October 9, 2013

Fran Cornelius, PhD, clinical professor and Chair of the Division of Graduate Nursing, and Karyn Holt, PhD, an associate clinical professor in the Division of Graduate Nursing, have ignited a new initiative to increase faculty collaboration, improve student engagement, and better the work environment across the University. Through a series of periodic mini-conferences in a series aptly named “Raise the Bar,” that are delivered both in-person and via webcast, Cornelius and Holt aim to bring Drexel faculty and staff from all disciplines together to try and work on issues they face in higher education today.

The series kicked off in 2013. Since then, there have been several presentations, one of which was offered at the end of September on the topic of time management and streamlining workload. “The whole idea is to create an environment where faculty from different colleges and groups can collaborate, share ideas or talk about concerns,” said Cornelius.

According to Cornelius, the “Raising the Bar” series is rooted in current trends and needs, and engaging students online seems to be one of the topics that instructors across the University are interested in discussing. One of the unique features of “Raising the Bar” is that participants can either attend in-person or via live webcast. Those who cannot attend during the scheduled timeframe can view recordings of the mini-conferences after the fact. Faculty are also encouraged to lead presentations. “It is a very inclusive environment, and all Drexel faculty are urged to lead,” Cornelius explained.

The next “Raising the Bar” presentation will be held in February, 2014. If you have speaker or topic suggestions, please email Fran Cornelius at fc28@drexel.edu.