Subject:  Task Force: "The Plan"
   Date:  Tue, 02 Nov 1999 13:36:00 -0700 (MST)
   From:  "Patricia S. Case"@mr.dist.maricopa.edu

Colleagues,

Below is the "DRAFT" of a plan for gathering input from faculty who would be 
interested in discussing the possible roles, knowledge, skills and personal 
attributes of faculty who will be teaching in higher education 20 to 25 years 
from now.  As innovative faculty who are responding to the challenges and 
opportunities ahead of us, would you please take 5 minutes to review this 
"Draft" and indicate any word smithing that would be helpful.  It is our 
hope to send this to groups of faculty such as Ocotillo, Instructional 
Councils, Faculty Development Coordinators.  

- - D R A F T - - STATEMENT OF PURPOSE In fall 1998, Linda Rosenthal, President of the MCCCD Governing Board, proposed a task force as an opportunity for faculty discussion. A summary of key points in her proposal include: American higher education faces several challenges. Two major areas are: (1) its ability to prepare students for successful careers in the workforce of the 21st century and accomplishing their educational goals, and (2) increasingly dynamic roles for faculty. The task force can enable faculty who will teach in Maricopa in the next several decades to discuss what Maricopa should do in order to maintain and enhance the premier instructional quality of our colleges. DIRECTIONS FOR CONVERSATIONS As a result of this directive, we have the opportunity to steer our own future in MCCCD in the 21st century. Information from a variety of forums on campuses and across the district will be gathered for presentation to the Governing Board. You are asked to devote time in one of your group's meetings to discuss and collect responses for these 5 questions: Based on perceptions represented by the group and using twenty years from now (2020) as a target date: 1. Describe what students will need from higher education. 2. Describe the learning environment in which we'll be teaching. 3. Define the roles of faculty. 4. Identify knowledge, skill and personal attributes necessary for faculty of the 21st century. 5. Based on your thinking about #1-4, identify "wants," "needs," and "requirements" of faculty for the 21st century. Meaningful and enlightening conversation may take 30-60 minutes (depending on the size of your group). Groups are encouraged to hold these conversations in a meeting prior to the end of February. If that is not possible, please plan to include it as an agenda item for a meeting in spring or as an online conversation. A written summation of one page or less per question is requested. Please do not list individual participants names on the report, but include the group identification. Send all reports to Pat Case, Rio Salado Community College by March 10th for a spring dialogue. TIMELINE Invitations to participate to groups by ................ October 31st Requested end date reports for conversations in this academic year...................... February Discussion meeting for Task Force ...................... March Reissue invitations to remaining groups by.............. April 30th Deadline for reports for conversations in spring ....... April 30th Review meeting for Task Force .......................... Early May POSSIBLE NEXT STEPS The 3rd Millenium Committee will attempt to synthesize and share this information. Also, the committee explored a number of resources last spring and would be happy to share them with the groups. A further step is to explore dialogues based on these summaries. INVITEES TO THE CONVERSATION MCCCD District Groups: Instructional Councils Think Tank Ocotillo Faculty and Staff Development Coordinators Outcomes and Assessment Committee Professional Growth Committee Deans of Instruction CEC Diversity Committee Adjunct Faculty Association Individual Campus Site Groups: Faculty Senates Senior Programs Articulation Programs (high school group?) Student Government and/or Phi Theta Kappa