|
|
Issue: # 4
|
July/August 2009 |
 Director's Message
Technology and the Alliance
Given our wide geographic area - from Atlanta to Boston -
and the economic challenges facing our member institutions, we have been
exploring the use of new communications technologies to build community and
facilitate collaboration, including:
- The use of Zoomerang web-based surveys to gather information
and develop programs that are targeted to our members' needs
- WebEx meetings that integrate a web-based platform for
sharing content, real-time "chat" during meetings, and conference-call
discussion
- Videoconferencing through our members' distance learning
facilities, enabling our Provosts'
Council and corporate/foundations working group to see and hear one another in
real time
- A group networking site through Ning that enables our international
programs groups to post questions, facilitate discussion, and share information
about their programs
- Our new on-line undergraduate research journal, which will
use the Digital Commons platform to showcase student work
- This newsletter, which reaches more than 500 people at our member institutions
It's a challenge to launch so many technological advances at
once-just keeping straight the names of
all our different tools can be a challenge! And we thank you for your patience
and good humor as we work through some of the bugs associated with being "early
adopters." With a combination of campus
visits, face-to-face encounters, and the help of new communications tools, we
are working to build collaboration that enhances each of your individual campuses.
Best,
Dr.
Mary Frances Forcier
Director, Colonial Academic
Alliance
mforcier@gmu.edu
703.993.4797
|
|
|
|
International admissions and marketing the focus of July
meeting
|
The changing nature of international admissions and student
recruitment was discussed by the Alliance's
International Admissions group in a July 20 meeting in Washington, D.C.
Attendees shared their institutional experiences with their
colleagues, as they discussed how to effectively work with counselors or
agents, how staff travel can work best in international marketing, and the
relationship between admissions offices and English Language programs on member
campuses.
The group identified several areas in which working together
as a consortium would be beneficial, including identifying the pool of member
institutions' academic offerings so that admissions representatives can provide
international students with a wider range of programs. The group also will share information among
the English Language program directors in order to provide a wide range of
opportunities for students as they complete those programs. In addition, the
group will explore ways to market the athletic conference internationally,
noting the increased number of international student-athletes within the CAA
and looking for ways to build on the visibility of athletics.
Members represented included the University of Delaware
(Erica Akaya Hinson, Amy
Greenwald Foley, and Christine Schultz); Drexel University (Barbara
Hoekje and Tobie Hoffman); George Mason University (Daniel Robb and Kathy Trump); Hofstra University (Steve Costenoble); James Madison University (Shaun Mooney and
Roger Burke); Towson University (Jeffrey Haas); Virginia Commonwealth University
(Blair Brown) and the College of William & Mary (Steve Sechrist).
|
Upcoming Events
|
 September 11, 2009: CAA Arts & Sciences Deans Meeting at the Smithsonian National Zoo Conservation and Research Center, Front Royal, VA.
 October 15-16, 2009:
CAA Annual Assessment Symposium &CAA Provosts' Council Fall Meeting,
Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA.
|
|
Study Abroad with Drexel University:
Biodiversity and Conservation on Bioko Island |
The island of Bioko, part of the central African country of Equatorial Guinea, is one of the most beautiful and biologically significant places in all of Africa. It is home to Africa's greatest concentration of endangered primates and to more than fifty unique species of plants. Nearly 200 species of birds fly among the island's three volcanic peaks and during the dry season, butterflies gather in the rainforest and marine turtles come ashore to nest on the black sand beaches.
Drexel University is proud to host a unique study abroad program on Bioko Island combining coursework and individual field work in tropical biodiversity and conservation. The program, now in its 6th year, emphasizes field work that takes advantage of Bioko's pristine rainforests, its seven species of rare monkeys and its four species of nesting turtles. Students complete coursework with local students at the National University of Equatorial Guinea, collaborate with an established conservation program, and work with an experienced African field biologist on their own individual research projects.
Students live in tents while conducting field research and in a group house in the capital city of Malabo for the rest of the program. Says Daniela Ascarelli, Director of Study Abroad at Drexel, "This is a unique program and for the right student it is truly amazing! I think it is the best of study abroad - going somewhere exotic but really getting the chance to live in the community."
The Bioko Island study abroad program is offered twice a year to a group of eight students. Students typically take 4 or 5 courses for a total of 18-22 quarter credits (=12-15 semester credits) during each 11-week term. The program is open to all students within the CAA. For detailed information, please click here.
We will highlight a different study abroad program at a CAA institution in each issue of CAA Connections. To submit an idea, please contact Carlin at candersv@gmu.edu.
|
|
Thank you to the 2008-2009
Executive Committee
|
Our sincere thanks go to the 2008-2009 Colonial Academic Alliance Executive Committee members for their leadership and dedication to the Alliance:
Dr. Douglas Brown, James Madison University (Chair) Dr. Stephen Director, Northeastern UniversityDr. Dan Rich, University of DelawareDr. Peter Stearns, George Mason UniversityDr. Brown and Dr. Stearns will continue to serve on the committee as past-Chair and Chair, respectively.
|
|
|
 Dr. Risa Palm
Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs & Provost
Georgia State University
Dr. Risa Palm, who is currently
the provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs at The State
University of New York (SUNY) System, will assume the role of senior vice president for
academic affairs and provost at GSU on Sept. 1.
Palm began her tenure at SUNY in October 2006. Prior to that she
served as executive vice chancellor and provost at Louisiana State
University, and from 1997-2003, she was dean of the College of Arts and
Sciences at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Palm received a Ph.D. in geography, an M.A. degree in geography, a B.A. degree in history with a minor in French,
and a B.S. degree in social studies education, all from the University of
Minnesota.
 Dr. Marcia G. Welsh
Provost & Vice President for Academic Affairs
Towson University
Dr. Marcia G. Welsh has previously served as provost and
senior vice president at Adelphi University, associate provost at the
University of South Carolina, department chair at the University of
South Carolina, and professor in the Department of Developmental Biology and
Anatomy, University of Carolina School of Medicine.
Welsh has taught basic science and anatomical sciences courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels. She
was voted Teacher of the Year in the USC School of Medicine, selected
Woman of the Year by several associations in South Carolina and New
York, and was selected one of Long Island's Top 50 Women in 2007.
Welsh holds a Ph.D. from University of Texas, Health Science Center at San Antonio, with a concentration in anatomy.
|
|
The Colonial Academic Alliance develops, promotes and facilitates collaborative programs and resource sharing to enhance academic quality and institutional effectiveness throughout our member institutions. | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Building on the success of the annual CAA Undergraduate Research Conference, the Alliance is developing plans for an on-line Undergraduate Research Journal. 
