Brown's Task Force on Undergraduate Education convened in spring 2007 at the request of Provost David Kertzer to examine the quality of the undergraduate experience at Brown. There were essentially two motivations for forming the Task Force at this time. The first was the Plan for Academic Enrichment, which lists as its #1 priority excellence in undergraduate education. The second motivation had to do with the reaccreditation of Brown, conducted every 10 years by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges. Brown is required to complete a rather extensive self-study for its review, which will take place in 2009. We were granted permission to focus that study on the undergraduate College, and so the Task Force was convened to help with that process.
Our guiding question was quite broad: what do we consider Brown's educational mission to be, and what do we need to do to ensure the continued excellence of the undergraduate college? That question was then broken down into more manageable parts, which had to do with liberal education in general, the concentrations, the role of advising in the Brown curriculum, and Brown's mission as a teaching institution.
Consulting broadly with faculty, with students, and with alums, the Task Force met throughout the fall 2007 semester and released a report to the campus in spring 2008. Brown community members may access the report by clicking on the Draft Report button at left. The Task Force is now revising the draft based on the extensive feedback it received from faculty, students, alums, and staff, and plans on releasing a final report by mid-July. Early in the fall semester, the campus community will have ample opportunity to discuss the plan for implementing the Task Force’s 15 major recommendations, which will help ensure Brown's place as a leader in innovative undergraduate education.