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FOE Philosophy Committee

KEY ELEMENTS FOR PHILOSOPHY STATEMENT

Non-academic units/department mission [see evidence library document]

Student Affairs

-Meet students’ needs, regardless of what level they are

-Informing students

-Engaging students

-Encouraging involvement

-Services that are available

-Services for a diverse population

Administration & Finance

-No elements for first year statement

University Advancement

-No elements for first year statement

UNI Strategic Plan & Academic Mission Statements

-Student learning founded on a liberal education, personalized & individualized, recognizing students’ needs and experiences

-Learning critical analysis skills

-Learning professional skills

-Learning to be productive citizens & life-long learners

-Learning values, such as respect, caring, value diversity, intellectual vitality

-Safe & supportive environment

-Community of learning

  • Student learning is at the center of our culture. Students will be challenged academically. They should be taught by highly qualified tenured or tenure track faculty (“in accord with established performance targets”). Overall goal is to enable them to become lifelong learners, to continue to grow in their chosen professions, and to function as productive citizens by teaching them critical and analytical skills necessary for lifelong learning. We should be providing a curriculum and related learning activities that promote liberal learning and intellectual development while preparing students for entry level professional positions.
  • Student learning includes teaching students to be members of an open, inclusive, ethical and caring community.
  • Students need to understand and value diversity, honesty, integrity, respect, fairness, trust, civility, intellectual vitality, intellectual and academic freedom and service to others.
  • Student learning includes character building, experiential learning activities and service activities, and developing an understanding of global society – learning to understand multiple perspectives.
  • A strong liberal arts curriculum is the foundation of the undergraduate student’s academic work, and students will understand why this is the case, why it is important.
  • Students will be treated as individuals at UNI; they will be provided with a personalized learning environment that responds to their individual needs, encourages growth and recognizes their individual achievements.
  • Students need to be given a safe and supportive environment at the university.
  • Students are part of the university community – thus they should have many opportunities to interact with other groups at the university and they should be actively involved in university governance and learning within a community of scholars and students working together in a diverse and integrated learning community.
  • Students should have a variety of learning opportunities characterized by curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking.

Admissions & Marketing Communications

-Information-oriented – where to go to find …

-No philosophy

-“Students first”

-“World-class university education”

-“Broad-based learning”

-Over 1100 pieces of information in Marketing areas

-Still need to look at Jumpstart, Honors, …

-CHAMPS (NCAA) program – e.g., empowering students

Accreditation Reports

-P. 192 – Criterion 4 – “currently a desire to improve the first year experience of our students ... [wish lists of possible things like a Freshman experience]

-Qualities of an Educated Person project: broader vision – seeks increased self-knowledge & understanding of others and the world … [get statement from Linda] – but not developmentally what we want first-year students to be doing/gaining/learning

-Integrating LAC curriculum into rest of students’ coursework – why they are here, what purpose of liberal arts education is, interrelationships between the disciplines – needs to be in admissions & recruiting material but isn’t currently

Examination of Accreditation and QEP Documents for Key Elements to be Used in the Development of an Explicit First-Year Philosophy Statement

  • Committed to providing a diverse, dynamic learning environment, founded on a strong liberal arts curriculum and characterized by excellence in teaching, scholarship and service (Mission) (P. 1 accreditation)
  • The University focuses both on undergraduate education that emphasizes a personalized learning environment (Mission) (P. 1 accreditation)
  • to create a learning community that enables students to develop the knowledge, skills, and values necessary to live thoughtful, creative, and productive lives. (QEP) (p. 85 accreditation)
  • From a developmental perspective, students cultivate wisdom by combining knowledge with emotion, practical experience, and reflection. Students should be encouraged throughout their undergraduate education to integrate knowledge, skills, and values (QEP)
  • a broader vision of a UNI graduate is someone who: seeks increased self-knowledge and understanding of others and the world; is able to integrate knowledge, skills, and values into a comprehensive perspective; uses knowledge and values to guide conduct and inspire inquiry in meaningful and responsible ways; and strives for the attainment of wisdom with joy and hope for the future. The UNI graduate who possesses these qualities, indeed, will be prepared to live a thoughtful, creative, and productive life. (QEP)
  • “the culture of the University of Northern Iowa is characterized by a long-standing commitment to student learning and to excellence in teaching.” (Culture Statement – accreditation p. 50)
  • The concepts of service, diversity, mutual respect, personal well-being, and organizational effectiveness are addressed throughout the University’s 2001-2006 Strategic Plan. To those ends, UNI’s 47-credit General Education Program has as a major objective the awareness and understanding of individual, social, and civic values. (P. 70 accreditation)
  • UNI college mission statements make specific reference to the preparation of students as productive citizens in a complex, global society. Accrediting agencies often reinforce these goals. The International Association for Management Education, for example, calls for the investigation and understanding of global, ethical, and social values, especially as they impact organizations. (P. 71 accreditation)
  • All graduate and undergraduate programs require intellectual interaction between faculty and students. (P. 74 accreditation)
  • In some courses, in-class projects further encourage and promote intellectual exchange between students and faculty, and among students. (P. 74 accreditation)
  • Following a detailed overview of student outcomes assessment practices at UNI, four indicators are discussed: (1) the University strives to prepare students with knowledge, skills, and values essential for all college-educated persons; (2) all undergraduate students are expected to complete an identifiable and coherent general education component; (3) student mastery of knowledge and skills is appropriate to the degree awarded; and, (4) UNI faculty control the evaluation of student learning and the awarding of academic credit. (P. 76 accreditation)
  • To frame our general education courses within the larger purposes of an undergraduate education, the 1999 “Statement on Liberal Learning” adopted by the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AACU) precedes the general education course descriptions in the new UNI Catalog. This statement reflects the philosophy and desired outcomes of UNI’s Qualities of an Educated Person (QEP) project: (P. 86 accreditation)

