Arts and Sciences dean Rebecca Bushnell cannot be faulted for thinking big. Look no further than her new blueprint for improving the College for evidence that she recognizes the problems facing Penn's largest school and is committed to fixing them. Many of Bushnell's goals will require a significant amount of fundraising -- historically a weakness for the College. But if achieved, these objectives will have a positive impact for years to come.
Through this process, the University's core mission must be kept at the forefront.
As Bushnell begins her push to increase faculty by 10 percent, it will be important for her team to focus on recruiting not just scholars with impressive research, but also those who are also great teachers. Undergraduate education has been improving in recent years, but it is sometimes overlooked by faculty more interested in their own research.
New hires must not be holed up in labs, but rather on the front lines working with students. This will address two objectives: reducing the size of currently overcrowded classes and providing more opportunity for seminars and one-on-one interaction.
Finding talented thinkers, however, seems easy compared to Bushnell's other priority: facilities upgrades. In reality, the former goal will be easier once the latter is completed.
Many of the College's buildings have been ignored for far too long. Music, Biology and Psychology -- the three targets of the plan -- need modern and functional homes. It is important in this process to focus on fundraising so that developers are not forced to skimp on important things, such as making these facilities architecturally significant. That was overlooked the last time the College undertook major building projects. Judge Stitler Hall for yourself the next time you walk by.
And while it would be nice to see David Rittenhouse Lab knocked down and rebuilt from scratch, that may be out of the financial picture. At the very least, a facelift is needed to bring that building up to par.
From an academic standpoint, revisiting advising is a good start. Blogs may provide a new avenue of communication, but it is not really a solution to a system many find inadequate. The College needs more full-time advisers who can focus on students' needs without having to worry about teaching. Integrating this system into the College Houses may also make student-adviser interaction more prevalent and useful.
In total, Bushnell has identified several key weaknesses in the status quo. Fixing them all would be a hallmark of her tenure in College Hall.
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