Such an experimental program to allow well prepared graduate students to participate in the education of undergraduates would in no way undermine the faculty's commendable commitment to undergraduate teaching. This approach simply acknowledges the importance of teaching and other communication skills among our graduate students. These can be developed with care for the integrity of the undergraduate classroom. The reputation of any university derives primarily from the quality of its faculty. To improve the quality and international reputation of Rice, we must maintain an intellectual environment that is attractive to the best minds in the country.
Rice demands a faculty committed to teaching and original research.
Although there is tension between these two activities, the best scholars maintain a balance between them and strive to bring the fruits of their own work to the classroom. They naturally convey to students at all levels the excitement and challenge of discovery. We must seek scholars who can view their work in relation to other disciplines and master the teaching of a range of courses beyond their area of research specialization. With the rapid evolution of disciplines and sub-disciplines, whose average duration is sometimes considerably shorter than a normal university career, it is essential to recruit faculty who can adapt to changing trends, and can thereby continue to be productive scholars and teachers over their entire careers. Sustaining an open, stimulating intellectual environment is also necessary to retain faculty and to keep them at the cutting-edge of research.