Question on Curriculum Audit

An anonymous question:
What is your current position on the curriculum audit recommendations by the Provost?

It may sound a little flip, but my position is less important than your position. I need to know more clearly how faculty are feeling about the recommendations so that I can represent these concerns to the Board of Regents. So please post some of your concerns on this page and encourage others to do so. My first rule as your Regent is to listen first.

That principle doesn't mean I don't have opinions, and I'm willing to share a basic response until I learn more from the faculty. First, as your Regent, I want to know that the process that the Regents approved last March (before I was elected, by the way) is being followed and that all faculty have had a chance to respond in appropriate and timely fashion. I also want to know that all departments have had a chance to meet with the Provost to discuss the recommendations of the audit. We have a reasonably clear response process in place, and I encourage you to participate fully in that process.

As a faculty member, I have to admit that I am somewhat disappointed in the recommendations. My primary concern is that I can't always see the connection between the program audit and the recommended structural changes at the University. Some of these structural changes seem to be motivated simply by economics, and indeed some of them don't make sense practically or in terms of curriculum design. But we have been given the opportunity to suggest alternative approaches--and we've even been given a bit more time for this process. For the time being, I have to trust in the process and see what happens.