The importance of having endowed chairs
cannot be underestimated in Union’s commitment to produce
leaders in high tech fields. As the holder of Union’s only
endowed chair, Dr. Charles Baldwin, the O.P. and Evalyn
Hammons professor of pre-medical studies, was able to
spend a sabbatical conducting research in a renowned
London chemistry laboratory. Because of the quality of his
research, he was made a Fellow of the Royal Society of
Chemists. Because of this honor, he has been afforded the
opportunity to present his own work, as well as Union
students’ research work, at highly selective seminars in
the international community. This recognition, in turn has
resulted in the enhancement of corporately funded student
research programs. Given the necessary funding,
opportunities such as these will abound for Union, its
faculty and student body. |
For the Union vision to become reality we need a dedicated
Christian faculty to achieve excellence in their teaching.
Union University is at this time one of the few great teaching
universities of this country, far better in undergraduate
instruction than many larger schools with greater assets and
more impressive buildings. Union has a unique opportunity to
exert influence and cast a long shadow in a world in which
this emphasis is fading. At the same time we need scholars
contributing significantly to their respective disciplines
through research, publication, service, and professional
leadership. We need scholar-teachers, and teacher-scholars,
who will always prize classroom teaching.
Union University is blessed with superior teaching faculty
– gifted and well-prepared instructors who care about
students, dedicated scholars who understand that faith and
values must inform every discipline. The personal interest
which Union’s faculty and staff take in the wellbeing and
growth of students plays a vital role in students’ ability to
achieve their full potential in careers and life.
To attract, keep and develop excellent faculty at Union,
additional resources are needed. The campaign seeks to
establish and endow four academic chairs (or professorships) –
one in each of the university’s four academic schools (Arts &
Sciences, Business, Education and Nursing). In order to
achieve this goal, a minimum of $3 million must be raised.
The endowment of academic chairs not only brings
recognition to outstanding faculty members and provides
additional incentive in enlisting top-echelon scholars, it
also creates a base of financial stability for the academic
program, offering a margin of excellence and relieving
pressure on tuition dollars. In addition, endowed
professorships enable the university to affirm its commitment
to be and remain a quality, comprehensive Christian liberal
arts university. Such endowed chairs also provide economic
stability in the major area of budget expenditure: faculty
compensation. Each chair frees budget resources which can be
used to stabilize and undergird faculty compensation in the
future.
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