Dakota Wesleyan University (SD) dedicated the George and Eleanor McGovern Library and Center for Leadership and Public Service in October. Attending the event were George McGovern, former U.S. Senator and Representative from South Dakota (at podium), Dakota Wesleyan President Robert Duffett (far right), former President Bill Clinton, and other notables (front row, l-r) such as former Senator Tom Daschle, Senators Tim Johnson and John Thune, Representative Stephanie Herseth, and South Dakota Governor Michael Rounds. Photo Credit: Inertia Pro Event Imaging.

Nuclear Energy Project Launched

Washington and Lee University (VA) and the Council on Foreign Relations have launched the Nuclear Energy Project, a comprehensive initiative examining the expansion of nuclear energy as a major power source. Currently, nuclear energy provides about 20 percent of U.S. electricity, yet it holds the potential to provide a significantly larger percentage. The Nuclear Energy Project comprehensively examines the effects that a major nuclear energy expansion would have on the nation, considering such issues as the reduction of greenhouse-gas emissions, the safety and security of nuclear facilities, the storage of radioactive waste, and the proliferation of nuclear weapons. The Project will release a major report this February aimed at Congress and the federal administration. A series of roundtable meetings and events for experts, policymakers, educators, the news media, and the general public will follow the report’s release. Additionally, an interdisciplinary workshop, “The Role of Nuclear Power,” (http://npw.wlu.edu/) on the nuclear energy debate is scheduled for June 2007 on the Washington and Lee campus.

Environmental Leadership

Bennington College (VT) announced plans to convert its primary heating source from a fossil fuel system to a biomass heating system, which will supply the campus with heat derived from wood chips. The wood chips are a by-product of local logging, lumbering, and forest management; and—along with other energy-saving upgrades implemented at Bennington—will decrease the institution’s oil consumption by 93 percent, resulting in reduced carbon emissions and significant financial savings.

Central College (IA) has focused part of its 2006–2009 institutional strategic plan on sustainability. Already, the campus has an environmental studies major, several award-winning “green” buildings using photovoltaic solar panels and energy monitoring systems, a nature preserve and outdoor laboratory, a campus-wide recycling program, and a campus magazine printed on 30-percent recycled paper. The college aims to add an all-electric fleet of vehicles, become less dependent on chemicals and pesticides, and expand “green” cleaning on campus.

Mount Holyoke College (MA) launched The Big Turn Off, an energy conservation campaign. The campaign will include several campus-wide initiatives such as electricity conservation during semester breaks, and the implementation of energy-saving computers and other energy-saving building features.

Spelman College (GA) will break ground for a new “green” residence hall, the first “green” building on an HBCU campus. Spelman is currently the first and only HBCU member of the U.S. Green Building Council, and aims for its new building to achieve the Council’s LEED certification award.

Eastern University (PA) has pledged to convert 100 percent of its electricity usage to emission-free wind energy. The estimated environmental benefit of this purchase is equivalent to planting 1.9 million trees or not driving 24 million miles.

And two CIC institutions—Berea College (KY) and Warren Wilson College (NC)—received the first-ever Campus Sustainability Achievement Award from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE), a national organization of colleges and universities working to advance sustainability in higher education in the U.S. and Canada. The award—presented to four institutions—was made for the greatest overall commitment to sustainability as demonstrated through governance, academics, operations, and community outreach.

Celebrating Achievements

Graduates of 11 CIC institutions have been selected as Jack Kent Cooke Scholars in the Graduate Scholarship Program of the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation. They are Sa’ed Atshan of Swarthmore College (PA), Deirdre Baskin of University of Indianapolis (IN), Tina George of University of Scranton (PA), Jeanne Gricoski of Loyola College in Maryland, Shirley Kate Hamilton of Hendrix College (AR), Lauren Mattern of Drake University (IA), Erica Naone of St. John’s College (MD), Sarah Neal of Baker University (KS), Jordan Sand of Whitworth College (WA), Garett Staley of Pitzer College (CA), and Robert Whitley of Lenoir-Rhyne College (NC). Each Scholar receives up to $50,000 per year to attend graduate or professional programs.

