SEPTEMBER 17, 1998-vol30n4: Mail

VOLUME 30, NUMBER 4 THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 1998

Arts and Sciences deans deserve plaudits, not brickbats

To the Editor,

The current concern of gadfly critic Professor John Boot [enhanced bureaucratic experience, 10 September 1998] is that the creation of the College of Arts and Sciences resulted in unwarranted administrative appointments (not "positions crying to be filled"), and unworthy appointments ("persons crying for position"). His comments specifically and publicly denigrate the worth and reputation of faculty colleagues who have recently come to the fore to assist UB in one of its most challenging undertakings. The associate deans are engaged in the making of a new College of Arts and Sciences that is to benefit all undergraduate students and all university programs. They have accepted the challenge to change fundamentally the undergraduate environment and to preserve and enhance the graduate and research mission. In more than one instance, my colleagues reluctantly agreed to continue to serve in one of the associate-dean positions because of my appeal to their citizenship and my importuning for their support for the new college and the high expectations we have for it. Perhaps Dr. Boot disagrees with the goals of the new college, but his targeting of the associate deans is ill- and thoughtlessly considered.

It is difficult to reconcile complaints that the appointments of the current associate deans represent the manifestation of favoritism to the old boy (and girl?) network of deans long engaged in their work and the attainment of administrative appointments by those devoid of "demonstrated or credentialed competence." They have all served as associate deans in the administrations of the three former faculties and with instances of distinguished service. Their appointments to the college decanal staff were the result of neither default nor self-perpetuating networking.

The amalgamation of three administrative support units into one threatened the confidence of the faculty that they, as individuals and as departments, would be adequately represented in the formal and in the informal execution of administrative functions in the college. It was our strategy that faculty would be able to find in the offices of the college those colleagues in whom they already had confidence. In mid-July we faced the challenge of closing out the old academic year with its legacy of three disparate administrative practices across three faculties and starting up the new year with a unified college administration. In the midst of sweeping changes and destabilization, we adopted the stance that we in the Office of the Dean would serve both the old faculty structure and the new College while the transition was undertaken. I am profoundly indebted to the associate deans who assisted us in understanding the past and preparing for the future of the college and so, too, should be every member of the College of Arts and Sciences. Considerable credit must also be extended to the professional and classified staff who performed, and continue to perform, with dedication and patience during change and uncertainty.

In the complaint that "In no case was the position advertised or subject to an affirmative action search," with its unwritten but insidious implication of racism and sexism, reputations are again besmirched without warrant. No new positions were created in the College of Arts and Sciences. No individual was appointed to a new post. Rather, there were reassignments in the form of duties drawn from existing responsibilities expanded to serve the entire college. There will be staff expansion in the future to serve the large agenda presented to the College of Arts and Sciences on behalf of the entire university. Few, if any of these new positions will be filled at the level of associate dean.

The staff of associate deans will change over time. The associate dean for undergraduate studies agreed to continue for only one semester. The associate dean for graduate studies and research has yet to agree to a specific term of service and the dean for educational technology is also on a limited appointment. In the meantime, UB and the faculty in the arts and sciences are served wonderfully by colleagues who willingly shoulder a new load on behalf of the common good. They deserve plaudits, not brickbats and not unwarranted criticism of their character and competence.

Ultimately, it is the faculty who must regulate faculty conduct. Perhaps we are not yet mature enough in our self-governance to regulate standards of collegial conduct, but we should at least be able to uphold our worthy colleagues. An apology is due them. Whether it is forthcoming or not, they need our support and deserve our appreciation. Therefore, I hope that faculty and staff colleagues will, in light of the unwarranted dishonoring of members of our academic community, express directly to the associate deans of the College of Arts and Sciences appreciation for the exceptional efforts they have made during an exceptionally demanding time.

-Kerry S. Grant,dean, College of Arts and Sciences

Clarifying points on religion, influence on political change

Dear Editor,

I very much appreciate the wonderful article on my retirement in the Reporter of Sept. 10. There were, however, two possibly embarrassing impressions left by the piece that I would like to clarify.

First, although the article did not explicitly state that I am religiously orthodox, it may have left that impression. I consider myself to be religiously Jewish but have not been religiously orthodox since my youth.

The second statement that concerns me is that I had a "profound influence" on the 1989 political revolution in East Germany. In fact, my role was much more modest.

Beginning in the 1960s, I established close contacts with many historians in East and West Germany and succeeded after the early 1980s in arranging meetings between the German historians and their counterparts in the United States. Some of these meetings took place in Buffalo. I also arranged an exchange program involving doctoral candidates from the UB history department and young scholars from the Academy of Sciences in East Berlin.

The idea that I strongly influenced the political changes that occurred in the late 1980s may have been suggested by comments previously published by others or by the fact that in teaching and working with East German students and scholars over the years, I have promoted historiographical alternatives to their country's Stalinist orthodoxy.

I do not want to overstate my role in this regard, however.

Thank you for the opportunity to clarify these points and again, for the article itself, which was overwhelming.

-Georg G. Iggers,Distinguished Professor Emeritus, Department of History