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Provost briefs Faculty Senate

By John Ashby

Virginia Tech Spectrum, October 26, 1995

Provost Peggy Meszaros was the guest speaker at the October meeting of the Faculty Senate last week, and she outlined for senators the direction she sees the university taking.

Meszaros said the university "is very much enmeshed in restructuring, and will be for the forseeable future." She said it was important to put together a list of academic priorities designed around the university's restructuring goals.

Meszaros said there were aspects of restructuring she was excited about, "which directly impact the functioning of the university. She said restructuring goals include enhancing the undergraduate and graduate education development process, becoming the model land-grant university of the 21st century, improving administrative efficiency and productivity, developing courses and programs which make use of the university's computing and telecommunication capabilities, and classroom renovation.

Serving students, particularly in the areas of recruitment and retention must be important goals for the university, Meszaros said. Another major goal for the university will be to enhance the economic life and health of the state through Extension and outreach programs.

Meszaros described a new year-long faculty-development program for faculty members who are new to the university.

Responding to a question regarding the impact of distance-learning and use of technology in teaching on-campus classes, Meszaros said distance-learning techniques might be used to provide summer-school classes to students who could not be on campus during the summer. "But you should not be forced to use one particular type of teaching methodology in the classroom. I don't think the residential campus will disappear in our lifetime."

Senators continued their discussion of proposed revisions in the faculty RIF policy. Considerable discussion centered on language which states that tenure and affirmative action will be considered in making reduction-in-force decisions. The Commission on Faculty Affairs will continue to consider the proposed policy revisions.