Dear colleagues:
Here at SIUC, we have had quite a bit of administrative turnover in a short
period of time. New administrators want to chart course and look for
"shared vision" and consensus about where we should go.
Thus we come to evaluations of our institutional culture, its history, and
its ability or inability to help the University be what it should be. From
1869 until the early 1940's we were a normal school, or teachers college.
President Delyte Morris arrived in 1948 and presided, until 1970, over our
transformation to a doctoral research institution.
However, with the advent of the GI bill, Morris began first by serving
southern Illinoisans who had never thought higher education would be
accessible to them. Our undergraduate instructional mission was our
foundation throughout Morris' tenure.
In the mid to late seventies, we experienced a shift in emphasis toward
grants and publications while excellence in teaching became insufficient
for promotion and tenure.
Some here now argue that we do not emphasize research achievement enough.
Others argue that we need to return to the "core values" of teaching and
service. I personally think that our best chance lies in becoming a hybrid
institution - one that provides both remedial and advanced instructional
opportunities, and does a credible job of graduate research. In my view,
our research infrastructure can be used to attract and retain undergraduate
students who are more advanced in ability or preparation.
Would you say of your institution that it does an admirable job of both
teaching and research? Or does one culture dominate the other? Where
teaching is emphasized, there are usually not a lot of expensive scientific
instruments. Where research is emphasized, there are often large classes
taught by graduate assistants. I'm looking for an example of the hybrid I
have imagined. Any ideas out there?
Bill
William C. Stevens, Ph.D. Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Facility
Director Southern Illinois University
Carbondale, IL 62901-4405
618-453-6498 voice
618-453-6408 fax wstevens_at_siu.edu
http://opie.nmr.siu.edu
Received on Tue May 21 2002 - 13:27:55 MST