While the summer ends and fall begins, plan on seeing new faces in various departments around campus as many faculty positions were filled over break.
Starting July 1, the administration had to make staff cuts, resulting in some employees of Guilford losing their positions. However, administrators say only those staff members and some part-time courses made unnecessary because of reduced enrollment were cut.
Adrienne Israel, vice president for academic affairs and academic dean, noted that even though the college is experiencing budgetary issues stemming from the cut in N.C. state-based aid, the new hires are budget-neutral, since they all replace outgoing faculty.
“We have the same number of full-time faculty as we had last year,” said Israel. “Even with budget cuts, for the health of the academic program we offer our students, it is better to maintain our full-time faculty to the (greatest) extent possible.”
While only one faculty member was appointed to a tenure-track position, this does not stop any of the newly hired faculty from applying for a tenure-track position in the future, administrators say.
Michael Bruno, assistant professor of chemistry, was hired for a non-tenure-track, full-time position in fall 2011.
Newly hired full-time faculty, not on tenure-track, include Assistant Professor of Biochemistry Kenny Kuo, while foreign languages added Teresa Rinaldi.
The history department brought Sarah Thuesen and France Ntloedibe aboard. Mathematics welcomed G. Edgar Parker.
Jill Peterfeso joined the ranks of religious studies, and theatre studies welcomed Marc Williams.
Kent Chabotar, president and professor of political sciences, said that the process of hiring faculty is straightforward.
“Tenure-track positions are recommended by clerk’s committee and the dean and I approve,” said Chabotar.
Regardless of budget issues and hiring processes, new professor Thuesen said that she was excited to join the Guilford community.
“Having grown up not far away in Hickory, I have long held Guilford in high esteem,” said Thuesen. “The more I learn about the school’s rich history, the more I find to admire.”
While many faculty positions have been filled, the departments of art, biology, business/CTIS joint appointment, business (marketing), education studies (secondary), foreign languages (Spanish), political science, and psychology have been approved to search for positions for the coming year.
