Scenario #4 by Aris Winger

Connecting with the Community

ariswinger — 2024-05-30 13:06:28 UTC

You are a leader at your institution. For the last few years, enrollment numbers have been dropping since the pandemic. You are having concerns that your institution isn’t as well connected to the community as it should be and the perception of mathematics as part of a well rounded education is waning.

What would you do?

How would you provide support as a consultant?

Impact of the Change

2024-05-31 19:09:23 UTC

What was the goal for making the structural change? If it was DFW rates, how has the structural change impacted DFW rates? Is there some other type of impact that you could take a look at?

Data on the perception of mathematics

2024-05-31 19:10:36 UTC

What data exists on the perception of mathematics as part of a well-rounded education by the students? by the faculty? by the administration?

sounds like your department might be being set up

2024-05-31 19:11:15 UTC

are they trying to replace you with this new department?

2024-05-31 19:12:42 UTC

The issue of declining numbers of math students seems to be more universal than I knew. I think we somehow need to get the word out that we can't take it for granted that students want to major in math anymore.

2024-05-31 19:18:40 UTC

It seems like the need for math departments to remain relevant is at a critical time

Meeting of the Minds

2024-05-31 19:20:41 UTC

Meet with the project team to develop a strategy for how to get both deans on board keeping in mind what the deans want. Then, meet with the deans to share information about the project with a pitch focused on their interests and what motivates them.

Recruiting

2024-05-31 19:23:19 UTC

Sounds like recruiting and community-building from both within your institution and externally may be useful. Within your institution: students who don't declare as math majors immediately and may need some convincing to try it. I'm thinking like clubs or events or being invited as a "guest lecture" day in lower-level classes? Externally: outreach to local schools (or other stakeholders like businesses?).

Build Relationships

2024-05-31 19:24:15 UTC

Find ways to strengthen relationships between faculty across the two departments to help with reconnecting students to math majors.

Be Sensitive

2024-05-31 19:27:36 UTC

Faculty in the department of developmental studies may have some concerns about what this may mean for them as faculty. Think carefully about how to attend to their perspective on what merging the departments would mean for them. For example, will they have a voice in the math department. Work with them to work through what a change would mean and how to make it fair.

Other recruiting opportunities?

2024-05-31 19:29:03 UTC

At my institution, we have a "First-Year Research Experience" that we've tried to use to strategically recruit majors. You might be able to do something like this to replace some of the recruitment that used to happen in pre-calculus classes.

High school recruitment

2024-05-31 19:39:06 UTC

Have you considered sending undergraduate majors or other representatives to high school classrooms?