The Digital Futures Task Force met twice this summer to get organized, determine some operating assumptions, and establish three sub-task forces. The work will continue this semester. The Task Force is charged with developing recommendations for UP regarding the future of technology, specifically as this relates to academics. The three subgroups are focused on: Academic Rigor and Regulations, Pedagogical Practices, and Infrastructure/Logistics. If you have comments or ideas about these matters, please send e-mails to Jim Ravelli or Tom Greene: greene@up.edu or ravelli@up.edu. Father Beauchamp established this task force in response to the enrollment management report completed last year.
A Transfer Work Group has been established to develop recommendations to enhance the process for the admission of transfer students. It needs to effective, efficient, and welcoming of transfer students. This initiative is a result of last year’s enrollment management report.
Degree Works will be available this fall for faculty and staff and it will be available to students during spring semester. This program should help with academic planning and advising and degree audits. Your feedback is welcomed as the rollout unfolds and training opportunities continue. See the Portal Announcement for additional information.
Four times this year, the provost and executive vice president will sponsor The Faculty Club from 4–5:30 p.m. Please save these dates: Tuesday, October 8; Tuesday, December 3; Tuesday, February 11; and Tuesday, April 22.
An informal working group focused on encouraging more undergraduate research at UP has been created, with John Orr serving as chair. If you would like to contribute, please contact Orr. Amelia Ahern-Rindell is working with the group in her capacity as president-elect of the Council on Undergraduate Education, a national association focused on the importance of undergraduate research.
If you would like to serve on the University Institutional Research Board, provost Tom Greene would love to know about it. He needs to appoint four faculty members to this critical and mandated committee. As the board will ideally need representation from engineering, business, and CAS (given the representation on the board) preference will be given in these areas. Please e-mail Greene at greene@up.edu to volunteer.
During the summer, the fire marshal established new occupancy sizes for each classroom. As a result, it modified the way classes were assigned for this semester. We must honor these capacities, so if your class does not fit into your room, please do not add furniture to your room, but contact the registrar’s office immediately and a room adjustment will be made.
For more information contact the provost’s office at 7105 or robb@up.edu.