By Bess Donoghue

Ward introduces the fifth effort

The Faculty Senate Review

UWs Faculty Senate held its monthly meeting Monday, Dec. 5, which aimed to formulate a strategic response towards the recent budget cuts. The meeting was presided over by interim Chancellor David Ward, who supervised a discussion of educational matters surrounding the university. Ward initiated a discussion on Educational Innovation, or what he claims is the fifth effort to enhancing the current standing of the university. Previously, this stride consisted of four strategies: campaigning for more public money, proposing a more moderate tuition, administrative streamlining, and transferring technology to create a public value. Ward argued the importance of surveying the current curricular structure at UW from the one proposed throughout the 1900s. With the stress of budget cuts upon the university, Wards proposed concept would help to relieve the restraints on UW faculty, should the fiscal situation not improve.

I think there are times when we are trapped by Interim Chancellor David Ward addresses Educational Innovation, at our own sense of teaching, our own sense of the recent Faculty Senate meeting in response to the budget lapse. time, and our own sense of the semester, Ward many attendees that supported Wards message to extend an efsaid. fort towards improving the educational structure. Ward insists that there are a variety of opportunities for improveSometimes I find myself not even getting to teach a class in my ment and asks each department to discuss innovations that could specialty, Downs said. With some adjustments I think I could be made to the educational structure. According to Ward, some make my specialty, not taught anywhere else in the world, unique departments have already initiated successful changes. In order to the medical schools curriculum. to truly succeed, Ward said a collective effort is necessary. We have truly become an individualistic society, Ward said. Whether its political science or philosophy, the idea of transitioning from individualistic to collective behavior is purely an invitation to an organic joining together to deal with this. Four-year UW Faculty Senate member Karen Downs represented District 83 for Cell and Regenerative Biology. Downs was one of While administration aims to work on previous efforts, the Education Innovation was Wards initial start. He asked faculty to reflect on their responsibilities as educators. If I were an 18-year-old, and I know what I know now, is this the educational structure that I would like to go through for four-five years of undergraduate education? Ward said.

Photo Courtesy of University Communications

Next Meeting....

Feb. 5, 2012, Bascom 272, 3:30 p.m.