University Assembly - May 26th by Nicol Howard https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5 en-us 2023-05-22 21:34:38 UTC 2023-06-14 18:36:56 UTC hello@padlet.com It makes a lot of sense. I'm in favor of this model. https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2604524390 2023-05-25 08:07:03 UTC https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2604524390 This is already working well for our cluster in the Science Center. https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2604525404 2023-05-25 08:07:59 UTC https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2604525404 Working together in our clusters may save money through not having to reinvent the wheel for some duties and spending that time on more teaching or other activities. https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2604528224 2023-05-25 08:09:58 UTC https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2604528224 Being in clusters may help more accurately define specific areas of interest (i.e. majors) within broader topical areas of interest. https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2604532084 2023-05-25 08:13:26 UTC https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2604532084 Some clusters are easy to define (i.e. the Science Center) others will take more work and creative ideas to formulate and define. https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2604533361 2023-05-25 08:14:37 UTC https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2604533361 Individual Department Chairs are important in my opinion. This is because department chair duties have to be assigned to someone who knows their own department. Even if stipends or course releases are not possible, we need to retain these positions. https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2604535801 2023-05-25 08:16:34 UTC https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2604535801 https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2605479118 I can see interdisciplinary collaboration within the cluster being strong. But how about interdisciplinary collaboration across clusters? Are clusters going to create a different kind of silo?]]> 2023-05-26 01:15:40 UTC https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2605479118 https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2605481147 I like the idea in the abstract, and can also see that it can work well in certain cases (e.g., FAME). Coming up with a reasonable number of clusters in which every department/program can find a comfortable home will be the challenge.]]> 2023-05-26 01:17:19 UTC https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2605481147 https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2605484716 Clusters can work well when there are a handful of academic areas with strong affinity with one another or shared epistemological tradition. Clusters that include academic areas with diverse epistimological approaches would be much harder to sustain as a cohesive unit.]]> 2023-05-26 01:20:04 UTC https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2605484716 https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2605486883 Each department/program enjoy a great deal of autonomy and create/deliver curricula that are most effective for the particular area of study. It also nurtures intellectual and pedagogical heterogeneity.]]> 2023-05-26 01:21:44 UTC https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2605486883 https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2605489375 We also need to consider what we don't like about a cluster model. We need to weigh pros and cons equally to make this discussion honest and meaningful.]]> 2023-05-26 01:23:44 UTC https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2605489375 https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2606502062 Yes. Shared methodology/practices of knowledge production/pedagogy, etc could make these stimulating, supportive collaborations. ]]> 2023-05-26 19:44:52 UTC https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2606502062 Interdis Cluster in CAS https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2606532473 Interdisciplinary Cluster that builds bridges across to different clusters and provides ways for faculty from the other clusters to also make contributions into interdisciplinary cluster (and vice versa).
Possible included programs: 
-       Primarily method-based: Johnston, Spatial Studies
-       Content-based with highly interdisciplinary curriculum, drawing on offerings in multiple departments: HMS, REST/WGST, EVST, Public Policy, Spatial Studies, etc
 
]]> 2023-05-26 20:55:11 UTC https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2606532473 Is the cluster model administrative, and/or about cluster curricular opportunities? Will we still offer traditional program degrees and identities? I think the latter should be retained, so that degree programs are recognizable to students, parents and future employers. https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2606532959 2023-05-26 20:56:26 UTC https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2606532959 Collab and Curricular Innovation https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2606532960 Curricular innovation model:
Innovative “questions” (changes every 2-3 years) that enable faculty from across departments to explore areas of emerging interest based on data. 3-5 faculty members from across the college collaborate on courses that engage one of these questions – and these courses ALSO count in the majors, so it’s feasible within faculty limits. These faculty members work together over the course of a year and bring in colleagues from adjacent areas. The value of these “questions” or “areas” for the purposes of enrollment can be gauged based on student interest/enrollment.
