College of Humanities and Social Sciences Compact Plan, The Engaged Liberal Arts: Creating the Future Now

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1 I. Introduction College of Humanities and Social Sciences Compact Plan, The Engaged Liberal Arts: Creating the Future Now Next year will be the 40 th anniversary of the creation of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences at North Carolina State University. Few would have projected that CHASS would now be the 2nd largest college at NC State. More than 3,800 undergraduate and 580 graduate students are enrolled in academic programs leading to Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Social Work, Master of Arts, Master of International Studies, Master of Public Administration, Master of Science, Master of Sociology, and Doctor of Philosophy degrees. The 250-member CHASS faculty is nationally recognized for its excellence in teaching, scholarship, research, and engagement activities. Many CHASS faculty have been elected to membership in the NC State Academy of Outstanding Teachers or have received college and university-wide research awards. CHASS students are highly competitive and actively involved in leadership roles across the campus. In recent years, CHASS students have represented more than half of the NC State students eligible for membership in Phi Beta Kappa. From the beginning, CHASS has been committed to liberal education for all NC State students. Historically, the College s mission has included helping students develop the communication and critical thinking skills necessary for a lifetime of learning, regardless of their chosen careers or professions. We encourage students to address questions of ethics and responsibility to the community and society. We provide students with the international and cross-cultural perspectives essential to understanding the global, diverse society in which we live. We stimulate their imagination, intellectual curiosity, confidence, and engagement in the world. The CHASS Compact Plan for , and its successor for , will plot the course for liberal education at NC State in this new century. We believe in the social responsibility of higher education, and in the special responsibility of the humanities and social sciences to focus our intellectual resources on the great problems we confront as a society and as a globe including poverty, war, racism, injustice, and environmental degradation. Our Compact Plan focuses on the engaged liberal arts. For CHASS, taking advantage of our location at a public, land-grant, research-extensive university, this means a focus on interdisciplinary programs and engagement with the communities we serve. This focus is reflected in the college mission: The mission of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences is to support education, research, scholarship, and engagement that advances the frontiers of

2 knowledge in our disciplines and programs, impacts the human condition and problems facing our communities, the nation, and the world, and develops future leaders and global citizens with a commitment to service and engagement. Over the next decade we expect to reshape liberal education in ways that will dramatically impact the experience of our students and the expectations we have of our faculty. We are committed to working with other colleges at NC State, as partners in the enterprise of liberal education, to ensure that all NC State students are prepared to meet the challenges they will face in their careers and in their lives. When we celebrate the 50 th anniversary of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences in 2013, we envision a learning environment in which every CHASS student will be involved in interdisciplinary programs, service-learning, internships and mentoring relationships, as essential elements of a liberal education. Every CHASS faculty member will have the opportunity to participate in engagement sabbaticals in business, government, and nonprofits, during which they will apply their expertise to real world problems and return to the classroom with a new perspective on their work. For students and faculty, making a difference locally, nationally, and globally, will be a core value. This future involves major challenges, and requires greater expectations, for the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. The initiatives proposed in the CHASS Compact Plan for represent important building blocks toward that future. Our goals link directly with the university s academic affairs objectives, namely to become a top tier public, research university, a magnet for exceptional students and faculty, and a provider of life-long learning opportunities to the citizens of North Carolina. Our goals are consistent with Chancellor Fox s goals for NC State, including building a diverse and inclusive campus community, fostering new partnerships, and preparing to meet the enrollment challenges we face in the next decade. The CHASS Compact Plan for is organized around five major initiatives: Building a Faculty for the 21 st Century Expanding Interdisciplinary Educational Opportunities Raising the College Profile in Graduate Education and Research Serving Communities and the Schools Increasing the Efficiency of College Operations Cutting across these themes are four programmatic areas of emphasis: Nonprofit Leadership and Volunteerism Research and Professional Ethics Environmental Studies Ethnicity, International Studies, and Area Studies in Global Perspective 2

