Month: October 2011

The Future of the Liberal Arts

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At its October 18 meeting, Provost Earl Lewis introduced the Council to a new university-wide structured inquiry about to launch: “Are we willing to spend some time looking ahead 25 years from now and asking what a liberal arts education at Emory should look like? What should be the interplay between the liberal arts curriculum at the undergradu- ate level and the professional and graduate schools? What should a liberal arts education contain? What changes do we want to begin to make?” Lewis said a committee would be formed in the coming weeks to spend a year in a systematic and far-reaching examination of these questions, toward “a framework for Emory University going forward, as we imag- ine the liberal arts.” To help begin to shape the discussion, the Council then spent some time in discussion of questions such as, “How large do you envision our student body becoming over the next quarter century?” and, “Are we structured properly to insure the quality we imagine for a first-rate liberal learning experience?”

 

Around Campus: Report from Theology School

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At the October meeting, Chair Erica Brownfield introduced a new practice of asking one council member per meeting to report on discussion topics from his or her school. This month, Timothy Jackson from the Candler School of Theology reported on three con- cerns raised by his colleagues:

  1. The declining condition and overcrowding of campus shuttles;
  2. The paucity of prompt, available appointments in the Emory Healthcare system for Emory employees; and
  3. Concerns that the Blackboard course content management system is outdated and too expensive.

These concerns prompted the following announcements:

  • The entire campus shuttle fleet will be replaced in 2012.
  • •Blackboard, which is reviewed in comparison to other content management systems regularly, will undergo a massive upgrade very soon.
  • Brownfield offered to invite Doug Morris, director of the Emory Clinic, to speak to the Faculty Council.

 

Standing Committees Report on 11-12 Plans

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During the October meeting, the Faculty Council heard from each of its standing commit- tees on plans for the 2011-12 year. Gray Crouse announced that the 2012 Distinguished Faculty Lecture would take place on February 6, and an announcement of the presenter is forthcoming. Speaking as chair of the Faculty Counselors to the Board of Trustees, Steve Everett introduced this year’s roster (found at this link). Pat Marsteller, co-chairing the Faculty Life Course Committee with Michael Kutner of public health, described plans to examine various faculty mentoring initiatives around campus. Ken Anderson of the Oxford faculty, chairing the Learning Outcomes Assessment Committee, described efforts to review school-based assessment plans and develop best practices that shape the culture of assessment at Emory, in particular examining the university’s strategic plan with a view to learning outcomes. Doug Bowman, chair of the University Research Committee, discussed its small, short-term research grants to Emory faculty, with attention to reaching out to junior faculty, tracking results, and external publicity for funded projects.