I truly wish I had not missed the meeting, alas Japanese class takes precedence. I hope that a meeting with Boren IS scheduled and that more will be in attendance. My question to everyone is this: would it be possible to get this in the media eye (by media I mean the school newspaper) ?
----- Original Message -----
From: William Prescott <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Monday, December 5, 2005 7:07 pm
Subject: [PWA-L] Dean Foote meeting update
> The following is courtesy of Jessica.
>
> Will
> *********************************************
>
> Excellent meeting with Dean Foote and Prof. Blevins; the Dean
> sounded very impressed with the PW program and its potential. He
> expressed interested in our proposals, and seemed willing to work
> with us to improve the program.
>
> The bad news: there is no extra funding available. Boren cancelled
> the grant for program funding and instead plans to use the money
> (i.e. the $15 million) to build another addition to the Gaylord
> building. The Deans have no discretion over how the money is
> spent; it is a Presidential decision.
>
> Which means we'll have to be creative with our resources. Or we
> can try to convince Boren that program improvements lend far more
> prestige to a college than bricks and mortar.
>
> Now for the good news:
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------
> -----------
>
> - Visibility/Information -
>
> * The Dean put Will in charge of the PW website. We've got the
> green light to write up information for it now.
>
> * The Dean also mentioned the need for a PW brochure highlighting
> our program, and possible even a short advertisement in the future.
>
> * We also talked about a PW day, where we could showcase student
> works, articles, short stories, or that novel you've been slaving
> away on day and night.
>
> * He agreed that the collection of PW alumni published works
> deserves a special display in the library, or another suitable
> location.
> * PW guest speakers would not be too difficult to get. We just
> need students and/or faculty saying "Hey, we'd like this guy to
> come and speak." Obviously within reason budget-wise.
>
> - Classes -
>
> He was very supportive of cross-listing classes with other
> colleges, and liked the idea of conferences attendance counting
> towards class hours.
>
> * We need to compile a list of courses that we would like to see
> cross-listed with the Journalism college undergrad or graduate
> program.
> * We need to compile a list of conferences we would like to count
> towards credit hours.
>
> Kathy also brought up an idea for reducing workload for our
> professors in introductory PW classes. The professor would lecture
> to the entire class one day a week. Then once or twice a week, the
> class would split into sections taught by TAs (trained in the PW
> program) for more in-depth information.
>
> The Dean was very supportive of this idea, and Prof. Blevins said
> it would be a fairly easy change to make. This would apply to
> introductory courses only.
>
> * We need to find out what our professors think of this idea. If
> they are for it, we need to find out what courses they would like
> to see changed.
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------
> -----------
>
> All in all, a damn fine meeting. I for one am a little sore over
> loosing the funding to a new building, but there are things we can
> do to improve the PW program as it stands right now. Heck, I'd be
> up for trying a meeting with Boren if I thought it would do any
> good. I have no idea how University politics work at that level
> though. Anyone know?
>
> -Jessica
>
>
>
>
>
> William D. Prescott
>
> University of Oklahoma
>
> office no. 405-325-2710
>
> [log in to unmask]
>