Dear Colleagues (Faculty and Academic Staff):
The beginning of the Fall Semester is always an exciting time of year. This fall, we welcome approximately 5,300 new freshmen and transfer students to the Pullman campus. The Provost’s Office is pleased to announce the launch of a new initiative aimed at advancing student success and helping faculty and staff improve their effectiveness in serving a larger, more diverse student body.
The Cougar PAWS Initiative (Promoting Academic Ways to Success) is comprised of three distinct, but interlinked, components:
- Strengthening Academic Preparation and Student Success – A set of programs directed toward improving the academic preparedness of incoming students.
- Supporting Faculty Innovation and Excellence in Instruction – New resources and educational opportunities to allow faculty to implement innovative instructional methods and active learning experiences into their classes.
- Providing Tools and Policies That Facilitate Academic Support and Student Success – A suite of new technology tools, ranging from a new learning management system to originality checking (plagiarism prevention) tools.
A description of each of these components is provided in the attached fact sheet, and more detailed descriptions of the various programs and activities are provided at teach.wsu.edu. This array of projects represents the combined efforts of numerous faculty, staff, and administrative offices throughout the university, who have been engaged in a year-long effort to develop a comprehensive set of activities, tools, and programs to advance student success at Washington State University. I want express my appreciation to everyone who has been involved in this endeavor; it has required a collective effort from all parts of the university academic community.
You will see many of the student preparation activities in action as we approach Week of Welcome and the first day of classes. Stay tuned throughout the semester to learn more details about the many tools and resources that will be available for you to access to make your job easier and more effective.
Best wishes for a successful semester.
Daniel J. Bernardo
Provost and Executive Vice President
bernardo@wsu.edu