UND General Info | UND Medical School | UND Discussion | Other Sites | Look Back

Reports of job-hunting professors are rife on the UND campus, where there's widespread tension about the tighter budget climate. The spring academic recruiting season has several weeks to go. But according to records in the office of the vice president of academic affairs the turnover rate isn't higher than what it's been most of the past decade. Alice Clark, vice president of academic affairs said the academic hiring process seems to be running slow this year, and many late resignations are still possible by June or July. "The rumors still persist", she said.

By the end of last spring semester, UND had 17 resignations. Counting retirements non-renewals and other reasons for departing the turnovers last year totaled nearly 50. A larger than usual number were department heads, program directors and senior professors.

So far this school year the faculty turnover is about 20 counting resignations, retirements, non renewed contracts and one death -- Harley Straus of the School of Communication. Even though the turnover rate hasn't soared. Clark said there still could be crunches in some departments Her list of areas to watch includes anthropology, computer science journalism and mathematics. The math department one of the biggest at UND, hasn't had much turnover this year, but it still is trying to catch up from an experience drain of veteran professors the previous two to three years.

Here are highlights of the faculty comings and goings so far this spring.

The School of Communication is in the process of hiring. Two journalism faculty members have turned in resignations; Zena Beth McGlashan and Deborah Chasteen.

The School of Engineering and Mines is actively seeking to hire two professors and an assistant to the dean of the engineering school.

Recently announced faculty resignations affect a variety of other departments including: marketing, accounting and business law, education and recreation and aviation.

The medical school is down to three finalists, all North Dakotans for director of the Center for Rural Health. But the medical school will lose at least two or three faculty members on the UND campus this year. Dwayne Ollerich, anatomy professor and former associate dean has resigned for a higher paid position at Kansas University. Physiology professor Richard Roses position is in limbo because of an unfounded sexual harassment complaint. A second departure in anatomy is pending according to reports in the medical school.

More than half-a-dozen faculty members are arranging early retirements which will affect the English, history, nursing, psychology philosophy, and departments .

A dozen faculty members have been granted developmental leaves at three-fourths of their salaries starting in the summer or fall Clark said the number and length of leaves have been reduced because of tax referral budget cuts.

Faculty members from the following departments will be going on paid leaves for six months to one year: chemistry, psychology, communication, anthropology,  physics, economics,  visual arts, music, home economics and nutrition and the School of Law.

Unpaid leaves  reported so far will affect the following departments: biology, business, aviation, and  physics. Another leave request is expected from a professor in the department of anthropology.