]]> 2023-05-26 20:56:26 UTC https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2606532960 Is there research to suggest that this kind of model will increase enrollments and or student success? https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2606533246 2023-05-26 20:57:10 UTC https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2606533246 https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2606534320 I enjoy discovering connections across disciplines.]]> 2023-05-26 20:59:47 UTC https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2606534320 I'd like to know how this will affect departmental governance. Right now, as I view it, departments are sovereign. Will departments lose control over their internal decision making processes? Will departments entirely dissapper? https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2606536364 2023-05-26 21:04:37 UTC https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2606536364 nicholas_shunda https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2606537933 Potential for increased or more effective communication, discovery and/or leveraging of complementarities, and coordination in scheduling (both of courses and extra-curricular events)]]> 2023-05-26 21:08:40 UTC https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2606537933 collaboration with faculty outside the department. Possibility for students to craft their own curriculum within a particular discipline https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2606537952 2023-05-26 21:08:44 UTC https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2606537952 I like the ideas of clusters as programs within schools https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2606538210 2023-05-26 21:09:29 UTC https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2606538210 https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2606538335 Adopting a cluster model, I feel, invites and encourages students to further their education without the feeling anxious about the confinements of a full commitment to a major. While a student might select a career pathway, taking core classes, and fulfilling their requirements, another subject(s) may arise, piquing their interest. For example, a student majoring in Biology might be interested in learning more about Music. A cluster model would allow such interdisciplinary work, fostering a more diverse and creative mindset.]]> 2023-05-26 21:09:49 UTC https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2606538335 nicholas_shunda https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2606539226 Tenure]]> 2023-05-26 21:12:28 UTC https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2606539226 https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2606539572 If we are in clusters and each has a director that would mean less administrative costs. BUT it begs the question - would one person have the disciplinary knowledge to direct a cluster that consists of different disciplines? ]]> 2023-05-26 21:13:32 UTC https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2606539572 Wrong Discussion at this Time https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2606540014 I neither like nor dislike it. I dislike that we are having this discussion in the wrong order, and here is why: the most basic rule of organizational design was coined by Alfred Chandler: Structure follows strategy. We need to decide on what will make us identifiably unique. There is nothing in the proposed strategy that makes recognizably unique: every other school has similar stuff in their strategic plan. As long as we have not decided on a recognizable distinctive feature, we should postpone this discussion till we decided on one.]]> 2023-05-26 21:14:52 UTC https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2606540014 https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2606541710 Perhaps clusters can help distribute advising loads in a more equitable fashion.]]> 2023-05-26 21:20:05 UTC https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2606541710 https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2606542237 Are we talking about marketing strategies, which we can help develop along with marketing experts. But the LAI categories make the most sense as a foundation for an administrative organizational structure. NS, C, H, SS. And one cluster of interdisciplinary programs that would branch across these categories. These seem most intuitive, and would cause the least chaos for students, scheduling, getting enrolled students to degree. These would also allow us to maintain traditional, recognizable majors (esp. to first-gen students), but also facilitate natural curricular affinities across related departments, and possibly alleviate the "chair/course release" problem.]]> 2023-05-26 21:21:51 UTC https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2606542237 https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2606542427 I like having a undergraduate school and a graduate school. It is easily understood by parents and students. Also it addresses two very different student populations with different needs.]]> 2023-05-26 21:22:25 UTC https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2606542427 https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2606543588 I don't think we need to reorganize to tell our stories. I think we need marketing and communications staff to come to our classes, interview us, and see firsthand what we are doing, and have been doing for years. I have had communications conduct interviews with me for Bulldog Blog and web news releases for the few special projects and special events I have hosted over the years. But not to inquire into my everyday teaching practices, course material, etc., my May term courses, travel courses, etc. More of that would go miles to help us tell our stories. ]]> 2023-05-26 21:25:50 UTC https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2606543588 https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2606544696 FAME has had some innovative and exciting discussions on new programs or modifications that meet current students interests. We believe such programs could increase enrollment.]]> 2023-05-26 21:29:05 UTC https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2606544696 https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2606544788 Administrative clusters organized around the LAI practice categories makes the most intuitive sense.
In terms of curricular experimentation, someone posted to another category the idea of cluster courses focused on salient questions within a 2-3 year period, that could be revised every few years, and then be taught by interdisciplinary faculty. Could faculty do this within courses they are currently teaching for their majors (gear them toward a question)? Because most of us can barely teach our majors with limited faculty resources.]]> 2023-05-26 21:29:24 UTC https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2606544788 FYS https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2606546510 This might help us with FYS in the College. Each cluster could offer a certain number of FYSs and students could identify an FYS within a cluster rather than ranking particular fys classes of preference. And, those FYSs in the cluster could collaborate with each other.]]> 2023-05-26 21:34:56 UTC https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2606546510 Reducing Chairs/making Chair work more efficient https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2606546606 Form large departments with one chair (possibly along LAI practices model), but within, maintain the major programs. Cut work load by cutting down the number of program reviews. And then a program review for each mega-dept./cluster. Course Dog promises to handle scheduling workload more efficiently that usually falls to Chairs.  Avoid creating new silos.]]> 2023-05-26 21:35:21 UTC https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2606546606 There should be a maximum cluster size https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2606546724 Just as the clusters will help streamline large scale decision making by shortening the list of folks in the big room the clusters should be kept small enough to remain dynamic. I suspect that the magic number for that is probably between 10 and 30 faculty in a cluster. Please do not over correct from the current fragmentation and make clusters unmanageably large.]]> 2023-05-26 21:35:48 UTC https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2606546724 Admin staff https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2606547170 We thought there was a lot of potential in terms of combining administrative staff resources across the cluster. So that perhaps department coordinator duties could be task based within a cluster (one handles scheduling speakers, events, maybe alumni, etc... while another handles common scheduling, budgeting, and so on...).]]> 2023-05-26 21:37:26 UTC https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2606547170 One size fits all https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2606547377 Our group discussed how difficult it was to imagine a single cluster model that would work for all areas/divisions/clusters. ]]> 2023-05-26 21:38:10 UTC https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2606547377 Barriers to enrollment https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2606548386 Our group also identified the barriers to enrollment across colleges as big problem - we thought perhaps clustering could work to break these "soft" barriers]]> 2023-05-26 21:41:54 UTC https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2606548386 Regular "cluster meetings" https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2606551790 (Or better - lunches!) would help to bring people together for organic conversations and collaborations]]> 2023-05-26 21:53:38 UTC https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2606551790 https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2606552059 The idea of student services being clustered is interesting but wonder what it would mean to centralize undergraduate advising

]]> 2023-05-26 21:54:28 UTC https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2606552059 https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2606552322 If it's difficult to find a name because the disciplines are too different, maybe they don't belong together]]> 2023-05-26 21:55:19 UTC https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2606552322 Resource sharing https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2606552373 Teaching materials could be shared, like FYS materials (as they're being done in Teams this year).

