D iscussion ensued. Credit hour production drives budget reimbursements from the state. This binds the institution to increased use of GTFs in undergraduate teaching. We are vulnerable on this point insofar as parents and the public have expectations that regular faculty should be teaching courses for which there are increasing tuition costs. A corollary issue is the strength of the GTF applicant pool and UO's ability to compete successfully for strong graduate students.
Situations vary by discipline.
F aculty members could each teach one course more and do less research. We could begin to introduce research at the undergraduate level by teaching the importance of research and the creation of knowledge and appreciation for the process involved. Course credit should be given for undergraduate research. Expansion of the Freshman Seminar model would allow for early integration of research with teaching, capitalizing on direct faculty-student contact and the opportunity for faculty to share their passions for their field. Marketability must be taken into account in fields where only a few undergraduates would naturally go on to graduate training.