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Strategic Plan for the 21st Century: 1. Introduction 2. Strategic Themes and Recommendations 3. Explanation of Themes and Recommendations 4. Appendices:
The Franklin College of Arts and Sciences is the oldest and largest of the thirteen schools and colleges that make up the University of Georgia. Some 14,000 undergraduate and graduate students are enrolled in our degree programs. In this respect, the College is larger than the Georgia Institute of Technology. The overarching goal of the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, along with the University of Georgia itself, is to be ranked by the measurable standards of faculty accomplishments, quality of undergraduate and graduate education, and service to the state, nation and world as one of the imminent institutions of higher education nationally and internationally. Foremost in all our planning, provisions must be the made to preserve and nurture those faculty and staff whose accomplishments contribute to this goal. It is of utmost importance that we maintain a core of faculty who push the frontiers of knowledge and creativity across the spectrum of those activities that define an eminent college of arts and sciences. This will ensure that we can provide exposure of our students not only to effective teaching, but also to the excitement of interacting with the people who operate on the frontiers of knowledge and creativity. At present, the College is made up of some 30 departments and an additional 30 programs, research centers, and international and studies abroad programs. We are the home college of approximately 40 % of the tenure-track as well as non tenure-track faculty who are directly involved in the fundamental missions of instruction, research, scholarship, creativity, and service that define this University. Our instructional mission accounts for approximately 63% of all the undergraduate credits and 35% of all the graduate credits earned each academic year on this campus. In addition, the Franklin College accounts for about 53% of all the external research monies awarded to the University, as reckoned by the Office of the Vice President for Research. Each year the College has steadily increased the external research monies it has received, with a slight dip in FY 1995. In addition, our faculty also account for a substantial portion of the monies awarded to the University by the Georgia Research Alliance. While the latter is counted as state monies, it is not a line item in our budget and is closely akin to externally generated monies. These funds are not reflected in national rankings of research universities, but, in fact, they provide critical evidence of the true research accomplishments of the Franklin College and of the University. Information on what portion of the GRA awards to the University can properly be attributed to various schools and colleges is not available. However, the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences can take significant credit for much of the GRA funding that the University of Georgia receives. (See Appendix E, "External Research Money Generated by the College" by fiscal year and by a three-year average, p. 73). This Strategic Plan for the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences is the product of much time and deliberation by a number of individuals and groups. The Franklin College Dean's Student Advisory Board, the ad hoc Committee on Student Life, and the Franklin College Staff Representatives Group for the College contributed to the development of this plan through documents presented to the Dean and incorporated into this plan. (See Appendices B and C). Some individual departments contributed plans. Department heads representing the five major divisions within the College—Fine Arts, Humanities, Social Sciences, Mathematical and Physical Sciences, and Biological Sciences—met during the past year to discuss the goals and needs of their departments and faculties and developed strategic planning documents for their areas. (See Appendix D, p. 31). The Franklin College Planning and Evaluation Committee was charged by Dean Anderson with developing the strategic plan for the College. This committee consisted of five members elected by the Faculty Senate (Scott Ainsworth, Political Science; Brian Binder, Marine Sciences; Celeste Condit, Speech Communications; Lioba Moshi, Comparative Literature; and Susan Roberts, Art) and three members appointed by the Dean (Charles Kutal, Chemistry; Sandy Martin, Religion; Kathleen Parker, Geography). Professor James Whitney, Department of Geology, chaired this committee. The committee's diligent work, and the effort and leadership of Professor Whitney, are largely responsible for the content of this plan. The committee received documents from the aforementioned groups, shaped and refined them, and incorporated them into a report. Once the committee's report was submitted, the Dean and associate deans edited and added to it. This Strategic Plan is therefore the work of a large number of individuals within the College, an expression of the opinions and concerns of individual faculty, students, and staff, of departments, of area divisions, of the Faculty Senate Planning and Evaluation Committee, and of the Dean's Office. 2. Strategic Themes and Recommendations for the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences THEME NUMBER 1: THE FRANKLIN COLLEGE WILL PROVIDE STRONG AND DIVERSE UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS. A. Provide a comprehensive liberal arts education within the College of Arts and Sciences and promote opportunities for lifelong learning.
B. Improve the quality of the undergraduate educational experience.
C. Provide facilities and equipment needed to maintain excellence in undergraduate education in response to rising enrollments.
