CLS dean leads forum about future of the college

The new dean for the College of Letters and Science (CLS), William Thomas, led an open forum with faculty and students about the future of the college last Thursday. 

During the talk, faculty discussed their visions for a cohesive identity within the CLS, perspectives on AI and retention rates in the college. 

One of the main focuses at the talk was a  unified identity. “I think that we need more of an identity as a college,” said ecology professor and attendee Diane Debinski. “Letters and Science is a big set of things — they do this amazing breadth of things — and that’s hard to put boundaries on because it’s so large.” 

During the talk, CLS faculty agreed that diversity is a key aspect of the college's identity. “What sets our college apart is that we try to improve the human condition, but we also try to understand the human condition,” said political science professor Sara Rushing. “You can’t improve the human condition if you don’t really understand it. I think that’s what our college has this incredible potential to do.” 

AI was another discussion topic at the event. “In terms of AI for students, we have an opportunity to really lead in this area,” Thomas said. "I think we need to do a lot more in the college to — in our current courses and in new courses — address artificial intelligence in the world and in our lives." 

CLS faculty are developing an introductory course titled “Being Human in the Age of Artificial Intelligence” to educate students about AI and how it is changing our world, according to Thomas. The University has submitted a request to plan for the development of an institute on the topic of AI, he said.

The CLS student ambassador program started last Spring to help with student retention. Thomas said the ambassadors often discuss similar topics that were raised at the forum, and some student ambassadors attended the event. 

“A lot of people are — with good reason — in a panic about the rise of AI and what that's going to do, especially to the humanities,” said CLS Student Ambassador Cedar Stellon. “It feels a little bit destabilizing.” 

“I can say right now, ‘Yes, we are looking hard at [AI,]’” Thomas said in an interview on Friday. “We held a department head workshop with a faculty panel just last week, and [AI] was one of the principal subjects.” 

Attendees at the forum also discussed MSU’s low retention rates and raised questions about maintaining open-access ideals. 

“What we mean by open access is that we meet students where they are, and we're not screening out students before they even set foot on campus,” Thomas said on Friday. “Students can come here with a fair shot of succeeding.”

“Certainly, there are institutions that have built their entire model around exclusion, essentially around selectivity to the point of total exclusion,” Thomas said during the forum. “[MSU has] a very different model and a very different opportunity in front of us.” 

According to professor Michael Reidy, the CLS is essential because it offers core courses to students from all majors. “We know that students are taking [those courses] the first year — first semester — and we know that’s when retention is so important,” he said during an interview on Friday. 

This discussion comes at an opportune time, according to Thomas. “The president has already indicated that MSU will start a strategic planning process in the coming months and year, and it's time for that,” Thomas said during the interview. “The [CLS] will be following that planning and seeing how it can best serve the University.” 

“We're going to need to have a deep and thoughtful conversation about how we make adjustments to our curriculum —to our programs — in ways that meet the moment,” he said. These adjustments include boosting the capacity of student help centers such as the Math and Stats Center and the Writing Center. 

Additionally, the CLS is spending the year evaluating its advising process according to Thomas. “We will absolutely be seeking student input on advising,” Thomas said in an interview on Friday. He said that he plans to work with CLS student ambassadors and Associated Students of MSU senators to determine the best way to gather student feedback.