Graduate School body
prepares for election

Bill Bradley, Al Gore, George W. Bush and John McCain aren’t the only anxious participants in this election year.

There’s Bea Greenwald.

Greenwald, assistant to the dean for academic programs in the graduate school, is in the process of organizing an election that doesn’t draw near the attention of a presidential race. But the Graduate School Council’s annual election, according to Greenwald and others, is absolutely a critical part of business at the University of Washington. The council is a major player on campus, shaping University policy and influencing investment in programs. And council members gain incredible insight into the University, Greenwald said.

“Graduate faculty should consider participating on the council,” Greenwald said recently from her office in Gerberding Hall. “The council is an important voice when the quality of University programs is assessed. Every department is reviewed every 10 years. The fact of the matter is, the council is in a position to see what needs to be done or changed and then advocate for those things.”

Greenwald’s election-year anxiety stems from the prospect of pulling the process together. It’s hard work, but she said she’s willing to do whatever it takes to attract qualified candidates to the election process. Her preparations begin in earnest later this month when an invitation for nominations goes out to all deans and department chairs. If that doesn’t drum up enough interest, Greenwald says she’s been known to go door-to-door in search of nominees. And generally, she’s satisfied with the results.

“It’s a painstaking process, but it’s infinitely worth doing,” she said. “Every year, in spite of the struggles, we come up with some really remarkable people. We hope that members of the graduate faculty know they are eligible to participate on the council.”

And council members - 12 in all, serving three-year terms, with four rotating off annually - agree that the experience is both personally and professionally satisfying.

“By serving for only two hours once every two weeks, I’ve ended up feeling like a much stronger contributor to the University as a whole,” said Les Atlas, a professor and associate chair for research in the Department of Electrical Engineering, who is in his third year on the council.

Christine Di Stefano, a political science professor and two-year veteran of the council, agreed with Atlas.

“I would definitely recommend the GSC to other faculty,” Di Stefano said. “This is a great way to learn more about the campus as a whole, including the incredible variety of graduate schools and programs we have in Seattle and at the branch campuses.”

John Slattery is the associate dean for academic programs in the graduate school and a member of the council. He said the council benefits the University, but participation is also beneficial to council members.

“Participation on the council offers a unique opportunity to gain an overview of the University at all three of its campuses. It provides council members with an understanding of the intellectual and cultural diversity among units at the University and allows a voice in shaping policy and investment.”

For each review, a committee is assembled, made up of academic peers from across disciplines. The committee studies the department in detail, interviewing faculty, students and staff and checking out facilities. After reading a self-study, the committee report and a departmental response, Graduate School Council members discuss the results with members of the department and the review committee. From those interactions, recommendations are formulated with regard to continuation of degree programs and the needs of the department. The recommendations are forwarded to the Provost’s office and inform actions taken by that office.

By the time council members have fulfilled their term, Greenwald said they will have reviewed between 35 and 40 departments. But there’s more. The council also advises the dean of the graduate school on policy matters and reviews new program proposals. These council contributions are invaluable, too, according to Slattery.

“The advice of the council is essential to building strong programs at the University and to developing policy that helps rather than hinders programs,” he said. “The council has a significant voice in shaping University policy and investment.”

Greenwald said graduate faculty interested in serving on the council can contact her or Augustine McCaffery in the graduate school office at 685-3519. ¶

Steve Hill