Strategic Planning

Working Group A: Foundational Curriculum

In addition to the general forum this Thursday which is shared between working groups A, B, C and G, Group A of the Strategic Planning exercise, whose concern is the "Foundational Curriculum," will hold the following smaller and more specific sessions in order to explore issues in more detail:

Thu 11/21 12:00-1:00pm, PAB 332 - Hum 110
Tue 11/26 1:00-2:00pm, PAB 131 - Distribution Requirement Structure
Wed 12/4 12:00-1:00pm, PAB 332 - Introductory Science and Quantitative Reasoning

The goal of each of these sessions is to get further input on how the present system of requirements works and how it might be improved, in order to advance the discussions of the working group. Each of these sessions will discuss the goals of the foundational curriculum generally, defined here as Hum 110 and the distribution/group requirements, as well as how the specific topic(s) of each group do or could contribute to such goals. Our hope is that people will want to contribute to the discussion of how programs serve the foundational curriculum even if they do not teach in those programs. Part of the goal is to get feedback on how the requirements can and might serve the college as a whole.

We recognize that not everyone will be free at these times, and encourage people who cannot make these sessions to submit their feedback in other ways to members of the working group. The group     will also soon solicit input from departments, programs and offices, as well as from those individuals who have indicated an interest in the concerns of this group.

We recognize, of course, that everyone is busy, and are grateful for your time,

Yours,

Nigel Nicholson
Dean of the Faculty

On behalf of working group A: Arthur Glasfeld and Nigel Nicholson (co-chairs), Melinda Brown, Suzanne Cassidy, Paul Gronke, Archit Guha, Alex Hrycak, Laura Leibman, Julie Maxfield, Jay Mellies, Mary Ashburn Miller, and Julia Selker.

Working Group H: Faculty and Staff Quality of Life 

In addition to the general forum on Thursday, 11/21/13, which was shared between working groups F and H, Group H, whose concern is the "Faculty and Staff Quality of Life," will hold a more specific session in order to explore issues in more detail. During this session participants will form small (8-10 person) focus groups in order to share responses, informally, to the questions on our group's information sheet. The session will not be recorded. 

Wednesday, 12/11, 11am-noon, Vollum lounge