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CCSU Chosen as "Leadership Institution" in National Competition Focused on Innovative Undergraduate Education
Sixteen colleges and universities have been recognized by the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) for their visionary campus-wide innovations in undergraduate education. Conducted under the auspices of the Association's Greater Expectations Initiative, a rigorous national search identified colleges, universities, and community colleges that have put in place stimulating educational experiences for students. Dubbed "Leadership Institutions" for their role as models of best practice, the honored campuses will become part of the Greater Expectations Consortium on Quality Education. "In their applications -- corroborated by thorough campus visits -- the Leadership Institutions demonstrated strong commitment to a liberal education relevant for our contemporary world," said Andrea Leskes, vice president at AAC&U and director of Greater Expectations. "Each offers innovative programs and a systemic approach to improve learning by all students." "We were impressed with the attention to higher achievement at every one of the seventy-three applicant campuses," remarked Carol Schneider, president of AAC&U and one of the team of campus visitors. "Further, we were deeply inspired by the evidence that liberal learning is being reconfigured and strengthened at all manner of colleges and universities across the nation." The selected schools were characterized by extensive innovations in their curriculum, pedagogy, and organizational structure. At all of them the campus culture supports undergraduates both within and outside the classroom. Many have linked the liberal arts and preprofessional study. Others offer students the opportunity to "learn by doing" through off-campus work in community projects or internships. Most strongly emphasize critical thinking about complex problems, effective communication, and the ability to contribute to a diverse society as important outcomes of a powerfully lasting undergraduate education. Chosen as Leadership Institutions, and representing the range of higher educational types nationwide, were
"The Consortium will provide national leadership -- its members will be role models -- as Greater Expectations becomes a resource to help all colleges and universities raise every undergraduate's performance," added Leskes. Joining the newly selected campuses in the Consortium will be the six recipients of the Pew Leadership Award for the Renewal of Undergraduate Education (Alverno College, Babson College, Eastern New Mexico University, Mount St. Mary's College, Portland State University, and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute). In bestowing its award, The Pew Charitable Trusts recognized the significant achievements of these campuses in transforming themselves to better educate undergraduates. Formation of the Consortium on Quality Education, with its mandate to broadly share successful teaching practices both within higher education and with high schools, will advance AAC&U's commitment to ensuring the advantages of liberal learning for all students. Greater Expectations: The Commitment to Quality as a Nation Goes to College is a far-reaching, multi-year initiative to define outcomes of a 21st century undergraduate education and to discover strategies for achieving them. The Pew Charitable Trusts and Carnegie Corporation of New York have underwritten the work. AAC&U is the leading national association devoted to advancing and strengthening liberal learning for all students, regardless of academic specialization or intended career. Since its founding in 1915, AAC&U's membership has grown to more than 700 accredited public and private colleges and universities of every type and size.
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