The University of Minnesota, Crookston (UMC) recently received nomination for the Pew Leadership Award for the Renewal of Undergraduate Education. The Pew Leadership Award provides national recognition for colleges and universities that "have taken bold steps to redesign their academic environments for the purpose of improving undergraduate education." The award carries with it a grant of $250,000 intended to further improvement and renewal efforts for the campuses receiving the awards. This is the second year in a row that UMC has been nominated for the award.

The Pew Charitable Trusts initiated the program in 1995 to recognize and encourage the efforts of colleges and universities demonstrating innovation and renewal in undergraduate education. Last year nearly fifty colleges and universities across the nation—including UMC—competed for the award. Three institutions received the award: Alverno College, Portland State University, and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. The Trusts plan to recognize "up to six" institutions each year. The Institute for Research on Higher Education at the University of Pennsylvania manages the award.

In October the Pew Charitable Trusts informed UMC administrators that UMC had been nominated again for the award. UMC was asked to provide a short "Institutional Statement" describing its progress in improving education.

In mid-November, administrators learned UMC was selected to move to the next level of competition, which required submission of a more detailed portfolio of accomplishments. Candidates for the award at this level were asked to demonstrate accomplishments in three areas: curriculum design and new approaches to teaching and learning; changes in faculty roles and rewards; and efficiencies in reallocation of resources to academic programs.

After reviewing the portfolios of all second-tier candidates, a jury will select finalists and visit each finalist campus. The Pew Charitable Trusts’ Board will announce the award recipients at its meeting in the fall of 1997.

In the past three years, UMC has integrated technology into its curriculum by providing notebook computers to all full-time students and by creating an electronic learning environment. UMC has also completed its transformation from a "two-year" institution to a "four-year" institution providing career-oriented baccalaureate degrees.

According to the Pew Leadership Award program description, ". . . the colleges and universities that respond to [current educational] challenges by engaging in purposeful redesign to strengthen their core mission of teaching and learning will be best positioned to survive in the decades ahead."

UMC Chancellor Donald Sargeant says he is honored that UMC has been renominated for the award. He also noted that he is proud of the accomplishments UMC faculty and staff have made in the past three years.

Written by Andrew M. Svec