The Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) began in the fall of 2002. The Faculty Association asked the MSU administration to look into an office that could aid faculty with teaching and learning. During the summer of 2002, Stewart Ross was hired as the 1/2 time, founding Director of CETL. Dr. Ross had been the Director of Bands at MSU for 21 years prior to this appointment.
During the first year an office was created for the Center and a few programs were developed for faculty. By the second year, CETL offered Faculty Learning Communities (FLC) as a foundation for helping professors. Thanks to a grant from the Bush Foundation and MnSCU, Dr. Ross became one of 12 Active Learning Advocates through a program with the system-wide Center for Teaching and Learning. This two year program enabled Dr. Ross to serve as a full-time Director. Once the program ended, he continued as a full-time Director. At the same time, a graduate assistant position was added to the Center and for two years part-time faculty fellows aided the Center. In 2008, a full-time Instructional Designer was hired for the Center along with a part-time Faculty Fellow from the English Department to help faculty with writing in the disciplines. Over the 6 year period, $180,000 in mini-grants for faculty attempting to improve teaching and learning was made available from CETL.
Today, the CETL is an integral part of MSU. Currently there are over 200 professors either in a CETL program or volunteering to help with a program. The signature program, now in its fourth year, is the Faculty Teaching Certificate Program (FTCP). This program runs all year and averages over 40 participants each year. Over 200 professors and teaching assistants have "graduated" from the program in this four year period.
