He said the committee favored assessment of learning outcomes. In terms of electronic means of instruction, it's hard to say where it is heading. The Senate now has a task force to evaluate a series of questions regarding current trends in electronic means of instruction, questions such as when it is appropriate, under which conditions is it an improvement, and how does one change his or her teaching style to make it effective. He said the committee tried hard to identify more specifically the roles of faculty, student affairs, external affairs, and other areas of campus, because these areas were not well identified in the previous plan. The committee tried to achieve a balance by writing the plan in general terms.
All colleges now have a strategic plan.
The Provost is also working on an Academic Plan that will dovetail with the University Strategic Plan. In light of these other plans, the committee decided that the University Strategic Plan should not contain too much detail. Ganesh Rajagopalan added that the Faculty Development and Administrative Relations Council is currently working on assessing teaching effectiveness. Denise Vrchota spoke in support of the plan's learning focus. Dan Ashlock asked how learning-centered methods can be applied in large classes.