Charles P. Schaadt,
assistant professor at Penn State Dubois, right, prepares a slide to share
from his group's discussion on tenure and promotion at the Commonwealth College's
inaugural All Faculty Meeting.
Photo:
Greg Grieco
By S. William Hessert Jr.
Commonwealth College
The message was clear on the buttons worn by the meeting attendees and on posters that stood on both sides of the speaker's podium at the Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel.
"Commonwealth College: Engaging the present -- Creating the future."
For those attending the Commonwealth College's inaugural All Faculty Meeting Nov. 19-20, the message was a constant reminder of why they were there. They had come from the college's 12 campuses to meet their colleagues, many for the first time, to discuss the future of the college from the faculty's viewpoint and to discuss issues of mutual concern within their disciplines.
"This meeting was critical in our development as a college," said Sandra E. Gleason, associate dean for faculty and research. "Not only did it allow faculty from all of our campuses to gather as a group for the first time, but it gave them the opportunity to make recommendations for building the college over the next five years."
More than 240 traveled from the 12 geographically dispersed campuses to attend the two-day meeting.
"I was skeptical, even reluctant (to attend) beforehand," said Adam J. Sorkin, professor of English at Penn State Delaware County. "But the meeting was neither a waste of time nor mere window dressing. I think the most important result of the meeting was a sense of collegiality, a mutual respect and shared sense of engagement in a collective endeavor that are fundamental prerequisites before a more or less random combination of disparate faculty members can become a faculty."
Deborah L. Eicher-Catt, assistant professor of speech communication at Penn State Wilkes-Barre, echoed Sorkin's sentiments.
"The meeting as a whole, I believe, was beneficial in helping to build a sense of cohesion among the faculty," she said.
The event began with a reception and dinner on Friday evening that featured comments from President Graham B. Spanier and Commonwealth College Dean Joseph C. Strasser.
Spanier said that he was optimistic about the future of the Commonwealth College, adding that the all-faculty meeting was a chance for the college to consider where it wanted to go and what it wanted to do.
"You will do these things, and we'll continue to see the Commonwealth College grow and prosper," he said.
Strasser listed the accreditation of academic programs and the increased enrollment in upper division-level courses among the most significant accomplishments in the college's brief history. However, he was quick to point out what he considered the college's biggest strength.
"When I made my (November) presentation to the University's Board of Trustees, most of the time I talked about you," he told the faculty members. "I wanted them to know that we have the best faculty. I truly believe that."
Many in attendance hoped the meeting would set the stage for similar gatherings in the future. Although a timetable for future meetings has yet to be discussed, Strasser was pleased with the turnout at the initial gathering.
"I am impressed that so many of our faculty attended this meeting," he said. "That shows me just how much the college and the campuses mean to them. We need to do everything we can to support their enthusiasm and commitment."