Faculty urged to focus on students

Asked to renew their focus on students, new and returning faculty gathered in the Robins Pavilion Aug. 23 for the annual faculty colloquy.

Provost June Aprille told faculty “there are no do-overs. It has to be right the first time” as she urged a collective dedication to the success of each student.

President Bill Cooper welcomed the faculty to the 177th academic year and told them they would each “inspire the best efforts of our students and each other.”

Dr. Pauline Yu, president of the American Council of Learned Societies, spoke about the need to hold onto a liberal arts education when “all factors are trying to take us away from it.”

She said the climate surrounding higher education is changing and “we can cope only if we are certain of what we are about.” Higher education today, she said, is more likely to be presented as a consumer good and colleges are often portrayed as resistant to change. She said our response should include preparing students for a changing workplace and interdisciplinary connections. Colleges also should be able to specify what value is added through higher education. Three things colleges should be doing, she said, include emphasizing learning to learn (how to study), stimulating creativity and independent analysis, and emphasizing study for its own sake.

The deans of the five schools introduced new full-time faculty in their schools and Aprille presented six faculty members with Distinguished Educator Awards: Michael Davison, professor of music; Douglas Hicks, associate professor of leadership studies and religion and director of the Center for Civic Engagement; Corinna Lain, associate professor of law; John Marx, associate professor of English; KimMarie McGoldrick, associate professor of economics; and Porcher Taylor III, associate professor of paralegal studies and program director, Legal Assistant Program.