Physical resources - party supplies, field equipment - should be shareable across programs to reduce waste and redundant purchasing, help us stretch our department budgets further, and save time in obtaining resources.]]> 2023-05-26 21:55:32 UTC https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2606552373 There could be efficiencies by sharing administrative resources (DCs, single super chair). These wouldn't need to be visible to students. Clusters could also help us make visible interdisciplinary and cross disciplinary collaborations that we are already doing, but we need to be careful not to create new silos. jennifer_tilton2 https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2606552551 2023-05-26 21:56:10 UTC https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2606552551 https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2606552719 Make it easier to figure out who does what (or who to contact to get answers to your questions) - this could be helped by having "cluster chairs" who are tasked with sharing monthly updates and connecting faculty to the appropriate resources.]]> 2023-05-26 21:56:40 UTC https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2606552719 We mostly discussed that this is complicated because we have so many cross disciplinary alliances already. We don't want to solidify new silos and prevent flexibility. All of us thought it essential to make it easier for both students and faculty to take courses and teach across units. jennifer_tilton2 https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2606553294 2023-05-26 21:58:36 UTC https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2606553294 We need to find a way to communicate about duplications across units and department and also how to share resources across units and departments. For instance, share methods courses, reduce offering similar courses in different departments during the same semester, connect students to faculty in different departments that might be teaching in their area of interest. jennifer_tilton2 https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2606554455 2023-05-26 22:02:13 UTC https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2606554455 https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2606556441 Condense communications? Create better webpages where it's clearer "who does what" (and is updated if someone leaves or changes roles) and faculty resource pages with recent communications posted so it's easier to track what's happening without searching through a million emails (emails are also needed). 

Encourage faculty (at the start of the semester) to limit meetings/engagements during registration when possible and give us the dates so we can block off time ahead and ensure we're able to give advisees the attention they need.]]> 2023-05-26 22:09:49 UTC https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2606556441 https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2606568170 One that increases enrollment to meet our University sustainability model and ensures successful student outcomes. ]]> 2023-05-26 22:49:38 UTC https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2606568170 https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2606568726 By offering singular upper division common core courses (Econ, Stats, Finance, etc) across the University scaled to enrollment. ]]> 2023-05-26 22:51:45 UTC https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2606568726 https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2606569249 By offering a clear rejection of the general negative press that Higher Education doesn’t matter. Tell our stories to show higher ed does matter in the short and long run. ]]> 2023-05-26 22:53:50 UTC https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2606569249 Least Cost https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2606571524 At this point we need the least cost structure that does not affect the student base negatively till we find our unique market position. ]]> 2023-05-26 23:02:45 UTC https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2606571524 Clusters at the unit and individual levels https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2606583371 One way to reduce silos and build collaborations would be to do as proposed: (approaching structural clusters at the unit level) along with clusters built at the individual level. It's individuals who typically build informal collaborations with other individuals. Perhaps we can take advantage of that by building more formal and structured clusters at the unit (dept, program) level as well as many more connections built between units via individuals. This could help create more flexible clusters that ebb and flow based on staffing levels and student/market demands.]]> 2023-05-26 23:48:28 UTC https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2606583371 Start now w/faculty assemblies https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2606584254 One way to more organically pave the way for clusters across the College and Schools is to open/incentivize attendance to faculty across all assemblies as non-voting members. This could facilitate conversations that result in natural and creative clustering.]]> 2023-05-26 23:51:28 UTC https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2606584254 Intriguing LAI Suggestion https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2606584887 I liked the suggestion proposed by Sharon Oster's table to consider clustering or a kind of modular way to structure our organization.]]> 2023-05-26 23:53:54 UTC https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2606584887 Perhaps, as a way to truly differentiate ourselves, we embrace the Johnston model across the entire campus, not just for assessment, but also for how we structure the university. This would be a truly transformative change, and one that's built on sound educational philosophy and strategy for differentiating our university from others in the region. If we really want to adapt to the marketplace, why don't we reimagine a Johnston-like model and rebuild a new University of Redlands around such a model? brian_charest https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2609391146 2023-05-30 17:05:29 UTC https://padlet.com/nicol_howard2/vbbn887n1glmrqb5/wish/2609391146