President Vincent Price delivered his annual faculty address during Thursday’s Academic Council meeting, where he identified three avenues for Duke to “best capitalize on [its] place of leadership” amid growing threats to higher education.
The council also approved the formation of a new committee to review the University’s Pickets, Protests and Demonstrations policy, which has been the subject of recent controversy, and discussed the implementation of new cost-reduction strategies in a closed session.
Price’s address
Price began with an ode to Duke’s achievements throughout the past century, recalling University founder James B. Duke’s vision for the institution to assume “a place of real leadership in the educational world.”
“Over 100 years later, we have most certainly attained that place of leadership,” Price said, highlighting a series of illustrative accolades while noting that “the work of education and scholarship can’t be well summarized by awards and honors alone.”
However, he acknowledged that Duke is navigating a period of uncertainty alongside many of its peer institutions. Price pointed to diminishing public support in higher education, threats to major sources of external funding and an environment where social media platforms “have largely replaced evidence-based forms of communication” and “confrontation, confusion and conflict entangl[es] institutions of higher learning in political, social and cultural clashes.”
“Indeed, it seems that the American research university is at a moment of existential challenge,” he said.
Despite this challenge, Price asserted that the current instability offers a unique opportunity to “refine and perhaps even improve” the University. He identified three key principles Duke should adopt in navigating the path forward.
First, Price posited that current financial “pressures” could have a silver lining in helping Duke reach greater clarity on its institutional mission.
In light of looming federal funding cuts, University administrators announced last week a series of cost-reduction strategies to be rolled out in the coming months.
Price said that Duke is “fortunately headed into these rough financial and political waters in an enviable position of institutional and financial strength, both in absolute terms and relative to peers.” He assured faculty members in attendance that the University will remain true to its core values as it evaluates its priorities and determines how to operate more efficiently.
Second, Price encouraged the faculty to view recent criticisms of higher education through a constructive lens.
“The loss of public trust in American higher education comes from a sense shared by far, far too many people outside the walls of this campus that institutions like ours are privileged in our disposition, unaccountable for our actions and profligate in our spending,” he said.
While Price suggested that such perspectives are mischaracterizations, he conceded that universities may suffer from some inefficiencies that should be addressed. He asserted that Duke should “commit to being maximally efficient and transparent in [its] operations” to improve public perception of the institution, a goal that may require “difficult trade-offs.”
Finally, even as the University tightens its belt, Price said Duke should maintain and even expand its “outward focus on making a real difference in the world through purposeful partnerships.” He expressed his belief that such community engagement not only aligns with the University’s mission but would also help build greater public trust.
“We may find the path challenging and rocky and impossibly steep at times,” Price said. “… [However,] I’m confident that by working together and being grounded in our missions and core values, we will succeed in navigating the uncertainty of this moment and … ensuring that Duke’s second century is one of even greater impact than our first.”
PPD policy review
The council unanimously approved the establishment of a new ad hoc committee to review Appendix I of the faculty handbook, known as the Pickets, Protests and Demonstrations policy, with one abstention.
The new committee will “examine all aspects of the policy” to determine whether it “considers, and appropriately balances, important values” such as academic freedom, free speech and safety and will seek to identify who holds “jurisdictional” and “investigatory” authority over faculty. It also aims to establish greater clarity around the PPD policy’s provisions, including the investigation process for possible violations, and determine whether it is “consistent with other Duke policies and procedures.”
Council Chair Trina Jones, Jerome M. Culp distinguished professor of law, explained that the committee will be formed later in the spring semester, begin its work sometime over the summer or in the fall and deliver a report with recommendations to the council in December.
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According to Jones, the policy has existed since the 1960s. It was recently updated in August, most notably adding that community members must register protests and related events with the University in advance and giving administrators the authority to limit the duration, location and sound level of demonstrations.
The move was met with pushback from student groups who felt the change was communicated poorly and that ambiguity around the new rules could discourage protests, though others viewed the update as a positive step toward more efficient demonstrations. Dissent has grown in recent months, with community members labeling the PPD policy as “prohibitive” of free speech and calling for its repeal.
Jones acknowledged this tension, noting that some community members have “requested greater clarity and notice about expected standards of conduct under the policy as well as … concerning procedures to follow in the event of an alleged infraction.” Such requests have increased following the announcement in November of an investigation into possible violations of the policy at an event featuring former Israeli Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit.
Jones reaffirmed the Executive Committee of the Academic Council’s commitment to work with University administration to ensure the policy’s transparency and fairness.
In other business
The council held two executive sessions to vote on an honorary degree proposed for this year’s Commencement ceremony and discuss the implementation of new cost-cutting measures, which included a presentation from Executive Vice President Daniel Ennis and Rachel Satterfield, vice president for finance and treasurer.
Jones stated that the council may add an extra meeting to its spring semester schedule due to the high volume of agenda items before the end of the academic year. Currently, the council is scheduled to meet April 17 and May 8.
Zoe Kolenovsky is a Trinity junior and news editor of The Chronicle's 120th volume.