The UC Santa Cruz colleges have been awarded a $25,000 planning grant from the Teagle Foundation to enhance liberal education for all students through equity-minded, high-impact practices. Specifically, the project will develop a common reading list of transformative texts and common experiences that all UC Santa Cruz first-year students will share.
During the 2024-25 planning year, the Council of Provosts will finalize a list of common readings to be integrated into College 1, a university-wide required course for first-year students. The grant's collaborative team, which includes both college provosts and College 1 lecturers, will also create a plan for workshops to orient lecturers to the new texts and compile pedagogical approaches that employ active learning.
The Teagle Foundation, through the Cornerstone: Learning for Living program, supports faculty-led and faculty-owned initiatives that strengthen liberal arts education. The planning grant represents the first stage of this multi-phase project. Following this phase, UC Santa Cruz will seek an implementation grant to roll out the new curriculum and expand its impact.
This initiative aligns with the Teagle Foundation's commitment to fostering integrated learning experiences that prepare students for successful and engaged lives. By creating a shared intellectual foundation, the UC Santa Cruz colleges aim to build a stronger, more connected community that upholds the values of a liberal arts education.
The planning grant proposal was prepared by Sean Keilen, chair of the Council of Provosts and professor of literature; Aims McGuiness, associate professor of history and Merrill College provost; Alan Christy, professor of history and Cowell College provost; Mayanthi Fernando, associate professor of anthropology and Kresge College provost; and Carrie Malcom, associate director of academic planning and student success. Additional support was provided by campus partners Caitlin Charos, research development specialist; Lisa Pauken, academic personnel manager; and Caroline Rodriguez, associate director of corporate & foundation relations.
