January 29, 2003

COLLEGE OF FOREST RESOURCES

All COLLEGE MEETING

January 28, 2003

3:30-5:00 p.m.

Agenda

  • Overview of UW and CFR budgets (Bare)
  • EFC and Ad Hoc Staff Budget Advisory Committee (Chalker-Scott and Corboy)
  • Overview of CFR transformation (Bare)
  • Ad Hoc Curriculum Working Group (Brubaker)
  • Discussion
    Budget Challenge

    The anticipated state shortfall is $2.4 billion to impact $7 billion in discretionary spending

    The UW is planning for a budget cut at least as large as last year's cut

    Each College and School is being asked a common set of questions related to strategic priorities, enrollments, curricular efficiencies, opportunities for fee-based programs, and faculty profiles

    UW enrollment is growing and is currently over enrolled; the College enrollment is flat; and the state budget is shrinking

    In short, we must do more with less, but quality must not be compromised

    This is our challenge. Let me share a few of the budgetary details at both the University and College levels

    The following three slides illustrate the magnitude of the College's budget problems.

    Vision

    To be a world-class internationally recognized source of knowledge relevant to environmental and natural resource issues

    Provide high quality - high impact programs across our teaching, research and outreach missions

    We must emphasize:

  • quality of the educational experience to the UW and our constituents, and
  • strive to be the best world-class college program emphasizing the stewardship of natural and managed environments and the sustainable use of their products and services

    Our programs emphasize the functionality and sustainability of complex natural resource and environmental systems featuring

  • Interdisciplinary
  • Integrated
  • Multiple scales
  • World-class laboratory
  • Gradient from urban to rural
  • Linked to other campus programs

    We focus on:

  • key principles and processes that explain the behavior and interaction of biotic and social systems along gradients from highly to minimally impacted terrestrial ecosystems
  • the interaction between nature and humans and a synthesis of existing information

    We have embarked on a transformation of the College and the input of all members of the College community is needed for us to fully realize this vision and to succeed

    My suggestion is to focus on the science of sustainability (ecological, economic and social) to provide a strong foundation for further learning about natural resources associated with our urban, suburban and wild lands

    From such a natural resource science-based undergraduate education we can develop professional master's programs that are integrated with our undergraduate program in coordinated 3-2 or 4-1 BS/MFR programs

    Professor Linda Brubaker discussed the structure of the non-PSE undergraduate curriculum. (this may take a minute to download)

    B. Bruce Bare, Dean
    To Return to:Prof Bare's Page, Dean's Office, College of Forest Resources