Questioner: Anonymous
Posed to: Pamela Chally, Interim Provost and VP of Academic Affairs
Q. 3a
Regarding the three new promotions in Academic Affairs,
(1) Could the provost explain how these promotions advance UNF’s mission or further our progress toward meeting the President’s goals?
(2) Could the provost please tell us the amounts of the raises that each person received with his or her promotion?
(3) Could the provost please tell us what new duties were assigned to each?
(4) Could the provost please tell us what old duties were reassigned and to whom?
(5) If no old duties were reassigned, were those in these positions prior to promotion not working 40 hour weeks? (6) Could the provost explain how promotions and raises for faculty are highly controlled by the CBA but promotions and raises for administrators can be enacted without searches, without process, without oversight, and without faculty consultation?
Q. 3b
Does the promotion of Dr. Moon to associate provost represent a reorganization of Academic Affairs?
Should a reorganization of Academic Affairs full under the UNF Constitutional mandate to include consultation with faculty and in particular with Faculty Association?
What is the new structure, if there is a new structure, for Academic Affairs?
Does Dr. Patterson now answer to Dr. Moon?
Does Christina Helbling answer to Dr. Patterson or Dr. Moon?
Does the provost continue to maintain direct reports or do her former direct reports now answer to Dr. Moon?
If the latter, has Dr. Chally abdicated duties of the provost to Dr. Moon, someone who has never been vetted by the faculty for such a role?
Q. 3c
Why was Dan Moon — a while male — promoted to associate provost instead of Karen Patterson — a black female? Dan Moon has fewer years in administration than Karen Patterson; he can cite fewer accomplishments as an administrator than Karen Patterson; he enjoys the favor of the faculty to a far lesser degree than does Karen Patterson; he is, overall, much less effective than Karen Patterson.
Q. 3d
Many faculty believe that the timing of the promotion of Dan Moon to associate provost signals that he will be appointed to the position of interim provost if the search for a permanent provost fails this year. Is this true? If it is true, how will the deans, chairs, and faculty feel about having as interim provost a person who served only two years as a department chair, less than a full year as undergraduate studies dean, and a year as interim dean of COAS where nothing — apart from cancelling the holiday party — was accomplished or even attempted?
Wouldn’t appointing Dan Moon to the role of interim provost be a strong signal to the faculty and the broader UNF community that UNF is really not serious about taking the university to the next level or meeting the ambitious goals of our new president?
Answer from the floor by Pamela Chally, Interim Provost and VP of Academic Affairs
A. Interim Provost Chally. The actions of the promotions in Academic Affairs, including Deb Miller, Cristina Helbling, and Dan Moon, are justified by our commitment to student success and our need as an institution to follow the mandates of the Board of Governors. By contributing to students’ success, the president’s goals are being strongly supported. Dr. Moon took on significant responsibilities in student affairs and increasing responsibilities in the Provost’s office, and he did an excellent job taking on all these additional responsibilities. I asked Dr. Moon to assume an interim role as associate provost, and he agreed. The position was open after Jay Coleman was named vice president. The permanent provost can determine how he or she wishes to move forward. This is a temporary assignment to an open position to get the work of the office accomplished.
Some of these questions, or at least parts of them, feel very undignified and humiliating. This time in Faculty Association meetings is an opportunity, I believe, for some to demoralize and embarrassed me and others. Aren’t we better than this? I am far from perfect. You can question and you could ask anyone who’s worked with me, and many of you have worked with me for many years, I am so far from perfect, but please come and meet with me. I don’t believe this forum is a time to humiliate others. Whether you agree with me or not, I want to share four guiding principles and this is why I can get up in the morning and why I have come to work here at UNF since 1993. I try very hard to listen to understand. Respecting others is incredibly important to me. I also believe in kindness, downright kindness, and the last one is to promote excellence at UNF. I hope you all will join me in those same principles. Thanks.
