Once a decade the College undergoes a process of reaccreditation. A first step is a self-examination in which faculty, students, and administrative staff examined six themes around the unifying idea of the life of the mind. The second step is an examination by a team of faculty members and administrators from outside the College. This year's committee was chaired by Thomas Tritton, president of Haverford College, and included faculty and administrators from Bryn Mawr, Bucknell, Lafayette, Gettysburg, Swarthmore, The College of Wooster, and Western Maryland College.
The following excerpts are from the report delivered by the visitors.
INTELLECTUAL LIFE IN THE CLASSROOM: DEPTH
The self-study opens with an enthusiastic and thoughtful account of the major, which is clearly the focus and centerpiece of a Union College education. The students and faculty we talked to are proud of the majors, and the team believes that their pride is well justified.
The strength of the major at Union does not depend on course work alone. Several important institutional initiatives increase students' opportunities to understand and engage with their chosen subjects outside the confines of the classroom. Particularly important in this respect are Terms Abroad and summer research fellowships, both of which not only allow students to work closely with faculty but also encourage intellectual independence and initiative. These opportunities complement and in many cases lead to other advanced work in the discipline, including senior theses or projects and senior seminar courses. The strength of the major is likely to increase still further as the new Union Scholars become more a part of the College….
The self-study expresses two concerns about the interdepartmental majors (ID majors) — that they are attracting a progressively smaller number of students, and that in some cases they may have insufficient coherence and/or depth…. We concur with the suggestion in the self-study that the ID majors should be monitored for depth and especially for coordination between the departments ….
Good advising of underclassmen is essential not only to insure that students meet their requirements but also to help them lay the groundwork for their majors. It is clear, however, … that the present system of freshman and sophomore advising is ineffective….
INTELLECTUAL LIFE IN THE CLASSROOM: BREADTH
The General Education (GenEd)curriculum['s] … well-thought-out objectives are excellent. Nevertheless, the survey of the assessment of the curriculum objectives showed that approximately thirty percent of both faculty and students said the objectives combining breadth and depth were met rather poorly to very poorly. It is clear that the GenEd Curriculum needs to be revisited …. [P]roblems include:
Faculty Participation in the Freshman Preceptorial: A certain segment of the faculty are less willing to teach courses other than those in their own discipline. As a result, certain departments bear an inordinate burden in offering the Freshman Preceptorial sections….
Faculty Perception: Students and many faculty are not clear as to how the GenEd courses and their sequences are to be carried out. Often, students reach their senior year confused about whether they have met their requirements …. [T]he advising system needs to be examined.
Organization of Freshman Preceptorial: It is obvious that, in an effort to cover all the objectives, the course has become overburdened …. In some ways, the Freshman Preceptorial is at the heart of the GenEd curriculum, and as such its contribution to the intellectual life of the College must be acknowledged….
STUDENT INTELLECTUAL LIFE OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM: DEPTH
Undergraduate scholarly and creative activity is a hallmark of the Union College academic program and manifests itself primarily in a summer research program and department-related independent study…. These research experiences are closely supervised by faculty and often result in students presenting their work at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research. Union College also sponsors its own on-campus research forum, the Steinmetz Symposium, that provides a forum for Union College undergraduates to show off their work to their peers on campus.
Conversations with both faculty and students suggest that guided or independent research among undergraduates at Union is not overstated. It is, without a doubt, a pronounced strength of the College and something of which Union College should be proud. It offers a special distinction to the Union education that sets it apart from competitor schools….
While there is much to applaud here, the student research initiative is not without its stresses and challenges. Stipends for summer research assistants are at the “low end”, according to faculty…. Funding for summer stipends is also unpredictable. Faculty … believe that the summer program could expand marginally if there was additional and reliable funding….
The self-study indicated, and faculty reinforced the perception, that the library had inadequate resources to support undergraduate research….
STUDENT INTELLECTUAL LIFE OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM: BREADTH
As evidenced by thorough reporting in the self-study and in discussions with faculty, students, and administrators, a change process has been underway for at least five years. The changes are de-emphasizing the heretofore dominant role of Greek societies in Union's social scene and adding greater diversity of social opportunity as well as greater emphasis on intellectual and cultural life.
Ten theme houses have developed in recent years, attracting students who have enriched their out-of-classroom experience with art shows, poetry readings, film discussions and the like. In many instances, students have invited faculty to join them — or lead them — in these activities. In some groups, preparing special meals and enjoying them with friends and faculty guests has been both stimulating and enjoyable….
Similarly, Intellectual Enrichment Grants have facilitated faculty and student interactions by providing funds for trips to New York to visit theaters and museums, dinners for groups of students at faculty members' houses, and similar activities. … The Student Activities office offers diverse programs that provide an alternative to traditional events….
Students with whom the team members met … described their lives at Union as relatively intense, indicating that they become deeply involved in their academic work, in their campus organizations, and in their social lives. Student culture holds well-roundedness as an ideal; several times students expressed confidence in their ability to shape and improve their environment….
Several students … asserted that there is more intellectual activity going on than credited. For example, they reported frequent conversations about serious and intellectual topics in the residence halls and dining rooms. In addition, they emphasized the non-academic but valued personal growth they have experienced taking on leadership roles in various campus organizations and by learning to live closely with others….
Study Abroad: Any discussion of student life at Union would be incomplete without mention of the strong tradition and high student participation in a wide variety of foreign study opportunities. Without doubt, these add significantly to students' experiences. When we asked a group of four upperclass students to describe what during four years at Union had changed them the most, two of the four mentioned the challenges they met overseas. Faculty support is similarly strong…. Clearly, study abroad adds breadth to student intellectual life.
