CU Boulder Provost Russell Moore and Senior Vice Chancellor Kelly Fox today announced that Dean of Libraries Robert McDonald will appoint a new faculty-led working group to take on the project: Teaching and Technology, Online and Distance Learning, recommended as one of four lead projects by the Academic Futures Committee.
The working group, titled The Academic Futures/Financial Futures Online Strategy Working Group, will integrate recommendations from the Academic Futures report and emergent work from the Financial Futures strategic initiative.
“This vital group of faculty and students will be developing an overarching philosophy of online and distance learning, consistent with what we heard during the Academic Futures process,” said McDonald.
McDonald will appoint members recommended from campus entities that include the Academic Futures Committee, Deans Council, and the Boulder Faculty Assembly and chairs and directors, and he also is accepting nominations of faculty and students via a nomination form at the Academic Futures website. Nominations will be accepted through noon on Monday, Feb. 4; once nominations are completed, McDonald will consult with Moore and Fox on the working group’s final membership, and it will begin work in early February.
“As an established thought leader on information delivery platforms and a newcomer to campus, Robert is ideal to chair this important working group,” said Moore. “I am looking forward to the committee’s providing us with a compelling and ‘right-sized’ approach to online education and distance learning at CU Boulder.”
Fox said, “Our goal here is a smart and unique convergence of our Academic Futures philosophical-pedagogical discussion about technology, teaching and online education with our Financial Futures online opportunities discussion, arriving at a unified approach for the campus.”
Academic Futures will reopen its campus conversations with town halls in February, and additional campus input on the combined process will occur via Financial Futures workstream listening sessions and town hall meetings.
The next online education listening session is from noon to 1 p.m. Friday, Feb. 8, at the Center for British Studies in Norlin Library. The campus community can learn more about how Financial Futures is supporting Academic Futures priorities and the overall campus mission and imperatives at town halls at 2 p.m. today. and 4 p.m. next Wednesday, Jan. 30, both at the Student Recreation Center's Ice Overlook Large Meeting Room.
