Although learning communities are relatively new at Iowa State, faculty in the provost’s office is working to expand and develop the program.

At a meeting of about 50 people, Vice Provost for Undergraduate Programs Howard Shapiro, along with Doug Gruenewald, assistant director of academic services for the Department of Residence, and Corly Brooke, professor of human development and family studies, outlined a funding program for those currently involved in or interested in starting learning communities.

Two years ago, ISU President Martin Jischke allotted $500,000 per year for three years to the development of learning communities at ISU.

In the second year of the program, ISU now has 36 learning communities, and university officials hope to have more next year, Gruenewald said.

“We don’t really have a target number,” he said. “We’re after quality, not quantity.”

Proposals for learning communities are evaluated based on aspects such as a comprehensive assessment program, learning opportunities outside the classroom and staying power.

“If we’re going to put priority on things, we’re going to put priority on something that has some degree of sustainability,” Shapiro said.

Several people in attendance expressed concern about low faculty response to the communities.

“I really question whether many of the learning communities we have are really functioning as true learning communities because of the lack of faculty involvement,” said Margaret Graham, professor of English and director of first-year composition.

The university funding of learning communities currently extends through the 2000-2001 academic year, but after that, it is unknown where the funding will come from.

“We want to try to help people get things going, but we can’t guarantee it, so we don’t want to set it up in a way that it’s going to come to a crashing halt because these funds are not available,” Shapiro said. “We’re trying to get this to be part of the 2001 budget.”

Shapiro said he is confident that continuing university support for the learning communities program will be available.

“I think that [with] our success to date and the continued success of this program, that the institution is going to find a way to continue it,” he said.