This foundation is essential in the context of the open admissions policy of the college. Fundamental to excellence is that faculty are knowledgeable about their particular discipline. This knowledge includes substantive content as well as keen insight into the roles they play in their departments and on campus as a whole. There is no substitute for faculty members' having an in-depth knowledge of their field in order to transfer knowledge to students. Without this strong base, faculty are ill-prepared to foster student learning, even if their motivational techniques and interpersonal skills are sound.
Excellent faculty are knowledgeable about how students learn.
They understand established principles of learning which serve as a foundation for the work they do with the students they advise, teach, and academically support. This knowledge encompasses the heterogeneous nature of our campus. Excellent faculty integrate current subject matter into their work. Students should have the information and the results of research which reflect the latest work in the field. These faculty update their professional skills, knowledge base, and resources to make their instruction meaningful, timely and refreshing to students.