University News
University Theme Set For 2005-2006 Year
February 17, 2005
Dear Campus Community,
Through the use of the university theme, we are challenged as a community to join in a common dialogue, activities, and events. The dialogues strengthen our community as it provides opportunity for all voices to be heard on issues as important to all of us as civility, social justice and civic engagement. Our community has embraced this years theme, Now is the Time
Civic Engagement, as seen in the activities of the American Democracy Project and our First Year Experience pilot program in the Honors College. Faculty, staff and students alike created a synergy around the election time which resulted in the largest student turn out in recent history.
In planning for next year, the University Theme Committee gathered input from the campus community on expanding the theme to cover multiple years and reflect the values set forth in the University Strategic Plan: academic excellence, educational opportunity, personal growth and social responsibility. In addition, the committee continued to target themes which would facilitate the infusion of these values in academic and student activities. Most importantly, the committee remained steadfast in identifying a theme designed to encourage multiple avenues of engagement (i.e. use by the FYE) and should therefore lend itself well to multiple experiences such as group discussions, readings, special speakers from the WIU community and from outside, film series, theatre events, musical events and other forms of programming.
I am pleased to announce the theme Global Challenges and Personal Responsibility for the 2005 2006 academic year. I am also pleased that this theme will continue through 2008 with the emphasis of global challenges and personal responsibility in the area of cultural diversity for 2006 2007 and global challenges and personal responsibility in the area of environmental sustainability for 2007 2008. Over the next three years, through coordinated efforts from the FYE, the American Democracy Project, the implementation of our University Strategic Plan, and commitment from our faculty, staff and students, our community will explore the global challenges and our personal responsibility and meeting those challenges.
I have asked Dr. Judith Dallinger, Assistant Provost for Undergraduate Studies, to work with the University Theme Committee in conjunction with her leadership of the FYE to ensure the development of multiple shared and common experiences across the campus. Dr. Dallinger, with the assistance of faculty, staff and students, will promote the adoption and usage of the university theme by the campus community in multiple experiences such as group discussions, readings, special speakers from the WIU community and from outside, film series, theatre events, musical events and other forms of programming.
Sincerely,
Alvin Goldfarb
President
Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
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