THEME NUMBER 2: GRADUATE PROGRAMS IN THE FRANKLIN COLLEGE SHOULD GROW IN QUALITY, SIZE, AND DIVERSITY. A. Increase the size and quality of the graduate student population.
B. Enhance the quality of graduate research and scholarship.
C. Increase distribution of career information to improve career counseling and preparation.
THEME NUMBER 3: THE FRANKLIN COLLEGE WILL BUILD DIVERSE PROGRAMS IN RESEARCH AND CREATIVE ACTIVITIES WITH NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL REPUTATIONS. A. Hire and retain only the most talented and accomplished faculty members.
B. Enhance the intellectual environment for cooperative endeavors.
C. Assure up-to-date research equipment and physical resources.
D. Enhance the linkage between research and teaching.
THEME NUMBER 4: THE FRANKLIN COLLEGE WILL BUILD A CULTURALLY AND RACIALLY DIVERSE LEARNING COMMUNITY. A. In cooperation with the Admissions Office and the Graduate School, increase efforts to recruit and retain a diversity of domestic students at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.
B. Increase efforts to recruit and retain an inclusive and racially diverse faculty.
C. As a University, build stronger links between an excellent educational experience and a racially-ethnically inclusive community.
D. Involve the University community in efforts to secure a more inclusive and welcoming environment for all students and faculty.
E. Increase and maintain contacts with extra-University agencies and constituencies that may assist in making a positive impact on securing and maintaining a diverse, open, and friendly University community.
THEME NUMBER 5: THE FRANKLIN COLLEGE WILL EMPHASIZE INTERNATIONAL EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AND HUMAN RESOURCES. A. Provide more academic opportunities for international study and experiences on campus.
B. Enhance study abroad programs by improving student and faculty incentives.
THEME NUMBER 6: THE FRANKLIN COLLEGE WILL DEVELOP STRONG TIES WITH CONSTITUENCIES IN THE STATE AND BEYOND. A. Promote outreach programs that extend knowledge and expertise to the people outside the University community.
B. Broaden development programs to promote lifelong connections to the University of Georgia.
3. Explanation of Strategic Themes for the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences THEME NUMBER 1: STRONG AND DIVERSE UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS. Undergraduate education is at the heart of the mission of the Franklin College of Arts and Science, which teaches nearly all of the courses in the University of Georgia System Core Curriculum at the University. Basic skills in math, science, and English, so important for success in many majors, are taught in the College. Courses in government, foreign language, social science, and fine arts--essential for a citizen of the modern world--are also taught in the College. Nearly 14,000 undergraduate and graduate students of the University are enrolled in the Franklin College. For these reasons, the quality and diversity of undergraduate education available to the citizens of the State of Georgia at this flagship institution depends especially on the educational programs offered in this College. A. Provide a comprehensive liberal arts education within the College of Arts and Sciences and promote opportunities for lifelong learning. First and foremost the Franklin College must continue to provide in all fields classroom instruction to meet the needs of a growing undergraduate population. A large percentage of new faculty and space resources is currently devoted to meeting this need. Because of rising enrollments and limited resources, an increasing percentage of instruction is being born by non-tenure track faculty in larger and larger classes. To preserve the quality of educational opportunities at the University, this trend must be reversed. A broad liberal arts education is the basis of western society. It is a basic requirement for admission into such professions as law, medicine and politics. Its importance is reflected in the University System of Georgia Core Curriculum requirements which all undergraduates at the University must satisfy. No citizen today can be considered well educated without some knowledge of language, literature, fine arts, philosophy, social science, math and science. The range and availability of classes in these subjects therefore directly bears on the quality of education available to citizens of Georgia. Today, classroom instruction is only one dimension of a quality undergraduate education. We live in a rapidly changing world, increasingly international and diverse. The skills and experiences that students gather in classrooms during their four short years at the University will not sustain them through a lifetime. Students need skills that will enable them to digest the vast amounts of new information that bombards them daily, that will imbue them with a lifelong enthusiasm for learning, and a respect and appreciation for diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds. They acquire these skills through many avenues including international study, interaction with a diverse student body, service, and co-curricular activities. Students need an education grounded in traditional fields, but well nourished with diverse experiences outside of the classroom. As we move towards the millennium, the boundaries of disciplines defined by the classic departmental structures of the University are breaking down. Increasingly, our students undertake interdisciplinary studies that combine skills and knowledge from many different fields in new and exciting ways. To encourage this trend we must find new ways of integrating such interdisciplinary approaches into our educational programs. In too many cases, study in a single discipline discourages integration of knowledge. To meet the needs of 21st century society we must increasingly view liberal arts education in a holistic fashion, encouraging innovative methods of integrating knowledge and experience to expand the abilities of our graduates and of society as a whole. B. Improve the quality of the undergraduate educational experience. "The faculty are the backbone of the University," says