“A truly liberal education is one that prepares us to live responsible, productive and creative lives in a dramatically changing world. It is an education that fosters a well-grounded intellectual resilience, a disposition toward lifelong learning, and an acceptance of responsibility for the ethical consequences of our ideas and actions. Liberal education requires that we understand the foundations of knowledge and inquiry about nature, culture and society; that we master core skills of perception, analysis, and expression; that we cultivate a respect for truth; that we recognize the importance of historical and cultural context; and that we explore connections among formal learning, citizenship, and service to our communities

“We experience the benefits of liberal learning by pursuing intellectual work that is honest, challenging, and significant, and by preparing ourselves to use knowledge and power in responsible ways. Liberal learning is not confined to particular fields of study. What matters in liberal education is substantial content, rigorous methodology and an active engagement with the societal, ethical, and practical implications of our learning. The spirit and value of liberal learning are equally relevant to all forms of higher education and to all students.”

“Because liberal learning aims to free us from the constraints of ignorance, sectarianism, and short-sightedness, it prizes curiosity and seeks to expand the boundaries of human knowledge. By its nature, therefore, liberal learning is global and pluralistic. It embraces the diversity of ideas and experiences that characterize the social, natural, and intellectual world. To acknowledge such diversity in all its forms is both an intellectual commitment and a social responsibility, for nothing less will equip us to understand our world and to pursue fruitful lives.”

“The ability to think, to learn, and to express oneself both rigorously and creatively, the capacity to understand ideas and issues in context, the commitment to live in society, and the yearning for truth are fundamental features of our humanity. In centering education upon these qualities, liberal learning is society’s best investment in our shared future.”

  • UNI students tend to be well informed about the General Education requirements, but they may not understand why these courses are required. As we enter a new century, we are committed to integrating a deeper appreciation of the General Education curriculum with the total university experience. Specifically, Objective 1.3 in our 2001-2006 Strategic Plan is to strengthen the UNI general education program and simultaneously increase understanding of and commitment to the role and value of a liberal arts education as the foundation of a university education. (P. 88 accreditation)
  • To summarize, the University strives to ensure that our students’ experiences in a diverse, dynamic learning environment equip them with the knowledge, skills, and values they will need to live thoughtful, free, and productive lives. The commitment to build on and surpass established levels of excellence in scholarship and service is embedded throughout the Mission Statement and 2001-2006 Strategic Plan. (P. 89 accreditation)

LAC Courses

-Intro. To Psychology – a lot of variation; large classes; predominantly lecture with multiple choice exams; a few have writing assignments & group work, but many do not

  • First year students are a sensitive population, and being in a large course hurts them more – they are sensitive to the perceived distance from the professor
  • Lack of professor contact – don’t pursue office hours & asking Qs after class
  • Lack of student community developed in course – anonymity
  • Therefore, they struggle. Older students do better – they are more comfortable with the student culture and can manage downfalls inherent in a large class.
  • Recommendation: Small class sizes matter for first year students. When there is not a focus on the first year, we don’t consider this & the need for it.

-Oral Comm., World Geography, College Writing & Research [see handout]

  • Academic planning & student services
  • Critical thinking ***
  • Academic integrity
  • Clear expression of ideas
  • Accepting diverse views & opinions
  • Explicit LAC statements
  • BUT students don’t always read the syllabi

Liberal Arts Core

Liberal Arts Core Goals Summary/ Wording

-foundational for realizing one’s potential within and contributing to modern societies.

-The Liberal Arts Core serves three purposes. First, it develops the broad base of knowledge and intellectual proficiencies that is characteristic of well-educated people. Second, the Core expands student awareness of their selves and of the worlds—natural, social, artistic, and others—in which they live, hopefully instilling a life-long desire to learn about these worlds. Finally, without directly teaching values, the Liberal Arts Core fosters those values and dispositions upon which effective inquiry, personal achievement, and societal well-being depend.

-It is for students to recognize the connectedness of things, to develop the disposition to perceive reality as a whole, seeing beyond partial disciplinary perspectives.

