SUBJECT: Teaching Load Drop-In Sessions

Dear colleagues; 

We are excited to start conversations and work with those faculty and programs interested in the conversion of courses from 3 credit hours to 4 credit hours.  As Interim Provost Scarlatta described in her recent email, the goal of this initiative is to move faculty from teaching three 3-credit courses a semester to two 4-credit courses, thus ultimately freeing up faculty time to focus on research, course development, implementing innovations in teaching or developing new programs.  

This semester the Provost Office wants to work with any and all faculty who have interest in examining their curriculum holistically and then transitioning courses from 3-credits to 4-credits.  We acknowledge that in the short-term it will take time and effort for faculty to review and change curriculum, and that it will require discipline and department approvals, but we believe it will be an opportunity to reflect on course offerings and improve programs to better address the needs of our students and the ongoing time pressures facing faculty. 

To support those faculty and programs interested in changing their curriculum the Provost Office will be holding a number of Drop-In Information and Conversation Sessions. These sessions will be led by Provost Faculty Fellows Kelly Jabbusch and Alex Yi, who will be joined by Associate Provosts Mitch Sollenberger and Maureen Linker, Instructional Designers from the Hub, our curriculum support specialist McKenna Maurino, and others. In these sessions we will discuss the overall objectives of the transition; as well as provide support for curriculum development and the mechanics for implementing changes. Please sign up for one of the listed Drop-In sessions below:

• Friday, 11/5, 2:00 pm-3:00 pm
• Monday, 11/8, 2:00 pm-3:00 pm
• Thursday, 11/11, 11:00 am-12:00 pm
• Monday, 11/15, 9:00 am-10:00 am

Regards,

Mitch Sollenberger and Maureen Linker Associate Provosts