TO THE EDITOR:
The Daily Tar Heel’s coverage of last Friday’s Faculty Council meeting was sadly incomplete. You neglected to report one of the most significant and powerful moments of the meeting, when we were discussing Resolution 2012-9, “On Affirming the Academic Integrity of African and Afro-American Studies.”
After Professor Kia Caldwell read a statement from members of the department, everyone in the packed room participated in an enthusiastic and sustained standing ovation.
I think many faculty were there, as I was, to express solidarity with our colleagues in that department.
I was happy to have the chance to publicly applaud the value of their intellectual work, and to show my appreciation of the many contributions they make to the research and teaching missions of this University.
I urge the editors and writers of The Daily Tar Heel to follow the example set by the faculty: to distinguish between the department as a whole, and the two individuals who engaged in academic fraud. Our resolution affirming the integrity of the department and its members passed unanimously.
Susan Bickford
Associate Professor Political Science
