The Academic and Student Life Committee of the Visitors Council met on Friday to discuss faculty and advisory positions at the University. The meeting was accessible to the public via live broadcast and was held in person in the rotunda council chamber. It was a part of a day of two series meetings held by the Council of Visitors.

Barbara Fried, Chair of the Academic and Student Life Committee, began the meeting by presenting the tasks on the docket before handing the meeting over to Provost Liz Magill.

In addition to approving seven distinguished chairs, the committee approved the appointment of the Institute of Democracy as Karsh Institute for Democracy – named after alumni of Bruce and Martha Karsh University, who donated $ 50 million to help establish the institute. The buildings and grounds committee also meet Thursday to approve the concept site, design guidelines and the name of the institute, which will study, teach and promote democracy, public policy and leadership.

Magill then moved on to the topic of undergraduate counseling and the steps the University has already taken to revamp its undergraduate counseling process, with a focus on the wholeness of each student and the various counseling needs facing each student. the board should respond.

” A student [can have] academic aspirations, professional aspirations and personal aspirations, ”said Magill. “We should think of counseling as holistically as possible. “

Last spring, the Office of the Provost conducted a survey of freshman views on counseling and held conversations with faculty leaders in counseling. The survey received about 3,000 responses, Magill said.

“I would say some of the first takeaways are that more students are happy with our advice than I thought, I think almost 50% of students,” said Magill.

Those who were dissatisfied with the advice identified several challenges, including receiving limited advice from their advisors on topics such as life planning after graduation. Students also said they don’t always go to their assigned counselor and seek advice from other sources of information, including family, friends and upper class students.

As a result of these findings, Magill launched a working group over the summer to engage with the data collected in the spring and begin to examine possible counseling practices from peer institutions.

The working group plans to meet professors involved in career counseling, a student liaison group and other professors who play an important role in counseling at the University. The group will then discuss their findings at the December Visitors Council meeting and submit a final report in March.

Committee members were able to ask questions and make comments after the presentation. Comments included the importance of starting undergraduate counseling early, as well as introducing parents of students to the counseling process at university.

Fried explained that during his years on the committee, the students showed a constant desire to feel a personal connection with their advisor. She said she hopes the working group will be able to make real changes to the process in the future.

After the conversation on the board, Magill introduced Jennifer West, the new dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Science, who officially assumed the post on July 1. West came to Duke University and is the first dean in the history of the School of Engineering.

West spoke about engineering programs at the University and cited recent successes, such as the growth of faculty and the continued preeminence of research.

According to West presentation, the school of engineering and applied sciences has seen a 95 percent increase in sponsored research funding since 2016 and a 17 percent increase in the number of full and tenure-track professors since 2014. 84 percent of engineering students graduate with a bachelor’s degree in four years.

“We’re a relatively small engineering school, so we need to stay very focused and be able to have a depth of excellence in key areas,” West said.

The meeting ended with an opportunity for community members to voice their comments and concerns to West. The main concern highlighted the importance for the University of keeping abreast of the latest technologies and staying at the forefront of research.