Dr. Michael Adams. And indeed, the faculty determine the quality of education available to students. To offer superior instruction we must place the best teachers in the classroom. We must recruit and hire only faculty members with a high potential for teaching. Talented teachers who are also leaders in their field are scarce and must be rigorously pursued. Once they are hired they must be offered support to develop and improve their teaching skills, including mentoring and faculty improvement programs. Support must be provided so that talented teachers can constantly learn new skills and methods of instruction. Nothing can completely replace personal interaction between a teacher and student. Technology may enhance methods by which faculty interact with students, but it cannot replace personal communication. Therefore, as enrollment increases the University must maintain appropriate faculty/student ratios to assure student contact with faculty. In classes that require discussion, debate, or oral presentations the size must be small enough to accommodate these techniques. In many large lecture classes auxiliary discussion sections are mandatory if students are to learn higher level skills including critical thinking and analysis. To assure the quality of such programs, faculty, trained graduate student assistants, and appropriate classrooms with state-of-the-art technology are required. Outside of the classroom, undergraduate education must be supported by a strong advising and counseling program. The Franklin College provides advising for the majority of undergraduates for the first two years of study. These professional advisors are critical to the quality of the educational experience. Continued training must be available to assure that students receive current information. Information about the requirements for all majors must be readily available. As students move into their major they are usually advised by their school or department. However, an increasing number of students are not majoring in a single field but instead are pursuing interdisciplinary or non-traditional programs and are as well participating in study abroad, college exchange programs, area studies, or work-study internships. Advisors need to be informed about the availability of such opportunities, and innovative methods of advising must be developed to deal with exceptional cases. The University and the Franklin College both should develop more opportunities for learning outside of the traditional classroom. One important area is in research and creative activity as part of the undergraduate program. More opportunities need to be developed to allow undergraduates to work with faculty in independent study of various kinds in order to prepare them for a career in life-long learning. These opportunities not only enrich the educational experience, but prepare students to remain productive and creative citizens after graduation. The new Maymester represents an ideal time in the academic calendar for such intensive research/creative activities, but University financial policy does not permit faculty on academic contracts to participate in Maymester programs as part of their regular academic duties. C. Expand facilities and equipment required to maintain our excellence in undergraduate education in the face of rising enrollment. As enrollment grows so does the need for well equipped classrooms and laboratories. To insure a modern education the College must see that students and faculty have access to sufficient instructional resources. In many fields such as science the increasing diversity and sophistication of instrumentation requires major efforts to assure that students have the opportunity to learn state-of-the-art techniques. Classrooms equipped with state-of-the-art instructional technology are expensive and are often not evenly distributed across disciplines. The College and University should expand the availability of such classrooms and develop equitable methods for their use. Electronic communication is becoming increasingly important in higher education. All faculty and students need to have adequate access to electronic communication facilities. Such accessibility greatly increases the opportunity for faculty to interact with students and for students to develop the learning skills needed in an electronic society. The technology and facilities for teaching must be maintained and supported by a trained staff. To maximize the productivity of the tenured faculty, trained personnel or graduate assistants should be available to aid in instruction where appropriate. THEME NUMBER 2: GRADUATE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS GROWING IN QUALITY, SIZE, AND DIVERSITY. If the University of Georgia is to grow in enrollment and reputation a parallel increase in the size and quality of our graduate programs is mandatory. Our graduate students are the ultimate product of our higher education system, the most educated and highly qualified students who pass through our doors. Their future success determines the reputation of our institution. At the same time, our instructional and research programs cannot function without a constant supply of qualified graduate students. Graduate assistants provide essential instructional services as laboratory and lecture instructors, discussion leaders, graders, and instructional support staff. Without them our faculty could not teach effectively and still remain leaders in their fields of research/creative activity. Graduate students are also the heart of all research programs. They conduct much of the laboratory research in the sciences. Their theses and dissertations present a significant dimension of the new knowledge and creative work generated by the University. Without an increase in the number of qualified graduate students the research and instructional yield of the University will decline. A. Increase the size and quality of the graduate student population. Unlike students in professional schools such as law, business, and medicine, the majority of graduate students in the Arts and Science are offered teaching or research assistantships at the best universities in the country. Competition for these students is nearly