3 II. Initiatives Initiative 1: Building a Faculty for the 21 st Century Today s universities must deliver quality educational programs that meet the needs of the new century and respond to the demands of an increasingly diverse student population. This will require the recruitment, retention, and development of future faculty with a commitment to student learning, an understanding of the benefits of interdisciplinary and applied research, and a desire to be engaged with the communities we serve. Objectives: A. Recruit and retain faculty in support of new, interdisciplinary programs and initiatives. B. Recruit and retain a faculty that reflects the diversity of American society and the NC State community. C. Enhance faculty ability to deal with the challenges of an increasingly diverse educational environment. D. Enhance faculty participation in extension and engagement activities. A. Create eight new faculty positions in targeted interdisciplinary areas of emphasis (two in Nonprofit Leadership and Volunteerism, one in Environment, and one in Ethics). One of the Nonprofit positions is linked to the Kretzer Professorship in the Humanities, enabling the college to recruit a senior faculty member to provide essential leadership for the Nonprofit Initiative. B. Reallocate vacant faculty lines in support of interdisciplinary areas of emphasis, through the process of cluster hiring. C. Offer more competitive starting salaries and hiring packages, consistent with NC State s peer departments in the humanities and social sciences. Currently CHASS starting salaries are percent below our peers. D. Organize workshops for new faculty on dealing with diversity in the classroom, in conjunction with new faculty orientation. E. Sponsor an annual diversity forum for CHASS faculty. F. Support diversity consultants to work with individual CHASS departments on specific issues of concern to their faculty, staff, and students. G. Establish a pilot program of Engagement Sabbaticals for faculty, building on a new initiative with SAS. H. Pursue Extension Appointments for CHASS faculty, with an initial focus on Philosophy (Extension Ethicist) and Sociology. A. Comparable tenure-stream faculty salaries at peer institutions. B. Percentage of faculty of color. 3

4 C. Number of faculty participating in Engagement Sabbaticals. This Initiative is included in Category C: Supporting Unit-Specific Goals and Aspirations. It also contributes to Category A: Supporting University/Provost Goals Diversity. Initiative 2: Expanding Interdisciplinary Educational Opportunities CHASS has a long history of involvement in interdisciplinary teaching and research, through faculty associated with the Division of Multidisciplinary Studies and other departments across the college. The college needs to strengthen its current efforts, and expand its commitment to interdisciplinary programs, in order to better serve the needs of NC State students and our society. Expansion of interdisciplinary programs supports the CHASS enrollment strategy designed to better serve internal transfers and recruit more competitive freshmen. CHASS has constituted an Ad Hoc Task Force on Interdisciplinary Programs, which will work during spring semester 2003 to: (1) examine the college s current involvement in interdisciplinary programs, with an emphasis on assessing strengths and identifying opportunities for expansion; (2) examine models for interdisciplinary programs at peer institutions, and invite the participation of external consultants from those programs; and (3) examine alternative administrative arrangements that would support an expansion of CHASS interdisciplinary activities and enable the college to serve more students. The dean has committed $60,000 of one-time funds to support the work of this Task Force. Objectives: A. Expand enrollments in existing interdisciplinary majors, minors, and certificate programs (e.g., Science, Technology and Society; Self-Designed Major; Africana Studies; Women s and Gender Studies). B. Develop new, interdisciplinary degree programs designed to serve the needs of NC State s science and technology-oriented undergraduate student population. The initial focus will be on Africana Studies, International Studies, and the Environment. C. Increase the participation of CHASS students in study abroad and international exchange programs. A. Enhance the marketing of existing interdisciplinary educational opportunities through the production of new recruiting materials and an updated website. B. Provide summer stipends to faculty teams in designated areas to develop courses associated with new, interdisciplinary majors, minors, and certificate programs. C. Support team-teaching in interdisciplinary courses, by subsidizing replacement sections. 4

