Moore begins term as faculty chair

Multitasking is a way of life for Jeannette Moore. Much of her day is spent walking on a treadmill strategically placed beneath a tall table in the middle of her Polk Hall office. It’s a setup that guarantees she’s always on the move, even while composing documents, talking on the phone or answering email.

An easy facility for juggling a multitude of tasks is bound to come in handy as Moore begins her two-year term as chair of the faculty. It’s also a defining characteristic of her professional style.

A quick glance at her business card tells the story. Moore isn’t just an Alumni Distinguished Professor in the Department of Animal Science in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. She’s also the undergraduate teaching coordinator for transfer students in the department as well as the coordinator of the department’s Study Abroad and National Student Exchange programs. On top of that, she’s an associate faculty member in the Department of Population Health and Pathobiology in the College of Veterinary Medicine.

In addition to energy and organizational skills, Moore brings a wealth of experience to her new position. She’s served on the faculty for 25 years during a time of extraordinary growth at NC State.

“I’ve seen a lot of changes,” she says. “Most of them positive.”

It’s fair to say that much of the university’s progress over the past few decades – the development of Centennial Campus, the accelerating pace of research and innovation, and the successful creation of interdisciplinary faculty clusters – can be traced to the close cooperation of faculty and administration.

Shared governance, in the vernacular of higher education, has paid dividends at NC State. Moore is committed to continuing that tradition in her role as chair of the Faculty Senate, an advisory body composed of faculty representatives from each of the university’s 10 colleges.

“We have really good leadership right now, and we do work well with the administration,” Moore says. “I would like to improve communication between the Faculty Senate and the administration, and between the Faculty Senate and the faculty.”

Faculty input can be vital in helping craft policies and initiatives that keep the university operating both efficiently and effectively, she notes.

The first meeting of the Faculty Senate’s 62nd session is 3 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 25, in the Faculty Senate chambers in the D.H. Hill Library. Among the issues expected to be discussed in the new year are policies regarding grade distributions, Internet and phone expenses, grant administrative delays, and faculty involvement in the process of degree consolidation.

–David Hunt