Yet they consistently produce students who are enthusiastic about biology and faculty members who are enthusiastic about teaching. The personal bonds forged in a seminar room, amidst the clutter of a laboratory bench, or at a Friday afternoon gathering cannot be replaced. Providing this kind of personal attention for all students can be difficult where already large enrollments are increasing. Second, successful undergraduate biology programs demonstrate that change must be firmly grounded at the departmental or programmatic level.
Good ideas can come from many sources.
But to have a lasting effect, those ideas have to be modified, adapted, and embraced until they become part of the local culture. The process requires leadership and perseverance. It usually involves changes in attitudes, perceptions, and goals. In that respect, effective department heads often are those who can instill positive attitudes without being autocratic. Administrators, too, can influence the culture that surrounds teaching through funds for travel or curriculum development, new faculty positions, and a willingness to support changes in the reward structure.