The Dean Reflects: A year tumultuous and transformative
In the past year, CLA staff, faculty, and students have exemplified compassion, innovation, and determination at the highest levels. Here are a few highlights of what we’ve been up to:
In the news
The subject matter of the liberal arts has been front and center this past year in the intersecting and ongoing challenges that have captured public attention—communications and policy-making while addressing a health crisis; repairing severe economic dislocation; and moving forward on issues of race, dignity, justice, and respect. “Minnesota Transform,” a $5 million grant from the Mellon Foundation largely based in CLA, will accelerate our progress on those latter issues, including our relationship with Tribal Nations, and provide opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students to engage with numerous community partners.
Engaging with differences
One of the most exciting and timely projects we kicked off this year is The Public Life Project. The project aims to help students develop the knowledge and skills to grapple with polarizing divisions and inequalities, engage empathetically with others, and prepare for active, meaningful public lives. The Initiative also includes research and engagement components, including an upcoming series of short pieces produced in collaboration with Twin Cities PBS.
Fiscal prudence
To address budgetary uncertainties and provide support for current students during a particularly difficult job market, admissions for about one-half of our doctoral programs were temporarily paused for the academic year 2021/22, and admissions were smaller in most others. We wanted to ensure we are sustaining an environment for students already here to thrive and succeed during these difficult times. Nationally, many of our peers are also pausing program admissions due to the pandemic.
Reducing and erasing equity gaps
The college will soon launch an extensive dashboard that will allow instructors and departments to compare how groups of students—underrepresented students, first-generation students, international, and so on—are performing in classes compared to other groups. Seeing where the gaps are particularly notable will be a first step for instructors and departments to develop strategies and techniques to reduce the gaps.
New leadership position created
We are welcoming a new college-wide leadership position in the area of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. Professor Malinda Lindquist will serve as CLA’s inaugural Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. A professor of history, Professor Lindquist will play a critical role in providing leadership to the college and its units to build the inclusive environment that enables first-rate research and creative work, teaching, and engagement.
Renovation of a classic
The renovation of Pillsbury Hall continues on schedule and is slated to be open for move-in this summer. Pillsbury Hall will house the Department of English and the new Liberal Arts Engagement Hub, which connects the work of the liberal arts with community partners.
Emerging stronger
In the past year, we have learned many lessons about new opportunities, new ways of operating, and new avenues to reach more people. And now we are thinking about how to apply those lessons for the future. We aim for CLA to emerge from the other end of the pandemic as a stronger college and a stronger community.
For example, in fall 2020, I appointed a Workgroup on Curricular Opportunities to explore areas where CLA could innovate and lead in rethinking curriculum, both for students at the University and for potential audiences off-campus. This work complements our nationally prominent undergraduate Career Readiness Initiative and our expansion of Career Services for Graduate Students.
And we’ve also created a Future of Work committee that is actively pursuing ways of making our workplace more flexible, adaptable, and embracing of a wide range of in-person, remote, and hybrid options that will keep CLA a great place to work. Conversations around the future of work are happening throughout the college and university, including both nuts-and-bolts conversations around the physical reopening of campus, as well as long-term changes to the nature of work.
I often say that a CLA education transforms the lives of individuals, families, and communities. Through your actions and words as our wonderful alumni, through your wide-ranging contributions in your workplaces and your communities, you are the ones who make that transformation happen.
I have never been more grateful to be the Dean of this great college than I have been in the past year. On behalf of the faculty, staff, and students of the College of Liberal Arts, I thank you for your support during these watershed times.
