• State of the college

  Dean Whiteford: LAS implementing "very aggressive" hiring plan.

• Citing a healthy state economy and strong enrollments, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
  Dean Michael Whiteford told LAS faculty and staff
  that the college is "implementing a very aggressive hiring plan" this year.
  
  "We have authorized hiring three times the number of faculty as we did last year, said Whiteford, speaking at the annual LAS Fall Convocation Sept. 5. "One of our pressing goals, to rebuild dwindling faculty ranks, is being addressed with vigor."
  
  Thirteen new tenure-track faculty members were hired in the previous academic year, and are starting in the college this fall.
  
  The year is "going to be a good one," Whiteford predicted.
  
  "For the first time in years, we are entering the academic year fully confident that in planning for the future, we can expect to do so with greater resources instead of planning on how we should be moving forward with fewer resources."
  
  Whiteford credited the governor and legislature for their support of the university and for realizing the "consequences of whittling the budgets of the three state universities in recent years."
  
  "We hope this is only the harbinger of things to come," he added.
  
  In addition, he reported that enrollments are up, "and that is very good news."
  
  Whiteford also applauded the LAS development team for its "banner year" in which $10 million was raised in pledges, estate gifts, stocks and cash. Just two years ago, the total was $2.5 million. "And that was considered a good year," he said.
  
  "There is not a department in the college that
  had not directly benefited from these efforts," Whiteford added.
  
  The dean discussed the college’s roles in the ISU’s teaching, research and outreach missions.
  
  He called LAS the "university’s college." LAS faculty teach essential "breadth and depth" courses for all other colleges. "In addition to teaching our own majors, we teach required courses for curricula in every other college on the campus."
  
  LAS faculty teach more than half of all student credit hours on campus - about 4.5 times the number of the second highest-ranked college, he said. "We teach almost three-quarters of all the student credit hours taken by first- and second-year students, regardless of major or college."
  
  Whiteford also said the "high-quality, cutting-edge research and discovery" are defining characteristics of the college. "By all of the measurable ways, we are extremely successful in what we do. He added LAS is usually first or second among ISU colleges receiving external competitive research funding.
  
  LAS also has a strong impact on outreach. Research efforts in all areas of the college have contributed to the well being of persons on many fronts, he said.
  
  "Our roles and impact are immeasurable," Whiteford said. "Without a strong and vibrant College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, this university would not, and could not, be what it is."
  
  The dean addressed other areas of the college:
• • The new budget model, to be implemented across campus soon, "offers the possibility of many exciting opportunities and a host of fascinating challenges."
    
    Increased marketing efforts are planned to raise the profile of the college and increase student enrollment.
    
    The dean is planning to communicate more with faculty and staff, in person and via other methods. "I hope not to pester, but to engage."

Around LAS
September 17-30, 2007

Ames, Iowa 50011, (515) 294-4111. Published by: University Relations, online@iastate.edu. Copyright © 1995-2004, Iowa State University of Science and Technology. All rights reserved.

Non-Discrimination Statement and Information Disclosures

College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Ames, Iowa 50011-1302

General Information: (515) 294-7740

Academic Advising: (515) 294-4831

Email: las@iastate.edu

Michael Whiteford - Dean

Bret Larwick - Director of Technology

Dave Gieseke - Director of Communications