Dean's Message to SciMath and ITEC (1)

(This is the first of a series of blog posts for the STEM faculty and staff before my departure from Minneapolis College.)

​Dear colleagues,

In less than two months, I will no longer be your dean. I want to take this opportunity to express my pride in leading a team of student-centered educators. I did not make you into such educators; you have always possessed that quality.

• In the face of a challenging semester when many students lacked the basic math skills for his class, Kirk Boraas (CHEM) told me that he was "thinking about what exactly the students need" so he could help them. (No, he did not suggest that we raise the prerequisites to Calculus 3.)
• Upon discovering that ASTR 1100 and CHEM 1140 were admitting students with lower reading placements, yet still achieving great course success, Nick Taylor (GEOL) and Rekha Ganaganur (CHEM) promptly implemented similar changes in their own courses.
• In response to the shift to online learning during and after the pandemic, Catherine Pham (ITEC) developed an orientation module specifically tailored for ITEC students. (No, she didn't ask them to sign up for a semester-long first-year experience course or a long orientation.)
• Prior to my tenure as dean, ITEC permanently removed the MATH 70 prerequisite for students entering the first computer programming course. This adjustment has opened doors for more students to pursue their passion for programming.
• The Math department created the Minneapolis Math Pathways, which help more students complete their graduation math requirements than anytime in the last 20 years. This achievement is particularly noteworthy considering the decline in the College's overall enrollment compared to previous years.

These are just a few examples of the incredible work being done within our departments. These things will undoubtedly leave a lasting legacy that uniquely defines us.

In higher education, a prevailing belief is often that students are ill-prepared to learn, and the solution typically involves requiring developmental courses as prerequisites. However, over the past six years, our team has defied this trend by innovating our curriculum and pedagogy. We have provided students with greater access without compromising academic success. I want to take this opportunity to applaud each and every one of you for your dedication and hard work. Unlike instructors at many other institutions, you go above and beyond by teaching students who would have otherwise been sent to developmental courses. Your commitment to their success is truly commendable.

As I prepare to depart from the college, I implore you to continue this journey with the same student-growth mindset that has guided us thus far. Let us not allow the rhetoric of student deficiency to infiltrate our team once again. Let us refrain from reverting to a system that requires more prerequisites or uses them as screening tools. When remediation is inevitable, let us ensure it is concise and provided just-in-time. Let us not place the responsibility of readiness solely on students or the preparatory classes we wish to send them, such as developmental courses or extensive orientations, and avoid dealing with students who may struggle to follow our lessons.

Please remember, this is not only a "Ben's thing." It is a thing for Kirk, Catherine, Nick, Rekha, and each and every one of us. It is *OUR* thing.

​Thank you for your unwavering commitment to our students and their success.