UNC Faculty Council debates encouraging water, environmental issues theme to classes

Water could be a topic of discussion in every class at UNC for the next two years if the Faculty Council approves a proposal in December.

The faculty executive committee met Monday to discuss a proposed theme that would encourage UNC professors to incorporate environmental issues dealing with water into their lectures.

Sponsors of the initiative believe the theme would bring different academic departments together and emphasize the importance of securing clean water for future generations.

“It’s probably one of the most significant aspects of global discussion,” said Jan Boxill, chairwoman of the faculty.

Several committee members said they were skeptical about how the theme could be used in classes that don’t normally address water issues.

“When I think about grabbing 50 professors off the campus at random and saying, ‘Okay, there’s this theme of water; are you going to rewrite your lectures?’” said Greg Copenhaver, an associate biology professor.

Developers of the UNC campus theme proposal used a program at Indiana University South Bend as a model.

A few committee members questioned whether declaring a campus-wide theme would actually cause any change in the average student’s college experience.

The committee also discussed offering incentives to professors who successfully integrate the theme into their curriculum.

“You have to make people want to do it,” Copenhaver said.

If adopted, the water theme would be in place for the 2012-13 and 2013-14 school years.

“It gives people time to sort of integrate it into their curriculum,” Boxill said.

Steve Bachenheimer, a professor of microbiology and immunology, suggested establishing a standing committee that would manage themes in future years.

“It’s a well-chosen theme,” Provost Bruce Carney said.

The Global Research Institute, UNC Global, Institute for the Environment, the Water Institute at UNC and the Institute for Global Health and Infectious Diseases support the proposal.

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