On the Challenge of Becoming the Good College

In this article, the author describes the challenge of profound curriculum reform for Wagner College. Unlike many institutions that tinker with course offerings, the salvation of the college could come only through dramatic refocusing and revitalization of not just what the faculty members teach, but the way they teach. The resurrection of Wagner College came from within, and the essential ingredients were remarkable vision, commitment, and leadership shared by faculty and administrators alike. Through the Wagner Plan for the Practical Liberal Arts, the faculty sought an educational signature for Wagner College by linking the classroom with "experiential learning" in New York City and its environs. In their endeavors to understand the process of their evolution, faculty members and administrators become better prepared to address the far more challenging task: sustaining curricular transformation through broadened faculty engagement. Here, the author presents six lessons that have become apparent at Wagner.