Attendees:
Committee members: Brian Boyle, Maureen Frisch, Jim Dooley, Tom Quigley, Roger Hoesterey, Dana Rasmussen, Janet Wainwright, Phil Woolwine, and Duane Kelley
Faculty: Dean Bruce Bare, David Mabberley, Tom Hinckley, Jim Fridley
Staff: Tom Mentele, Sarah Westbrook

Introductions

The Visiting Committee Meeting commenced at 11:30 on Friday morning in the new Tukey Conference Room at the Center for Urban Horticulture. The meeting began with introductions by all members in attendance including an introduction of David Mabberley, the new Director of the Center for Urban Horticulture and Washington Park Arboretum.

Dr. Mabberley spoke first about his time and careers in both England and Australia, and then about his decision to move to Seattle. He also spoke about the relationship between the City, Arboretum and the University of Washington, and a need to fundraise for private collections within the arboretum, concluding with the fact that there has been public approval on the joint agreement for the Arboretum.

In response to David’s introduction, Janet Wainwright then brought up the idea of a press release, and the need to have media involved his arrival, for both recognition and fundraising opportunities. Jim Dooley suggested that he speak at the Seattle Rotary Club and other venues, and Duane Kelley offered to help with press in the Seattle Times and the P.I. Another idea, offered by Maureen Frisch, was that with the drought it would be a great correlation to David’s work.

Item I-Research Update-Dean Bruce Bare

The Dean began by briefly talking about the restructuring of the curriculum from 7 programmes to 2 -- Paper Science and Engineering (PSE) and Environmental Science and Resource Management (ESRM). He also mentioned that there is a restructuring of the Graduate programme, both at the academic level and professional level. Although these processes are underway, they are not complete.

Jim Dooley then asked about Forest Engineering, to which Bruce replied it is no longer being taught at the undergraduate level. The College is working on having a Master of Forestry, which most universities don’t have. The College will add it on as a fifth year programme.

Bruce then briefly touched on the faculty retreat and the hiring of new faculty, and collaboration with other departments on campus. In addition there is going to be a move to obtain more feedback from various companies and agencies about the College research agenda. In reference to this Janet Wainwright asked if he would be also visiting Tribes and environmental groups to obtain feedback. Bruce said yes, however research groups will be consulted first. Roger Hoesterey offered to round up some of the conservancy groups, and suggested that the College also talk with the Department of Natural Resources.

The conversation then switched over to the internal aspect of the restructuring of the College, and how to best convey this to the outside, that is how to put an umbrella over the programmes without being overly vague or too descriptive. Finally, it is extremely important to figure out what forestry means to different people, and make sure that when people are talking about the College’s mission everyone needs to have the same message.

Item II- NW Environmental Forum-Brian Boyle

The second Saving Washington’s Working Forest Land Base forum is being planned for Autumn 2005, with its objective to have a strategy for the legislature in 2006. On April 28 an enlarged planning group will take the results of the November 2004 forum and follow-on comments from participants to plan the Autumn meeting. The report on the November 2004 forum is available on the College website.

Brian also reported that he and Bruce Bare had made a presentation to the UW Earth Initiative guiding panel, to get the Earth Initiative involved with the Environmental Forum. The response was very positive.

Item III-Green Diamond Internship-Maureen Frisch

Maureen discussed a new internship available at Green Diamond, which will be a ten week capstone course with the College. Food, tuition and housing will be covered by Green Diamond, and students will also make ten dollars an hour.

This internship will provide a variety of opportunities for senior or graduate students to apply the theory and background education they have gained on campus to the natural resource management needs and issues of both private and public sectors. Agreements with key partners are expected to be in place for the first students during the Spring quarter of 2005. Opportunities should be available for students in several of the CFR’s new curriculum options, including forest management, ecosystem science and conservation and the forest systems and bioenergy program.

Item IV-Environmental Learning Center-Professors Tom Hinckley and Jim Fridley

With the changes in curriculum we are seeing that the field of applied environmental science is at a crossroads. Tom and Jim have proposed a 6000 sq ft Teaching Observatory in the old basement forest library space in Bloedel Hall. This space would allow for a number of different learning approaches and diverse educational and computer technologies.

The physical makeup of this Observatory is very different than that of other classrooms, at that is what contributes to a versatility of learning styles. At the core of the room is a 100 seat “theatre-in-the-round like” meeting room with state of the art multi-media facilities to support a wide variety of learning activities. Seating is arranged so that all nominally face the center of the room. This arrangement enables class or meeting facilitators or conveners to seamlessly move the conversation from a central presentation to twenty-five simultaneous small group discussions to a facilitated conversation and exchange ideas among the twenty-five small groups.

The next step of the plan for this is to present a proposal to the Provost. If the Observatory is approved building could start in October and take three months to complete.

Item V- Washington DC Update-Bruce Bare

Bruce headed to Washington DC for NAPSAC this year after the Presidential budget discussions. Budgets are very precarious, given the administration proposals. Stay tuned.

Item VI-Development Update-Tom Mentele

The Development office is currently at 60% of its campaign goal of $18mm, or $10.7mm. The Weyerhaeuser Endowment was recently signed, in a meeting between Steve Rogel and President Emmert. The online giving and annual giving process is continuing to move forward, and there is a focus now on raising faculty support as well.

Conclusion- 3:00 pm