as fierce as it is for the best faculty members. To compete with peer institutions we must rigorously recruit prospective graduate students by offering competitive stipends, benefits, and access to facilities. Otherwise, many of our departments will fail to attract significant numbers of the best students, and the quality of our instructional and research programs will suffer. We must increase the number of graduate assistantships that we offer each year to insure that the increase in the number of graduate students keeps pace with that of undergraduates. Recruitment of graduate students is primarily a departmental responsibility, but few departments have the resources needed for a nation-wide recruitment effort. Most graduate students are attracted to a program by the research or creative activity of faculty members, so the College and University needs to publicize their activities. Travel money for professional presentations at national meetings and at prestigious institutions contributes to this effort but is rarely adequate. A more unified recruitment effort at the departmental, College, and University levels will help attract larger numbers of better applicants. B. Enhance the quality of graduate research and scholarship. The quality of the faculty again directly contributes to the quality of graduate programs. Graduate students often come to the University to study with specific faculty or in particular programs. In many fields faculty receive competitive external grants that help provide funds and facilities for graduate education. Tenure-track faculty are responsible for graduate courses and programs. If tenure-track research faculty are replaced by full-time instructors for undergraduate instruction, graduate program quality will be sacrificed. Graduate students must have access to research equipment and facilities with which to carry out their research. In many fields of science and technology a variety of sources provide these facilities. A few are supplied by the University. Others are secured and supported through competitive grants and contracts acquired by faculty. Some research requires access to specialized equipment or collections. In such cases liaisons with regional laboratories or research centers are critical. Many disciplines require students to travel to other locations to conduct their research, either for field work, access to library resources, or study abroad programs. Travel money for graduate students is limited, and except for modest support from the Graduate School and the Office of the Vice President for Research it must be provided by the department, research grants, or the students' own resources. Graduate students need office space to meet with undergraduate students, prepare their teaching materials, and conduct their research. In many departments such space is inadequate or wholly lacking. Access to library resources and electronic access is mandatory for all graduate students as they cannot develop their knowledge and research skills without them. An increasing number of graduate students pursue degrees in interdisciplinary or international studies. The rules and regulations established a generation ago to assure depth of knowledge in a single discipline, learned through courses taught in a conventional class room setting, does not work for many of these students. The University and College must evaluate degree requirements and regulations to assure they are consistent with a high quality of instruction in today's interdisciplinary, international, electronic environment. C. Increase distribution of career information to improve career counseling and preparation. Even the most outstanding graduate education would be wasted if graduates were unable to find appropriate employment for utilizing their advanced skills and knowledge. The University, College, and departments must provide adequate career counseling and preparation for all students. The first step is to maintain and improve liaisons with potential employers to assure that our students are receiving training that is adequate and appropriate, and to give our students an advantage in the hiring process. The Franklin College should work with the University to assure that career counseling and employment information is available to all graduate students. In some fields, graduate internships are an important step in preparing students for employment. The College and University should encourage such work-study arrangements wherever appropriate. Individual departments should track the careers of their graduates and gather information from them and their employers that might improve the program. They should facilitate development of a network of graduate students to enhance employment opportunities. Receptions or workshops for former students would foster continued relationships and avenues for communication that would improve graduate programs and the career opportunities of their graduates. THEME NUMBER 3: DIVERSE PROGRAMS OF RESEARCH AND CREATIVE ACTIVITIES GROWING IN NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL REPUTATION. Through research and creative activities the University of Georgia contributes to the knowledge that is the foundation of our modern, technological society. Through research and creative work our society moves forward. Emphasis on the creation of knowledge is a distinguishing mark of a research university. Nearly every tenure-track faculty member and graduate student is involved in this mission. Increasingly, undergraduate students participate in research and the discovery of knowledge. To maintain our place as a leading research university we must enhance existing strengths and add nationally and internationally recognized programs. Increasingly, many of the greatest advances will come from interdisciplinary programs. The 21st century will bring many additional opportunities for integrated, cooperative research endeavors, and the University of Georgia must be ready to lead in this effort. A. Hire and retain only the highest quality faculty members. Tenure-track faculty are the key to distinguished research and creative activities. Every new faculty member hired should have recognized potential in research and creative