June 15, 2004

By Anne Bromley

Vice President and Provost Gene D. Block had good news to report in his update on faculty hiring to the Board of Visitors Educational Policy Committee June 11— an interim report, he said, because not all of the 152 full-time, tenure-track openings have been filled yet.

“We’re doing extremely well in offers to women,” he pointed out. So far, 37 women out of 68 have accepted positions.

In other categories, 50 out of 84 men; 69 out of 116 caucasians, 12 out of 19 Asian Americans, 4 out of 13 African Americans; and 2 out of 4 people from other minority groups have accepted faculty jobs.

“Our acceptance rate for African Americans is a bit low, so we’re working on that,” to find out why, Block said.

The provost also provided an update on science initiatives, which include a plan for building a new research facility at Fontaine Research Park, and recruiting 10 senior faculty in the next five years in key areas identified by the Virginia 2020 review commissions. By the end of the summer, Block’s office intends to start advertising for top researchers in the fields of biodifferentiation, information technology, quantum and nanoscale science, and healthy aging. A new research building at Fontaine would make for a more attractive package in an employment offer, Block said.

University Architect David J. Neuman gave the board an overview of design features of research buildings that are crucial to plan for to contain costs and meet the needs of scientists conducting varied kinds of research.

The board also heard brief presentations on the Teachers for a New Era program, and the Faculty Senate. Outgoing chairman and associate professor of environmental sciences Robert E. Davis introduced the new chairwoman, Marcia D. Childress, associate professor of medical education.

Associate professor Victor Luftig, who directs Teachers for a New Era, described the activities of the joint effort spearheaded by the Curry School of Education and involving the College of Arts & Sciences and local school divisions in improving the preparation of future K-12 teachers.