Harrelson News–2000
Some Reflections from the Department Chair
by E E Burniston
It's my pleasure to be able to make some comments for this extra-special edition of the Harrelson News. My first remark is one of sincere appreciation to Nick Rose for so very kindly taking on the job of producing this edition. It was with some trepidation that I asked Nick to do this, knowing the amount of effort it would take, but he took on the job with his usual good humor and spirit.
We have been extremely lucky over the years to have faculty and staff for whom service to the department has been of primary importance. Altruism such as this, is a vital factor in faculty morale and the success in pursuing the department’s aims and aspirations. In my book Nick Rose’s name is right up there amongst the leaders, when service to the department is discussed. For some of the younger folks let me give you a thumbnail resume. (For the real thing see his great home page.) He received his Ph.D. degree from NYU. Thereafter he went to Stevens Institute where he eventually became department head. Nick came to NCSU in 1968 as department head, a position he held until 1977. He did an outstanding job and despite the trials and tribulations associated with this office, he survived and returned to teaching and research until his retirement in 1989. Since that time he has assumed the title of Professor Emeritus and continues to teach a course each semester for us, usually MA 502 or MA 303. I also notice that he continues to receive excellent evaluations. (Incidentally we also have the very excellent service of three other emeritus professors, namely Leroy Martin, Bob Savage and Don Hansen.) He has also very generously given to our graduate program via the Rose-Winton Award, which provides summer support for graduate students.
Several people have asked how the job has changed since my first tenure in the eighties. There have been some minor changes in the procedural details of management, but nothing significant other than some budget flexibility. Of course we have been in a state of trauma since July 1, due to the University’s adoption of PeopleSoft, and we are only now beginning to make a slow recovery. Two of the principal problems of the nineties are the same as in the eighties: money and space. Who was it who said "The more things change the more they stay the same"? The really significant difference in the job is due to email, which was only in its infancy a dozen years ago. Everyone now has immediate access to me and me to them. I receive some 20 or so emails per day and reading them and responding to them occupies a non-trivial amount of my time. On the other hand having the ability to send information quickly and easily to individuals or groups is a definite boon.
Finally on behalf of all of us let me take this opportunity to thank Bob Martin for his outstanding leadership over the last 10 years. I sincerely hope that within the next year, we will be able to find a chair, with the vision and energy to continue to move us forward.