ASEC Poll Narrative Responses Summaries

July 7, 2004

I. Overall Comments on General Concept

Six respondents supported the general concept. Six others rejected the report because the changes it calls for are too drastic. Others felt that it is not the right time to implement widespread changes and that the changes proposed will not have the intended effects.

II. Curricular Concerns

Five respondents expressed a strong interest in maintaining the interdisciplinary focus of the college and were concerned that the structural changes recommended by ASEC would weaken this. Three respondents mentioned their support for housing majors in one school, while two saw that some exceptions should be made, for example, for Law and Society.

III. Administrative Structure

Most respondents favored maintaining the current schools, while fine tuning some problems with them. Other comments addressed a variety of issues including allocation of support resources, the faculty-administrator ratio and the provostís office.

IV. Convening Groups/ Programs

Majority of the comments favor strengthening convening groups through cross consolidation. However, they preferred an exploratory process where the various sections of a currently separated convening negotiate how to consolidate. This method is preferred to having a structure imposed as suggested in ASEC.

V. Equity

The comments on equity were mainly in favor of the proposal to stream-line convening groups in order to fairly and clearly define faculty responsibilities. A general theme among those in favor of the ASEC proposals in this category was that the current system provides opportunities for some faculty to avoid some key responsibilities related to their employment. They also emphasized that each faculty should take responsibility for teaching some courses in Gen Ed, Majors and School Core. While the comments emphasized clear definitions of primary and secondary home for each faculty, they also called for faculty to have some flexibility in their teaching choices.

VI. Deans

Of the eight comments on the issue of deans, most stated a preference for deans to be chosen from the faculty. Most expressed concerns regarding the deanís length of term and selection process.

VII. Teacher Education/International Education/Graduate Programs

Most of those who wrote comments supported the idea that Teacher Education should be a separate entity. There were fewer comments on International Education and the Graduate Program.

VIII. ASEC Report Style and Process

Of the 10 respondents in this category, most felt that the report left much unstated and unclear.