Acorn

Issue date: 10/28/06 Section: News

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University President Bob Weisbuch took the stage yesterday in the Dorothy Young Center for the Arts Concert Hall before a packed house. An hour later, he blew up Drew�s traditional academic structure.

Weisbuch announced three changes that will give the University an �immediate pep in its step, an adrenal charge,� he said. Weisbuch plans to create: interdisciplinary academic centers, combined BA/MA degree programs and a centralized plan for continuous faculty recruitment called Drew National Faculty.

The centers will function like departments, but will offer a multidisciplinary approach to learning, according to Weisbuch. Each center will support visiting scholars and offer research opportunities to students. The centers will �treat crucial concerns beyond the bounds of single disciplines [and] consider large and basic questions of human experience,� Weisbuch said. The current separateness of Drew�s departments can �sponsor narrowness and establish arbitrary but high fences,� and Weisbuch hopes that centers will change that.

The first center, which will open next fall, if the trustees approve it, will focus on social and religious conflict and difference. Weisbuch will create a new center each year for the next five years, including one that focuses on civic engagement.

Weisbuch�s second immediate change is the BA/MA, a combined Bachelors and Masters degree program for Drew undergraduates. Students will receive a dual degree after five years, including at least one summer session, Weisbuch said. The Masters in Teaching will kick off the programs, with future ones including writing, international justice and public health.

Weisbuch�s third change is the creation of Drew National Faculty to centralize recruitment. Currently, academic departments are responsible for recruiting their own new professors, and they only search when there is a vacancy. Under Weisbuch�s plan, there will be a separate committee that continually seeks to bring �scholars of distinction� to Drew, Weisbuch said.

In addition to these three immediate changes, Weisbuch announced four initiatives for the community to discuss over the next two years.

First, Weisbuch will reexamine the current undergraduate breadth requirements. �[The] core�s a bore, core�s a snore,� Weisbuch said. He wants to make the requirements less restrictive, and hopes that overhauled requirements will cause students and faculty to �engage with intellectual passion,� he said.

Weisbuch�s second goal is to �enlarge [the Caspersen School of Graduate Studies] into a site for advanced learning, a site that will inspire all of us and bring us together,� he said. Weisbuch also wants to strengthen the connection between the Graduate School and the Theological School.

Third, Weisbuch wants to gradually increase Drew�s size for increased revenue. �We can do new things if we remain at the current size only by ending other programs,� Weisbuch said. Weisbuch made a commitment to �not add new programs without new resources,� so new students will provide opportunities for new programs. To facilitate this strategy, Weisbuch wants to create a five-year budget plan rather than the current one-year plan.

Weisbuch�s fourth plan is to �develop a vision, a set of goals for Drew 2020,� he said. Weisbuch encouraged all members of the Drew community to imagine where they want Drew to be in the year 2020. �Can we develop a 20-20 clarity of vision as we sharpen our goals and work backwards to determine our paths to them?� he asked.

Weisbuch spoke from behind a lectern, and used a PowerPoint presentation to outline the major points of his speech. After the speech, he held a more casual question-and-answer session, in which he engaged the audience and responded candidly, joking at times and joining the audience in laughter.

One person asked how Weisbuch plans to foster diversity in residence halls. �We have a healthy, interactive diversity, but the main effort is up to our students,� Weisbuch said.

There were also several questions about Weisbuch�s new centers, including their funding. �The centers will require external funding,� Weisbuch said. He has secured funding from two companies for the first center, he said. Weisbuch also said that the centers will not detract from faculty research.

Board of Trustees Director Barbara Caspersen, who sat on the committee to hire Weisbuch, fully supports Weisbuch�s vision. �I thought he gave a wonderful talk,� she said. �His vision is absolutely possible at Drew.�

Drew students also support the new initiatives. �It�s exciting to see that Weisbuch is seeking student opinion and feedback as Drew makes its transition,� junior Ryo Kuroki said. �Students are, at the end of the day, the school�s biggest assets.�

Senior Desiree Jones was impressed, she said. �I feel like he has a good sense of what he wants to do,� Jones said. �I�m a senior, and it made me a little sad because I was excited about what he wants to do in the coming years.�

Junior Lauren Kane liked Weisbuch�s ideas, but has reservations. �I wonder if it�s too lofty to be setting in place, but all the funding seems to be sorted out,� she said.

Weisbuch�s other proposed initiatives include:

� Reorganizing department offices so that they need less staff

� Increasing revenue rather than lowering expenses

� Becoming a better citizen of New Jersey by developing relationships with sister schools

� Attracting more international students and students from two-year schools

� Designing new Drew study abroad programs

� Exploring why more women than men apply to Drew

� Inviting students to participate in research

� Taking advantage of the diversity in the local community

� Working with the Mellon Foundation to use Drew as a test market for new technology

Weisbuch looks forward to piloting Drew along this new path. �This was the happiest year of my life,� he said. �It is the highest honor to be your president.�

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