work, and significant productivity in research/creative work should be necessary for promotion and tenure. The University must recruit nationally and internationally for candidates with the highest possible credentials. The University must offer salaries, fringe benefits, and start-up funds competitive with those offered by other major universities. As enrollment grows we must increase the number of tenure-track faculty involved in research and creative activity if we are to maintain or increase our leadership, and especially if we wish to encourage growth in graduate enrollments. To hire the best candidates we must cast a broad net, offer lucrative recruitment packages, and redouble our efforts to attract a diverse and inclusive faculty. B. Enhance the intellectual environment for cooperative endeavors. We must provide new faculty with a vibrant intellectual environment. Mentoring and professional development programs should be strengthened. Additional staff support and training are needed to aid preparation, submission, and execution of outside grant proposals. Opportunities for paid leave and sabbatical programs are needed for faculty whose research requires time away from campus. Faculty need administrative support to establish regional, national, and international collaborations for research and graduate education. The College and University should encourage partnerships with other institutions (universities, laboratories, museums, orchestras, etc.) that provide opportunities for cooperative research and scholarship. Partnerships with industry would provide new opportunities and funding sources. Where administrative rules and regulations frustrate cooperative off-campus collaboration, creative methods are needed to remove road blocks and nurture such programs. C. Assure up-to-date research equipment and physical resources. Faculty need modern facilities to conduct funded research on campus. Research equipment is expensive and has a limited life span, especially in this age when technology advances at such a fast pace. The University must find additional resources to fund state-of-the-art research equipment, including matching money for competitive equipment grants and resources for renovation and upgrades, maintenance contracts, and in some cases cooperative programs with industry for laboratory access. Both faculty and graduate students need studio and office space for creative activities. These facilities are not evenly distributed in the Franklin College. We must assure accessible and productive use of space for all research and creative activities. D. Enhance the linkage between research and teaching. To share with our students the knowledge and excitement generated by research, we must encourage all faculty to be involved in teaching at a variety of levels. Only through the integration of research and teaching can we realize the full educational benefits of a Research University. The Franklin College already has a strong record of senior research faculty teaching at all levels in the curriculum. We can do more through offering additional incentives for faculty to teach freshman seminars and to engage in directed study and in other research/creative activities. Teaching credits and financial rewards offer effective inducements for developing such programs. New funding for directed study programs carried out during the summer or Maymester terms would encourage these activities as well. Extramurally, we need to continue our outreach programs to bring the results of research to a larger audience within the state. Faculty speaker programs and symposia open to the wider public are effective ways of sharing new knowledge. Our performing arts programs are already actively involved in outreach, but we can make additional efforts to share their contributions as well. THEME NUMBER 4: A DIVERSE, INCLUSIVE, AND COMPREHENSIVE LEARNING COMMUNITY OF HIGH QUALITY University of Georgia graduates are going to live in an increasingly diverse society composed of a rich mixture of cultural and social backgrounds. The University should not only reflect the changes occurring in society but set an example for a diverse, inclusive world in the 21st century. A. Increase efforts to recruit and retain a diversity of domestic students at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. The University and the Franklin College must assure a diverse pool of candidates for admission through intensive recruiting of the best students from all racial and ethnic groups. With the increasing competition from traditionally black colleges and private schools, we should make a major effort to attract African American candidates. One method would be to improve our communications with secondary schools to identify highly qualified minority students early in their education. Recruiting efforts can begin in middle schools through enrichment or speaker programs. Faculty and student participation in recruitment can make the process more personal and help develop role models for young minority students, especially those who may be coming from families without a tradition of higher education. Once minority students enroll at the University, additional initiatives will assure that all parts of the University community assist in helping them adjust to the University environment. Minority students need additional encouragement to become involved in campus activities. Similarly, all faculty and students should be encouraged to interact with minority dominated programs if they are to reap the rewards of living in a diverse cultural environment. B. Increase efforts to recruit and retain an inclusive and racially diverse faculty. Attracting the most diverse pool of faculty candidates also requires intensive recruiting. Both faculty and students need to be involved in the effort to identify and recruit candidates. Special efforts need to be made to identify minority applicants who may be small in number and in great demand by other schools. New faculty from diverse backgrounds must receive support from the academic community as a whole. Mentoring programs and forums for discussing problems and issues important to minority faculty may help make them feel more at home at the University. C. As