September 22, 2005

Dear Colleagues:

Thank you very much for agreeing to serve on the Committee on Improving the UW Undergraduate Experience. I ask that you report to President Emmert and myself regarding the vision and goals for the UW undergraduate experience for UW Seattle. While I invite you to develop your own framework for addressing this charge, I ask that you focus on the following issues:

• What should be the attributes of an excellent undergraduate experience at the University of Washington
• 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?

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. 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? Please keep in mind that your task is to consider all of these issues in the context of excellence at the University of Washington; while there are many innovative national models, not all of them meet the needs of our students or help to achieve the goals we have for their education.

Because the work of this committee affects so many parts of the university, I ask that you consult with all stakeholders, focusing especially on engaging students in this process. I will make sure that you have access to the numerous surveys and other forms of feedback that are currently available. I expect that you will seek counsel as well from colleagues at our own institution as well as nationally respected colleagues as well.

This committee is tackling one of the most important missions of the university, and I am looking forward to your advice. Please report to me by November 30 with your recommendations. I am aware that this is a very short timeline, given the importance and the scope of your review. I am hoping that the written component of the report will be short, and that the writing aspect will not be onerous. In fact, I would be pleased if you would like to present me with your findings verbally first, as you compose the written form. Please keep in mind that we are seeking an array of good ideas rather than a single, specific program or structure. It would be most useful to me and to the president if you could identify and prioritize areas for improvement and options for action.

The first meeting for this committee is scheduled for Tuesday, September 27th from 10:00-12:00 in the Regents Room in Gerberding Hall. I look forward to seeing you at that meeting.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Phyllis M Wise
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs