,” Mirkin said. “I don’t know After June 30, Vorst will take a year off although he” isn’t aware of other specifics. Vorst added some have speculated her if the provost thought the college was doing resignation was due to low faculty approval, before returning to the classroom as an Hackett could not be reached for comment enough to grow enrollment.” although this is not the case. Results from the economics teacher. in time for this article. When asked about Hackett, Vorst denied 2011 faculty senate surveys found 78 percent Upon her return, Vorst plans to develop a [email protected] being pressured to resign. of A&S faculty wanted Vorst retained. course on the Kansas City economy. “This is a decision that the provost and I Among other things, Vorst said she has “It really fits on with our urban mission, June 1, 2011 News|3 Student Success Center will give University Center a boost Nathan Zoschke In November 2010, $4.1 million in bonds Production Manager/Copy Editor was approved by the University of Missouri Board of Curators to fund the project. n the near future, students will no longer However, the bonds will only cover part of have to worry about making multiple the cost. visits to the Administrative Center to “The $4 million is not going to do a whole deal with UMKC’s numerous offices. lot for us,” Tyler said. “There’s a funding gap Instead, they will be able to work with for us, and we’re going to have to address that I at some point.” several administrative departments at a one-stop shop office, which will open in the Tyler also said it has not yet been decided University Center as part of the planned whether the renovations to the University Student Success Center. Center to accommodate the Student Success Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs and Center will be done all at once or in phases. Enrollment Management Mel Tyler said After the renovations, Tyler said Pierson the idea of a one-stop shop came after the Auditorium, the Chancellor’s Dining room university collected student survey results. and Rooms 106 and 107 will be available for The University Center, built in 1961, will undergo more than $5 million in renovations to conferencing. “The whole program of this building is accomodate the planned Student Success Center. Photoy b Nathan Zoschke centered around that data,” Tyler said of the During construction, the cafeteria will remain open. survey results. “What we heard from students project timeline has not yet been finalized, where students can get help from faculty through several surveys is that students really “It’s going to be challenging, but we have although when the project was announced members on undergraduate work.