TO THE EDITOR:
Sen. Tom McInnis’s proposal to require UNC system faculty to teach eight classes per year is just another example of the devaluation of higher education by the North Carolina state legislature. Although ensuring that professors are as devoted to their classes as their research can be of concern, this proposal clearly misunderstands the role of research in universities.
As a UNC student, I know many of my professors have been involved in their own research. This did not prevent them from providing high-quality instruction; often, they were able to incorporate their research into the class, helping to explain relevant concepts and show that what we were learning had important applications. But that is not the only value of faculty research; it is what attracts excellent faculty to UNC and ultimately keeps UNC a premiere research university.
As an out-of-state student, I was attracted by UNC’s stellar reputation in programs across the board, none of which would be possible without cutting-edge research. I have watched the attacks on the UNC system from the state legislature before I became a student and throughout this year, but I remained confident that such an exceptional institution would ultimately not lose the support of its state government. This latest attack, however, combined with budget cuts to the UNC system, leaves me unsure of this.
Emma Holcomb
Freshman
Public health
