August 23, 2007

Members of the Faculty:

Greetings, faculty, as you return to courses and classrooms, colleagues and students!  It was a pleasure at the opening faculty meeting to welcome everyone back to campus and a special joy to introduce our eight new tenure track faculty, seven new visiting faculty and lecturers, and twenty-four new adjunct lecturers—we look forward to the knowledge and experience they will bring to the College.  Whether you are a new or returning member, I hope the summer has been pleasant and productive and that you come to campus refreshed and ready for an exciting year. 

The thrill of a new year reenergizes us to our shared goals as members of this distinguished community.  As always, these are anchored in our primary responsibilities: to excel as teachers and as mentors in and out of the classroom, to bring students to higher levels of accomplishment through higher expectations of them, and to develop as scholars and consummate professionals in our fields. 

When you have the chance, please take a moment to read the Annual Report from the Academic Affairs Division for 2006-2007 (available on the intranet).  It chronicles an impressive year of accomplishments that brought a number of important faculty projects to fruition.  We have completed the implementation of The McDaniel Plan, with requirements in Integrated Study in the Liberal Arts, that will provide new opportunities for student learning.  With the support of a grant from the Mellon Foundation, we have established the Center for Faculty Excellence in Hoover Library—we look forward to the opening ceremony next month—and we have undertaken development programs for the new requirements in writing and Sophomore Interdisciplinary Studies.  We have established the Center for the Study of Aging and other new graduate programs.  I thank you all for your contributions to these projects, as individuals and members of your departments.

I look forward to the first regular faculty meeting on Tuesday, September 11, at 11:45 a.m.  This will be a year in which there will be a great deal to discuss and work on collaboratively, as we roll out the new curriculum and create new programs of faculty development.  We have an agenda of important issues, and I anticipate a year of dialogue on such issues as curriculum development, assessment, diversity, technology, experiential learning, and global education. 

As I begin my fourth year as Dean of the Faculty, my appreciation continues to grow for all that you do for our students.  I thank you in advance for the good work you will do in the coming year and ask you to continue to share with me your thoughts, ideas and proposals.

 

Sincerely,

Thomas M. Falkner

Provost and Dean of the Faculty

TMF:amt