The botany and zoology departments came one step closer to extinction yesterday when the Academic Council voted unanimously to merge the two into a Department of Biology.
"We're very excited about the enthusiastic support we got from the Academic Council," said William Chafe, dean of the faculty of arts and sciences. "It's the product of a lot of good work by a lot of good people."
The proposal will go before the Board of Trustees for final approval at next week's meeting. Chafe will soon ask members of the merged department for recommendations for an interim chair, and he hopes to appoint someone within the next two weeks. That chair will be assisted by an transition committee until the new chair is hired and put in place in fall 2001, Chafe said.
The merger has been a possibility for a number of years, but only gained momentum after an external review of the two departments recommended the idea last year. Last fall, a task force crafted a proposal for implementing the merger, and both departments approved the plan.
Thursday, Chafe called the merged department a crucial part of the strategic plan for improving the life sciences at Duke.
IN OTHER BUSINESS: The council decided to continue the position of faculty ombudsman. Current ombudsman Carl Anderson, professor emeritus of English, had recommended eliminating the position because of a declining caseload.
The position was established to "facilitate prompt and equitable resolution of allegations" by faculty members and instructional staff when concerns arise about violations of university policies concerning academic freedom, academic tenure and discrimination, among others.
"The principal reason the [recommendation to phase out the position] came into question was a matter of good news," said council chair and law professor Robert Mosteller. "The workload has gone downhill. People are learning the procedures."
A committee discussed the issue in January and recommended keeping the post. It also suggested one change to the ombudsman's job description, which the council will consider next month. If it passes, "[He] will no longer attempt conciliation in every case in a one-size-fits-all fashion," said law professor Tom Rowe, chair of the Faculty Hearing Committee.
Provost Peter Lange updated the council on the academic strategic planning process, explaining what he will discuss with the Trustees. He will present five documents: his personal assessment, an update on the schools' progress, an analysis of the economic environment, the planning principles and a report from Executive Vice President Tallman Trask.
The council also elected its new chair. Peter Burian, professor of classical studies, will take over from Mosteller July 1.
In another personnel move, Mosteller announced that the council had finally found someone to replace Professor of English Victor Strandberg as editor of the Faculty Forum. Professor of Physics Larry Evans will stand for election next month, although Mosteller is still seeking more candidates.
At the beginning of the meeting, President Nan Keohane called a moment of silence in remembrance of former provost Tom Langford, "one of our most dedicated and accomplished colleagues," who died Sunday.
Richard Rubin contributed to this story.
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