F E A T U R E IN THIS ISSUE As the U N I V E R S I T Y Faculty Assembly endorses a new Cathedral consensual relationship policy.........3 of Learning marks the The committee searching for a 80th anniver- senior vice chancellor for research sary of its has sent the names of five dedication, candidates to the chancellor............4 the building continues to inspire. See pages 6-8. TIMES THE FACULTY & STAFF NEWSPAPER SINCE 1968 VOLUME 49 • NUMBER 12 FEBRUARY 16, 2017 UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH Teaching, research, public service chancellor award winners named he 2017 chancellor’s awards fessor in the Department of teaching excellence. for distinguished teaching, Chemistry, Dietrich school. Full-time faculty members Tresearch and public service In the senior scholars category: with at least five years’ service at honored 10 faculty. • Mark T. Gladwin, distin- the University are eligible, pro- Distinguished teaching award guished professor and chair in the vided they have been active as winners are: Department of Medicine, School a teacher and have not won the Sean Garrett-Roe Melissa Marks • Sean Garrett-Roe, assistant of Medicine; award previously. professor in the Department of • Thomas W. Kensler, profes- Up to five awardees are chosen Chemistry, Dietrich School of sor in the Department of Phar- each year. Each award consists of Arts and Sciences; macology and Chemical Biology, a $2,000 cash prize and a $3,000 • Melissa Marks, associ- School of Medicine; and grant to support the faculty mem- ate professor in the Division • Ronald Stall, professor in ber’s teaching activities. of Behavioral Sciences, Pitt- the Department of Behavioral Greensburg; and Community Health Sci- Sean Garrett-Roe • John Schumann, associate ences, Graduate School of Public Garrett-Roe was recognized professor in the Department of Health. for his work with the Process Neurobiology, School of Medi- q Oriented Guided Inquiry Learn- cine; and The distinguished public ser- ing (POGIL) approach, which • Cindy Skrzycki, senior vice award winner is: uses a flipped classroom model, lecturer in the Department of • Anthony S. Novosel, under- multisensory input and incorpo- English, Dietrich school. graduate adviser and senior rates technologies to encourage John Schumann Cindy Skrzycki q lecturer in the Department of students to engage, derive and Distinguished research award History, Dietrich school. interpret the materials of physical winners are: Awardees will be recognized chemistry. In the junior scholars category: Feb. 24 at the University’s annual He has also shared his peda- • Kara Anne Bernstein, assis- honors convocation. gogical models in such venues tant professor in the Department as Pitt’s Summer Instructional of Microbiology and Molecular TEACHING Design Institute and the Ameri- Genetics, School of Medicine, and The Chancellor’s Distin- can Chemical Society’s national • Haitao Liu, associate pro- guished Teaching Award honors CONTINUED ON PAGE 5 Flat funding proposed for Pitt ov. Tom Wolf’s $32.34 now up to the General Assembly no surprise, given the state’s billion state budget pro- to hammer out a final budget lagging revenue collections and Kara Anne Bernstein Haitao Liu Gposal for fiscal year 2018 before the July 1 start of the growing budget deficit. includes a 2 percent increase for fiscal year. At the fiscal year’s midway State System of Higher Educa- To that end, appropriations point in December, general fund tion schools, but holds funding hearings are underway. The state- collections were 2.7 percent, or flat for state-related universities related universities are scheduled $367 million, below estimate, Pitt, Penn State, Temple and to present their budget testimony according to the state Depart- Lincoln. March 1 to the Senate appropria- ment of Revenue. And the Pitt’s state appropriation tions committee. In a departure department’s monthly revenue stands at $146.77 million, made from past years, no hearing before report shows that collections, up of $144.21 million in general the House appropriations com- as of the end of January, are support and $2.56 million for mittee is scheduled, although $416.8 million, or 2.5 percent, rural education outreach. The Pitt’s budget briefing package below estimate. University had asked for a 5 will be sent to the committee, The state’s Independent percent increase in state support Paul Supowitz, vice chancellor for Fiscal Office is estimating in the coming year. (See Oct. 13, Community and Governmental revenues will be $716 million 2016, University Times.) Relations, told the University below estimate by the end of The governor’s proposed Times. the fiscal year. In addition, advocates will “We appreciate the gover- Mark T. Gladwin Thomas W. Kensler budget reduces academic medi- cal center funding in the Health plead the University’s case March nor’s effort to at least protect and Human Services budget — 21 