Introductions

Selection of Czech seminar participants

Planning for the Czech seminar

Faculty development seminar in Russia, summer 2002

Next Task Force meeting

Deadlines and dates

Meeting held: December 1, 2000 from 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. at the office of the Associated Colleges of the Midwest, Chicago, Illinois.

Present: Task Force Members: Todd Armstrong (Grinnell College), Helen Scott* (Grinnell College), Martin Farrell (Ripon College) (afternoon only), Gitta Hammarberg (Macalester College), Larry White (Beloit College), Barclay Ward (University of the South), Cheryl Jacobsen (Interim Program Officer, ACM), Tanya Lee (Project Coordinator, ACM), Emily Roberts (Program Associate, ACM), Elizabeth Hayford* (President, ACM) (afternoon only).

Not present: Uliana Gabara (University of Richmond), Thomas Newlin (Oberlin College), Larry Penrose (Hope College).

*member of the GPP Coordinating Committee

Introductions

Cheryl Jacobsen welcomed the Task Force members to the ACM office and introduced new people. Emily Roberts is the new Program Associate for the Global Partners Project (alongside other ACM programs) as of August of this year, replacing Owen Stanwood. Tanya Lee has just been hired as Project Coordinator for Global Partners, taking over this aspect of Cheryl Jacobsen's position after she returns to Wartburg College in mid-December.

Selection of Czech seminar participants

The meeting began with the selection of participants for the faculty development seminar to be held in the Czech Republic in June 2001, entitled "Human and Physical Environment of Central Europe." Todd Armstrong (facilitator of the seminar), Gitta Hammarburg, Cheryl Jacobsen, Barclay Ward and Larry White constituted the selection committee and had already read and ranked the applicants independently. Helen Scott observed and offered fresh perspectives.

While the overall quality of the application was viewed as the primary factor for acceptance to the seminar – with a strong preference for projects which would lead to curriculum development or otherwise directly impact the campus – several other factors were considered as well, in order to assemble as diverse and well-rounded a group as possible. These included: balanced representation from the three consortia; broad representation by college within each consortium; a mix of both new and more experienced faculty, as well as those with limited and significant international research experience; and a diversity of academic discipline, gender and ethnicity.

Thirty-five applications were received – 17 from ACM, 10 from ACS and 8 from GLCA. The committee decided to accept 16 participants representing 12 institutions. Seven are from ACM, 5 from ACS and 4 from GLCA. Participants include 6 assistant professors, 4 associate professors and 6 full professors. Equal numbers of men and women were accepted. Seven applicants were placed on a waiting list. Wait-listed and unsuccessful applicants were encouraged to apply for travel grants for the coming year.

Although the budget would allow for a maximum of 18 participants, the committee decided to limit the number to 16, leaving funds for Mr. Armstrong to arrange for logistical assistance from graduate students at Palacký University and/or a full-time assistant.

Planning for the Czech seminar

After Marty Farrell and Elizabeth Hayford arrived, the Task Force heard an update on the plans for the seminar from Mr. Armstrong. He asked for a brief discussion on the nature of his role, and the Task Force agreed that it is to bring in connections and assistance for the participants; maintain logistical control of the proceedings and troubleshoot when necessary; and keep discussions focused while still participating as a peer with the group.

Mr. Armstrong, in communication with Elizabeth Hayford, has been planning pre-departure activities for the seminar participants, to include attendance at an international symposium which will be held at Grinnell College in March. The symposium is entitled "Environmental Issues, Past and Present, in Eastern Europe and Russia," and is co-sponsored by Mr. Armstrong with other Grinnell faculty. This would serve as a pre-departure meeting for the participants, as well as an opportunity to raise the profile of the seminar.

The seminar itinerary is anticipated to be:

Specifics of the travel schedule will be worked out based on interests of the participants and other factors. The Task Force discussed the possibility of allowing participants to make short side trips on their own, but decided against it as it would over-complicate the seminar and detract from a coherent group experience.

In general, the daily schedule will consist of four hours of seminar discussions in morning, with afternoons free to work on individual projects and make contacts, as well as some group visits to other sites.

The participants will be required to submit assessments both immediately following the seminar and approximately six months later, after they have had some time to reflect and begin to put their projects to work.

Larry White suggested that seminar participants also be required to plan for a specific, tangible product to emerge from the seminar. This was generally agreed to, on the grounds that it would enforce some accountability, place the participants in a goal-oriented frame of mind, and help direct their daily activities on site. The nature of the product could be kept quite flexible.

Mr. Armstrong intends to send out a reading list to seminar participants as soon as possible, and invites reading recommendations from the Task Force and the participants themselves.

Mr. Armstrong is currently working on a Central Europe Resources website for students and will add to it information from this seminar.

Faculty development seminar in Russia, summer 2002

A second interdisciplinary faculty development seminar is planned for the summer of 2002, to be held primarily in Krasnodar in the Kuban region of southern Russia. The title is now: "Narratives and Boundaries: Transitions in Southern Russia and Its Environs" and language in the description was revised to generate more interdisciplinary appeal. The seminar will probably include a visit to one of the Caucasian republics, most likely Azerbaijan, Armenia or Georgia, depending on the connections and interests of the facilitator and participants.

As with the seminar in the Czech Republic, assessments will occur immediately following the seminar with an additional follow-up approximately six months later.

Announcement dates and application deadlines were decided, some of which were set earlier than the previous year's (see below). It was decided that while nominations from chief academic officers for seminar participants were valuable, it was not productive to require them to rank applicants. Eligibility of participants (i.e., whether they should be tenured or tenure-track) should be left to the deans to determine.

Next Task Force meeting

Elizabeth Hayford suggested meeting at the GLCA Interdisciplinary Meeting at the College of Wooster on "Teaching Russian and East European Studies in the Post-Communist Era," which will be held March 2 - 4, 2001 in Wooster, Ohio.

Deadlines and dates

Czech seminar:

Travel grants for summer 2001 and AY 2001-02:

Russia seminar:

Submitted by Tanya Lee, 1/3/01