Creator don't like ugly: Why isn't the Erskine Bowles UNC-GA and UNC-BOG Nanoscience degree authorizations  at UNC-Greensboro which didn't comply with UNC System established procedures not discrimination against HBCU NC A&T

 

Michael J. Pippen, Sr. www.blacktriadnews.com

 

The NC Court of Appeals said statutory prohibition against agency action" made upon unlawful procedure" refers to the procedures employed by agency in discharging its statuary authorized acts.

    

 (Nov. 05, 2010 Greensboro, NC)   In May 2007 the NC Board of Governors (BOG) authorized a Request to Establish NCA&T/UNCG Joint School in Nanoscience and Nanoengineering (JSNN described as interdisciplinary school that would offer a joint interdisciplinary PhD degree and joint professional science master's degree (MS). The Joint Ph.D. program in Nanoscience was to be submitted for approval following UNC System established procedures.  It stated JSNN served as a national model for collaboration between two institutions, one an historical black institution (North Carolina A&T) (NC A&T) and the other an historical white female institution (UNC-Greensboro) (UNCG).

 

      On October 25, 2007 the UNC Graduate Council [2] and the BOG on June 13, 2008 authorizes NC A&T and UNCG to plan a joint interdisciplinary PhD, in Nanoscience. NC A&T and UNCG submitted joint NCA&T/UNCG chancellors signed Requests to establish joint MS (dated Nov. 21, 2008) and joint PhD  (dated Oct. 10th, 2008) in Nanoscience. The joint Requests to establish MS and PhD in Nanoscience  Description of the Program said" The proposed degree program ...involves collaboration between two major universities...UNCG has a strong tradition in the liberal arts and in the basic sciences ...NC A&T ...with strong programs in  basic sciences and engineering.  The Erskine Bowles UNC-GA recommended the establishment of standalone MS and PhD Nanoscience degrees at UNCG, the white Liberal Arts University, that were authorized on Nov. 2009 (MS) and PhD (Jan. 2010) by the BOG which hadn't didn't follow UNC System established procedures for Interdisciplinary degrees involving more than one camps and Guidelines for Academic  Program Development and Authorization to Establish degrees .

       Dated March 18, 2010,  Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Alan R. Mabe authored a document (Mabe Review Document) whose subject was Progress in Reviewing Degree Program Proposals  to convey the progress made in reducing the backlog of degrees programs accumulated while the academic review and evaluation process was revised.   The Mabe Review Document stated the MS in Nanoscience at UNC-G (November 2009)  and PhD (January 2010) in Nanoscience at UNCG  as programs approved by the BOG under the New Process.   The Mabe Review Document stated  "The revised policies, regulations, and guidelines for Academic Programs Planning and Evaluation will be found in the Policy Manual between 400.1 and 400.1.2.1  at URL: http://www.northcarolina.edu/policy/index.php" and "Program proposals to be reviewed will be posted on the UNC-GA Academic Planning website: Http://www.northcarolina.educ/dpanels/index.php". 

 

Interdisciplinary degrees involving more than one campus would be joint degrees

      BOG authorized standalone M.S. and PhD in Nanoscience at UNC-Greensboro didn't comply with UNC System [Regulations for Academic Program Planning and Evaluation :Interdisciplinary Degree Program ] which state in part: "An Interdisciplinary Degree program involves two or more academic units,...in a formal agreement to offer a program of study drawing on two or more disciplines that will result in a student being awarded an interdisciplinary degree.  If more than one campus is involved in offering the program it would also be a joint degree."
     The May 2007 BOG authorized Request to Establish JSNN described in part as.. interdisciplinary school...offer a joint interdisciplinary PhD degree and joint professional science master's degree (M.S.). The NCAT/UNCG Joint Request to Establish a Ph.D. as a program stated in part: Research in Nanoscience is by its very nature interdisciplinary. The required education curriculum is also, by nature interdisciplinary involving various educational curricula within Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. JSNN states as an Organizing Principle states in part " NC A&T and UNCG are committed to the principle of a shared academic unit of the two institution in terms of governance, faculty, students, curriculum and management." which constitutes a formal agreement. The BOG authorized UNCG  MS and PhD Nanoscience degrees was accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) based on SACSCOC Collaborative Academic Arrangements Policy requiring North Carolina A&T Seal and Signature on every UNCG issued MS and PhD in Nanoscience degree.
      Nanoscience degrees are unambiguous interdisciplinary. The UNCG MS and PhD are accredited under SACSCOC Collaborative Academic Arrangements. How can authorization of standalone MS and PhD Nanoscience degrees to UNCG be compliant with UNC established procedures for  Interdisciplinary degrees when two or more campus are involved in offering the program and if not compliant not discrimination against HBCU NC A&T?

