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Perhaps more than other institutions, Duke has the opportunity
to distinguish itself in integrating teaching, learning, and research.
We aspire to be both one of the top research universities and one
of the best undergraduate institutions, and we must coordinate our
efforts to reach these twin goals. We are keenly aware that at a
practical level, choices must be made between teaching and research
on any given work day by faculty members. We must create an environment
in which training and research go hand in hand and are not seen
as competitors for faculty time.
A central goal of the plan is to reaffirm the deep historic commitment
of Duke University to the education of undergraduates. Having evolved
from a regional liberal arts college, Duke has endeavored through
the succeeding decades to retain some of the sense of a college,
where undergraduates are taken seriously as young scholars and provided
with a holistic educational environment that nurtures skills and
perspectives that will serve them well through life. We cannot live
up to this goal unless faculty members are personally committed
and involved in the education of these youngest members of our scholarly
community.
The strongest educational advantage offered by a research university
is the ability to build student experience on the scholarship of
the faculty. The best way to convey that scholarship is by exposing
students to the underlying research process. Through research, students
learn to grapple with problems, to formulate questions, and to analyze
arguments and information. They come to see themselves in new ways
and identify rewarding career paths. Additionally, research must
ultimately be understood by society. If we are in the business of
educating leaders for that society, it is imperative that our students
learn something about the ideas, techniques, and methodologies of
modern research and understand the impact of research on our daily
lives.
Under the guidelines of Duke’s Curriculum
2000, this year’s freshmen were the first whose graduation
requirements included at least one research-intensive course. By
2002, Duke’s requirement will be increased to two research
courses. The idea is to encourage students to become active participants
in the discovery, critical evaluation, and application of knowledge
in the various disciplines.
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