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June 12, 2015Sage Contributes to NAC&U Publication Aiming to Increase Student Learning by Restructuring Faculty Workloads, Assessments
Teagle-funded project examines holistic departments; updated faculty evaluation process
ALBANY & TROY, NY – Faculty and administrators from The Sage Colleges contributed to “Redefining the Paradigm: Faculty Models to Support Student Learning” – a monograph that encourages colleges and universities to more effectively structure departments to address changes in higher education and better support student learning. Over the past two years, several members of the Sage community worked with colleagues throughout the New American Colleges and Universities (NAC&U) consortium on this Teagle Foundation-funded project to study and make recommendations on holistic departments and faculty evaluation methods.
“Colleges and universities haven’t really changed the way departments are structured and the way faculty are evaluated despite major shifts in pedagogy and faculty responsibilities over the past few decades,” said the monograph’s co-editor David Salomon, professor of English and director of undergraduate research at The Sage Colleges. “We need to move away from viewing professors as the ‘sage on the stage’ and instead focus on the various activities – inside and outside of the classroom – that they do to foster student learning and advance the institutional mission.”
In the monograph, NAC&U outlines a new way of organizing departments and programs as “holistic departments” and recommends a new process for faculty evaluation called “the learning-centered paradigm.” Traditionally faculty have been evaluated on scholarship, teaching and service, but this monograph addresses the reality that faculty are engaged in many activities that cannot be easily separated into those categories. Instead, it argues for a holistic view of a department’s collective workload and seeks to achieve fluid, equitable workloads that can change as the department’s and faculty members’ needs change.
The authors call for a holistic view of faculty assessment as outcomes and successes can be demonstrated in many areas, rather than simply scholarship, teaching and service, such as mentoring undergraduate researchers, facilitating learning communities, and coordinating experiential learning opportunities including internships and civic engagement projects. The monograph promotes the idea of students as active learners, working collaboratively with faculty doing research, service projects or other experiential learning.
“NAC&U was a good candidate to adopt this project because our member campuses already have an integrated view of higher education,” said NAC&U President and co-editor Nancy Hensel. “In fact, some campuses were already examining these issues which allowed us to include real-world examples in the monograph.”
“Redefining the Paradigm: Faculty Models to Support Student Learning,” edited by Nancy Hensel, Lynn Hunnicutt and David Salomon, is available on the NAC&U website at www.newamericancolleges.org. The Holistic Department Committee included representatives from Arcadia University, Belmont University, Hamline University, Pacific Lutheran University, The Sage Colleges, University of Evansville, Valparaiso University, Westminster College, and Widener University. The Faculty Evaluation Committee included representatives from Belmont University, Hamline University, The Sage Colleges, University of Evansville, Wagner College, Westminster College, and Widener University.
In addition to David Salomon, other Sage faculty members who contributed to this study include Tonya Moutray, Mary Rea, Mel Horton, Sean Hovendick, Gayle Morse, Lori Quigley and former provost Terry Weiner.
Working to support and strengthen liberal arts education, The Teagle Foundation supports projects to improve student learning in the arts and sciences.
About The New American Colleges and Universities
Founded in 1995, The New American Colleges and Universities is a national consortium of selective, small to mid-size (2,000-7,500 students) independent colleges and universities dedicated to the purposeful integration of liberal education, professional studies, and civic engagement. To improve the quality and effectiveness of teaching and learning among its members, The New American Colleges and Universities sponsors projects and conferences, administrator and faculty affinity groups, surveys and data benchmarking, and international study programs. The New American Colleges and Universities collectively and individually are often cited as models of the intentional integration of teaching and learning, scholarship, and service. Follow them on Twitter @NACandU.
Media Interviews: David Solomon is available to talk about the details of the monograph. To schedule an interview contact Deanna Cohen, director of external relations, The Sage Colleges (518) 244-4593 (O), (518) 598-4927 (C), email: cohend2@sage.edu _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ABOUT SAGE Interdisciplinary academics, combining the professions and the liberal arts, community engagement, international exposure, and artistic and athletic endeavors are among the pillars of the educational experience at The Sage Colleges. Sage enrolls more than 3,000 students in bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral programs at the undergraduate Russell Sage College for women in Troy, N.Y.; the coeducational undergraduate Sage College of Albany in Albany, N.Y.; and the graduate-level Esteves School of Education, School of Health Sciences and School of Management, with programs on both campuses; adult education through the School of Professional and Continuing Education and via the Internet through Russell Sage Online.
