Blocker addresses Faculty Club (Photo byMark Norris, The Daily Campus)

Provost Robert Blocker addressed the Faculty Club during its monthly luncheon yesterday.

Blocker touched on many ongoing issues and also took a few questions from faculty members.

He began by detailing the upcoming Centennial Campaign. Blocker said the goals should be to ensure the strength of the university, increase scholarship money and a special focus on Dedman College.

“Donors won’t be easy to get for this because it’s a lot easier to get someone to give money for a building,” Blocker said. He calls the campaign an endowment for the faculty and students.

“To keep attracting the best students, we have to have competitive programs and more financial aid.”

The most immediate changes will occur with the General Education Curriculum. Typically the curriculum is revised every ten years. Blocker asked those present to “imagine how the new curriculum will help the SMU student be prepared in technology.”

Blocker said that the process to review the GEC should begin within the next month.

“I’ll ask all of you to be inquisitive and be open minded,” Blocker said.

Blocker also mentioned that there will be a review of the honors programs and what is effective.

“One of the successes has been the identification of scholars and honors students,” Blocker said. But he also said there will be a review of the structure of the honors programs to see if they are producing the expected results.

He moved on to discuss an expansion of research opportunities — especially for undergraduates. Blocker said that more effort must be spent on research because the university only has $14 million in sponsored research currently.

“Our goal should be to move that forward quickly,” Blocker said, adding that such an expansion would be a huge undertaking.

He also mentioned that the newly acquired Expressway Tower will be used specifically for sponsored research.

Blocker discussed the Legacy and Taos campuses, calling them two great assets.

He said that architects are currently considering plans that would turn the facility into one that could be used year round.

“Taos offers amazing opportunities in outreach and specific programs that are best offered there,” Blocker said.

Blocker referred to the Legacy campus as a “diamond in the rough,” saying that SMU has a much needed place in the corporate community in north Plano.

“Can we afford not to be a real player in what is becoming the corporate center of the region?”Blocker asked .

He concluded by updating faculty members on the status of the two decanal searches.

Blokcer said that the top candidates for the Dedman College search have agreed to go public and that an announcement was forthcoming. The Meadows search has also reached the stage where they are ready to schedule campus visits.

Blocker hopes that the visits can begin shortly so they do not stretch late into the semester.