5 D. Establish the position of Director of International Programs in CHASS, with responsibility for coordination of college-sponsored international programs, including study abroad. E. Bring nationally- and internationally-recognized speakers to campus. F. Create two new joint faculty positions in support of Gender and Science programs, through codicils with the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and the College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences. G. Enhance staff support for interdisciplinary educational opportunities, through internal reallocation of SPA staff and the addition of two SPA staff to provide pooled support. A. Number of students enrolled in or served by interdisciplinary majors, minors, and certificate programs. B. Number of new interdisciplinary courses developed and offered in designated areas of emphasis. C. University community attendance at events sponsored by interdisciplinary programs/activities. D. Number of CHASS students studying abroad or participating in international exchange programs. This Initiative is included in Category E: Supporting Enrollment Targets. It also contributes to Category C: Supporting Unit-Specific Goals and Aspirations. Initiative 3: Raising the College Profile in Graduate Education and Research During this decade, several existing CHASS graduate programs have the potential to advance significantly in the national rankings. Programs in Public Administration and Sociology, currently ranked in the top 50, can move into the top 30 with incremental investments in faculty and other resources. Five specialty areas in Psychology (Ergonomics, Industrial/Organizational, School Psychology, Developmental Psychology, and Psychology in the Public Interest) either are currently ranked within the top ten, or have the potential to be ranked in the top ten, within the decade. In addition, CHASS is committed to the development of two to three new, interdisciplinary Ph.D. programs in the humanities and social sciences. This goal supports the university objective of becoming a top-tier public, research-extensive university and a member of the Association of American Universities. At the same time, the college is committed to sustaining and strengthening existing graduate programs, including targeted masters programs that serve important segments of the community. The college has improved its track record in attracting externally-sponsored research and fellowship support during the past five years. Incremental investments in support of proposal generation, with a focus on the generation of proposals to support interdisciplinary research, will enhance college performance in this area. 5

6 Objectives: A. Obtain permission to plan, establish, and implement a new, interdisciplinary Ph.D. in Communication, Rhetoric and Digital Media. B. Build enrollments in existing graduate programs, with an emphasis on increasing the quality of students and the national draw. C. Reduce the time to degree for students enrolled in Ph.D. programs. D. Create three new joint faculty positions in support of the NC State Research Ethics Program, through codicils with the College of Veterinary Medicine, the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, and the College of Engineering. E. Increase externally-sponsored research and fellowship activity, linked to the expansion of interdisciplinary research centers. A. Establish the necessary infrastructure to support the Ph.D. in Communication, Rhetoric and Digital Media. (Includes half-time program assistant, course reductions for program director, and funds for development of new courses. Support for TAs included in Strategy C. below.) B. Develop a national recruiting strategy for graduate programs, with an emphasis on enhancing the diversity of the graduate student population. C. Create additional graduate teaching assistant slots and stipends to support existing and planned graduate programs total of 47: 6 MA in Nonprofit Leadership and Volunteerism, 4 MA in History, 1 MA and 2 Ph.D. in Public Administration, 4 Master of International Studies, 2 Ph.D. in Sociology, 4 MA in Applied Anthropology, 4 MFA Creative Writing, 6 Ph.D. in Communication, Rhetoric and Digital Media, 2 MA in French, 2 MA in Spanish, and 10 Ph.D. in Psychology. The college has invested approximately $250,000 in permanent block grant funds to raise existing stipends to competitive levels. D. Create half-time grant-writer position in CHASS Research Office to assist development of proposals for external support of interdisciplinary research. E. Provide seed grants for interdisciplinary research teams comprised of faculty across the college (and university). A. National rankings of programs in Public Administration, Sociology, and specialty areas in Psychology. B. Quality of entering graduate students, as measured by GPA and GRE scores. C. Diversity of graduate student population. D. Time-to-degree, especially for Ph.D. programs. E. Number and dollar value of grant proposals submitted and funded. This Initiative is included in Category D: Supporting Improved Performance. It also contributes to Category A: Supporting University/Provost Goals Diversity, and Category C: Supporting Unit-Specific Goals and Aspirations. 6

