Academic Planning Campus Conversations November 29

2:30pm, University Center, Spruce C

11 people attending
6 attended Round 1
2 attended Round 2
Build and support a campus environment characterized by inclusive decision-making, dialogue, shared governance, diversity, and respect for all members of the University.

  • “Shared governance”—make sure that means all sectors
  • How does the diversity initiative fit in?
  • Goal good as it is—but all goals are bleeding over from academic to university planning. (This leaves out the fact that curricular decisions belong to the faculty. i.e., what courses are offered in what departments)
  • [Commenting on the comment above] Then we are excluding some groups.
  • I like the goal, but it’s difficult to obtain and sustain (might quantify by measuring whether we followed existing shared governance procedures)

Recruit and retain high-quality faculty, staff and administrators.

  • Should we end the sentence with “in the colleges”?
  • What about students? Recruiting, retaining and graduating high-quality students

Build, improve, and maintain university facilities and infrastructure appropriate to our academic mission and functions.

  • In Round 2 we talked about this being more than what’s visible; it’s also support (technology, workshops)
  • Training needs to be part of providing technology
  • Students (new and transfer) need required computer literacy course
  • [Commenting on the comment above] Question the need for “course”—maybe a different format (such as integration in ID108)
  • Consider Library infrastructure needs. Library was asked for twice as many databases as it can afford.
  • Smart classrooms
  • Can’t offer GRE, GMAT, TOEFL on campus because it requires dedicated computer lab (limited testing spaces)

Make teaching learning, scholarship/creative activity, and service the core of the university.

  • What is the core right now?
  • When you think about which costs we allow to increase, it’s not academic costs
  • This is about looking at the university as a whole as a place of learning (not just classroom)
  • How about “civic engagement” instead of “service”
  • Need to better define serDecember 1, 2006cholarly discussions
  • Do we need campus-wide gathering place to foster discussion?
  • [Use the word] “emphasize” or “commit” rather than “make”

Provide high-quality co-curricular learning experiences for all students.

  • What about a goal regarding students, which uses the above goal as a sub-point or objective
  • What do you mean by “co-curricular”?
  • How do we provide experiences for the kind of student who attends UNC? (i.e., first generation, non-traditional, working)
  • Objective: More internships tied to curriculum (“experiential education”)

Create broad-based and sustainable financial resources within an environment of transparency that supports the academic plan.

  • Campus conversations are a good example of being transparent
  • We need the state to see higher education as a priority
  • TABOR constrains those legislators who do try to help

Build an institutional identity and reputation for academic excellence.

  • Why do students choose UNC? (and related constraints)
  • This is the key
  • Academic reputation is the way we keep from being a student’s third choice
  • Reputation for excellence brings employers, dollars, students
  • Need to publicize areas of excellence (publicity feeds on itself)
  • Hold people accountable for fund raising expectations
  • Examine why students leave and make changes accordingly

Cultivate external partnerships and relationships in support of academic excellence and community engagement.

  • Lots of improvements in past couple of years
  • Seek grants to support academic plan
  • Parents want to be “partners”
  • Need to look at how we address parents in a positive way (related to student development issues) Parent newsletter.
  • Does partnership mean with sister institutions?
  • Should partner with state to serve state needs (teaching, social issues, research)
  • Talk about good things we do at UNC (including in parent newsletter)
  • Parent association
  • Partner with businesses that are concerned about Colorado talent pool

QUESTIONS/COMMENTS:

  • Charting the Future identified programs to be cut, maintained or enhanced—what happened to that? (should support, reject or modify that)
  • Why do students go to college? That should be addressed by all goals.

NEXT SEMESTER

  • Earlier notice of meetings
  • More student (graduate and undergraduate) involvement
  • E-mail is a good idea
  • Encourage professors to invite students
  • Contact cultural centers, Honors, McNair, President’s Leadership Program for publicity help