March, 2011 // Posts published in March, 2011
Lifelong Learning
One of the really interesting, and quietly rewarding, aspects of American higher education over the past two decades has been the emergence of active lifelong learning communities. At Mason, we are fortunate in having the Osher Lifelong Learning Center (OLLI), which operates extensively on our Fairfax and Loudoun sites, and also a vigorous group in […]
Students as Scholars
The end of March sees the long-awaited visit of the Southern Association of Schools and Colleges accreditation team. With it comes also the next phase in the unfolding of our Quality Enhancement Plan, focused on expanding opportunities for research and creative activity for undergraduates — under the Students as Scholars mantle. As the campus community […]
Full Professors
Every year at this time I hold a session at each of our main campuses to talk with interested faculty about criteria for promotion. It’s the point at which I’m wrapping up the provostial consideration of this year’s cases, so it’s a natural extension to talk about procedures more generally. Attendance at the sessions is […]
Assessing Programs
A few years ago Mason committed to a once-every-seven-year evaluation of all degree programs not assessed through an external accreditation mechanism. We’re in the season where reports are beginning to come in, which prompt some comment on the overall effort. The commitment emanated both from a sense that we owed it to ourselves to look […]
Funding
We learned last week of the legislature’s decisions about various university issues, including funding. The good news was that, among other modest categories, we received a bit of new money to expand faculty in STEM disciplines broadly construed, and through this to expand student enrollment. This is the first time we’ve had new money for […]
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