Bridgewater State University in the coming weeks and months will roll out what’s being termed the Academic Innovation Initiative. President Frederick W. Clark Jr. and Vice President for Academic Affairs Karim Ismaili made the announcement at this year’s opening day breakfast.
“Innovation is doing everything in our power to help every student succeed and walk across that stage in May,” is how President Clark put it. During his time at the podium, Dr. Ismaili elaborated.
“There’s a lot a lot of innovation that’s already going on at BSU, but what we want to do is kick start innovation across campus,” he said.
Part of the initiative will include the availability of academic-innovation grants that faculty and members of the BSU community can apply for to support cutting-edge ideas, projects and new programs.
The initiative will also mark a “redoubling of our efforts and enhancing our work on high-impact practices,” Dr. Ismaili said. These include successful programs like undergraduate research, paid internships, residential learning communities and the honors program.
“We want to really ensure that students have full access to these and that we will be able to support them,” he said.
Other areas of focus will include student advising, global engagement and a reimagining of BSU’s health sciences offerings.
The official unveiling of the innovation initiative will take place during the semester, and will include reaching out to many members of the BSU community.
“We all have a stake in these students succeeding,” Dr. Ismaili said. (Story by John Winters, G ’11, University News & Media)