CLAS Hosts New Events Promoting Collaboration and Communication Within the College

Dec 6, 2019 12:00 AM

As part of his goal of enhancing collaboration and communication within the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Dean Hixson instituted some new events this fall designed to create additional opportunities for faculty to come together and share their ideas and concerns.

A biweekly “Coffee and Conversation with the Dean” series began in September,  providing faculty, staff, and students with the opportunity to stop by and talk about whatever is on their minds. This informal event is held in Lane Center near Starbucks on the first and third Tuesdays of each month, 10AM-11AM, with no appointment necessary.

On October 22, the Dean’s Office hosted the first CLAS Collaboration Evening at the Gunter Hotel, with 44 faculty attending. The theme for the evening was how we can better promote interdisciplinary collaborations among faculty within the college, either through new academic programs or more informal means. Faculty rotated between tables and discussed topics with different groups of their peers, sharing both ideas for and obstacles to developing new interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary programs.

“The main positive thing about the event was that people had an opportunity for discussion and interaction with colleagues in departments across the college,” said Hixson. “Faculty want that chance to get to know others and possibly do team teaching.”

If there are suggested themes for future collaboration events, please let Dean Hixson know.