Background
Our last planning effort occurred over a decade ago. The "Project 21 Plan" (approved in 1995) served as the catalyst for Arts & Sciences to substantially improve its facilities, its personnel and its scholarly profile. It guided decision-making and academic priority assessment. As a result, we operate in 2008 from a position of strength, both on the Danforth Campus and in the broader context of American research universities.
Students in Arts & Sciences at Washington University enjoy the benefits of a liberal arts college dedicated to undergraduate teaching and academic exploration as well as the benefits of a major research university engaged in cutting-edge, knowledge-creating pursuits. Faculty are at the forefront of the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences and are truly committed to their academic vocations and to their students.
Washington University’s professional schools provide countless opportunities to become more creative in both classroom and research pursuits. Life outside the classroom or lab offers rich opportunities for various extra-curricular activities. Our physical location and proximity to Clayton, University City, the Central West End, and Forest Park allows big-city amenities in a suburban setting.
For prospective students, there is no better place for the combination of faculty quality and accessibility; for the ease of exploring multiple academic majors; and for the opportunities afforded by our education. The quality of life at Washington University is high.
Reflecting that sentiment, the recent past has been a time of prosperity for Arts & Sciences. Undergraduate applications have increased significantly, and the students who enroll are among the best in the world. We have succeeded in recruiting excellent faculty members who are dedicated not only to imparting knowledge, but to creating it as well. This distinguished faculty has led to more selective graduate student admissions.
We are proud to compete with the nation’s very best institutions for students and faculty, but we are also challenged by the environment in which we now find ourselves. Within this context, the time is right for us to move forward with a new plan and with new ambitions.
The Planning Process: 2006–present
Chancellor Mark S. Wrighton put forth several issues as part of Washington University’s comprehensive Plan for Excellence, which provided a broad framework for initial discussions. We gathered information from: the Task Force on Graduate Education, departmental and programmatic analyses, faculty meetings and electronic communications, and in brainstorming sessions with the Academic Planning Committee, department chairs, program and center directors, students, administrative staff and the Arts & Sciences National Council.
Our last planning effort occurred over a decade ago. The "Project 21 Plan" (approved in 1995) served as the catalyst for Arts & Sciences to substantially improve its facilities, its personnel and its scholarly profile. It guided decision-making and academic priority assessment. As a result, we operate in 2008 from a position of strength, both on the Danforth Campus and in the broader context of American research universities.
Students in Arts & Sciences at Washington University enjoy the benefits of a liberal arts college dedicated to undergraduate teaching and academic exploration as well as the benefits of a major research university engaged in cutting-edge, knowledge-creating pursuits. Faculty are at the forefront of the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences and are truly committed to their academic vocations and to their students.
Washington University’s professional schools provide countless opportunities to become more creative in both classroom and research pursuits. Life outside the classroom or lab offers rich opportunities for various extra-curricular activities. Our physical location and proximity to Clayton, University City, the Central West End, and Forest Park allows big-city amenities in a suburban setting.
For prospective students, there is no better place for the combination of faculty quality and accessibility; for the ease of exploring multiple academic majors; and for the opportunities afforded by our education. The quality of life at Washington University is high.
Reflecting that sentiment, the recent past has been a time of prosperity for Arts & Sciences. Undergraduate applications have increased significantly, and the students who enroll are among the best in the world. We have succeeded in recruiting excellent faculty members who are dedicated not only to imparting knowledge, but to creating it as well. This distinguished faculty has led to more selective graduate student admissions.
We are proud to compete with the nation’s very best institutions for students and faculty, but we are also challenged by the environment in which we now find ourselves. Within this context, the time is right for us to move forward with a new plan and with new ambitions.
The Planning Process: 2006–present
Chancellor Mark S. Wrighton put forth several issues as part of Washington University’s comprehensive Plan for Excellence, which provided a broad framework for initial discussions. We gathered information from: the Task Force on Graduate Education, departmental and programmatic analyses, faculty meetings and electronic communications, and in brainstorming sessions with the Academic Planning Committee, department chairs, program and center directors, students, administrative staff and the Arts & Sciences National Council.
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