And this part of the mission is so important that it's not just mentioned once. The mission also states, "To fulfill this mission, the University must provide high-quality undergraduate instruction to students ... while committed to intellectual freedom."
In keeping with that emphasis on academic freedom, many students, faculty and officials have raised concerns about whether faculty will have the freedom to teach what they want, especially regarding the expression of diverse religious, sexual and cultural viewpoints, which often are stifled in the Middle Eastern nation.
Sue Estroff, chairwoman of the Faculty Council, said she has been concerned about the issue of academic freedom since the Qatar program first was proposed. "We've pushed on this issue and asked very specific, pointed questions. But how it will play out in the classroom, no one can really answer yet," she said. "I think we all have the best intentions, but we have to understand we're going into a very hierarchical monarchy, which although it is fond of democracy, is not a democracy yet."
But administrators have consistently assured faculty and students not to worry. Moeser also has stated publicly that one of the conditions on which he will base his acceptance of the proposal is the degree to which University officials will be allowed to determine the curriculum.
Provost Robert Shelton said that although faculty will be able to teach what they want to, there likely will be less dissent outside the classroom and less opportunities for student activists to voice opposition. "Will there be David Horowitz speaking on campus with protesters in the quad? Certainly not," he said.
But Shelton said he has faith that the free exchange of ideas would translate to Qatar, regardless of the cultural differences between the Middle Eastern nation and Western ideals.
"Yes, it will be different, but in terms of communicating a true Chapel Hill educational experience, we can do it."
Service to the State
The University's doors opened in 1793 as the first public state university in the United States. And for more than 200 years, UNC has focused on serving the people of North Carolina.
As the mission states, "The University must extend knowledge-based services and other resources of the University to the citizens of North Carolina and their institutions to enhance the quality of life of all people in the state."
But several members of the University community have questioned how a school set thousands of miles away and geared, at least for now, exclusively toward foreign students can serve the interests of N.C. residents.
Nick Didow, former director of the Carolina Center for Public Service and a professor in the business school, said he feels there are pressing needs in the state that should be addressed before UNC considers overseas commitments.
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"As part of considering a major initiative such as this that broadens the global reach of the University, it is only reasonable to take a moment to review the way in which we are serving the people of North Carolina," Didow said. "In my judgment, we have some work to do first in satisfactorily serving the local community, the region and people across the state." Didow said he thinks the program might have merit because of the resources the Qatar Foundation could give to UNC, which could be used for public service initiatives in North Carolina.
He said this balanced use of resources only can be achieved if officials continue to make local issues and needs a priority.
But Moeser said he hesitates to characterize the mission of the University as simply service to the state. "I'm not sure I would accept that as our complete mission," he said. "I don't think serving the people of North Carolina means putting up a curtain on the borders of the state and not looking beyond it."
Moeser said the best way for the University to serve the state is to provide the best education possible for N.C. residents -- a goal he said cannot be realized without looking to other areas of the world. "This program and other international programs do meet that mission -- to serve the people of North Carolina with an excellent education, we have to be connected to the world," he said.
But Estroff said she wants to see students directly benefitting before she will believe UNC is fulfilling its obligation to the state. "Absent opportunities for Chapel Hill students and faculty to learn and engage in scholarship and do research, I do see a problem with the mission," she said. "There need to be direct opportunities for our students and faculty."
Shelton said he thinks service to the state can come in a number of ways.
"The cynic would say we're not ever going to get anything out of this, and if you're looking for an immediate investment, they're right," he said. "It's going to take time to realize that kind of benefits."
Cultural and Global Development
Although serving the state is a crucial part of the University's mission, another part of that mission demands that UNC look beyond North Carolina's borders.
"The University exists ... to enrich our culture. ... The University must address, as appropriate, regional, national and international needs," the statement reads.
Moeser said the proposed Qatar campus might be ideal for developing this cultural perspective, especially if UNC students get the chance to visit Doha.
He also said he hopes to see other programs like the Qatar satellite school spring up, citing the already-established study abroad partnership with Monterrey Tech in Mexico as an example of progress that has been made in recent years. "I do think (globalization) is part of the evolving nature of the University, but it's not something I created," he said. "But there is no question it is an escalating curve."
Shelton said he sees a particular need to expand to other regions of the world.
"Certainly in the Persian Gulf and the Middle East, the United States is in desperate need of greater context and understanding, and vice versa," he said.
But Moeser said questions concerning the Qatar proposal and any other international proposal that might come along require careful analysis to determine whether they are appropriate to pursue.
"There are lots of criteria -- total academic freedom, assurance we can operate our programs with absolute integrity, resource criteria -- we can't do it if it drains one cent of state money, and we shouldn't do it unless we could provide resources back to campus," he said.
Moeser said these considerations will allow him to determine whether he should proceed with the project and whether pursuing the campus in Qatar is the best way to fulfill UNC's goals.
"I think if we're going to be sending our University's culture abroad, we need to be sure we are replicating all the missions of the University -- not just teaching, but also academics, research and public service."
The University Editor can be reached at udesk@unc.edu.
