Institutional Panel

May 22, 1998

 

Pat Fewell, Eastern Illinois University

Administrators ‘R’ Us -- administators have faculty roots. They also have to answer difficult questions. Funding new initiatives, such as technology, has to come from somewhere, and those choices are difficult to make.

Change of the institution takes a great deal of time.

Much can and should come from departments: identification of needs -- equipment and infrastructure, criteria that recognize use of technology,

 

Gene Ruoff, University of Illinois at Chicago

Reallocation decisions are very difficult. The only money we have is the money we have. To fund technology on a recurring basis, we may have to cut positions -- or reallocate to technical support (more leather jackets and earrings; fewer tweeds).

Who’s reponsibility is what? UIC has assumed the cost of the basic infrastructure at the institutional level. Have gone from 3,000 connections to 16,000 in three years. This is a campus responsibility. Replacement of desktop equipment must be budgeted by the colleges and departments. There isn’t going to be a campus-wide distribution again.

The reward structure is set at the department level, thus in the faculty’s hands . . . a matter of faculty culture at the unit level. There is opportunity to make change at the local evel.

Margaret Winters, Southern Illinois University

Many things work better bottom up, than top down. Changing the institution takes a long time.

Administration must be educated. Must see in faculty the enthusiasm for improving teacing and learning. Long term change in the culture must come from faculty and from administrative levels.

Find out how structures work in the institution. Find out how the Senate and committees work. Find out whose endorsement is useful. Find out what happens with fellowships and awards, summer appointments. Find out about the planning cycle works. Learn who to influence--communicate upward and externally.

Audience

Is any campus providing release time for preparing online courses? Yes, at UIUC and UIC (at Urbana, it’s an expectation) EIU has used sabbaticals.

Could a top-down approach foster faculty development and support?

Effective planning and change must be both: bottom up and top down.

Joint strategies to work on w/ IBHE?

1. diminish the number of models we go to the State with--can we collaborate on suggested models for institutions

2. the State is interested in sharing instruction -- can we share curriculum

3. articulation with community colleges re core curriculum

4. cross-listing courses between sister campuses

5. gaps in academic computing -- operating on a old model--faculty oversight of academic computing should become the norm

6. statewide licenses? centralized server support? would enable more collaboration, as well as economies of scale (Keith Dorwick)