1.   Mission NCSSM pursues the mission of improving math/science and technology education statewide while providing the best education available to its students in residence.  The NCSSM residential program and the Distance Learning program offer curriculum to two different audiences.  To provide additional support to this mission, NCSSM administrators and faculty write grant proposals.

While it would not align with the mission of our residential program to become simply a “laboratory school” for educational experimentation, NCSSM can be a partner with the universities in developing and providing curriculum and programs to improve K-12 education.  Teacher education programs in UNC System universities include research-based studies that NCSSM teachers can adapt to their own courses. We can partner in offering pre-service teacher training and professional development to practicing teachers statewide. 

In establishing these partnerships, would NCSSM be allowed to retain its autonomy and innovative mode of operating?  If NCSSM is called upon to meet new needs, what kinds of personnel and other resources will be available to NCSSM to meet those needs?  Would the relationship between the NCSSM residential and distance learning programs change? 

2.  Philosophy NCSSM provides advanced courses in Math, Science and the Humanities.  Many of our courses are not found in the typical high school.  We try to maintain an average class size of about 20 students.  Teachers spend much time, both in class and out of class, working with individual students.  The academic program is designed to foster critical thinking, intellectual rigor, persistence, strong communication skills, and social skills such as cooperation, responsibility, and open-mindedness.

The UNC system might provide increased opportunities for our students to do research in science, math, technology and the humanities.  NCSSM also can benefit from UNC partnerships in grant writing support.

Will we be able to continue to provide small classes, tutorials, and experimental courses for our students? Will additional funding to support new technologies be provided?  Will we have opportunities to take advantage of universities’ resources and buying power to support this philosophy?

3.  School Autonomy NCSSM’s Board of Trustees makes final decisions, within the limits established by legislation, regarding such matters as graduation requirements, reappointment of faculty members, the school calendar and budget, and student disciplinary policies.  It leaves control of other matters, such as curriculum, scheduling, and cooperative projects with other institutions, to the school staff.

There could be opportunities as a constituent for a number of cooperative projects with other institutions in the UNC system.  These could include such projects as joint offerings of teacher professional development activities, collaboration in offering distance learning, dual credit for courses taken by our students and, in cases where credit is not awarded, an efficient system to ensure appropriate placement so that our students do not repeat courses in college that they have successfully completed at NCSSM.

Will our Board retain control over curriculum, faculty reappointment, calendar, budget, etc.?  Will we remain tuition-free? Will there be more opportunities for collaborations with UNC System institutions than there are now, and what might these be?

4. Curriculum At NCSSM the academic program, length of courses, the length of time students spend in their study of science, mathematics, and humanities, and the focus on the AP program are set by the administration.  Graduation requirements are set by the Board of Trustees with the advice of the administration.  

The faculty could have a stronger voice in determining the structure of the academic program that best meets the goals and mission of the school.

Will the NCSSM faculty be a full partner in determining the academic program, setting graduation requirements, and addressing issues of academic freedom?

5.  Role of Faculty Council As mandated by the NCSSM Regulations “It is the responsibility of the Faculty Council to deliberate about and to advise the Division Vice Presidents concerning matters of academic policy and faculty welfare.”  

As at universities, the Faculty Council will provide the means to give effective advice with respect to questions of academic policy and institutional governance, with particular emphasis upon matters of curriculum, graduation requirements, instructional standards, and grading criteria. See “Standards of Shared Governance on the 16 UNC Campuses” (www.unc.edu/faculty/faccoun/reports/R06FAD3.htm)

The Faculty Council would participate in the UNC Faculty Assembly and operate according to the principles defined in the charter and bylaws of the Faculty Assembly. 

The Faculty Council President could serve as an ex officio   member of the Board of Trustees.

Will the NCSSM Faculty Council play a greater role in the academic program, and regarding issues of  faculty employment and welfare?

Will the NCSSM Faculty Council continue to be a body recommending to Division Senior VPs, or, like the Faculty Council at other UNC system institutions,  will it have responsibility for determining the programs of study for students?

Will the NCSSM faculty participate fully in the UNC Faculty Assembly which is “dedicated to upholding and exercising the principles of academic freedom, shared governance, tenure, and the faculty’s primary responsibility for the university’s curriculum”?  (Quoted from  “About the UNC Faculty Assembly” at uncfacultyassembly.northcarolina.edu/html/about.htm.)

At universities it appears the chief academic officer (typically the Provost) is a member of Faculty Council.  A sample of the roles and responsibilities of the Faculty Council can be found at “ The Faculty Code of University Government”  www.unc.edu/faculty/faccoun/code/Code2005.htm.

The role and responsibility of the University-wide Faculty Assembly is described at  “About the UNC Faculty Assembly” uncfacultyassembly.northcarolina.edu/

6.  Advantages to Students NCSSM has informal relationships with certain UNC schools so that our graduates have opportunities for advanced course placement, distance education, and internships.  For example, our students are placed in appropriate math courses at NCSU based on performance and course completion at NCSSM; a number of our students participate in summer and school-year internships at UNC-Chapel Hill; a few of our students participate in a pilot program by taking online courses at NCSU for dual credit.  Our students do remarkably advanced research for high school students.

NCSSM students could receive advanced placement/credit for college level courses completed at NCSSM, have expanded online course offerings through other UNC campuses, and enjoy more opportunities for internships.  Our students’ research could be considered undergraduate research, qualifying thereby for additional sources of financial support.

Would universities in the UNC system grant credit/placement for college level NCSSM courses?  Would NCSSM students have the opportunity to enroll in additional online course offerings at NCSU and other UNC schools as approved by NCSSM academic administrators and departments?  Would NCSSM students have increased internship and mentorship opportunities at UNC schools during the school year and/or summer?  Could our students’ research be classified as undergraduate research?

7.  Advantages to Programs NCSSM takes advantage of opportunities to bring UNC System faculty to the campus as speakers and to attend conferences and seminars offered on UNC System campuses.  NCSSM purchases supplies, equipment, textbooks, library materials, and services independent of other institutions.

There could be more utilization of the academic expertise and programs of UNC System schools, particularly those in the Triangle.  We might also be able to take advantage of the economy of scale by combining our purchases with those of other institutions.

How can we make greater use of UNC System academic resources?  Could we fall under the science service umbrella, for such things as waste removal contracts and equipment purchase? 

8.  Advantages to Faculty Programs for NCSSM faculty development and curriculum development are supported mostly by NCSSM funds and personnel.  Individual faculty members do make contacts with university faculty to collaborate, but we are limited to whomever each of us knows.  Policies exist for programs such as sabbatical leave, but these are currently unfunded.  Limited funds are available to support summer curriculum development.

As one of only two high school programs in the university, we have day-to-day expertise regarding teaching and learning at the secondary level not available at most other campuses.  Not only can we share that expertise with university educators who work with teachers but also teach other teachers.  Collaborations with faculty at other UNC schools could produce curriculum materials, improved pedagogy, and effective use of classroom technology.  All other campuses have a Teaching and Learning Center for faculty assistance and professional development.  A formal program to assist faculty in developing materials and implementing technology would contribute positively to these efforts. 

What can be done to support an effective sabbatical program at NCSSM?  What is required to establish a Teaching and Learning Center at NCSSM?