Richard P. Wheeler, the interim vice chancellor for academic affairs and provost, has announced that the Biology Steering Committee has submitted its final report. The report was in response to the Stewarding Excellence @ Illinois Biology Education and Research Team Report.
The report is online at http://oc.illinois.edu/budget/nextsteps.html.
In the report, the steering committee recommended that the campus establish a standing committee to act as a coordinating and advocacy body for the campus’s extensive biological sciences enterprise. “I have adopted this recommendation and a Biology Coordinating Committee has been charged outside of the Stewarding Excellence Process,” Wheeler wrote.
His announcement also indicated the committee has been directed to:
Develop a strong and compelling description of “Biology@Illinois” and a vision for the future of the biological sciences on the Urbana campus.
Improve coordination of curriculum across campus.
Contribute to strategic hiring in the biological sciences.
Further explore the possibility of, and appropriate mechanisms and parameters for, a bio-literacy undergraduate program.
The committee membership and the full charge may be viewed at http://provost.illinois.edu/committees/biology_coordinating.html.
