Futures Working Group Releases A-Term Update

Dear colleagues, 

The Futures Working Group is pleased to share an update on our work from summer through A-Term, and what we are planning throughout the rest of the academic year.  Our update includes:

  • An explanation of how the Working Group has been approaching its charge, and how we understand our next phase of work, when we will be exploring and developing “futures” and “options”
  • A model of the design process that we are using to guide our work
  • A timeline showing where we are in that process and where we are headed 
  • A summary of findings from qualitative analysis of the Working Group’s listening and engagement sessions 
  • A collection of higher education innovation case studies, with an interactive tool for exploring them 

You can still view our first report, shared in June this year on our Canvas site.  It includes information about our charge and timeline, overarching themes heard in numerous interviews and engagement sessions, and a framework for how we are approaching sense-making using the concept of "tensions" that we have found helpful in considering how to find generative and creative ways of addressing issues, rather than smoothing over or silencing meaningful differences. Additional readings are also available for your perusal. 

We thank all who have provided their thoughts and feedback to us.

We are grateful for your time, passionate perspectives, experience, and willingness to engage, as we work collectively to shape the next chapter of our university.

We'd love your feedback on any of the work or documents we've shared. Please provide comments in the Discussion areas or send your questions and thoughts to us at futures@wpi.edu.

We look forward to hearing from you!

Jessi Hill & Anna Gold, co-facilitators

Kate Beverage, Lauren Buffone, Lindsay Davis, Aaron Deskins, Art Heinricher, Paul Reilly, Derren Rosbach, Can Sabuncu, Gillian Smith, Erin Solovey, Daniel Treku, and Amanda Wittman; with editorial and conceptual contributions from Yunus D Telliel

The Futures Working Group