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Jan Boxill: The ULTIMATE Academic Stakhanovite… Or is she?

She taught

160 independent study courses between spring 2004 and spring 2012…. [I]n spring 2005 she taught 20.

Let’s just start with that. Let’s start by trying to imagine what her daily life must have been like with 160 independent studies taught alongside a classroom teaching load.

Then let’s add her directorship of an ethics center. Her work as a summer school administrator for the philosophy department. During these years she was an academic advisor to the athletics program. She was associate chair of her department. She was Teaching Coordinator and Director of Undergraduate Studies for her department. She sat on a quadrillion university committees.

In addition: “UNC women’s basketball coach Sylvia Hatchell said Boxill completely oversaw the teams’ academics, making herself available for players at all hours of the day.”

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It might seem a small point, but

[UNC’s] highly autonomous academic culture [the sort of culture that makes things like independent studies possible] is exactly what led to UNC’s academic-athletic scandal, according to the Wainstein report.

Datz right, kiddies. Thanks to Jan and Julius and Deborah and a whole, whole lot of other people, you can kiss any autonomy goodbye if you teach at unannounced spot checks to make sure all faculty are meeting their classes Chapel Hill. Keep your nose clean and fill out all your paperwork by five, sucker.

It might seem a small point. But it’s the biggest of them all.

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Jan’s a sports-lover and it’s obvious that she’s very competitive.

UD has some very bad news for Jan.

I know, I know. She’s handling a lot of bad news just now, and it’s not nice to pile on. But I think she will appreciate knowing this, because I know she’s the sort of person eager to lift her game.

Thomas Petee, of Auburn University, taught

152 [independent studies] in the spring of 2005, [and] 120 in the fall of 2004.

Chapel Hill: 20
Auburn: 152

That’s a pretty shitty showing, Jan. If you don’t mind my saying. It’s pretty obvious which of the two of you was doing more for your school.

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UD thanks Dave.

Margaret Soltan, November 14, 2014 2:19PM
Posted in: hoax

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5 Responses to “Jan Boxill: The ULTIMATE Academic Stakhanovite… Or is she?”

  1. charlie Says:

    When the hell are we going to see any uni lose accreditation? You would have thought that after the NYAG’s report of university financial aid fraud, at least one admin would have gone to prison, one uni lose accreditation. But NOOOOO, we can’t have that, what would the neighbors think if good ol’ Flagship U. became the equivalent of University of Phoenix….

  2. john Says:

    she was THE CHAIR OF THE FACULTY COUNCIL as well as the radio “voice of the Lady Tar Heels” woman’s basketball team.
    it’s bizarre.

  3. charlie Says:

    @John, yup, the Faculty Council, otherwise known as the Academic Conscience of The University. Tenure sure seems to buy a whole lot more than it did a few generations ago…

  4. Porcophile Says:

    From UNC Faculty Council minutes, Apr 25, 2014
    (Valedictory address of Jan Boxill, Chair of Faculty Council:
    Prof. Boxill emphasized the importance of building partnerships across the university in order to do our jobs well and share resources, especially during a time of declining state appropriations. She said that “the university is made up of interrelated and interdependent units, as well as individuals, who must work and pull together to fulfill the mission of the university of teaching, research and service, enhance our own goals, and enrich each other.”

  5. Porcophile Says:

    P.S.
    The Daily Tar Heel is doing a great job of reporting this scandal and its editorials have been thoughtful and sound. Here’s a new piece about Jan Boxill:
    http://www.dailytarheel.com/article/2014/11/more-evidence-emerges-on-jan-boxill

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