Annual Report 2006-2007 - The Council of Independent Colleges

History Seminar for Faculty Members—CIC and the Gilder Lehrman
Institute of American History cosponsored a sixth annual seminar for
CIC faculty members in American history and related fields. The 2007
seminar, held at New York University on June 24–30, 2007, focused on
“The Civil War in Global Context.” The seminar director was Thomas
Bender, professor of history and director of the International Center for
Advanced Studies at New York University.
During the intensive five-day seminar, participants considered the
proposition that the Civil War is the central national event of American
history and a distinctively American experience. It is also part of larger
liberal and nationalist developments in the mid-19th century that
occurred on every continent: creating modern nation-states, extending
new political and economic freedoms, and defining national citizenship.
Participants examined these transnational and global aspects of the
American Civil War and considered how such study enriches our
understanding of the sectional crisis, the breakup of the Union, and the
limits of Reconstruction.
faculty members from Clearwater Christian College (FL), College of
Notre Dame of Maryland, Doane College (NE), Elmhurst College (IL),
Illinois Wesleyan University, Oberlin College (OH), Rockford College
(IL), St. Edward’s University (TX), University of Evansville (IN),
University of Saint Mary (KS), and Waynesburg College (PA).
Engaging Communities and Campuses—CIC operates a webbased
Effective Practices Exchange that includes 54 descriptions of
institutional community-campus partnerships. The Exchange can be
accessed at www.cic.edu/projects_services/epe/index.asp and was created
by CIC in 2004 as the culminating project in a multi-year initiative to
improve student learning and to meet community needs. In its fourth
year of operation, the Exchange continues to receive large and steady
web traffic.
Thirteen faculty members were selected by competitive nomination
from nearly 40 applications. Participants came from Berry College
(GA), Bluefield College (VA), Burlington College (VT), Central
College (IA), Furman University (SC), Knox College (IL), Missouri
Valley College (MO), St. Norbert College (WI), University of Evansville
(IN), Utica College (NY), Wheaton College (MA), Wiley College (TX),
and Wilson College (PA).
Palm Beach Atlantic
University, FL
Teaching About Islam and Middle Eastern Culture—In response to the
popularity and impact of the 2004 and 2005 Teaching about Islam and
Middle Eastern Culture Seminars, CIC and the Council of American
Overseas Research Centers offered a third seminar for faculty members
at CIC colleges and universities on December 28, 2006–January 18,
2007. The seminar, funded by the US Department of State, took place
at the American Center of Oriental Research in Amman, Jordan, and
provided the opportunity for faculty members in diverse fields to
learn more about Islam and Middle Eastern culture. The seminar was
designed for faculty members not already experts on these subjects
with the expectation that they will utilize the new knowledge gained
at the seminar when they return to their home institutions. Eleven
participants were selected from 49 nominations. Participants included
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