Peter Lennie, Robert L. and Mary L. Sproull Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Sciences, and Engineering.
“We can develop a series of powerful initiatives that will increase the range and depths of our programs,” Lennie says. “At the same time, we recognize that students at all levels need increasingly sophisticated and broad intellectual training. Their ability to think critically and flexibly is the key to their future success in diverse occupations.”
Introduction
Over the past two and a half years, Arts, Sciences and Engineering has been developing a plan to shape our future during the coming decade. The provisional plan presented here arose from the insightful work of faculty, students and staff within the College, and in collaboration with other units within the University.
Our obligations are to discover, organize and communicate knowledge in the humanities, social sciences, sciences and engineering, through research, scholarship, and creative works; to educate students through the transfer of that knowledge; to prepare students for careers—to qualify them and equip them to be future leaders of our society; and to provide opportunities for their personal growth as individuals.
We intend to secure our place as one of the world's finest schools of arts, sciences and engineering, characterized by
- signature initiatives and programs that attract and retain outstanding faculty, and foster the most distinguished research and scholarship.
- distinctive instructional and co-curricular programs and opportunities that attract the most promising graduate and undergraduate students, and prepare them most effectively for future success in the world.
- state-of-the-art facilities for key programs.
In laying a path to this state, we assume a broad obligation to
- foster broader, affordable, access for prospective students.
- encourage greater diversity and inclusiveness among faculty and students.
- engage with and benefit the community beyond the university.
- have a sustainable impact on the environment and the world at large.
Our plan does not constitute a blueprint, but rather a general expression of how we should approach managing our future. Much of what will be important is unforeseeable, and much of what has made great academic programs strong in the past has resulted from seizing unexpected opportunities.
Our plan positions us well to seize such opportunities. It presents a rich and compelling agenda for systematic strengthening of Arts, Sciences and Engineering. The growth we anticipate is powered by a set of initiatives constructed to ensure balanced progress on multiple fronts: offering a broad and powerfully attractive portfolio of undergraduate programs, strengthening our core departments, protecting our competitiveness in key scientific domains, defining signature domains in which we can not only excel but become preeminent.