TUESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2020
WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY
VOLUME 95, ISSUE 15
A look inside the legacy of Barbara Burch BY REBEKAH ALVEY HERALD.NEWS@WKU.EDU
Barbara Burch began her time at WKU in the 1950s as an undergraduate student. After completing her degree, she returned to WKU to serve as a professor,
provost, faculty regent and even made history as the only female WKU president when she was briefly interim in 1997. Burch died shortly after midnight on Jan. 5 in Bowling Green at the age of 81. Those from WKU who knew her well are shocked but plan to continue her legacy and remember the impact she had on
the university. Despite the achievements and the positions, WKU’s campus and the people who worked and learned alongside her will primarily remember the genuine love, care, innovation and support she gave to so many.
A kind leader When WKU Regent Julie Hinson remembers Burch, she’ll think of her smile. The two were co-founding members of WKU Sisterhood 10 years ago and served on the Board of Regents together SEE BURCH • PAGE A2
LIFE, DEATH AND KOBE SEE PAGE B4 B4
Our columnist’s take on the death of NBA legend CHRIS KOHLEY • HERALD
A student poses with a Kobe Bryant jersey the day after his passing on January 27, 2020.
New process for instructor contracts to be presented
BY NATASHA BREU HERALD.NEWS@WKU.EDU
December proved to be a time of uncertainty for WKU’s faculty members, as letters sent out to five instructors who taught a total of 564 students last fall in the Ogden College of Science and Engineering notified them their one-year contract would not be renewed for the next academic year. The five faculty members whose contracts were not renewed came from three departments in Ogden College. Two of the instructors came from the geology department. Fred Siewers, Department of Geology and Geography chair, said he could not directly comment on the impacts this could have on the department. He said instructors “contribute tremendously” to the education of students. The decision, made by Interim Dean Greg Arbuckle, was not well received by the Faculty Senate. In a meeting days after
the letters were sent, the Senate authored a resolution regarding the non-renewal of
a reason for non-renewal of instructors, “the lack of transparency in the
TIMOTHY CABONI
WKU President
I will say this, we should never as an institution let someone go or not renew their contract via email
instructors. The resolution, which has not been passed by the administration, mentions faculty members were informed via email about their contract not getting renewed, instead of a face-to-face meeting. The resolution also mentions while the faculty handbook does not require
process undermines the morale and loyalty of faculty overall.” The resolution authored by the Faculty Senate asks the administration for two things: that the instructor cuts are rescinded and no further cuts are made by the Dec. 15, 2019, deadline and
that a “transparent process for future non-renewal of instructors is developed and communicated to the Senate by the responsible deans by March 31, 2020.” Acting Provost Cheryl Stevens commented on the resolution at the Jan. 23 Faculty Senate meeting, saying she agreed with the recommendation. She acknowledged flaws in the process of informing the instructors whose contracts were not renewed and said the more “transparent” process the Faculty Senate requested will be presented in March. In an email, Stevens said there is currently not an “articulated process” in place, but she plans on asking the deans to work on developing one. In the Herald editorial board’s Jan. 22 meeting with President Caboni, he commented on the instructor letters saying that in a decentralized budget model deans make the decision based on “economic realities” such as the course load, course demands in that college and the allocation of faculty resources. SEE FACULTY LETTERS • PAGE A3
WKU officials begin forming ‘Greek advisory board’ BY JACK DOBBS HERALD.NEWS@WKU.EDU
WKU is creating a “Greek life self assessment committee” following multiple incidents last fall of Greek organizations using racial slurs in songs. In his semesterly meeting with the
Herald editorial board, WKU President Timothy Caboni said the committee is being led by Brian Kuster, vice president of enrollment and student experience, and Lynne Holland, dean of students. “We’re going to be doing a self assessment of Greek life,” Holland said. “Where are we, where are some areas we need to improve, and we’ll have the
committee make recommendations.” Holland also said the committee will examine ways Greek life can improve and prepare its members for life after college. “Nothing is in isolation,” Holland said. “Are there things we can do as a university? Are there things we can do to help them prepare to take their rightful place in society?”
In the fall of 2019, a video was posted to social media showing members of the Alpha Xi Delta sorority singing a racial slur in a rap song. In the aftermath of this incident, neither WKU nor the national Alpha Xi Delta organization took any action against the sorority. SEE GREEK LIFE • PAGE A3