7 Initiative 4: Serving Communities and the Schools Consistent with the mission and responsibilities of a public, land-grant, researchextensive university, CHASS will expand its existing commitment to serving communities and the schools, by providing relevant educational programs, applied research, and extension and engagement activities. The expansion of partnerships with the schools and the development of new partnerships with the North Carolina nonprofit community are essential elements of the CHASS Compact Plan. Objectives: A. Maintain physical space designated as the headquarters of CHASS Extension and Engagement (219 Oberlin Road). B. Implement initiative on Nonprofit Leadership and Volunteerism, including anticipated support from the Fletcher Foundation. C. Reassess current graduate programs (masters) and develop and implement new graduate degrees designed to serve the needs of communities and the schools. D. Expand Humanities Extension programming, including publications in the humanities and social sciences. A. Support annual rent of approximately $60,000 for space at 219 Oberlin Road. B. Create Nonprofit Clinic to provide expertise to nonprofit organizations in the State of North Carolina. C. Implement MA degrees in French and Spanish, targeted at teachers in the schools (support for TAs included in Initiative 3). D. Request authorization to plan, establish, and implement the Master of Social Work degree, in weekend format, designed to serve the needs of the professional social work community. (Requires two additional faculty lines, in and ) E. Develop Community Partners for Latino Success initiative, led by the ESL Program. F. Recruit additional faculty member in School Psychology. (Included in Psychology MOU.) G. Recruit additional faculty member in Psychology in the Public Interest (formerly, Human Resource Development). (Included in Psychology MOU.) A. Number of students enrolled in professionally-oriented graduate programs. B. Number of clients and agencies served by clinics and other extension and engagement programs. C. Number of faculty participating in Humanities Extension outreach programs. 7

8 D. Number of students benefiting from Humanities Extension outreach programs and publications. This Initiative is included in Category A: Supporting University/Provost Goals Partnerships. Initiative 5: Increasing the Efficiency of College and Department Operations Addressing the challenges posed by anticipated enrollment increases over the next decade will require CHASS to develop new business practices that make more effective use of college resources. CHASS needs to address the critical shortage of classrooms sized to serve growing enrollments, particularly in high-demand programs such as Communication. We need to provide more effective advising, particularly for undergraduate students, and improve our graduation rates. We must make more effective use of teaching assistants, provide more competitive salaries and stability in the appointments of non-tenure track faculty, institute teaching loads consistent with those of our peers, to enhance the research productivity of tenure-stream faculty, and utilize technology more effectively in support of student learning. Objectives: A. Improve CHASS one year retention and six year graduation rates. B. Reduce the college s reliance on non-tenure stream faculty and be more competitive in the local market for adjunct faculty. C. Provide access to larger, and better-equipped, classrooms. D. Reduce teaching loads across the college to (variably) 3-2 or 2-2, based on research productivity and expanded commitment to extension and engagement. E. Provide enhanced information technology support to faculty and students. (CHASS has recently committed approximately $250,000 in one-time funds to address IT needs, but there is a need for continued investment to achieve the goal of a 42 month replacement cycle for CHASS computers as well as additional support staff.) A. Provide enhanced support for student advising, with an initial focus on high-risk students. B. Implement year 3 of the college three-year plan to raise base salaries for nontenure stream faculty in English, Foreign Languages and Literatures, and Communication. C. Raise section rate for courses taught by part-time adjuncts to $4,000 college-wide. D. Renovate classrooms in Winston Hall to create fewer, larger rooms for use by the Department of Communication. E. Offer workshops on the integration of technology in support of student learning, for CHASS faculty. F. Support a 42 month replacement cycle for CHASS computers. 8

9 G. Add four additional support staff to CHASS Tech, to approach the industry standard of one support staff person per 100 computers. A. Improved one-year retention and six-year graduation rates. B. NTT/Adjunct salary comparisons with local competitors. C. Proportion of undergraduate SCH at 200-level or above delivered by tenurestream faculty. D. Number of faculty using technology in support of student learning. This Initiative is included in Category A: Supporting University/Provost Goals Operational Efficiencies. It also contributes to Category B: Contributing to the University s Planning for Student Learning in a Technology-Rich Environment, and Category D: Supporting Improved Performance. Anticipated Codicils: 1. Undergraduate Education Program in the Environment (CHASS, CALS, CNR, and PAMS). 2. Research Ethics Program (CHASS, Graduate School) 3. Gender and Science Initiative (CHASS, CALS, PAMS) 4. Ethics Faculty Initiative (CHASS, CALS, Engineering, Vet Med) 9