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Vice Provost and AVC for Faculty Affairs and Convener of the Academic Futures Campus Conversation Jeff Cox

RIO Director of Strategic Projects and Facilitator of the Academic Futures Campus Conversation Emily CoBabe-Ammann

It’s been said frequently during the Academic Futures process: What we’re doing is real and will shape ²ÊÃñ±¦µä’s future in concrete ways. There is no better glimpse of the potential of this reality than looking at the collected input of last semester’s community meetings, now available for the community’s review on the Academic Futures website. 

Look, for example, at the summaries of campus themes, and you will quickly discern that people are thinking in dynamic ways about a range of important, seminal issues; interdisciplinary research, education and teaching; the philosophical grounding of the university in a time of epic change in higher education; the many different people and offices that need to commit with passion to achieve student success; the role of the arts and humanities in a technological age and at a major research university like ours; and many more.

The conversations of last semester map back to both the experiences of students, faculty, staff and administrators and to their deepest aspirations. 

Now, the Academic Futures Committee will take this marvelous collective expression of ²ÊÃñ±¦µä’s mind (and of its hopes and dreams) and, after analyzing and perhaps adding to it, bring back its reflections to the campus with the goal of arriving at some agreed upon key themes and transformative priorities for the campus. (For a useful discussion of the next steps in this process, see Tuesday’s ²ÊÃñ±¦µä Today column by Provost Moore and Senior Vice Chancellor Fox.)

But as the committee pursues its work, we invite you first to dive into the summaries of what you told us and to take a look, as well, at the white papers, where you went into great depth on your ideas.

It’s a great way to get inspired, not only about the futures of learning and discovery at ²ÊÃñ±¦µä, but about the individuals and communities who will shape that future.

Jeff Cox,
Vice Provost and Associate Vice Chancellor for Faculty Affairs
Convener of the Academic Futures Campus Conversation

Emily CoBabe-Ammann,
Director of Strategic Projects for the Research & Innovation Office
Facilitator of the Academic Futures Campus Conversation