Paul D'Anieri, one of the candidates for the UF College of Liberal Arts and Sciences dean position, assured the UF community during his visit to campus Tuesday that he would act as CLAS' advocate to the administration during budget difficulties.
D'Anieri, University of Kansas CLAS associate humanities dean, said UF's CLAS could use impending budget cuts as an opportunity to improve the way the college works.
At an open forum during his two-day campus visit, D'Anieri presented an analysis of UF's budget situation and his vision for CLAS.
He said outside pressure on universities to be economically productive creates pressure within the universities - especially on CLAS - to fund more research and carry larger teaching burdens.
After researching CLAS' budget problems, D'Anieri said he would make sure faculty members agree on the budget-cut process, which should be transparent. But he said he doesn't have any "magical answers" to fix the problem.
Audience members, mostly faculty, also spent an hour asking him about his educational philosophy, fundraising experience and ideas for retaining faculty.
Randy Duran, a UF associate professor of chemistry, asked how D'Anieri would deal with "the major problem" of UF student underperformance. Duran said students come in with at least 30 college credits and then take 12 credits each semester, "which is a crime."
D'Anieri said students who take only 12 credits a semester probably would not graduate on time, so he would make sure parents understand the costs of college beyond four years.
