The trustees have approved a summer exploration by the administration of satellite campuses, master’s degrees, and online courses.
Satellite campuses and online courses could mean global Principia outposts or partnerships with other schools, though neither is certain. A master’s degree program would entail more faculty and available classes, and could also rely on other institutions.
However, all of those involved emphasized the fact that currently, the project is purely investigative, and no decisions have been made.
Trustee Helen Elswit wrote in an email, “The Board has not been asked to approve a strategic plan yet. So all discussions are just that at this point – discussions.”
The planning committee, whose role trustee Steve Sydness described as providing “guidance and feedback,” includes representatives from the St. Louis campus, college administration, trustees, and enrollment officers. Sydness, a member of the committee, wrote in an email that they will be working this summer on various aspects of a broader strategic plan, of which the three initiatives are a part.
“These three elements were singled out for research because they were likely to be part of the overall plan to be presented for approval in the fall,” Sydness wrote. “If they remain in the final plan and are approved, having done research already will allow the administration to move forward with implementation more quickly.”
Sydness added that the committee hopes to present a plan to the trustees in the fall. In their research, he wrote, the administration will likely assess costs, enrollment potential, “synergies with existing departments and… the worth and viability of the programs.”
Faculty Senate President-elect Mike Hamilton suggested that Palmer might assemble tiger teams to research the three initiatives further. He said he expects the ideas to get “air time” at the faculty retreats in June and August.
“As far as I know, there is … not even a skeletal plan right now,” Hamilton said. The religion and philosophy department, he added, is “definitely interested” in the idea of online courses, and has been toying with the concept for nearly a year.
“[The administration has] been tossing around this possibility of online courses for awhile,” Hamilton said. “We don’t have a plan, and we don’t even have a proposal at this point – we’re just interested.”
He added that the religion and philosophy department would be up for offering a master’s degree in religious studies, but that it “would be a big hill for us to climb,” and would take two or three years at least just to plan.
Dean of Academics Scott Schneberger, a member of the strategic planning committee, said that the three initiatives have been on the discussion table since a series of strategic meetings in the chapel this autumn, which were followed by meetings with faculty and staff. The discussion then passed to the strategic planning committee, who looked at long-range tactics.
“Dr. Palmer latched onto those three [initiatives] in particular,” explained Schneberger. “[He was asking,] ‘Okay, even though the budget’s going down, and even though we’re going to have less money to spend on things, and even though I’m not going to have any money to do these things, can we at least agree that it’s a good idea to start thinking about these things?’”
Africa was a recurring theme, said Schneberger, based on Principia’s strong African student base. He said that he has already been “collecting” global contacts, and has been speaking with the director of Sunrise School, a Christian Science school in Nairobi, Kenya.
Schneberger explained that Principia’s mission, “to serve the Cause of Christian Science,” could easily become a global mission. “Are we really serving the Cause,” he asked, “if we’re only serving, say, North Americans and a bachelor’s degree, and not going any further?”
The idea of a master’s degree, he added, seems a logical extension of Principia founder Mary Kimball Morgan’s vision. According to Academic and Career Advising, he said, 28 percent of students go on to begin master’s studies within two years of graduation.
“We’re not meeting the needs of those 28 percent,” Schneberger said, “because they have to go somewhere else to get their master’s.”
The announcement that the administration would research the three initiatives was made over the last few months, although the method is unclear. Schneberger said that unit heads passed down the information, but Hamilton maintained that it was relayed via email after the trustees’ April board meeting. Others claim that a statement was made at a recent Faculty Council meeting.
Yet whatever the medium, the faculty is aware of the initiatives, and has issued no reaction.
“At this stage, I’m not sure I would expect a lot of feedback, because it is so open at this point,” said Schneberger. “We’re just looking at these things right now, and I think the real meaty discussions are going to come later on when we start narrowing down the options. I would guess it’s too early to react.”
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