Perspectives
While much of the hands-on work of the Office of the Provost takes place within formal institutional structures, the provost and his senior staff also position the university on academic issues publicly through essays, editorials, and presentations to the community.
» [from a letter to an alum, June 2007]: Thank you for your inquiry about our stance on the ranking methodology employed by U.S. News & World Report. Like most of this country’s major universities, we have very mixed feelings about the U.S. News & World Report rankings. We cannot ignore them because important partners (like potential students and their families and potential faculty members and their families) take them seriously. On the other hand, we are struggling to serve our students and society without spending more money than is needed…. [More from James V. Maher. . . ]
» [from a Presentation Before the House Select Committee on Academic Freedom, November 2005] The University of Pittsburgh seeks excellence in the discovery and dissemination of knowledge. Excellence in scholarship cannot be achieved in situations which are contaminated by dishonest practices. All members of the University community are obligated to adhere strictly to the highest standards of integrity in study, research, instruction, and evaluation. [More from James V. Maher. . . ]
» [from Memo to Deans and Directors, March 2002] A diverse faculty is essential for the university’s full engagement in the community of scholars. Cutting-edge scholarship and the growth of knowledge depend on discussion and debate incorporating multiple perspectives, theories, and approaches. [More from James V. Maher…]
» [from Update to the University Community, February 2002] Although the concept of academic freedom remains firmly embedded in American higher education, questions about the extent of that freedom and the limits and conditions under which it may be exercised are being debated both within universities and in the courts. [More from James V. Maher…]
» [From Memo to Faculty and Staff, April 2001] We are well prepared at this point to elevate our strategic planning to a new level. We must now move into a culture of continuous improvement, looking to build upon the strengths of our identified priorities toward improvements beyond our realized successes. In addition, we must maintain our capacity to respond to significant internal and external changes… [More from James V. Maher…]
» [from Remarks at the Senate Plenary Session, March 2002] Since the classroom remains at the heart of our educational experience, we invest on a continuing basis in the classroom environment, making sure that faculty have a variety of tools at their disposal—from instructional software to projectors to network connections to Smartboards—to enable them to teach in the way they find most appropriate. [More from Robert F. Pack…]