Strategy: Enhance the quality of faculty-student interactions

Point People: Barbara Horwitz and Steven Sheffrin

Narrative Summary of Second Year Implementation Efforts:

During 2003-04, our primary activity has been to gather data in order to assess what types of “formal” interactions between students and faculty are currently available and thus, what enhancements need to be pursued. We are currently working with Robert Agee in the Office of Resource Management and Planning to assess the data and analyze the undergraduate experience from this perspective.

Advances and Ongoing Programs Consistent with Strategy:

• Determination of the number and nature of courses taught by ladder vs. nonladder faculty for the last 5 years
• Determination of the number of freshman seminars taught by ladder vs. nonladder faculty during the last 5 years
• Determination of the number and nature of courses with 30 or fewer students in each major for the past ten years
• Determination of who taught these low enrollment courses (i.e., ladder faculty or not; Assistant, Associate, or Full rank)
• Inventoried the campus chapters of academic/professional societies to which students belong and sponsored group competitions for students - Student/faculty participation (PDF)

Short Statement of Plans for 2004-05:

• Analyze the data on the number and nature of all courses, including freshman seminars, taught by ladder vs. nonladder faculty
• Inventory student clubs associated with disciplines (e.g., the Biological Sciences Club)
• Meet with student leaders to gain their input on strategies to increase student/faculty interactions.

Evaluation of Metrics:

• Increase the proportion of undergraduate classes taught by ladder faculty, including increased numbers of freshman seminars and seminars for transfer students

  Assessing the proportion of undergraduate courses taught by ladder vs. non-ladder faculty is an important metric that can be quantified and should be assessed. We will be working with the Office of Resource Management and Planning on this issue.

• Support for student and faculty participation in campus chapters of academic/professional societies and in sponsored student group competitions

  The survey for current student/faculty participation indicates more than 120 chapters (with chapters of academic/professional/honor societies in every school/ college/ and division. We also identified 44 sponsored student group competitions (with faculty involvement) – at least one in each of the undergraduate colleges/schools/divisions, with one exception. Thus, these types of student/faculty interactions appear to be healthy, although it might be useful to monitor these activities on a biannual basis.

• Expansion of undergraduate and graduate participation on appropriate departmental, graduate program and college committees

Our information about graduate and college/school committees indicates that students are currently involved in appropriate committees. Thus, significant expansion may not be appropriate.

• Opportunities to work in small groups and have access to at least one small class (30 students or less) in each major.

  This is an important metric because small classes can significantly enhance faculty-student interactions as well as the quality of students’ educational experience.