Teaching-Learning Academy Highlights Nov. 19-20 2008  88 people participated across the four dialogue groups. Last round, everyone wrote down a question or recommended action concerning diversity/sustainability – the two emergent strands of interest in connection with our BIG question for 2008-09: How can WE live out our Mission and create a sustainable future at Western that saves money and builds on diversity? Here is a summary of those results: DIVERSITY Cluster 1: Definitions and Goals  Questions:

 What do we mean by “diversity?”

 What kinds of differences do we have here at WWU? Which ones are we overlooking? Data?

 What do we – as a campus community - count as the goal(s) of diversity?  Actions/Answers: 1. Survey TLA (on closing and opening surveys) and others across campus on these questions (via Viking Village). 2. Gather and compile survey responses and institutional data on various kinds of diversity and goals. 3. Draft a brief document with a set of working definitions and goals based on data collected; distribute to campus for response via Viking Village/other venues.

Cluster 2: Partnerships  Questions:

 How can we partner across campus to better understand and build on our existing diversity?

 How can we build on the existing diversity in the residence halls?  Actions/Answers: 1. TLA to partner with existing groups on campus already committed to building on diversity to co- sponsor a series of events and activities, including festive ones that feature diversity/variety in a broad way, to better understand and recognize both visible and invisible diversity. Partnering groups could include the Woodring Diversity Committee, the Center for Equity, Education, and Diversity (CEED), Leadership Advantage, Intergroup Dialogue, AS Clubs, Residence Life, others.

2. Partner with others in offering development opportunities to faculty on ways to incorporate sensitivity to difference into course curricula across campus (e.g. Joe Garcia and Karen Hoelscher’s work on “diversity flashpoints”). 3. Identify, share, and model multiple ways to engage students in the planning of these events and activities and connect work to course credit wherever possible.

***See other side for Sustainability questions and recommendations.

SUSTAINABILITY Cluster 1: Definitions and Goals Questions:

 What do we mean by “sustainability” in terms of intellectual sustainability (teaching and learning)?

 What is the goal(s) of sustainability in terms of teaching and learning?

Actions/Answers: 1. Survey TLA and others across campus on their answers to these questions. 2. Find out what other campuses are doing to sustain “intellectual sustainability.” 3. Draft a brief document that uses survey responses and data collected to define sustainability for teaching and learning; distribute to campus for dialogue via Viking Village/other venues.

Cluster 2: Partnerships

 Questions

 What sustainability efforts are already happening at WWU? How might TLA partner with them?

 How can we sustain excellent teaching and learning and encourage a culture of collaboration in order to work more effectively and efficiently since we are all spread so thin?

 How can we assess sustainability measures taken?  Actions/Answers: 1. TLA to invite new provost to consider making “saving money for learning” a campus-wide curricular initiative and invite all colleges and programs to use it as a theme for research. 2. TLA to partner with newly formed Sustainability Academy and student Coop group to advance mutual goals. 3. TLA members to complete & distribute a list of “Small Acts for Saving Money to Sustain Learning” across campus (via Viking Village) and ask for response. So far, the list includes: a. Eliminate trays in dining halls. b. Assign Green Coats to turn off lights and heat during hours of non-use in buildings and residence halls. c. Turn fountain off earlier in school year. d. Formally ask all faculty through college group list serves to use the online drop-box and online tests versus real paper products whenever possible. e. Find out who could investigate cost-savings from motion-sensored lights. f. Ask Residence Life director to consider initiating a “challenge” program that invite residence halls to compete with one another in conserving resources; provide incentives. g. Survey campus on other small, sustaining acts already being done or could be done to save money for enhancing teaching and learning; offer incentives & rewards. h. Determine cost savings from measures taken and post on Viking Village.

Questions for dialogue on Dec. 3/4:

1. Is there something pressing we have left out?

2. What do we recommend doing first?

3. Besides Winter Quarter 2009 TLA participants, with whom do we want to share these questions/recommendations?