May 11, 2004                                                            A video clip of Dean Antel's is interview available.

A CLASS act: Dean John Antel setting his sights on excellence

After providing leadership to the largest and most academically diverse college at the University of Houston on an interim basis, John Antel recently was named dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences (CLASS). During his tenure as interim dean, Antel not only pushed the college’s initiatives forward but also helped secure a $20 million gift from the George and Cynthia Woods Mitchell Foundation, establishing the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center for the Arts. UH Campus News spoke with Antel about his successes to date as well as his future plans for CLASS.

Q Now that you’re dean, what are your goals for the college?
A In a word, excellence — faculty, students, programs. As dean, I see myself in a service role providing the resources that will help achieve that level of intensity. There is an incredible amount of talent here, and I hope to mobilize what we already have and build upon that.

Q What role will the $20 million endowed Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center for the Arts play?
A The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center for the Arts will be a catalyst for the college, as five programs will join forces. The Art Department, the Blaffer Gallery, the Creative Writing Program, the Moores School of Music and the School of Theatre will collaborate and provide a center of excellence for the community and the arts. It will give the college a new presence.

Q Fall 2004 will mark the fourth anniversary of the merger of the College of Humanities, Fine Arts and Communication and the College of Social Sciences. What’s working and what isn’t?
A We have moved beyond the merger. More and more faculty members from all departments have come together to speak with one voice on how to improve CLASS. For example, professors from various departments are working together on committees to improve the curriculum. Still, with more than 8,000 majors, 14 departments and 20 programs, we need to continue to build a sense of identity for the college. Slowly, even neoclassical economists and postmodernist poets find common ground. In spite of the differences, all of CLASS is committed to improving undergraduate education and to establishing UH as a Tier One research university.

Q What type of curriculum changes are you considering?
A Every UH student should have an intensive writing experience. We must not stop at English composition and literature classes. Writing should be integrated within each discipline so that the experience is in context. In the future, students may be required to write even more papers within their major field of study.

Q Colleges across campus have reported a faculty shortage. How is CLASS faring?
A Like other colleges on campus, CLASS is not immune from the faculty famine. Probably the departments hardest-hit are theatre and psychology, but we are working to fill the vacancies with quality hires there and in many other areas. Collegewide, we are hiring more clinical faculty and fewer adjuncts, as clinical professors are more available to students and committed to quality instruction.

Q Alumni are vital to the success of universities. What role will alumni play in creating a new level of excellence for CLASS?
A Alumni are underutilized and underappreciated. We hope to incorporate them more into the college’s activities. Already, they are involved in graduation receptions, but we hope they will take on a more active role, particularly in networking and fund-raising. Most importantly, networking will help CLASS students obtain jobs and other invaluable opportunities.

Q Is it important that students from other colleges continue to take CLASS core courses? Or, should students be allowed to focus more on their areas of study instead?
A That is really a question of whether we are in the business of vocational training or liberal arts education. I advocate the latter. No matter what a student’s field is, he or she will need the tools of a liberal arts education in order to be an effective employee and citizen. In the global economy, it is not just learning a specific discipline, it is “learning how to learn.” That is what a liberal arts education is about.

Q UH recently announced a tuition increase, but students taking core classes on Saturdays receive a discount. Will this alleviate class crowding during the week and promote greater support for Saturday courses?
A We are extremely sensitive to tuition increases. The discount for Saturday core classes is an example of what economists call congestion pricing, charging premium prices for peak times. We hope the discount will influence students to take classes during nonpeak times and to take advantage of the additional parking and classroom resources available. Looking forward, we hope to create an afterhours college community, where classes are clustered in the same area or buildings, career counseling hours are extended and a coffee bar is opened. This program will save students money and allow us to use our scarce space more efficiently. If successful, maybe we won’t have to build as many new buildings, thus saving students and parents even more money. That is our plan.