SectionSpring term: Collaborating during the Re-Envisioning Process
Schedule frequent, brief, and focused small committee meetings
agree to meet, for example, for one hour twice a week such as M & W, 2–3
strategize about what needs to be done by whom by when
focus on agreed upon priority for that meeting
encourage all to contribute their ideas
pause frequently to give people time to think, to venture an unusual possibility
identify what is important, what principles should govern a particular decision
talk together about suggestions on the table as long as needed, even multiple meetings
end on time and be content with making some progress, even if only a little, for now
Interview faculty teaching upper-division courses to ascertain current curriculum
decide who should interview whom, based on which committee member is most familiar with a course’s content and most comfortable with the current faculty member teaching the course
decide on color scheme for index cards (e.g., pink for math methods, orange for thermodynamics, yellow for quantum mechanics, green for classical mechanics, blue for electricity and magnetism, white for professional development skills)
become aware of grain size issues, of how detailed an accounting of topics is needed
meet with the faculty member teaching a course, bring index cards and pen, talk about the course content, maybe look at textbook and/or class notes, write major topics, one on each card, aim for about ten cards per course
Assemble index cards on large table that can be left undisturbed for many weeks
meet in quiet room with large table, chairs for committee members and visitors
arrange cards in columns, one for each course, in temporal order
Figure1.An example card-sorting arrangement for two courses.
keep the conversation open as contemplate changes to address identified issues
move cards around freely to try out various suggestions
keep meeting and talking until a solution emerges
Keep faculty and administrator informed and engaged during re-envisioning process
engage upper-division faculty in brainstorming needs of majors during a regularly scheduled faculty curriculum meeting
invite individual faculty members with special expertise and administrator to meet with the committee to ponder possible changes early in the discussions
provide brief updates at regularly scheduled faculty meetings
Meet one-on-one with every faculty member to discuss proposed changes
decide who should meet with whom, based on who is most comfortable with a faculty member and most knowledgeable about that person’s likely concerns
listen and respond to concerns expressed, including letting individual faculty move the cards around to try out different scenarios; discuss with committee and modify as needed
Meet with current students to discuss proposed changes
listen and respond to feedback expressed, including modifying plans as needed
Prepare presentations at sequence of two faculty meetings before vote
provide informal summary of proposed changes, with handouts, at first meeting
make formal presentation at second meeting, open floor for discussion, continue discussion until someone motions from the floor for a vote. (If seems appropriate, committee members signal to facilitator to wait to vote at a later meeting).
