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Of the 29 chairs, 9 have been women. The first four served partial terms between 1979 and 1991. The first woman to serve a full term as Assembly chair was from 1997 to 1999. Four women served in sequence from 2005 through 2014. Our longest streak of male chairs is...right now.

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Anyway, in case anyone is in suspense, ECU has produced the most Assembly chairs (5), followed by Appalachian State, Chapel Hill, and UNC Wilmington, all at 4. Fayetteville State, UNC Pembroke, School of the Arts, NCSSM, and Winston Salem State have never had a faculty member chair the Assembly.

This might be one of the nerdier things I've ever done, which is saying a lot.

Thiago Krause @thiagokrause.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Brb, using a list of past UNC System Faculty Assembly chairs (1973-present) to think about North Carolina political dynamics, inside and outside of higher ed.

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Reposted by Rob Taber

Call for proposals for a workshop, my people! Slavery and transimperial trade next March at William & Mary. Please spread it far and wide: I want to read your many great proposals!

atlanticexchanges.wm.edu

2027 Workshop Call for Proposals - Atlantic Exchanges Workshop

Atlantic Exchanges 2027 Slavery and the Commercial Machinery of Empires The Atlantic Exchanges Workshop invites proposals for its second edition, […]

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Rob Taber @robtaber.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

But also a concern about junior staff using AI as a short cut that prevents them from building skill + how dreadful it is for most brainstorming.

Rob Taber @robtaber.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

I got to listen in on a conversation about AI use by communication professionals. There are some uses—cleaning up video, resizing images, turning three talking points into pitches that are in the rough vicinity of what different audiences want...

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Rob Taber @robtaber.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

And a decent chunk of the pressure from employers is people hoping to hire grads who have figured out use cases that the employers haven't found yet...

Rob Taber @robtaber.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

The NC School of Science and Math (last 2 years of high school) requires everyone to take two semesters of American Studies, often taught by PhD humanists. It's an important experience for the Comp Sci and Engineering focused kids.

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The more Yudkowsky interviews I read, the more glad I become that: 1) I bounced away from Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality after a chapter or two. 2) There's a family rule that the kid doesn't learn the results of their childhood IQ test (school required) until they're 30 yo.

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(And this doesn't get into the challenges posed by having an online degree completion program and juniors and seniors who need / prefer brick-and-mortar classes.)

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...the reality is that 3/7 are on a significant admin reassignment, with 2 not teaching anything in History next semester and the 3rd just teaching one class. (I'm on a 3:3 myself and will likely be reduced to a 2:2 next year, but for service, not research.) Makes it hard to run a program!

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Rob Taber @robtaber.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Another hazard for History programs is the Humanities are good training for solving problems, so our faculty end up on administrative reassignment. So while we're theoretically adequately staffed (7 TT faculty, 4:4 base load, class sections capped at 30-40 but upper level smaller...)

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Ugh, yes, absolutely. And in the spirt of this, I'm going to put down my own work for at least a few hours.

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Rob Taber @robtaber.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Iowa is an interesting case where, it appears from the reporting, the steam is running out in the legislature and the out-of-state faculty advisers had some ulterior motives of their own. But it's a variation on the theme.

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Rob Taber @robtaber.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

It's amazing the problems that the "Civic Center" approach keeps running into. Meanwhile, the UNC System's Common Ground Collaborative has issued 70 course design or redesign grants to faculty across the state with minimal fuss, more immediate impact, and a much lower overall cost.

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Rob Taber @robtaber.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

All I want is one (1) day where the high is somewhere between 72 and 85 degrees.

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Yeah, I decided some time ago that I had to pick just a few lanes where I could focus. Accreditation is one of them, partly because it's so under the radar. We'll see what tomorrow brings.

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See the Chronicle liveblog for more:

There's a big fight happening right now where the Trump administration is trying to remove the American Bar Association's ability to accredit law schools (yes, really).

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But this sucker is (hopefully) a marathon, not a sprint. "Put your own oxygen mask on before assisting others," etc. etc.

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In other news, why yes, I am turning into my parents. Why do you ask?

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Rob Taber @robtaber.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

As I get older, I become more convinced that the most important advice you can give to young people who are interested in politics, activism, or making a difference of any kind is to invest time and energy into taking care of your health (physical and mental) so you can be of use in the long haul.

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Last night was the deadline to submit public comments on the Department of Education's proposed rule on "Accreditation, Innovation, and Modernization." Here's what I submitted—drawing on resources and conversations from many friends + colleagues, but speaking only for myself.

docs.google.com

Taber_Statement on AIM regulation

21 September 2026 To Whom It May Concern: I am submitting this comment in my capacity as an individual higher education professional, drawing on my experiences within the Office of the Secretary at ...

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Reposted by Rob Taber

Dominique Baker @bakerdphd.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

Eric basically asked "Why are you so big on criticizing universities publicly but not the administration?" The response was...lacking.

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Rob Taber @robtaber.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

I appreciate your posts so I know it's not just me! Cmon, DropBox

Sarah Taber @sarahtaber.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

Reposted by Rob Taber

I'm seeing a lot of "Oh nooooo Taylor Farms bribed Trump & now they'll be excused 🥺" Frankly? We need more of a spine than that, people. Let's talk about what really happened with Taylor Farms, the FDA false positive, & why we gotta stop handing wins to billionaires before we even start to fight.

youtu.be

Taylor Farms Conspiracy Theory DEBUNKED

YouTube video by Farm to Taber

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Reposted by Rob Taber

Sarah Taber @sarahtaber.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

Also discussed: -The importance of paying attention to regional public universities -The "public trust in higher ed" question -Not making assumptions of our students + letting them learn & grow -The crucial role of academic freedom in enabling + protecting civil discourse

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Reposted by Rob Taber

I left this out last night bc I had an early work morning set for today. Rob woke up, found it lying on the living room floor w no context, & said "...it looks like a cyberpunk guy melted"

A pair of safety-orange chainsaw chaps, instruction manuals, a power cord, and a couple portable solar panels lying on the floor

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(Also, my gosh, I am not the Taber with a thriving YouTube channel. Face acting is an art.)

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What I also shared with the Martin Center is that the UNC System's approach to promoting civil discourse education by engaging + supporting faculty is 1) cheaper, 2) faster, and 3) more effective than doing it through centers at flagships. Our full report:

myapps.northcarolina.edu

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