University of Virginia Library

One Resignation

Remarkably enough, only 1 full time faculty
member in the College of Arts and Sciences has
resigned effective this fall.

Dean Shannon did not have facts immediately
available regarding the hiring of graduate
teaching assistants, but he explained the
method used in determining the number that
may be employed. "For every one full-time
faculty position," he said, "the funds are
divided into fractions for the hiring of assistants."
He roughly estimated that each full time
position so utilized can create approximately
10 positions for graduate assistants. The Departments
of History, Afro American Studies,
and Philosophy will be among those receiving
such additional personnel next year.

By far the majority of faculty members are
funded by revenues from the state. There is,
however, a special "Eminent Scholars Fund"
available for the University to hire available
outstanding men and women when there is no
regular opening for them. Begun in the early
1960's, and intended for the sciences, the fund
was extended by President Shannon to cover
History, Government, Economics, and English.
The state responded to President Shannon's
request by matching any private endowments
with state funds.

The problem of faculty-student relations,
unlike inadequate classroom buildings, is not so
easily attributable to an unconcerned state
legislature. We must question whether the ratios
determined by the State Council For Higher
Education are appropriate to the needs of
students. Even more importantly, we must
question whether the present allocation of
faculty members to various classroom arrangements
is either in the best interests of education
or efficient.