Press Release

CONTACT: Debra Humphreys
(202) 387-3760
E-mail: humphreys@aacu.org

2004 Summer Institute on General Education To Be Held in Newport, Rhode Island

Association of American Colleges and Universities Announces an Expanded Institute Hosted on the Campus of Salve Regina University from May 21-26, 2004

Washington, DC—September 5, 2003—The Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) announces that its 2004 Institute on General Education will take place from May 21-26 in Newport, Rhode Island, and will include an expanded curriculum, including a special track on assessing general education. This Institute is the Association's successor to the Asheville Institute on General Education (run for thirteen years in collaboration with the University of North Carolina at Asheville).

In its long tradition of providing top-quality programs for member and non-member campuses alike, AAC&U has enhanced the curriculum for its Institute on General Education—an enriched program that will create an intellectually stimulating environment for advancing curricular work in challenging times. In addition to interactive sessions by leaders in general education reform and informal time to share experience with other campuses, the program will continue to provide campus teams with ample opportunity to meet with experienced consultants.

New in 2004, AAC&U will be offering a track for campuses planning to assess, or already assessing, general education programs and outcomes. Campus teams will also have the opportunity to learn strategies for placing their general education reform within the context of AAC&U's Greater Expectations Initiative. Consultants for the 2004 Institute include: Jerry Gaff (AAC&U and AAHE), Barbara Wright (Eastern Connecticut State University, Ann Ferren (Radford University), Herman Blake (Iowa State University), Karen M. Schilling (Miami University), Carol Geary Schneider (AAC&U), and Andrea Leskes (AAC&U).

“We have participated in the AAC&U General Education Institutes three different summers,” said Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis Dean, Scott Evenbeck. “Each team found the institute very productive in addressing issues related to our ongoing transformation of undergraduate education at IUPUI. Our work at the institutes resulted in the creation and implementation of our campus-wide expectations for student learning, Principles of Undergraduate Learning. At all three institutes, we found the program, faculty, and interaction with other teams very helpful in our continuing reform efforts.”

The Institute's new location will also provide campus teams the opportunity to enjoy four days on the stunning campus of Salve Regina University in Newport, Rhode Island. Excellent facilities and historic buildings combine with breathtaking views of the Atlantic Ocean to make this the ideal location for both work and rejuvenation. Participants will be able to enjoy the sights and sounds of Newport, including the famed Cliff Walk, shops, and restaurants.

With this expanded program, AAC&U continues its long commitment to providing valuable resources and professional development opportunities designed to improve general education in all kinds of higher education institutions. AAC&U also plans to release in 2004 a new publication on assessing general education learning outcomes.

Watch www.aacu.org for more information about this new publication and details about applying to attend the 2004 Institute. Application forms will be available in December 2003.

AAC&U is the leading national association devoted to advancing and strengthening liberal learning for all students, regardless of academic specialization or intended career. Since its founding in 1915, AAC&U's membership has grown to more than 1000 accredited public and private colleges and universities of every type and size.

AAC&U functions as a catalyst and facilitator, forging links among presidents, administrators, and faculty members who are engaged in institutional and curricular planning. Its mission is to reinforce the collective commitment to liberal education at both the national and local levels and to help individual institutions keep the quality of student learning at the core of their work as they evolve to meet new economic and social challenges.

Information about AAC&U membership, programs, and publications can be found at www.aacu.org.