GRAND FORKS HERALD

UND General Info | UND Medical School | UND Discussion | Other Sites | Look Back

ANOTHER SCHOOL IN STRIFE
RICHARD LEFEVER WILL REPLACE FRANK KARNER AS ACTING UND GEOLOGY CHAIRMAN

The UND engineering school has named a new geology department chairman in response to concerns about faculty morale and lack of leadership. A report this month from an outside review team also has found "serious deficiencies" that could affect national reaccreditation of UND's geologic engineering program.

Dean of engineering, Mogens Henriksen, recently recommended Richard LeFever, an associate professor be named acting geology chairman in place of Frank Karner. This change is based on his judgment and that of "a number of faculty" that administrative improvements had to be made. LeFever will continue as a geology professor. The Department of Geology and Geologic Engineering has 13 faculty.

The dean, needing information to better allocate engineering resources in view of tight budgets for faculty invited a team of faculty members from other states to visit UND in December to access the geology department. The review team found several problems the engineering school and its geology department are now trying to address. Among the findings:

The geology department "lacks leadership and focus," and divisive elements exist within the faculty. Some professors were not on speaking terms with each other. Morale and leadership problems were cited as a factor in the possible exodus of three younger faculty members.

A better balance of courses was needed to reflect trends in the field.

Only a small number of faculty are devoted to the geologic engineering program, and none is a geologic engineer. More engineering influence is needed to meet accreditation standards.

Relations were chilly with the Energy and Environmental Research Center, the $20-million-a-year contracting branch of the School of Engineering and Mines.

"I, strongly support Rich LeFever, and I'm really encouraged by what he's done. I feel it's a time for a change."

Former Chairman Karner said "I think the outside reviewers, who were here a day and a half, have a limited perspective of the department. Therefore, there are parts of their report that are inaccurate. I wish they had had more time." Karner said he and Henriksen differ on a number of issues.

Grand Forks Herald , January 10, 1992