a University, make greater connections between an excellent educational experience and a racially and ethnically inclusive community. The cultural diversity of educational programs should be enhanced, both through formal courses and co-curricular activities. The current expansion of minority studies programs should be supported, and the integration of diverse cultural material into instruction, where appropriate, should be encouraged. Workshops and other enrichment programs can inform faculty of methods and opportunities for infusing diversity into the classroom. Academic advisors provide another way to encourage students to participate in a diverse academic program. D. Involve the entire University community in efforts to secure a more inclusive and welcoming environment for all students and faculty. So that the entire community can reap the rewards of a diverse cultural environment, we should encourage all students and faculty to participate in inter-racial, -ethnic, and -cultural activities and projects focused on specific needs of the University and the wider community. Greater effort should be made to support student groups of all races and cultures engaging in projects and activities that meet specific needs and that transcend cultural and demographic boundaries. The establishment of standing committee(s) of multi-racial students, faculty, and staff can encourage such activities by advising the University community on diversity matters. E. Increase and maintain contacts with extra-University agencies and constituencies that may assist in making a positive impact on securing and maintaining a diverse, open, and friendly University community. The University can have a significant impact by strengthening its contact with the larger community. Participation in local, regional, and national groups concerned with diversity will help the University have a greater and more positive impact on society in general. Co-sponsorship of activities and programs with such groups will build the University's ties to the community and help it achieve its other missions as well. THEME NUMBER 5: AN INCREASING GLOBAL EMPHASIS IN EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AND HUMAN RESOURCES. Current and future UGA graduates will encounter a world where space and time are increasingly compressed. In such a future virtually all occupations will have frequent global interactions as information and communications technologies link all parts of the world. To enable our students to function effectively in this environment, we must provide them with a broader global academic experience that promotes appreciation of other cultures and traditions. A. Increase high quality opportunities for international study and experiences on campus. We can first reinforce the traditional role of foreign language and cultural studies as part of all College degree programs. Americans have long trailed the rest of the world in foreign language training. To participate fully in this global community, our graduates should be able to communicate in at least one foreign language. In the future, such study should be a part of all higher educational programs, not just the traditional liberal arts curricula. In addition, we should provide greater access to global or area studies majors and minors. We should increase offerings of diverse foreign language and cultural studies where needed. The growth of Asian and African language and culture courses is a good start. At the same time, we can make even better use of the international faculty and students we have on campus. We can advance the understanding of social, environmental, economic and olitical issues through more workshops, seminars, colloquia, and speaker series using international faculty and students, as well as visitors. Through innovative scheduling of duties we can encourage our faculty and students to expand international study. The University should also enhance opportunities for exchange of faculty and students with foreign universities. B. Enhance study abroad and foreign exchange programs by providing student and faculty incentives for such programs and removing whatever barriers remain. Study abroad and foreign exchange programs remain one of the most effective ways for our students to learn about foreign cultures. We must continue to review our academic programs and requirements and those of our foreign institutional partners to ensure that our programs remain academically strong while retaining flexibility and interest for students. We should continue to work with advisors and program directors at all levels to see that the curricula offered abroad are linked seamlessly to major programs on campus so that study abroad, possibly in a foreign institution, does not inhibit a student's progress toward graduation. The College will intensify its efforts to advertise and promote these programs through brochures, website information, and work with the Office of International Education to provide the broadest dissemination of information possible. Special student advisors or mentors may be useful to inform students of possibilities and challenges before they begin foreign study. Former study abroad students may be effective in such roles. University administrative and financial policies should be revised to insure that unreasonable obstacles do not discourage faculty and students from participation in study abroad opportunities. To stimulate involvement of faculty in study abroad programs, recognition for their participation should be given in promotion, tenure, and pay raise decisions. THEME NUMBER 6: STRONG TIES BETWEEN THE COLLEGE AND EXTERNAL CONSTITUENCIES WITHIN THE STATE AND BEYOND. A. Promote outreach programs that extend knowledge and expertise to the people outside the University community. Off-campus groups such as external advisory boards can promote communication with constituencies outside of the University. Such groups provide outside perspectives and advice on how to improve our educational programs. Alumni advisory panels can also provide valuable suggestions on the effectiveness of our academic programs. They can also help current students develop contacts in the community which may help in career