Conference promotes academic and personal success

A ground-breaking conference focusing on the fusion of the University's faculty and staff resources with its student services will take place on campus today and tomorrow. Entitled "Helping the Student Learn: Promoting Academic and Personal Success," the conference aims to provide faculty with information about resources available to students who are having academic or personal difficulties, said Alice Kelley, chairperson of the conference planning committee. Kelley, who is also an associate professor of English and faculty liaison to student services, said the impetus for the conference came about a year ago, during a brain-storming session for directors of programs run by the Office of the Vice Provost for University Life. "We talked to people who had really good interactions between student services and faculty, where collaboration and cooperation had worked well," she said. The conference will emphasize issues all faculty members encounter and need more information about, such as undergraduate research, academic integrity and cultural identity, Kelley added. All 12 University schools are involved in the conference, either through co-sponsorship of the entire program or through specific work with one of the 17 breakout sessions. Kelley said at least 80 faculty members have notified the planning committee that they will attend the conference, but more may register this afternoon or tomorrow as a result of reminders from school deans or department chairpersons. "We worked really hard to make sure we had both faculty and student service people coordinating workshops together so the experience of both could be woven together to make something genuinely useful to those who see students every day," Kelley said. Provost Stanley Chodorow has invited faculty members from across the University to attend the conference. He will give the keynote address this afternoon, on the topic of "Taking Teaching Seriously." While Chodorow did not want to discuss the specifics of his speech, he said he is excited about the opportunities the conference will provide for faculty members. "I think teaching is really critically important," he said. "It is one of the pillars of a faculty member's professional role." Chodorow added that he does not intend to issue teaching directives to faculty members from his office, but plans to take a "systemic approach to change." He said he is looking to the conference for guidance about improving the quality of education -- for graduates as well as undergraduates -- at the University. "I don't have specific plans with respect to techniques of teaching," he said. "I do have a lot of ideas that relate to the general review and reform of undergraduate education we're undertaking that will affect the quality and character of teaching on campus." Kelley said the conference should show faculty members how to help students get the most out of their years at the University. If her committee receives good feedback from participants, the conference may become an annual event. Registration for the conference begins at noon today in Houston Hall's Bodek Lounge, where a resource fair will also be held until the conference's conclusion tomorrow at noon.