13 HHMI Professors, including Brandeis’s Irving Epstein, wrote a recent editorial in the journal Science calling for a reexamination of priorities between research and teaching at research universities. The seven initiatives they call for:
- Educate faculty about research on learning.
- Create awards and named professorships that provide research support for outstanding teachers.
- Require excellence in teaching for promotion.
- Create teaching discussion groups.
- Create cross-disciplinary programs in college-level learning.
- Provide ongoing support for effective science teaching.
- Engage chairs, deans, and presidents.
Strong stuff — will we respond to this challenge?