 

Guidelines for Academic  Program Development and Authorization to Establish degrees

      M.S. and PhD Nanoscience degree authorizations at UNCG fail to comply with the Establish UNC System Requirements in the Guidelines for Academic  Program Development and Authorization to Establish degrees expressed in The UNC Policy Manual (400.1.1.1[G] , 400.1.1.3[G] , 400.1.1.4[G] , and  400.1.1.5[G] Adopted 05/06/09) . The Guidelines for Academic Program Development (UNC Policy Manual 400.1.1,1[G] amended (05/06/09) subtitle Academic Program development Requiring Authorization or Action Beyond the Campus Level require UNC-Greensboro submit a chancellor signed:

1) UNC-G Notice of intent to Plain Master of Nanoscience
2) UNC-G Request for authorization to establish Master of Nanoscience
3) UNC-G Request to Plan PhD in Nanoscience
4) UNC-G Request to Establish PhD in Nanoscience

    Pursuant NC Public Records laws the UNC General Administration at this writing has not produce chancellor signed UNCG documents itemized as 1-4 above dictated by the Guideline for Academic Program Development.

   

    The UNC-GA responded to the Public Record request for UNCG Request to Plan PhD in Nanoscience and UNCG Request to Establish PhD in Nanoscience  with the statements Dr. Alan Mabe in his capacity as Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs determined :

     UNC Policy Manual 400.1.1.4[G] in Request for Authorization to Plan a New Doctoral or First Professional Degree Program state in part : This intent to plan a  new program has been reviewed and approved by the appropriate campus committees and authorities. Line for Chancellor signature. The UNC Policy Manual 400.1.1.5[G] says in part "This proposal to establish a new degree program has been reviewed and approved by the appropriate campus committees and authorities. The signature of the Chancellor is required.

UNC Policy Manual 400.1.1.1[G] procedures in Guidelines for Academic Program Development in TABLE 1 Academic Program Notification and Authorization Requirements Notice of Intent to Plan or Authorization to Plan, under Doctoral and First Professional Programs state the General Administration "Receives Request for Authorization to Plan and makes recommendation to the BOG Planning Committee". Under Authorization to Establish Degree Programs, the General Administration "Receives Request for Authorization to Establish and makes recommendation to BOG Planning Committee". The procedures in  UNC Policy Manual 400.1.1.1[G] required the General Administration to receive a request to plan and receive a request to Establish therefore its unclear the source of  Dr. Alan Mabe’s capacity as Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs to do otherwise.
 

The UNC-GA response Dr. Alan Mabe determinations UNCG in his capacity as Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs determined UNCG was not required to submit a chancellor signed Request to Plan or Establish a PhD in Nanoscience unquestionable establish that the PhD in Nanoscience authorization at UNCG wasn't complaint with UNC established procedures.  Lacking an UNCG Request to Establish a PhD in Nanoscience what did the BOG based the UNCG PhD authorization.  The document that went to the Board can be viewed in the Planning Committee pre-meeting materials at this location: https://www.northcarolina.edu/bog/index.php.

The UNC-GA document "Request by the University of North Carolina at Greensboro to Establish a Doctorial Degree Program in Nanoscience"(hereinafter The UNC-GA document)  dated Dec. 15, 2009 recommended the BOG establishment a PhD in Nanoscience at  UNCG which Dr. Mabe signed-off on  recommending the Ed. Planning Committee establish. The  UNC-GA document  may have materially misrepresented the action of  the Graduate Council with the statement the Graduate Council voted without dissent to recommend approval of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro Request to establish a Doctoral program in Nanoscience.  In that the Graduate Council had recommended establishment of the joint PhD in Nanoscience.

 

       Following the rules and regulations may not be the Erskine Bowles UNC-GA way of during business. The APNA requires Erkines B. Bowles UNC-GA to submit  Program Academic Development Semi-Annual Reports (PADSAR), which indicate PhD, MS, and BS degree programs being planned by the universities to the BOG Planning Committee. Requesting copies of the PADSAR for the years 2005-009 in order to determine if intent to plan documents had been received supporting MS in Nanoscience request s I received the response "After checking with my colleagues, I am told that semi-annual reports to the Planning Committee  were discontinued a number of years ago "James C. Sadler, Ph.D. Associate Vice President, Academic Planning, Interim Assoc. VP, Institutional Research & Analysis.

 

The question remains why isn't the Erskine Bowles UNC-GA and UNC BOG UNC-Greensboro Nanoscience degree authorizations at Gateway Research Park not discrimination against HBCU NC A&T which didn't comply with UNC System established procedures