Below is a transcript of our conversation with Christi Brookes:
David Nicholas:
I'm David Nicholas, and this is Central Focus, a weekly look at research activity and innovative work from Central Michigan University students and faculty.
Dr. Christi Brookes is a veteran professor of French language and culture at CMU. She's also currently serving as Associate Dean in the Department of History, World Languages and Cultures. Now she takes on the role of Interim Vice Provost for Academic and Curricular Affairs. As we sat down to talk more about it, I joked with her about this mouthful of a title and asked what her job would entail…
Christi Brookes:
I will tell you that my son called my title an essay, so I couldn't agree with you more. But the job basically is working in support of Provost Lancaster and on the academic side of the house, working to support things like study abroad, like academic advising, like our curriculum and instruction folks, and to look at things like agreements and most importantly, I think maybe not most importantly, but the Higher Learning Commission to make sure that CMU remains an accredited university. We just successfully came through that with the help of Dr. Dave Patton, who's on his way out. So, I'll be trying to fill his big shoes.
DN:
How much of any of those that you listed are maybe undergo a pretty significant change in the future?
CB:
That's a good question. I think higher ed right now, it is really a time of great change in higher ed for multiple reasons. And so, things like general education, study abroad, international period, depending on what policy changes are happening at the state and national levels, that can also be impacted. Advising…
DN:
How do we replace an experience like that in a lot of ways for a lot of programs is very integral to the overall pursuit of the degree. And if students are starting to lose out on that opportunity for study abroad or something of that nature.
CB:
I don't have the statistics at my fingertips, but I don't believe they are currently missing out on that. But I will say it's part of a degree requirement in my own field, in French, because we believe that cultural experience, getting out of your comfort zone is not only linguistically really important, but also that cultural piece that you can't get by staying home or even being in a classroom here. We do a lot in the classroom, but not that.
DN:
Is there anything on the horizon? Just when we look at funding, restructuring, and all these challenges that ours and all universities have undergone, another kind of big heavy lift like that.
CB:
I do think higher ed is at an inflection point. and that is going to look different at different types of universities. My sense is that we're fairly stable, but I think how we approach changing demographics and changing needs of American, largely American students, there are international students still, but I think the changing needs of American students we've known for a long time that students aren't necessarily the population 18 to 22, but how we approach that in a world with AI, when you take a look at polls, they've begun to question the value of higher ed. And there's so many different factors at stake, but I will say, I think I wouldn't be in the jobs that I have had at CMU if I didn't believe ultimately that what we do is transformative. I've watched it in our classrooms. I've watched faculty and staff do amazing things. And I have every confidence that we can manage the changing times in a way that holds fast to the mission of working for our students and working for the state of Michigan.
DN:
All because of the essay of the new job title that you have taken on. Again, Christi Brooks, congratulations as you step in as interim senior vice president for academic and curricular affairs. Great to have you with us here again today. Thanks for the time.
CB:
Thanks, David.
