By SHANNON O. WELLS
With Chancellor Joan Gabel attending the annual Global Innovation Summit in Belfast, Ireland, the week of Nov. 11, it was left to Provost Joe McCarthy to deliver the chancellor’s report to Senate Council, which met Nov. 14 in Posvar Hall.
The report highlighted the “A Conversation on the Role of Universities in Civic Preparedness” event held Nov. 7 in Alumni Hall as part of Pitt’s Year of Discourse and Dialogue.
Gabel opened that event with remarks that highlighted Pitt’s longstanding tradition of being a place where civic preparedness and civic life are “at the heart of the academic experience and campus life — a place that develops students with the skills, habits, practices and norms to be informed, engaged, productive, lifelong citizens who are equipped to help solve society's most difficult challenges.”
The event marked the second Year of Discourse and Dialogue, which Gabel has described as an “opportunity for students, faculty and staff to explore what civic preparedness means and why it's critical that our university foster an environment where students learn the skills necessary to engage in productive dialogue in a diverse society.”
It also reflects Pitt’s role as a leader, being among the founding members of the College Presidents for Civic Preparedness and the first universities to sign the Campus Call for Free expression, McCarthy noted. “While there's never a bad time to engage in the exchange of ideas, this event was especially timely, given the presidential election held the same week.”
Union updates
Since the Senate Council last met on Oct. 17, Pitt has received the official order and notice of election from the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board confirming the dates, times and location of the election for certain graduate students to choose whether to form a union.
The election will take place in person on Monday and Tuesday, Nov. 18 and 19, and then Thursday, Nov. 21 from 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. each day in the O'Hara Student Center. “And we encourage all graduate students who are eligible to exercise their right to vote,” McCarthy said.
In October, the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board officially certified the United Steel Workers (USW) union as the exclusive bargaining representative for Pitt’s two staff bargaining units, including both professional and non-professional staff.
The University is currently forming its bargaining committees, formulating bargaining strategies and objectives and gathering relevant information in preparation for the commencement of formal collective bargaining sessions with the USW, McCarthy said, which are anticipated to begin in early 2025. There will be regular updates throughout the bargaining process, both at Senate Council as well as on the University’s staff unionization website.
New athletic director
McCarthy said Chancellor Gabel asked him to convey her enthusiasm about welcoming Allen Greene to the Pitt Community as its new athletic director. His appointment was announced Oct. 23, and he started on Nov. 1.
“Those who've worked with Allen speak of him in glowing terms, and we're all excited to have him here at Pitt,” McCarthy said, noting that Greene at his introductory press conference “spoke eloquently about the uniqueness of the college athletic space, where sports and the academy (come) together.”
Accompanied by his wife, Christy, their three children and his own parents, Greene described his vision for embracing a new era in college athletics while remaining cognizant of obligations to student athletes and their families.
“It was wonderful that the Pitt Community had that opportunity to welcome the entire Greene family to Pittsburgh,” McCarthy said. “They are, no doubt, a fantastic addition to the community, and I know that we are all excited to be working with Allen for the future of Pitt athletics, the institution and all of our student athletes.”
Search committees
In other personnel news, the search for the new School of Law dean is moving toward completion, McCarthy said.
The chancellor’s office is working with Senate Council to form the University Center for International Study Search Advisory Committee (UCIS), which will both consult broadly on the leadership search and provide a recommendation on the UCIS leadership structure moving forward. The search will then proceed accordingly, McCarthy said.
Also, the position profile for the director of the University Center for Social and Urban Research (UCSUR) will be available soon.
“At this time, the search advisory committee would be happy to have recommendations of candidates from the general community who might be well positioned to build on the center's historic strengths while helping it to become the hub for community engaged research at Pitt,” McCarthy said.
The search is co-chaired by Lina Dostillo, vice chancellor for engagement and community affairs, and John Wallace, vice provost for faculty diversity and development. McCarthy encouraged contacting them with ideas on potential candidates.
Shannon O. Wells is a writer for the University Times. Reach him at shannonw@pitt.edu.
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