Welcome to Spring Semester 2016!

January 18, 2016

Dear TWU Community,

First, let me welcome you to the spring semester. I always love the renewal of spring and its energy! On January 5th, you should have received my Happy-2016 message where I highlighted the many accomplishments that we achieved together in 2015. With so many positive developments last year, I know we are starting out on the path to an even greater 2016!

The second reason for my message is that I would like to invite you into conversation about TWU in the context of what is happening in higher education. I gave a presentation on this topic to our Board of Regents at their final meeting of 2015, and shortly thereafter, to the  Faculty Senate.  We had a wonderful discussion at the Senate meeting, and they asked that I make a presentation to the entire TWU community.

Rather than invite you to an assembly where I speak ‘at’ you, I decided to record the presentation so that you could watch it on your own time. Then, I could spend subsequent time together discussing the ideas ‘with’ you. That is the flipped classroom model of course, so why not employ some of the promising practices of modern technology-enabled pedagogy?

In the near future, look for an announcement to participate in a small group meeting so that we can have a more intimate discussion and I can receive your direct feedback.

In the video recording, I reference David Brooks’ New York Times op-ed piece, "The Big University,” Frank Bruni’s NYT op-ed piece “How to Measure a College’s Value,” The Economist’s “The Value of University: Our First-ever College Rankings,” the “Gallup-Purdue Index 2015 Report on College Graduates,” and Edmunds and Boyer’s, “How Great Colleges Distinguish Themselves.”  

Once you view the video, I would appreciate knowing your reactions, thoughts and questions, even anonymously. What you submit on the anonymous feedback form will frame the discussion points when we meet in small groups.

Together we are going to further distinguish TWU by leveraging the resources and talent we already have and by attracting new resources and talent that will be necessary to carry us far into the coming decades. On that note, we are making great strides with our strategic plan and look forward to developing a final draft of our plan this semester.

Happy start to Spring 2016!

Best wishes,

Carine M. Feyten, Ph.D.