at the annual Pitt Day in Har- the small increase we’ve gotten down 17.7 percent — due to an risburg. (See www.alumni.pitt.edu.) in the past two years,” Supowitz anticipated decrease in federal q said, adding that the state’s dire medical assistance payments University administrators have economic circumstances are to academic medical centers, braced for a tough budget year to magnified by the political situ- including Pitt’s medical school. come. In remarks to the University ation in Harrisburg. Wolf’s proposed budget, Senate in December, Chancellor Wolf, a Democrat, must presented Feb. 7 before a joint Patrick Gallagher cautioned that work with strong Republi- legislative session in Harrisburg, the University wasn’t ruling out the can majorities in the General included a $571.5 million, 1.8 possibility of a cut in funding, in Assembly. Sen. Scott Wagner percent increase in spend- light of the state’s bleak financial (R-York), who has criticized ing with no broad-based tax outlook. (See Jan. 5 University Times.) the governor’s economic plans, increases. Supowitz acknowledged to has launched his campaign for The governor’s proposal the University Times that the the 2018 gubernatorial election. Ronald Stall Anthony S. Novosel represents a starting point. It’s proposed flat funding comes as —Kimberly K. Barlow n 1 UNIVERSITY TIMES U N I V E R S I T Y S E N A T E M A T T E R S / Calum Matheson Debate in the classroom Teaching is not limited to the be skeptical about what I heard, ence, and rely on teamwork. Its mation paradoxically discourages of mind that can benefit them process of imparting informa- synthesize what I knew, and make ludic aspects excite many students students from encounters with for a lifetime. As instructors, tion to our students. As concern judgments about the quality of an and keep their attention. I have people who disagree with them. we all compete with the myriad over “fake news” and “alterna- argument based on logic rather watched otherwise apathetic stu- Social media, niche ideological demands and diversions of tive facts” demonstrates, the than preference. Argumentation dents invest hours into esoteric news sources, and homogenous college life to capture students’ primary danger when it comes skills foster better information subjects to guarantee a good peer groups lead to confirmation attention. Debate is one inter- to information is not starva- processing, and that is a vital performance. With guidance by bias and groupthink in the form esting way to do that, teaching tion but overconsumption. We capacity for students today regard- an instructor, students can learn of “filter bubbles” and “echo not just our own content but are exposed to a vast welter of less of what they study. The ability to pick apart arguments — both chambers.” In debate, students the skills to acquire and analyze information, and part of our to dissect arguments, analyze logic their own and those of their can be encouraged to research more in the future. Everyone responsibility as educators is not and distinguish good informa- classmates — to develop better and defend opinions that they do uses the skills of argument, from just to add to this deluge but to tion from bad is what in military positions. This is a kind of educa- not personally hold. There should scientists applying for grants to provide our students with the terminology is called a “force tion that we should be proud to be obvious limits on this practice, anthropologists explaining cul- capacity to judge what is good multiplier.” It makes us smarter, give. No student should leave their but when done well, students may tural change to undergraduates and what is bad. and it teaches us to communicate undergraduate education without learn to respect opposing views, supporting their views in term In grade school, I learned what we know. That is why when I some grasp of validity, sound- treat them more inclusively and papers. We should help our stu- how to convert Celsius to Fahr- joined the University faculty I was ness, cognitive biases, statistical develop a better grounding for dents hone their argument skills enheit, memorized the Pythago- pleased to learn that Argument significance and the whole range their own beliefs. Empathy often to prepare them for their futures rean Theorem, and recited the is offered as a general education of tools necessary to form well- seems as scarce as critical thinking in academia, government and amendments to the United States class; its methods are useful across grounded beliefs based on fact in our contemporary situation. business, and as members of a Constitution. I still can recall all the curriculum. rather than conjecture. No one With good instruction, students democratic society making the of this today, but then again, so Incorporating debate into has perfect information all the can learn that it’s not about playing hard choices that keep democ- can my iPhone.