Oral Roberts University (OK) and University of Saint Mary (KS) were awarded the 2007 Award for Institutional Progress in Student Learning Outcomes by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). In all, 31 institutions participated in the 2007 competition, with awards given to five institutions serving as “solid examples of…the implementation of comprehensive, thoughtful, and effective initiatives” about the role of student learning outcomes in accreditation.

Lyon College’s (AR) Catherine Bordeau, associate professor of French, was chosen as Arkansas Professor of the Year. This is the 13th time in the past 18 years that a Lyon faculty member has received a Professor of the Year Award—a record unmatched by any other college in the nation. Other State Professor of the Year awardees from CIC institutions include David Paddy of Whittier College (CA), William Felice of Eckerd College (FL), Carmen Acevedo Butcher of Shorter College (GA), James Angresano of Albertson College of Idaho, Miriam Ben-Yoseph of DePaul University (IL), Jeff Barker of Northwestern College (IA), Frank Wiseman of Georgetown College (KY), Cathleen Stutz of Assumption College (MA), Sarah Lea McGuire of Millsaps College (MS), Maxine Fawcett-Yeske of Nebraska Wesleyan University, George Poe of University of the South (TN), David Mindich of Saint Michael’s College (VT), and Norman Duffy of Wheeling Jesuit University (WV).

California Lutheran University opened the Gilbert Sports and Fitness Center, an $18 million athletic facility housing two gymnasiums, a fitness center, dance studio, sports medicine facility, classrooms, labs, and an events area.

Launching New Centers and Institutes

Ohio Northern University unveiled the Robotics Center of Excellence, a joint venture with KUKA Robotics Corporation. KUKA, along with its parent company KUKA Roboter GmbH in Germany, is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of industrial robots, with an annual production volume of nearly 10,000 units. The new center at Ohio Northern provides ONU students with hands-on design and programming experience using KUKA robots, controllers, and software. After graduation, students will be able to apply their experience at the center to a variety of industries already utilizing KUKA robots, such as the consumer goods, automotive, aerospace, pharmaceutical, and medical industries.

Champlain College (VT) has launched the Center for Digital Investigation. Made possible through major funding from the U.S. Department of Justice, the new center will address the increasing role that computer forensics and digital investigations have in 21st century police work. The center will employ new faculty members who will assist federal, state, and local law enforcement in performing digital investigations; offer courses in computer and digital forensics; and create new online training opportunities for law enforcement in Vermont and across the country.

Cedarville University (OH) has opened the Center for Bioethics. The center’s purpose is to teach students to understand bioethical issues such as cloning, stem cell research, assisted suicide, and environmental stewardship. The center will hold an inaugural event later this year: the cosponsorship of the 12th annual Conference on Bioethical Issues, hosted by Mount Vernon Nazarene University (OH). The conference will focus on stem cell biology. More information on the Center and the conference can be found at www.cedarville.edu/centerforbioethics.

Mercyhurst College (PA) has launched the Center for Public Safety, a resource for public safety training, education, and research in the region. And Catawba College (NC) has launched the Sustainable Communities Leadership Institute, a program designed to educate state leaders on transforming communities in sustainable ways.

International Activities

An impressive number of CIC institutions—University of St. Thomas (MN), Hamline University (MN), University of Evansville (IN), Warren Wilson College (NC), Arcadia University (PA), Mount Mary College (WI), Loyola College in Maryland, Point Loma Nazarene University (CA), Baker University (KS), Bethel University (MN), Pacific Lutheran University (WA), Whitworth College (WA), University of St. Thomas (TX), Austin College (TX), Kalamazoo College (MI), Centre College (KY), Wofford College (SC), Lee University (TN), Eckerd College (FL), University of Dallas (TX), Concordia College (MN), Taylor University (IN), Cornell College (IA), Earlham College (IN), and Wartburg College (IA)—recently ranked in the top tier among American colleges and universities in the percentage of undergraduate students who study abroad. The rankings were released in the Open Doors 2006 report by the Institute of International Education (IIE), an international exchange organization that conducts study abroad research. Institutions were categorized by type (doctoral, master’s, and baccalaureate) and ranked according to the top 20 within each category. CIC institutions represented 42 percent of the total institutions selected.

