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9. IMPLEMENT AN UNDERGRADUATE CURRICULUM FOR THE 21ST CENTURY AND PROMOTE STUDENT SUCCESS.

Changes in the world, the evolution of scholarship, the importance of interdisciplinary perspectives, and the pedagogical opportunities provided by instructional technology all motivate the reconceptualization of undergraduate curricula to prepare students for living and working in the 21st century. Stony Brook will create new curricula that respond to this environment.

Curricular development will focus on general education but extend to revamping existing undergraduate majors, creating new ones that incorporate interdisciplinary perspectives, and offering an extensive array of combined baccalaureate/master’s degree options. The new general education requirements will be better articulated and easier for students to schedule while providing a more integrated learning experience and more interdisciplinary perspectives.

Undergraduate research, internships, and international opportunities and perspectives will be infused into the curriculum. The further development of undergraduate research and creative activities will include increased opportunities for undergraduates to conduct research locally using the region’s natural, social, and archival resources. Capstone courses will be developed to bring students’ educational experiences to conclusion with a major project that utilizes the research and communication skills they have learned.

Innovative pedagogy and appropriate facilities and services will support new curricula and strengthen existing programs. Identifying learning outcomes and assessing their achievement will be an important part of the development process.

To increase retention and graduation rates, Stony Brook will implement a comprehensive “admission through graduation” approach to advising, safety nets, and early warning systems for all undergraduate students. Promoting student success will include initiatives ranging from the continuous improvement of campus life and advising and support services, to expanded opportunities for students to locate themselves in small communities including the Undergraduate Colleges, to ensuring student access to high-demand courses, and implementing pedagogical and curricular changes to improve undergraduate instruction. Stony Brook will continue to strengthen both the first-year experience and the academic and advising needs of transfer, upper-division, and international students.

ACTIONS:

1. Stony Brook will create a contemporary general education curriculum for undergraduate students that emphasizes interdisciplinary and discipline-linking perspectives and includes international perspectives.           
2. Stony Brook will teach core competencies such as writing, oral communication, analysis, logical thinking, and numeracy in tandem with disciplinary subject matter.
3. Stony Brook will offer an introductory course to all new transfer students tailored to their needs.    
4. Stony Brook will establish an array of undergraduate majors that incorporates the best contemporary scholarship and prepares students for life and work in the 21st century.
5. Stony Brook will expand interdisciplinary undergraduate education by making it easy for students to customize interdisciplinary programs. 
6. Stony Brook will enhance the undergraduate curriculum with expanded opportunities for undergraduate research, scholarship, and creative activities within majors and in interdisciplinary programs, including research focused on Long Island.
7. Stony Brook will develop capstone courses as progress toward the goal of having all students finish their undergraduate education with a major project.           
8. Stony Brook will offer 1,000 internships a year by 2013 as progress toward the goal of offering an internship to every undergraduate.
9. Stony Brook will more fully use its status as a comprehensive graduate education and research university to provide combined baccalaureate/master’s degree opportunities.
10. Stony Brook will promote excellent teaching and innovative pedagogy supported by assessment.
11. Stony Brook will expand opportunities for students to benefit from proximity to New York City through internships, instructional programs, and cultural and recreational opportunities.            
12. Stony Brook will establish a comprehensive “admission to graduation” approach to promoting student success tailored to meet the needs of students who enter as freshmen and transfers, including expanded advising and mentoring.
13. Stony Brook will increase the freshman first-year retention rate to 90 percent and the six-year graduation rate to 65 percent, while also increasing the retention and graduation of transfer students.
14. Stony Brook will prepare undergraduate students for professional success through expanded career preparation services, connections with alumni, and increased training options in communication skills, presentation skills, and leadership.
15. Stony Brook will create a student employment service to expand on-campus employment opportunities.

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