development. Other ways of disseminating knowledge generated at the University can help build recognition within the state and beyond. Distance-learning programs and well designed world wide web-based information will help deliver educational opportunities to a broad constituency. B. Broaden development programs to promote lifelong connections to the University of Georgia. The most effective development programs start with graduates who are pleased with and proud of the education they received at the University of Georgia. To maintain a life-long connection with its graduates the departments, schools, and programs within the Franklin College should track the careers of graduates in a variety of ways and should also seek to maintain contact with them. News letters, alumni social events, and reunions are effective ways of keeping lines of communication open. The College and its programs should also seek to cultivate a tradition of giving that begins with small amounts. Because the College is so large, the central office of the Franklin College cannot maintain personal contact with individual students and graduates.. The student's allegiance is most often with a department, program, or faculty members. Development programs should therefore involve individual departments for maximum success. Strengthened efforts should be made to recruit development funds through the departments, which will thereby enjoy increased benefits from development funds. Shared development programs in which the department, College, and University cooperate, with the proceeds fairly distributed, may be more effective than programs that compete with one another within the College. Departments should consciously seek relationships with their alumni in an attempt to keep them informed about department programs and needs, so that as their earning power increases they will remember the University and their undergraduate program with fondness which may translate into higher giving. One group often ignored are emeritus faculty. Especially with the current redistribution of wealth to the elderly by government programs (Social Security, Medicare), and the fact that emeritus faculty often control the fortunes of their parents as well, this group is one of our wealthiest constituencies. The College should seek to build and enhance relationships with retired faculty who in turn may be more willing to make donations to the departments in which they taught and conducted research. C. Engage with partners outside the University to solve problems and to address issues of central concern to our society. While honoring the instructional and research commitments of our faculty and students, we must continue to identify ways in which we can use the fruits of our endeavors in instruction and research to serve society. This traditional outreach component of our mission is built into some of the grants that support our activities. We need to engage selected segments of society by joining our resources and expertise with theirs in order to identify, address and solve problems together. Engagement is the dimension of service that involves working jointly with partners outside the University to solve problems. We plan to forge these relationships through forming committees that consist of off-campus leaders and selected members of our own faculty who will seek to identify problems that lend themselves to this form of engagement. These relationships should be formed prudently and judiciously, respecting both the missions of our sister professional schools and our overarching mission as a instructional and research institution. The Planning and Evaluation Committee of the Franklin College Faculty Senate was asked to compile information received from faculty and units in the College and to recommend the major themes that should characterize the programs in the Franklin College for the 21st century. This committee collected information and opinions from a variety of groups including faculty members, their elected Senators, Department Heads, their Division Heads or Associate Deans, staff, and students. This committee then agreed on six themes which it felt should be the focus of the mission and programs of the Franklin College. During these deliberations, the Committee was asked to consider the administrative structure of the College in light of recent initiatives to evaluate the formation of new Colleges or other administrative units. The Committee felt that any changes in administrative structure should be consistent with the educational objectives of the College and should be the result of a strategic planning process. To that end, the Committee drafted and unanimously agreed to the following statement. The Committee reaffirms the centrality and importance of a strong, comprehensive liberal arts college to the missions of teaching, research, and service in a first tier public university. It believes that productive innovations in university structures should be entertained, but only when such innovations preserve the integrity of the liberal arts college. Proposals for restructuring bear the burden of proof in demonstrating that they will enhance, rather than detract from, existing units and the excellence of the University as a whole. Initiatives to restructure should include the following features: They should be detailed and specific; they should receive systematic, comprehensive faculty input; they should consider the needs of all units involved in restructuring—those that are changing unit affiliations as well as those that are not; and they should consider the strategic plans of the units affected as well as the University as a whole. Appendix B: Student Report (not available on website) Appendix C: Staff Report (not available on website) Appendix D: Divisional Strategic Planning Documents (not available on website) The following documents were received from the five subdivisions of the College. They provide a more detailed perspective on the specific goals and plans of various programs within the Franklin College.
Appendix E: External Research Money Generated by the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences (not available on website) |
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