CLA Retreat Spring 2014

Mission Statements• “The CLA is a diverse, learning-

centered, community- and globally-engaged body within the CSULB committed to fostering literacy as it relates to race, ethnicity, class, disability, sexuality, religion and culture. The College prepares its members to adapt to environmental, cultural and economic changes over their lifetimes. ”

• Through excellence in scholarship and teaching, CLA creates well-rounded and engaged citizens, effective communicators, and analytical thinkers who live knowledgeably, responsibly, and humanely in a diverse and global world where complex problems demand informed, creative, and thoughtful solutions.

mission, cont.

• The CLA inspires a love of learning that is informed by an understanding that truth is complex and emergent from local and global community knowledges. We prepare students to practice critical self and social inquiry and community engagement so as to cultuivate meaningful contributions to social justice.

• The CLA is a diverse, globally engaged, learning-centered community within CSULB committed to fostering literacy as it relates to race, ethnicity, class, (dis) ability, sexuality, religion and culture. The CLA prepares its members to adapt to environmental, cultural and economic changes throughout their lives.

Vision

• The CLA will be recognized as a community of teacher-scholars who prepare students for life, leadership and careers in a rapidly changing, multicultural world.

• Educating tomorrow’s leaders, innovators, agents of change to succeed as multilingual, multicultural, ethical informed and productive citizens in a global community with skills in writing, oral communication, critical thinking and its application

vision, cont.

• The CLA is committed to excellence in teaching, research, and creative activity in the humanities and social sciences.

Core values

• critical perspectives (social, political, cultural and economic) on/of diversity

• depth and coherence of study in multiple disciplinary areas

• excellence in scholarship

• fostering mindfulness and respect for multiple perspecties

• citizenship• planting lifetime seeds

of curiosity • global and community

engagement

core values, cont.• Preparing students for life, leadership

and careers in a rapidly changing multicultural world

• Changing the lives of individuals, families, demographic groups, esp. for first-generation students and students from under-represented groups

• Lifetime employment skills• Teaching students how to learn• Serving the state of CA. In CA, will be a

predicted shortfall of 1 million college grads by 2025

• Use our academic training/research to promote the public good

• Empowering students to change their lives, their communities

Strategic goals

• recruit faculty that matches the diversity of our students

• --promote service learning• address obstacles

created by liability requirements

• address obstacles faced by working students

• CLA representative/focus within CCE

• --Build bridges between campus and community, allowing for mutual support and engagement

• link fundraising to particular programs, community engagement activities

• --promote research that fosters community partnerships to address pressing social problems and needs

• --promote research excellence• --promote study abroad• address financial

constraints that inhibit student participation

strategic goals, cont.

• support for RSCA– increased RSCA

awards (3 and 6-unit)– increased funding for

sabbaticals

• reduce teaching load– promotes faculty

research– promotes effective

instruction of writing

• small class sizes• encourage depth and coherence

of study in multiple disciplinary areas

• support for courses/depts/programs that are key contributors to the creation of well-rounded citizens– support minors/double majors– improve communication with

University advising– concerted action at College level

• On website: add “Interested in a double-major?” with links to suggested double-major pathways

Intentional GE: Dean’s report• Raise visibility and

prominence of CLA and its critical mission in the University

• More coherent GE experience– no change to current GE policy– no intent to erode GE in CLA

• capture undeclared students and students ill-placed in majors

• expose students early on to CLA disciplines and themes

• Enthusiasm from other Deans– initial themes chosen on

basis of input from Deans, advisors, associate Deans

• Input and collaboration from other colleges (not CLA’s alone)

• Upcoming presentation to GECC – long term issues of credentials/certificates

GE themes

First rollout1. Community & Workplace

Leadership2. Popular Culture & Social

Identity3. Health & Quality of Life4. Science & Technology in

Society5. Imagination, Creativity, &

Expression6. Social Change & Civic

Engagement

Other themes proposed• Cultural Diversity in a

Changing World• Sustainability & the

Environment• New Media & Digital

Literacy • Law, Crime, & Ethical

Judgment• Language & Intercultural

Competence

Discussion• Process (role of EPCC/FC, departments/faculty/department chairs)

for – assessing impact on curriculum and departments (courses not included?)

• competition between departments?

– defining theme content/coherence/criteria for inclusion• size of “grab bag”

– evaluating courses for inclusion• equitable distribution?• numbers of themes per course• learning outcomes?

– selection and prioritization of themes– different levels of oversight

• strategies for developing themes as pathways to minors