In this episode of Michigan Minds, Anne Curzan, dean of the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts, highlights the importance of higher education and explores the many innovative ways that LSA faculty are planning for interactive and impactful courses this fall.
Curzan, who is also a Geneva Smitherman Collegiate Professor of English Language and Literature, Linguistics, and Education and Arthur F. Thurnau Professor of English, Linguistics, and Education, says that she is continuously inspired by U-M faculty and students for their innovation and passion. She provides examples of professors who have found creative ways to have classes remotely—from sending soil sample tubes to students’ homes for an Earth Sciences course to video instruction using multiple cameras for an Afro-Cuban Drumming course.
“Our instructors are taking this moment and saying, ‘Let’s redesign, let’s be inspired, and think about all the things that classrooms can be in addition to the physical spaces that we’re used to,’” she says.
Curzan adds that students come to U-M to learn and explore, and she finds inspiration in their work to create positive change in the world.
“The students are the heartbeat of this place, and we benefit from all of the energy and the new questions and solutions that they bring,” she says.
Curzan emphasizes how critical it will be for everyone to take responsibility for protecting the collective health of the U-M community, which she says will be done by being mindful about following the guidelines for face coverings, social distancing, health screenings, cleaning surfaces, and staying home when feeling ill.
“It is incumbent on all of us to remember that this is about keeping everyone healthy and safe, and it takes all of us taking individual responsibility. This is going to be hard. I think we have to be very honest about the fact that this is going to be hard. It’s going to be tempting to go back to old habits or to think that this one gathering can’t really hurt anything, but it can. We know that it can. It’s really going to be a collective responsibility,” she says.
She also describes how impressed she is by the instructors who are finding ways to connect with students outside of in-person courses, and also dives into the importance of seeking help when needed.
“If you think you might need help, please ask for help. Strength is saying ‘I don’t know how to do this. I need help,’” Curzan says.
Curzan hopes members of the U-M community remember that everyone is dealing with uncertainty and encourages everyone to be kind to themselves and others.
“As the dean of the liberal arts college on campus, one of the things that we consider really part of our mission as a college is understanding the world from perspectives that are not our own, and that we need to—at this moment—always be recognizing that people are experiencing a whole range of things that are different from how we may be experiencing this moment. And to have empathy, to have compassion and understanding for all the things that people are experiencing. I think we need to stay absolutely focused on equity and inclusion,” she says.
Hear more from Curzan in this episode of Michigan Minds.
