Call for nominations to serve on the Task Force on the Future of Education at UND
Demographic, social, technological, and political trends are placing immense pressures on institutions of higher education, which have only been made worse by the COVID-19 pandemic. As UND is no exception, it is necessary to rethink how we achieve success in our core educational mission.
President Andy Armacost and Interim Provost Debbie Storrs, with the approval of the Deans, have initiated a faculty-driven “Task Force on the Future of Education at UND” to begin tackling some big questions about how UND will survive and thrive in the face of these pressures. This is also aligned with Senate Chair Liz Legerski’s stated goal for the University Senate: “Survive the global pandemic and position ourselves to thrive into the future.” The outcomes of the Future of Education Task Force are expected to have broad applicability to our One UND Strategic Plan. The goal is to create a framework for developing short and long-term strategies to shape an academically and fiscally robust environment that satisfies the educational needs of the next generation of UND students.
We are seeking nominations to create a forward-thinking Task Force of 16 to 24 members, drawn primarily from the faculty ranks, augmented with staff and student representation. The Task Force is expected to convene in December, do the bulk of its work during February and March, and submit its findings to the President and Provost by mid-April.
Faculty, staff, students, and administrators are welcome to submit nominations. Complete the Task Force At-large Nomination Qualtrics Survey by Nov. 1 to nominate yourself or another person. Multiple nominations are permitted, but each has to be submitted separately.
Qualified nominees will demonstrate interest in charting the future of education at UND, engagement in service to the University, and expertise/interest aligned with one or more of the following looming challenges:
- Attracting new and underserved student populations.
- Aligning UND’s academic offerings with emerging societal needs.
- Designing flexibility into educational credentialing and experience.
- Shaping instructional design and technology to enhance learning.
- Designing more flexibility into general education requirements.
- Credentialing prior learning and work experience of new student populations.
- Rethinking institutional fiscal and academic structure to improve student learning.
- Empowering faculty to actualize educational change.
Even if you don’t want to nominate or be nominated, you can still provide valuable feedback to the Task Force by weighing in on the above topics or suggesting others. Simply complete the Task Force At-Large Nomination Qualtrics Survey and indicate without making a nomination.
As the Task Force progresses in its work, we expect to find other opportunities in which the wider University Community can engage in this important conversation.
