Provost candidate supports
change
By Laura Pelner
Campus
Editor
The fourth candidate for provost said in her open
forum on Wednesday that the future of research universities is going
to be all about change.
Sally Frost Mason, the current dean of the College
of Liberal Arts and Sciences at the University of Kansas, said universities
are going to face three challenges in the coming years — enrollment
pressures, faculty turnover rates and the impact of new media forms
like the Internet on education.
Mason said undergraduate enrollment is increasing
nationwide while graduate level enrollment is decreasing. "I think more
students will want a bachelor's degree; the demand will increase or
at least remain strong," said Mason. "No longer is a high school education
enough. It takes some post-secondary training."
She also said that as the economy grows, graduate
level enrollment will increase. "Things will shift and change," she
said.
Regarding faculty, she said at the University of
Kansas almost one-third of the faculty in the College of Liberal Arts
and Sciences was replaced in the last 10 years.
"The faces of our departments are likely to change
dramatically in the next 10 to 15 years," said Mason. "It's an exciting
time and it creates an interesting challenge."
Mason received her master's degree in development
biology from Purdue in 1974 and she said she was happy to be back on
campus.
Purdue ranks among the elite, said Mason. "A degree
from Purdue is a valuable commodity."
Though she said Purdue is a top-20 research institution,
Mason also said the University could improve.
In response to a question about coordinating research
resources asked by Mark Hermodson, the head of the department of biochemistry,
Mason said that incentives and more discussion between departments on
campus are crucial.
"I think what has to happen is (we need) to get
discussion across boundaries of schools," said Mason. "It has to start
with the faculty; they have to embrace it and make it happen."
One way to increase the University's resources
is to use different methods of income. Andy Weiner, a professor of electrical
and computer engineering, asked Mason how she would find other sources
of income for Purdue.
I'm aggressive in raising outside money at the
University of Kansas, said Mason. "I enjoy fund raising."
She said a university's alumni are a good source
of money, and also private companies, foundations and those in industry
can provide funds.
The provost will be the chief academic officer
at Purdue and will replace Robert Ringel, the executive vice president
of academic affairs, when he steps down from his position to return
to the classroom.
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