September 29, 2005
Committee named to create vision for undergrad experience
Provost Phyllis Wise has appointed a committee to develop a vision and goals for the UW undergraduate experience on the Seattle campus.
The committee began its discussions Sept. 27. The provost has asked that the committee’s report by ready for her and President Emmert by Nov. 30. The committee plans to seek broad input from the campus community through interviews and public forums.
“I ask that you view the undergraduate experience broadly, considering both formal academic programs and learning that takes place inside the classroom as well as other outside-the-classroom experiences that support the undergraduate learning experience and student life,” she wrote to the appointees. “How can the multiple locations in which learning takes place be synthesized into a UW campus culture that strives to provide one of the finest undergraduate experiences in the nation?”
Wise urged the committee to consult broadly with all stakeholders, especially students. She asked that the committee address four key issues:
- What should be the attributes of an excellent undergraduate experience at the UW?
- What are the strengths of the current UW experience?
- What are the weaknesses of the current UW experience?
- What are the national best practices, and what models can be adopted for the UW?
“This committee is tackling one of the most important missions of the University, and I am looking forward to your advice,” Wise wrote. “Please keep in mind that we are seeking an array of good ideas rather than a single, specific program or structure.”
Committee members include: Gerald Baldasty, chair of the Department of Communication, committee chair; Philip Ballinger, director of admissions; Marilyn Cox, assistant vice provost for capital planning; Valerie Curtis-Newton, associate professor, drama; Janice DeCosmo, assistant dean in the Office of Undergraduate Education; Roland Dukes, associate dean for undergraduate programs in the Business School; Lee Dunbar, president, Associated Students of the University of Washington; Eugene Edgar, professor of special education; Eric Godfrey, assistant vice president for scholarships and student programs; Vennie Gore, associate director of Housing and Food Services; Adam Grupp, president of the Graduate and Professional Student Senate; June Hairston, director of student activities and union facilities for the Office of Minority Affairs; D. Michael Heinekey, professor of chemistry; Lincoln Johnson, director of student activities and union facilities; Ruth Johnston, senior associate treasurer; Paul LePore, assistant dean for the College of Arts and Sciences; Jill McKinstry, head of Odegaard Undergraduate Library; Stephanie Miller, director of recruitment and outreach for the Office of Minority Affairs; Devon Pen, professor of anthropology and American ethnic studies; Priti Ramamurthy, associate professor of women studies; Richard Roth, graduate advisor in the Department of Geography; Carmen Sidbury, director of diversity and student services in the College of Engineering; Barbara Wakimoto, professor, biology; and Lizabeth Wilson, dean of University Libraries.
