Millennium Commission
envisions the next century
College aims for the 'next great college of education'
By Michael Childs
UGA’s College of Education is undertaking a grassroots effort to redefine
its vision,
mission and goals for the beginning of the next century. There are
no state or federal
requirements forcing this reconsideration--the college is simply determining,
through
a broad-based ratification process, what it wants to be.
The Millennium Commission, a cross-section of more
than 30 faculty members,
staff, students and alumni, has been working on this project for several
months,
having been authorized to envision the college’s future by Dean Russell
Yeany.
The group recently released a draft of its “first
thoughts” for “The Next Great
College of Education,” to open its doors in September 2004. They sought
college-wide input by hosting a town-hall session in conjunction with
the fall faculty
meeting Oct. 8. The session was led by Barbara Wright, alumni president
and
commission co-chair; Jennifer Moon, graduate student; and Robert Branch,
Joan
Buttram and Carl Glickman, faculty representatives.
The commission’s report included several innovative
goals:
-
Every undergraduate and graduate student will demonstrate leadership.
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New academic programs will include collaborative work with other
colleges across the university.
-
Teaching, research and service by staff and faculty will include greater
collaboration with community, state, national and international agencies.
“In the year 2004, the college’s students will be recognized
for their leadership,
have far greater choices of courses and each will be known well by
their peers,
faculty and staff,” says Branch, an associate professor in instructional
technology.
“In teaching, research and service, faculty and
staff will demonstrate tangible
benefits for improving education, learning and the general lives of
citizens,
communities and society at large. We will incorporate the wisdom of
our extended
college family, with alumni and retired faculty volunteering their
expertise in career
assistance and mentoring.”
A recommitment will be made to diversity, equity
and free expression, he says.
“What I encouraged the Millennium Commission to
do was not to try to find
another college to replicate--because there probably isn’t one. We
already are
in the highest echelon of recognition, external funding and quality
programs,” says
Dean Yeany. “Instead, our college should set the standard for the nation
of what
a powerful land-grant college of education should be doing.”
The group has studied programs at other colleges,
looked at internal and external
reports of current programs and activities, interviewed several deans,
reviewed the
college’s budget and trends and solicited feedback from faculty, staff,
students and
alumni.
Karen Holbrook, UGA’s senior vice president for
academic affairs and provost,
lauded the commission’s work as extremely important and asked that,
as the project
moved along, it be shared with all the deans.
A final version of the Phase One report re-defining
the college’s vision, mission
and goals is due Jan. 10, 1999. After its ratification by all constituents,
the
commission will move into Phase Two, drafting an implementation plan
to be
presented Jan. 10, 2000. Implementation is expected to begin in 2001,
with full
implementation by 2004.
