by Vivian A. Vidoli, Dean of Graduate Studies
Over the years, my colleagues have sometimes asked me why I have been steadfastly involved in graduate education, particularly at a campus that is predominantly an undergraduate teaching institution. Others ask what keeps me energized in working to foster programs of research and professional development in this region. Many of these inquiries come from individuals who see overwhelming challenges in delivering graduate programs of quality or in engaging this campus in a strong scholarly graduate culture or even in the attainment of appropriate facilities and personnel. Their observations have sometimes been a source of amusement to me because, given my sense of the academy and the importance of teaching and scholarship, I cannot think of a better place to invest my efforts!
Perhaps I seem guilty of embracing the notion that overcoming barriers can make achievement so much sweeter. But I am too much of a pragmatist for that. I believe it is important for graduate education to make a difference for the faculty, students and staff we attract to our campus programs. It is equally important to engage our academic community in the shared expectation that graduate education will make us truly more deserving of the name "university" and that it has a unique role in fulfilling our mission as a state university.
But even these beliefs do not fully account for the special interest I have in keeping the graduate enterprise going. In all honesty, my commitment to graduate education comes chiefly from a model that I would like to borrow from the "energizer bunny."
This model includes an extraordinarily resilient, well-charged battery comprised of those faculty members who make contributions to graduate teaching and learning, scholarship, professional development, mentoring, and the advancement of our status as a university. I witness the collective energy of these faculty members in their dedication to meeting student requests, maintaining research and professional portfolios that include students, developing new and responsive curricula, and advising and mentoring students and research colleagues. They conduct these activities in concert with demanding instructional assignments. It is principally through these faculty members' efforts and reputations that we claim a graduate enrollment that puts us in the upper tier of the CSU system for both enrollment and range of programs.
Faculty continue to respond to calls for flexibility in program scheduling that permits us to offer 70 percent of our graduate programs in an evening and weekend format. They continue to take advantage of technology in finding alternative means for delivery of a quality graduate experience, whether on campus or at a remote site. So many faculty members find the energy to say, "Yes, I can do it." It is their enthusiasm and willingness to keep going and going and going that inspire me.
The provost and school deans are like the powerful legs of the bunny in providing administrative direction and program support. They play a crucial role in assuring progress toward university goals for graduate education and in recognizing the scholarship required of a graduate faculty. They are responsible too for the successful planning required to implement and staff new programs and modify established programs. Their skills as key administrative colleagues ensure that graduate programs are positioned to contribute to the quality of undergraduate programs.
The pink, fluffy coat of the energizer bunny reminds me that some of the most important work of the Graduate Office is just plain fun to do! Our Hooding Ceremony, programs for student research and travel grants, management of the California Predoctoral Program, special student and faculty awards programs and workshops do much to promote excellence in research and planning and to recognize unique academic and professional achievement and collaboration. These hallmark activities have become an integral component of the graduate enterprise on our campus and have served to accelerate the career objectives of many students and faculty members. We hope to construct new programs to fund community-based teaching fellowships, to provide grants for achieving graduate program excellence and to improve the mentoring of thesis students.
The eyes, nose and big ears of our bunny model represent the students and external constituencies who are constantly alert to opportunities to participate in our advanced programs. They keep me informed of what needs to be done and how the Graduate Office can maintain its commitment to making our campus the best graduate university in the Central Valley.
You may have correctly guessed that I see myself in this model as the bunny's paw that beats the drum for graduate education. I have always seen the next hill as one that brings a refreshing challenge to think about ways to enhance our future. The following issues represent the next set of hills:
Let's keep going and going and going . . . !
Back to University Journal, 5/11/98 Issue
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