"Institutional Portraits" Customize Goals of the CIRTL Network
Katherine Friedrich

To focus on goals that will be useful to each university, CIRTL has developed a set of written "institutional portraits." Each "portrait" summarizes existing resources on each campus and identifies professional development needs that CIRTL can address.

Since each university joins the Network with its own culture, strengths and resources, CIRTL plans to develop a unique niche at each institution. This approach allows CIRTL to efficiently meet the needs of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) future faculty on each campus.

"We need to be able to say to the [National Science Foundation], 'Here's the impact'," explained Ann Austin, Professor of Higher, Adult, and Lifelong Education at Michigan State University .

Austin participated in designing the structure of the portraits. She said leaders at each institution were asked the following questions:

•  What professional development opportunities does their university already have?

•  What are the current professional needs of their STEM doctoral students?

•  Finally, how can participation in CIRTL enhance future faculty professional development on their campus?

Although the portraits reflect a variety of institutional cultures, several common themes emerged.

The Network institutions already have many productive professional development programs. However, graduate students are not necessarily aware of these opportunities. "There's an awful lot of good ideas already in place," Austin observed.

Some surveys showed teaching was not valued as highly as research. Many graduate students did not feel adequately prepared for their future teaching responsibilities.

Faculty and students at some majority institutions were aware of a need for increased attention to diversity, but were not sure how to approach the situation.

Developing the portraits is "an opportunity for institutions to be self-reflective," Austin said. Assessing the needs of their campus allows CIRTL leaders to "target their involvement" and ensures that "CIRTL [is] addressing real issues," she added.

Austin said she believes CIRTL has the potential to have a significant positive impact on STEM graduate education. "We're opening up a national conversation. around the responsibility of universities. to prepare doctoral students," she said.

November 21, 2006

CIRTL
1025 W. Johnson St.
Madison, WI 53706
ph.: 608.263.0630
fax: 608.265.0538