Impressions of a committee chair
Benedict Gross
Harvard University
January, 2011
The committee
Benedict H. Gross (Harvard University) - Chair
Ronald Coifman (Yale University)
Hillel Furstenberg (emeritus, Hebrew University)
Gerard van der Geer (University of Amsterdam)
David Jerrison (MIT)
Yakar Kannai (Weizmann Institute)
The committee
Benedict H. Gross (Harvard University) - Chair
Ronald Coifman (Yale University)
Hillel Furstenberg (emeritus, Hebrew University)
Gerard van der Geer (University of Amsterdam)
David Jerrison (MIT)
Yakar Kannai (Weizmann Institute)
Our committee evaluated seven mathematics programs in
2010.
The process
This is a chance to make your case to the CHE.
The process
This is a chance to make your case to the CHE.
Please take is seriously - other departments will.
The process
This is a chance to make your case to the CHE.
Please take is seriously - other departments will.
Take charge. Don’t assign this to a low-level administrator.
The process
This is a chance to make your case to the CHE.
Please take is seriously - other departments will.
Take charge. Don’t assign this to a low-level administrator.
Get your faculty involved early in the process.
The process
This is a chance to make your case to the CHE.
Please take is seriously - other departments will.
Take charge. Don’t assign this to a low-level administrator.
Get your faculty involved early in the process.
Be honest - the truth will come out! The best reports were the
ones that identified the problems that the department was
grappling with.
The report
The data that can be pulled off the web is less valuable to the
committee than the sections of the report that deal with faculty
research, the distribution of teaching, the hiring process, and
the evaluation of the undergraduate and graduate programs.
The report
The data that can be pulled off the web is less valuable to the
committee than the sections of the report that deal with faculty
research, the distribution of teaching, the hiring process, and
the evaluation of the undergraduate and graduate programs.
Be clear as to who is in charge of what. For example, if you are
in the middle of a curricular review, the chair of that committee
should write that section of the report.
The report
The data that can be pulled off the web is less valuable to the
committee than the sections of the report that deal with faculty
research, the distribution of teaching, the hiring process, and
the evaluation of the undergraduate and graduate programs.
Be clear as to who is in charge of what. For example, if you are
in the middle of a curricular review, the chair of that committee
should write that section of the report.
The relationship between the department and the University
administration is also critical, although this is easier to
communicate in the site visit.
The visit
Before the site visit, prepare your colleagues/students/staff for
what to expect from the committee.
The visit
Before the site visit, prepare your colleagues/students/staff for
what to expect from the committee.
In your introductory remarks, simply summarize the report and
leave time for questions.
The visit
Before the site visit, prepare your colleagues/students/staff for
what to expect from the committee.
In your introductory remarks, simply summarize the report and
leave time for questions.
Be sure to schedule meetings of half an hour with all of the
constituencies in the department. Let these groups meet with
the committee alone.
The visit
Before the site visit, prepare your colleagues/students/staff for
what to expect from the committee.
In your introductory remarks, simply summarize the report and
leave time for questions.
Be sure to schedule meetings of half an hour with all of the
constituencies in the department. Let these groups meet with
the committee alone.
Save time for a tour of the department and the facilities.
The response
Read the report carefully.
The response
Read the report carefully.
Correct errors, but do not respond defensively or reflexively,
and state what actions you plan to take to respond to the
committee’s concerns.
The response
Read the report carefully.
Correct errors, but do not respond defensively or reflexively,
and state what actions you plan to take to respond to the
committee’s concerns.
Good luck!
The response
Read the report carefully.
Correct errors, but do not respond defensively or reflexively,
and state what actions you plan to take to respond to the
committee’s concerns.
Good luck!
Thanks to Michal Neumann and Marissa Gross for their help.