Diversity Issues: The College has taken steps to increase diversity in the student body as well as the faculty, and we commend these efforts. Having made gains in this area, the College faces a growing and obvious concern about the environment. How inclusive is it? The self-study placed a high value on the importance of making social and residential life inclusive of diverse student interests, including those of minority students…. As the College attempts to control financial aid expenditures, it is crucial that it not shortchange its commitment to recruiting a truly diverse student body.
FACULTY INTELLECTUAL LIFE OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM: DEPTH
It is clear from the College's self-study and from our site visit that research is alive and well at Union College. The students and faculty with whom we spoke confirmed the judgment of the framers of the self-study: that undergraduate research is one of three pillars of excellence at Union College….
Union College is justifiably proud of its tradition of excellence in teaching, but none of the faculty with whom we met saw scholarship as a competitor. Indeed, this is a faculty that understands the full range of the benefits of scholarship — to their students, to their own professional development, to their disciplines, and to the reputation of the College….
On the question of balance between teaching and scholarship in the tenuring process, the self-study is clear: teaching and scholarship are of equal importance; a candidate for tenure must be rated at least “very good” in one area and “excellent” in the other…. The team commends the faculty for the importance it places on scholarship; at an undergraduate college, the demands of teaching often make it difficult to be productive as scholars as well, but the Union College faculty have accepted the challenge.
At the same time, the team read and heard issues of concern, related to time and resources, that need further and focused discussion…. [C]learly the College needs to assess, on an ongoing basis, all of these suggestions and others in order to determine how best to support faculty research within the limits of available resources….
FACULTY INTELLECTUAL LIFE OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM: BREADTH
The self-study identifies six interdisciplinary programs at Union: Women's Studies, Africana Studies, Latin American Studies, East Asian Studies, Environmental Studies, and American Studies, as well as a seventh, less formalized program in history and engineering…. Though it is clear to the team that the College supports interdisciplinary work in concept — the self-study calls for the strengthening of the interdisciplinary programs and for more interdisciplinary colloquia and workshops — it is less clear that that support is activated in practice.
The team encourages the faculty and administration to return to the question of support for interdisciplinary programs. With four divisions and a 200-year tradition of “union” learning, the potential for interdisciplinary work at this College is considerable….
The team's discussion with the directors of the Union Scholars Program and the Language and Writing Centers emphasized the importance of writing in the curriculum — across courses and, especially, in the Freshman Preceptorial. Both thought the original concept of the Preceptorial, which included a common reading list, needed to be rethought, with an eye to greater flexibility in the styling of the course. But both also insisted on the importance of writing, in a first-year course and in courses across the curriculum. The director of the Union Scholars Program (in interim service) praised the quality of the Scholars and observed that they were eager and able to do the additional work the Program envisioned. The director of graduate honors and fellowships spoke of his concentrated and early efforts to identify and communicate with students who might be candidates for Rhodes, Goldwater, Marshall, or other scholarships; he brought to his new responsibility considerable confidence in Union College students, consistent with the self-study's emphasis on intellectual life….
LIBRARY AND LEARNING RESOURCES
Union College enjoys a handsomely renovated library with space designed to accommodate its rich historic collections and new and emerging technologies. It includes seating for 400 users, multiple group study rooms and a capacity to house 750,000 volumes. It is clearly a user-centered library, from its well-designed study spaces to its visible staff…. Union College wisely has established a technology endowment for the support of library hardware, software and technology upgrades. The staff is rightfully proud of its campuswide CD network, online offerings, web-based catalog and award-winning library website. The College boasts an impressive Special Collections department that serves as a valuable resource for student independent study in disciplines ranging from visual arts to history, literature and biology….
The library's pattern of low monograph purchasing over the last decade has contributed to the view that the library lacks the necessary resources to conduct specialized scholarly research…. If Union College wishes to remain in the top group of excellent liberal arts colleges and wants to grow its student research, more resources must be devoted to increasing monographs….
Students engaged in research clearly require a thorough introduction to library resources and direct instruction on navigating the often-confusing electronic offerings. Schaffer Library has an able professional staff interested in teaching these skills. At the moment instruction is on an “as requested” basis, covering some disciplines much better than others….
RESOURCES, FINANCES, AND FACILITIES
Union College has a sound financial position with a balanced budget and a strong balance sheet. With an endowment of $270 million and debt of $49 million (some of which is covered by pledges), it is rated 'A1 with a stable outlook' by the Moody's rating agency. Regular annual processes are in place to prepare operating and capital budgets and three-year financial projections….
A solid admissions picture secures Union's revenue stream. Selectivity and yield are healthy with improving trends. Student charges are within the range of comparable institutions. The College has a disciplined endowment spending policy. Gift revenues are generally at a higher level since the recent successful completion of a $150 million capital campaign.
With respect to expenditures, compensation makes up a majority of the budget. The goal for faculty compensation is to be at the bottom of the top third of a comparison group of institutions. Union has a multi-year plan to achieve this goal. Staff members regard Union as a desirable employer because of such practices as having the same basic cost of living increases for both faculty and staff, the same package of benefits, and a commitment for individual job security while maintaining scrutiny of job vacancies.
Attention has been given in recent years to increasing the allocation for deferred maintenance and to investing in technology. Cost control and budget scrutiny have enabled reallocation of funds to priority needs….
Notwithstanding the soundness and stability of Union's financial position, however, it cannot afford to be complacent. Union is well aware of the challenges ahead.
Union is a highly tuition-dependent institution. With over sixty percent of students receiving aid and a growing discount rate on tuition revenues, a focus on increasing net student revenues without sacrificing objectives for diversity and excellence in the student body is imperative. Student recruitment is expected to become increasingly competitive, and admissions and financial aid decisions will continue to be more intertwined….
With lower endowment per student than some competitor institutions and with recent investment returns lagging other endowments, attention is being focused on the asset allocation in the endowment….