William & Mary considers new academic unit in computing and data science

William & Mary is exploring the possibility of establishing a new academic unit in computing and data science.

As Provost Peggy Agouris told the college’s Board of Visitors Thursday, the idea is still very much in the early stages, with the model and action plan expected to be finalized in the spring. The goal is to submit plans to the board and the State Council on Higher Education in Virginia in the fall of 2023.

According to a university release, “the effort springs from a surge in student interest in applied science, computer science and data science” as well as “a commitment from the university in its strategic plan to support anticipated needs in the Virginia workforce.”

However, the proposal appears to be further evidence for a group of faculty members that the college leadership is not interested in their input. More than 200 members of faculty signed an open letter to William & Mary President Katherine Rowe that concerns what signees view as an erosion in the school’s traditions of shared governance.

The letter, a copy of which The Virginia Gazette received on Monday after it was sent to Rowe, expresses the “deep concern” that some faculty feel for “the increasing distance between the faculty of William & Mary and (Rowe’s) administration.” Rowe could not immediately be reached for comment.

The letter further alleges a “disturbing tendency to centralize decision-making and exclude meaningful faculty participation in setting the direction of the institution.”

Though it is not specifically mentioned in the letter, some were also disappointed that they had not heard about the possibility of establishing a computing and data science unit before it was announced by William & Mary News, said Suzanne Hagedorn, an associate English professor and one of the letter’s signees.

“As faculty members, we hope you understand that we are not obstacles to finding solutions to the challenges facing the University,” the letter continued. “… We want to work in concert with the administration to find effective ways to move forward.”

Formal discussions about the a possible new academic unit began in spring 2022. An exploratory design team was then formed with representatives from all five William & Mary schools to explore possibilities.

After Friday’s joint meeting at the Alumni House, faculty assembly representative David Armstrong said that he has been peripherally involved in the early discussion stages, though he has been promised that faculty assembly will be informed and asked to provide input as more tangible ideas are put on the table.

“I would welcome more chances for faculty input at the earliest possibility,” said Armstrong, a physics professor.

After Friday’s meeting, Agouris noted that, as far as the potential new unit is concerned, once there is something tangible to present, faculty will get the opportunity for more involvement.

“Faculty leaders are aware and working on it with administration,” she said, explaining that once there is a tangible idea to present, faculty members will get the opportunity for more involvement. “We fully expect to engage faculty assembly and have a bigger conversation.”

It will be a long process, Agouris explained, and there will be plenty of time to engage the community. She added that once administration has a better idea of the options, there will be a better idea of how to move forward.

Agouris expects that a national search process to add more talent in computing and data science is ahead, with the goal of bringing in “big stars” in the field as William & Mary seeks to respond to what was described by William & Mary News as “an explosion of interest in the computational sciences in recent years.” That is also prevalent among the school’s student population, with interest in computational fields more-than-tripling over the last 10 years.

In other business Friday, William & Mary announced that it will guarantee scholarship aid to cover at least the cost of tuition and fees for all in-state, undergraduate Pell Grant eligible students beginning with the 2023-24 school year. The Pell Grant is a financial aid given by the federal government to students belonging to the lower income group. Unlike a student loan, the Pell Grant does not need to be repaid.

“This program will ensure William & Mary can continue to recruit the best and brightest, without regards to family means,” Rowe told the board. “It marks a key milestone in our continued efforts to increase access and affordability for all of our community.”

The school’s goal is to increase the percentage of in-state undergraduates who are Pell Grant eligible to 20% in four years in an effort to expand William & Mary’s reach to non-traditional students.

According to William & Mary, currently about 17% of their in-state students are Pell Grant recipients, up from 15% just six years ago.

The board also had a preliminary discussion about the possibility of coming up with a multi-year plan to increase tuition.

In May, the Board of Visitors’ executive committee voted to keep tuition flat for the fifth-straight year for in-state students, and the four-straight for out-of-state students. The decision came amid concerns that a hike in costs would affect the school’s affordability and accessibility for prospective students.

During the discussion, several board members agreed that incremental changes to tuition rates would be preferable to one large change. Student assembly president John Cho said that potential tuition increases are a concern among students, and that the student body would appreciate having their voices heard during these discussions.

Sian Wilkerson, 757-342-6616, sian.wilkerson@pilotonline.com