Texas Higher Education Case Study

This letter is sent in response to your announcement of a search for an Associate Dean for Engagement and General Education at Clemson University. The announcement of this search drew my attention because I am familiar with Clemson, and I believe my background and experience provide an excellent fit with the credentials you seek. I have a keen interest in advancing Clemson’s vision of being “one of the nation’s top 20 public universities,” and I believe I can make a positive contribution in support of this vision. You will find a curriculum vita included for your consideration, but I would like to highlight some of my experiences that make me uniquely qualified for this position.

During my almost 30-year career, I have gained substantial
As a member of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board’s Undergraduate Education Advisory Committee (UEAC) I worked closely with other committee members to complete the first major revision of the Texas Core Curriculum in over 30 years. The Texas Core is the common general education core curriculum required of all Texas public colleges and universities. The UEAC carefully studied the needs of employers in the state and nation, national trends in core curriculum structure and development, and key performance indicators of student learning and success to develop its recommendation. The revision of the Texas Core Curriculum completed by the UEAC included learning outcomes which were generally aligned with the American Association of College and Universities (AAC&U) Essential Learning Outcomes, clearly defined foundational component areas, a map of the core curriculum objectives to the foundational component areas, an allocation of semester credit hours by foundational component area, an assessment reporting process that is aligned to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges reporting process, and a timeline for the development and approval of the revised core curriculum at each Texas public
This area of study focuses on identifying classroom communication variables that enhance student success, and training faculty in the use of communication skills and instructional strategies that promote student learning. My background in instructional communication will provide a strong basis for working collaboratively with other units in planning faculty development programs and providing individual support to faculty. As the Director of the OSLIA at SFA, I was responsible for developing and presenting numerous faculty and staff training sessions and workshops dealing with a variety of topics associated with assessment and accreditation. I have also made annual presentations on the SFA core curriculum and assessment as part of the new faculty orientation program, and the importance of communication in the classroom for the new graduate assistant orientation at SFA. I was also a member of the committee that developed and implemented SFA’s Quality Enhancement Plan which is focused on promoting and spreading the use of high-impact practices by faculty through faculty learning communities and faculty development