Faculty members can apply for upcoming seminar on teaching personal financial literacy

Western Washington University faculty members may apply for an upcoming faculty teaching seminar titled "Integrating Personal Financial Literacy into the College Classroom."

The seminar, sponsored by the WWU College of Business and Economics, is tentatively planned for 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 24, and Saturday, May 1. The facilitator will be Pamela L. Hall from the Finance & Marketing Department.

A description of the program:

Many WWU students are woefully illiterate when it comes to the subject of personal finance. Everyone should have some basic level of personal financial knowledge as it impacts so many aspects of our lives. Money can cause friction in both marriages and divorces and determine one’s quality of life before and during retirement. Additionally, women tend to live longer than men but are more risk averse and perhaps less knowledgeable about basic personal finance issues. “Integrating Personal Financial Literacy into the College Classroom” is a two-day seminar designed to provide interested faculty with the conceptual tools to integrate personal financial literacy into their courses and to provide an opportunity to share teaching-related ideas with like-minded colleagues from across the university.

It is anticipated that approximately eight faculty members will participate in the seminar. Participants will receive a $300 honorarium. The seminar will consist of roughly 12 hours spread over two Saturdays. The first day will center on financial literacy concepts (e.g., time value of money, risk and return, budgeting) as well as the current state of student financial literacy, gender-related issues and the art of teaching. On the second day, participants will gather to share their ideas for integrating personal financial literacy in their classes. The seminar will be an exciting chance to discuss teaching and learning in this crucial area.

All full-time WWU faculty members are eligible, and applications should include:

  • A one-page explanation of why you are interested in the seminar and how the seminar may support your teaching in the classroom.
  • A brief biographical statement.
  • A one-page vita.
  • Completion of anonymous survey. To help identify priorities for discussion topics and to familiarize attendees with a survey the university has administered to WWU students, applicants should complete the anonymous personal financial literacy knowledge survey.

Send applications by April 7, 2010 to Pamela L. Hall in the Finance & Marketing Department, mail stop 9073. Applications also may be sent via e-mail to pamela.hall@wwu.edu.