The academy has a longstanding tradition of recognizing the individual efforts of our faculties, and with the notable exception of those in medical research, nearly all faculty publish individually, teach individually, and advise students individually. Especially in the liberal arts, our faculty are expected to demonstrate scholarship and teaching skills as individuals. Some might say that our faculty are drawn to this environment because they seek recognition at this level.

In this program, we seek to collaborate not only among individuals, but within and among disciplines and even at the institutional level. This promises to be a very fruitful approach for us, but it is an approach about which many of us have limited understanding. To impart momentum to our efforts at understanding effective collaboration, we plan to hold a special symposium on collaboration and collaborative learning. The goal of the symposium will be to stimulate discussion on the potential of the collaborative process and of technology in teaching and learning, thus setting the stage for subsequent faculty and curriculum development activities. To lead the symposium, we are planning to bring to our campuses recognized experts in collaboration who will help involve faculty in this exciting discussion.