Members of GW's highest oversight body solicited student, faculty and staff opinion in two forums in an effort to gain feedback about the University's academic and strategic plans for the next two decades.
Discussions focused on the search for a new University President and what attracted students and faculty to Foggy Bottom. The Board of Trustees Task Force on Advancement is also creating a 10- to 20 -year vision statement for the University, which prompted much debate among the groups.
About 100 administrators, deans, professors and adjunct professors attended Wednesday's forum in the Elliott School of International Affairs while about 20 students joined members of the Board of Trustees at a forum Tuesday in the Jack Morton Auditorium. Both graduate and undergraduate students attended Tuesday's forum, including several Student Association members.
Jeanette Michael, a member of the Board of Trustees and a task force member, said the vision statement will act as a guide for the new president. University President Stephen Joel Trachtenberg will be stepping down as GW's top administrator in July 2007 and the board is in the process of searching for a new president.
"When the new president is selected, that president will have a clear idea of where we would like the University to go," she said.
The part of the statement discussed at the forums reads, "GW seeks excellence in those disciplines that can best take advantage of its location in the nation's capital and to be one of the preeminent research universities."
Students and faculty were concerned that the vision statement focused too narrowly on the large traditional majors at GW that are able to take advantage of the city.
Some students said the board should encourage students across the University to become more involved in the District, for example, the need for more service learning programs that involve students with the city.
Student Association President Lamar Thorpe, a senior, said not only political science majors, for example, can take advantage of the University being located in the heart of D.C., but that math and science majors can also take advantage of the school's location.
Discussions focused on the search for a new University President and what attracted students and faculty to Foggy Bottom. The Board of Trustees Task Force on Advancement is also creating a 10- to 20 -year vision statement for the University, which prompted much debate among the groups.
About 100 administrators, deans, professors and adjunct professors attended Wednesday's forum in the Elliott School of International Affairs while about 20 students joined members of the Board of Trustees at a forum Tuesday in the Jack Morton Auditorium. Both graduate and undergraduate students attended Tuesday's forum, including several Student Association members.
Jeanette Michael, a member of the Board of Trustees and a task force member, said the vision statement will act as a guide for the new president. University President Stephen Joel Trachtenberg will be stepping down as GW's top administrator in July 2007 and the board is in the process of searching for a new president.
"When the new president is selected, that president will have a clear idea of where we would like the University to go," she said.
The part of the statement discussed at the forums reads, "GW seeks excellence in those disciplines that can best take advantage of its location in the nation's capital and to be one of the preeminent research universities."
Students and faculty were concerned that the vision statement focused too narrowly on the large traditional majors at GW that are able to take advantage of the city.
Some students said the board should encourage students across the University to become more involved in the District, for example, the need for more service learning programs that involve students with the city.
Student Association President Lamar Thorpe, a senior, said not only political science majors, for example, can take advantage of the University being located in the heart of D.C., but that math and science majors can also take advantage of the school's location.
