Stony Brook University Five Year Plan Accomplishments 2000-2001

UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS

THE FIVE YEAR GOAL

Stony Brook will continue to improve undergraduate education and the recruitment and retention of students. In the last five years, the undergraduate program has been enhanced with initiatives ranging from increased mentoring, to special programs that engage undergraduates' interest, through programs that encourage pedagogical experimentation, to the establishment of several exciting interdisciplinary teaching and research units. To continue this development and accommodate the expanding undergraduate student body, the University will review what has been accomplished thus far to ensure that students' curricular needs are met, and continue carefully planned innovation.

2000-2001 PROJECTS

Continue to support and develop special programs, such as the Honors College, WISE, the Living/Learning Centers, and Learning Communities, and ensure that they carry out their missions effectively and equitably. (1.1, Provost)

Special programs continued to strengthen and expand in 2000-2001:

The Honors College, Living Learning Centers, and Learning Communities were relocated to an Office of Research and Learning Communities to promote collaboration and operational efficiency.

The Honors College incoming class was the largest (63) and best qualified (average SAT 1365) ever. It was also one of the most diverse; about half were students of color and more than half were immigrants or children of immigrants. A new interdisciplinary first-year honor’s curriculum was initiated, and a Parent’s Council was established for fundraising and other activities.

On-going support was established for Project WISE (Women in Science and Engineering), which was initiated with an NSF grant. The number and quality of WISE students continued to grow, and more program graduates entered science and engineering fields in which women are underrepresented. A new four-year curriculum was designed for implementation in 2001-2002.

The Living Learning Centers experienced a 29% increase in the number of students requesting an LLC placement, and a University Scholars Living Learning Center was created.

Ensure that courses required for a major or to satisfy general education requirements are offered regularly with enough sections to permit students to progress with no delays. (1.1, Provost)

The High Demand Course Project in the College of Arts and Sciences and Department of Computer Science has established procedures for identifying high-demand courses and redirecting resources to add class sections in shortage areas. Additional faculty have been hired to teach in high-demand areas, and the number of seats offered in key 100-level courses has been increased by as much as 60%. The percentage of freshmen graduating in four-year years has increased in recent years, suggesting that their progress has been accelerated.

Designate a campus coordinator of undergraduate research and creative activities and an HSC liaison, and convene a faculty advisory committee. (1.3, Provost; Vice President, Health Sciences Center)

The Associate Provost for Educational Initiatives was designated to coordinate undergraduate research and creative activities with guidance from two faculty advisory committees: the URECA Advisory Committee and the RAIRE Advisory Committee. The coordinator tracks and develops research opportunities on and off-campus and oversees undergraduate research fellowships. The medical school Vice Dean for Scientific Affairs was designated Health Sciences liaison.

Integrate the programs of the Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching, the Academy of Teacher-Scholars, and Presidential Mini-Grants for Excellence in Teaching. (1.3, Provost)

Re-evaluate the current objectives and practices of college and departmental curriculum committees and the interactions among them. (1.3, Provost)

The Provost convened a Task Force on Undergraduate Administration, Initiatives, and Coordination to examine how the current organization supports the goal of improving undergraduates’ educational experience and suggest improvements. The Task Force submitted recommendations for a more centralized approach to organizing undergraduate education, and the role of curriculum committees is under review as these recommendations are discussed.

Continue to develop materials to recruit a diverse student population of international, New York State and other US students. These materials should take advantage of the international recognition of the names "Stony Brook" and "State University of New York at Stony Brook." (1.4, Provost, President)

The Admissions Office developed a new international student brochure and application, began direct mailing to high-achieving out-of-state students, redesigned the Web site to facilitate use by out-of-state and international students, participated in SUNY-wide out-of-state recruitment initiatives, and contributed to the recruitment of out-of-state student athletes. These efforts appear to be successful; applications from out-of-state students doubled this year and international applications increased significantly. Stony Brook is identified as "Stony Brook University" and "State University of New York at Stony Brook" in these and other materials.

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