To serve University of Texas at Austin students better, the Provost’s Office has introduced a Summer Enhancement Program that will expand and improve course offerings during the summer 2010 session.
The pilot program will offer financial incentives to the colleges and schools whose summer offerings attract additional students. Some units will offer courses that may be hard to get in the fall and spring semesters. Some will introduce new specialty courses. If successful, the program will continue in subsequent summers. The long-term goal is to make the summer more interesting and useful, so students will start to incorporate it in their educational plans, perhaps shortening time to degree. The availability of summer federal Pell grants will make it easier for eligible students to participate.
Information on course offerings under the enhancement program is available online. Here are some examples from the offerings of selected colleges/schools:
Architecture: Architecture and Society (ARC s308) with Laurence Speck, the W. L. Moody, Jr. Centennial Professor in Architecture.
Liberal Arts: For the first summer session, Creative Writing (E f325) with Professor Oscar Casares, acclaimed author of “Amigoland.” Introduction to International Relations and Global Studies with Michael Anderson, lecturer in International Relations and Global Studies.
Natural Sciences: Humans and a Changing Ocean (MNS f309), with Professor Tracy Villareal, Department of Marine Science. Physical Chemistry Laboratory (CH f153K).
Social Work: Working with Youth Gangs (SW f360K) with Professor Michael Lauderdale, the Clara Pope Willoughby Centennial Professor in Criminal Justice.
“This pilot program is an important initiative for the university,” said Provost Steven Leslie. “If successful, it will provide continuing educational resources for our students. At the same time, it will provide new funding to the colleges and schools to pursue excellence. In this way it will benefit the academic enterprise as a whole.”
The Summer Enhancement Program is under the supervision of Vice Provost John Dollard.
“The recent establishment by the U.S. Congress of a well-funded program of summer Pell grants illustrates the growing national awareness of the value of summer enrollment,” Dollard said. “By expanding and enhancing its summer offerings, UT will be at the forefront of a national trend.”
Questions can be directed to dollard@mail.utexas.edu.
