Academic Planning Task Force

Minutes of 17 April 2007 Meeting

1. Coming to closure on the “size of the University” discussion:

-- Zvi observed that the group seemed more-or-less comfortable with an overall size of 6,500 +/- and with 5% as an approximate growth rate. There was general consensus.

-- but what should the guidelines for growth goals be? Should it be left to the departments? Should department proposals be reviewed, and if so, by what body?

-- the University needs to focus on sustainable growth / numbers

-- overall considerations must include awareness of the need to eliminate as well as add or re-frame programs

-- growth will ultimately depend on resources and we can’t predict resource availability nor University System response to needs

-- we need flexible, contingent planning

-- we need prioritization based on factors including resource needs and potential for growth.

-- the numbers above leave room for probably half-a-dozen new degree programs; we’re already pursuing or actively discussing engineering (several), education, psychology, chemistry, and DTAE articulation; if these really are our priorities, there isn’t “room” for much more in the next 10 years

-- what should we be focusing on? We can’t focus on everything, everywhere, all the time. The following possibilities have already emerged:

Accounting (B.S. and M.S.)

Architectural Science (B.S.)

Architecture (M.S.)

Education (B.S., or possibly M.S. first)

Other specialty engineering

Core engineering

New media studies

Fine and applied arts

Computational science

SIS (political science, history, or Spanish)

Center for business and engineering and research ethics

DPS (Doctor of Professional Studies) in IT

-- we need guidelines for making our choices, among these could / should be:

student credit hour generation

prospects for industry support

prospects for funded research

filling of disciplinary gap (i.e. chemistry)

prospects for raising university profile, publicity

identified Georgia need

improved program quality

demand (i.e. psychology)

real costs

“fit” with overall university plan (i.e. psychology as a precursor to education)

-- a potentially fruitful model for exploring new areas has emerged on campus: start with a concentration, minor, certificate --> demonstrated student interest / demand --> additional resources / creation of a major

-- we need a clear mission, vision, identity as a filter: who / what do we want to be? How does a given proposal fit that goal?

-- we’ve circled back to where we started at the beginning of the semester; because it’s a really fundamental question

--“Georgia’s Technology University,” focused but narrow

-- “Comprehensive,” broad but everything “fits”

--technology and society are changing so fast, we need to preserve the ability to react to needs of employers, the public, students, while evaluating the viability of possible responses

-- one model of rapid response: to serve as a “degree incubator” for the USG; develop and “try out” innovative new programs that, if desirable and viable, might be moved to other campuses or continued here

-- we need to think about “size” in ways that don’t run into physical on-campus space constraints, for instance on-line, low residency, alternate scheduling of available resources

--we also need a retention plan from the inception of any program

Minutes prepared by acting secretary, Julie Newell