COPLAC News & Events

**Event items are marked with a double asterisk.
Click here to read archived Event info.

**JUNE 2009 MEETING AT KEENE STATE COLLEGE

COPLAC's annual summer meeting will take place June 19-21, 2009, at Keene State College in New Hampshire. "The Value of a Public Liberal Arts Education" will include a keynote address by Carol Geary Schneider, President, AAC&U, and a pre-conference workshop for Admissions and Enrollement management directors on Friday, June 19, from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., entitled, " Opportunities and Challenges in Admissions: Bringing COPLAC Campuses Together." Full conference sessions take place Saturday and Sunday, June 20 and 21.

**FUTURE AAC&U DATES

January 20-23, 2010, Washington, D.C.
January 26-29, 2011, San Francisco, CA

JANUARY 2009 AAC&U RECAP

In conjunction with the AAC&U meeting in Seattle at the Seattle Sheraton Hotel January 21-24, 2009, COPLAC hosted a board meeting, reception, and the following sessions:

COPLAC Sessions
"Innovations to Sustainable Education," Thursday, January 22, 2:45-4:00pm
While some colleges are developing science courses that emphasize global climate change and its impact on ecosystems, colleges can do far more to integrate sustainability concepts into the very fabric of their institutions. Students must be engaged in this process on all levels within the college. COPLAC institutions are diffusing sustainability into curricula and missions at a fundamental level, engaging students and their communities to seek powerful alternatives in thinking and behavior. Presenters: Michael Patton, Professor of Philosophy, University of Montevallo; Fred Loxsom, Professor of Sustainable Energy Studies, Eastern Connecticut State University; Mike Edelstein, Professor of Environmental Psychology, Ramapo College of New Jersey.

" The Biology Major: Undergraduate Research at Public Liberal Arts Colleges," Friday, January 23, 10:30-11:45am
Affording students an opportunity to engage in meaningful research at the undergraduate level is one of the hallmarks of the public liberal arts college. Faculty members at COPLAC institutions typically teach three to four courses per semester, thus the work of sponsoring and supervising undergraduate research projects demands innovative approaches to teaching and learning. This session will explore some of these innovations in the biology major. Presenters: Jeffrey Byrd, Aldom-Plansoen Distinguished Professor of Biology, St. Mary's College of Maryland; Shere Byrd, Associate Professor of Biology, Fort Lewis College; Kevin Jansen, Associate Professor of Biology, University of Virginia College at Wise.

JUNE 2008 COPLAC MEETING RECAP

COPLAC presidents, provosts, CFO's , students, and sustainability experts gathered at Southern Oregon University for COPLAC's annual meeting, this year focused on sustainability on our campuses. The program highlighted five campuses and their best practices (University of Minnesota, Morris; Keene State; The Evergreen State College; Eastern Connecticut; and Southern Oregon). The extent of the involvement of entire campuses in sustainability efforts, including extensive student engagement (as reported by students attending the meeting), proved to be the hallmark of how COPLAC campuses are approaching the sustainability effort.

In addition to the campus presentations, there were panels on "Becoming a Statewide Force in Sustainability," "Food Services and its Role in Sustainability on Campus," "Engaging Students in Sustainability," "Integrating Sustainability into the Curriculum," "Building Green," and "Making Sustainability Councils Work for the Campus."

COPLAC presidents had an all day meeting on strategic planning in addition to their semi-annual board meeting. The group voted to support its year's strategic planning efforts and make fundamental changes in the structure and organization of COPLAC. Upcoming changes will include a move from The Evergreen State College, where COPLAC has been housed for the last five years, to UNC Asheville; increased scope and participation of the Executive Committee; new by-laws; and a full-time Executive Director, all supported by an increase in the base annual dues for each college. The group is excited by the changes that will continue to build COPLAC as a major force supporting its mission as the leading international organization of Public Liberal Arts Colleges.

INSIDE HIGHER ED & COPLAC ON LIBERAL ARTS VS. PROFESSIONAL ED. AT 2008 AAC&U

The January 25, 2008 issue of Inside Higher Ed describes a session at this year's AAC&U meeting exploring the conflicts that arise "when the liberal arts meet professional education on campuses." Click here for a text version of the article should the link above expire. Both links open in new windows.

MARY GRANT ELECTED 2007-09 COPLAC PRESIDENT

Congratulations to Mary Grant, President of Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, who was elected President of COPLAC at the biannual meeting held June 2007 at the University of Wisconsin-Superior. President Grant was elected to a two-year term.

COPLAC CONTINUES STUDY ABROAD PROGRAM IN FRANCE FOR 2007

COPLAC has sponsored the renewal of the College of Charleston's study abroad program in the mountain village of Annot, France, located in Hautes Provence des Alpes, an hour and forty-five minute train ride inland from Nice, the largest city on the French Riviera. The College of Charleston is the lead COPLAC institution running the Annot program, which includes faculty from Georgia College & State University; the University of Minnesota, Morris; and Henderson State University. The inaugural semester of the new Annot Program is currently underway (Spring 07). Annot courses will be offered in both fall & spring semesters in future. Click here to see the Fall 2007 course descriptions in a new window.

COPLAC SPONSORS FALL 2006 STUDY ABROAD PROGRAM IN FRANCE

The Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges is one of the sponsors of a 10-week study abroad program in Annot, France beginning in September of 2006. Faculty from several COPLAC institutions will participate; Dr. Jeffrey Foster from the College of Charleston will lead the program. Coursework will include offerings in French, political science, literature, and more. Total cost per student for room and board plus program fee is expected to be less than $5,000. For more information, please contact Sam Hines (hiness@cofc.edu) at the College of Charleston or Beth Rushing (beth.rushing@gcsu.edu) at Georgia College.