-AACU Statement on Liberal Learning

The liberal arts experience in the Liberal Arts Core exposes students to the broad areas of knowledge embodied in the whole of the environment and liberates students to further develop the knowledge, skills and values necessary to live thoughtful, creative and productive lives. The American Association of Colleges and Universities' "Statement on Liberal Learning" reflects the purposes of UNI's Liberal Arts Core program.

-UNI does require the Liberal Arts Core:

  • to provide students with the benefits of a Liberal Arts education.
  • The University's Liberal Arts Core requirements, which are a part of every undergraduate major, provide the foundation needed for lifelong learning that is so critical in a world undergoing rapid change. It provides students with the skills to think critically, to reason quantitatively, to communicate effectively, and to synthesize new information and new patterns of thought. It instills in students an appreciation and understanding of the many cultures of the world; it introduces them to the rich heritage of major intellectual and aesthetic achievements of humankind and, in the process, prepares them to live and work in a truly multicultural and global society.
  • to prepare students with the skills and knowledge employers are seeking.
  • Employers do not just want students who are knowledgeable in their major. They are also seeking students who can think, communicate, solve problems, and demonstrate good interpersonal skills. The Liberal Arts Core can assist you in the development of these skills in conjunction with your major courses making you a more well-rounded and desirable employee. View more about preparation for the world of work.

GENERAL DISCUSSION: What makes the statement for the first year different than what we do at the other years? We could mention this in the report. This sets the stage for what we do.

Freshmen experience

Sophomore year experience in CSBS – workshops, panels, goal to help them feel connected (SEA) – to confront the “sophomore slump” (like middle-child syndrome)

DATA DISCUSSION: People who have most direct contact with students have the most (merit staff) and the least understanding the philosophy (faculty members are worst on every single indicator). There is a really clear distinction – faculty must be targeted, because they don’t feel they’re getting information. Institution is not reinforcing what should be happening in the first year. And yet the mission seems to “students first”. The university has not communicated any mission to faculty. This mission could be written such that it is a privilege to teach the course.

In departments where there are a lot of LAC courses, the adjuncts and TAs and instructors are in the LAC – you “have” to teach this, not you “get” to teach this. Perhaps this is true of large departments, and not of smaller departments (e.g., Philosophy & World Religions course).

Secret “LAC” club – people who like to teach the LAC, but who don’t talk about it. Some love it, including teaching the big class. It has to come from intrinsic motivation. There is no reward.

Perhaps administrators are talking to their staff (clerical) more – so they know the first-year situations better.

GTAs getting better trained, perhaps (but only 4 of them answering).

  1. University strategic plan

…a long-standing commitment to student learning and to excellence in teaching. This commitment has been established through the development of an open, ethical and caring community that promotes diversity, honesty, integrity, respect, fairness, trust and civility among its members. This community has created a culture based on core values that include intellectual vitality, intellectual and academic freedom, the well-being of its members and service to others.

The University of Northern Iowa community values:

  • Excellence in all its endeavors
  • Intellectual vitality
  • Intellectual and academic freedom, dialogue and the free exchange of ideas
  • Expansive awareness of multiple perspectives characteristic of a global society
  • An ethical, caring and diverse community characterized by pluralism and civility
  • Personalized learning
  • The well being of its students, faculty and staff
  • Service to the citizens of the State of Iowa, the nation and the world
  • An appreciation of people with different backgrounds with an emphasis on gender, race/ethnicity, religion, age, sexual orientation, physical abilities, socioeconomic class, and national origin.

…dedicated to providing a personalized learning environment, founded on a strong liberal arts curriculum

Objective 1.2: Provide a personalized learning environment that responds to needs, encourages growth, and recognizes achievements of individual students.

Objective 1.3: Increase understanding of and commitment to the role and value of a liberal arts education as the foundation of a university education.

Objective 1.4: Enhance appreciation of, and encourage participation in, co-curricular and extra-curricular activities that cultivate intellect and character.

  1. CBA mission/goals

We will seek through a variety of means to develop in ourselves and in our students a set of skills and attitudes that will make us positive contributors to a complex, global society.

… learning opportunities characterized by curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking.

  1. CHFA mission/goals

… a community of scholars and students working together in a diverse and integrated learning community. Such a community is devoted to exploring and communicating knowledge, to creating art, and to every aspect of human communication, as well as to sharing the thought and methods, which underlie this exploration and creation

… provide an excellent education to our students so they are able to affect their own continued
intellectual, moral and aesthetic growth.

Through on and off campus opportunities, interdisciplinary and international programs, and cultural and artistic events we shall provide a strong foundation for the future of our students.

  1. CNS mission/goals

… to provide a high quality education that will prepare students to live and work in an increasingly scientific, technological, and mathematical world.

  1. COE mission/goals

Goal 1: Provide intellectually stimulating and challenging experiences for students that broaden and deepen their perspective and awareness.

Objective 1B: / Strengthen programs by providing more experiential learning opportunities in a range of diverse settings.