Dominican University (IL) students traveled to Ecuador last fall in collaboration with the American Bar Association to conduct a student-to-student conference on international human trafficking. While there, the students met with local law enforcement officials and public authorities to discuss the current Ecuadorian campaign to prevent human trafficking. According to the U.S. Department of State, there were approximately 800,000 human-trafficking victims worldwide during 2005. Ecuador was one of many nations involved as a source, transit, and destination country for persons trafficked for the purposes of sexual exploitation and forced labor. The country is now taking stronger measures to address these problems. Dominican students returned to Ecuador in February 2007 to work directly with trafficking victims.

Eastern Mennonite University (VA) students are studying abroad in Guatemala, Mexico, Spain, and India this semester. The university offers study abroad programs in Central America, the Middle East, Ireland, Africa, Lithuania, and New Zealand, among other places. It requires cross-cultural study in such regions and countries for graduation, resulting in international travel for 70 percent of EMU students. The other 30 percent study in select multicultural U.S. locations, such as Los Angeles or Native American reservations.

And Cedarville University (OH), in partnership with the campus group Women of Vision (a volunteer program of World Vision), has agreed to “adopt” a village in Zambia, Africa. Cedarville and Women of Vision will support the Fisheni village, an isolated community facing such challenges as a lack of clean water, a low literacy rate, and a high AIDS rate. The partnership intends to raise $30,000 for the village, which will be used to address water, education, and health issues.

Creating Partnerships

Ashland University’s (OH) Ashbrook Center for Public Affairs is working with the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) to develop web-based lesson plans for U.S. history and government teachers. The lessons cover subjects ranging from antebellum America to the Cold War and the Cuban missile crisis; contain historical summaries, learning objectives, guiding questions, and class-by-class teaching outlines; and are available on NEH’s EDSITEment website at http://teachingamericanhistory.org/neh/. The website contains similar online lesson plans for other subjects such as art and culture, literature and language arts, and foreign language. The project with Ashland University is made possible through a series of grants from NEH’s We the People initiative.

Southwestern University (TX) will develop a faculty exchange program with four other CIC institutions: Dillard University (LA), Huston-Tillotson University (TX), Morehouse College (GA), and Rhodes College (TN). This program—made possible through a sizeable grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation—is an extension of a three-year collaborative leadership and student exchange project already underway at the five institutions. The new program extends the benefits of the current program to faculty members.

Gannon University (PA) has signed several agreements over the past year for academic exchange and admission partnerships with three institutions: Preston University in Pakistan; Ross University, whose School of Medicine is located on the island of Dominica; and the University of Charleston’s School of Pharmacy in West Virginia.

Mount Vernon Nazarene University (OH) professor Jim Skon and students Jared Miller and Derek Clark (pictured above), along with two other MVNU alumni, have developed a new wireless technology known as CellWave that allows for wireless networks in places where wiring infrastructure is currently unavailable. The students spent months working with Skon on the programming and development of the technology, which will be licensed for use by software companies.

Announcing New Programs

Numerous CIC institutions have expanded their academic offerings with new degree programs. Green Mountain College (VT) announced two new master’s programs: an MBA in sustainable business and a master of science in environmental studies. Chapman University (CA) has announced a PhD in education, the university’s first research-oriented doctoral program; Waynesburg College (PA) has launched a new doctor of nursing practice program; Union University (TN) has begun a master in Christian studies degree; Notre Dame College (OH) has launched a bachelor of science in nursing; Mount Vernon Nazarene University (OH) will offer a master of divinity degree and master of business administration program; Lourdes College (OH) is offering a new master of science in nursing; Benedictine University (IL) has begun a master of business administration at its partner university, Shenyang University of Technology in Shenyang, China; Gwynedd-Mercy College (PA) has launched a new master of science in management; and Goshen College (IN) will offer a master of arts in environmental education—the college’s first master’s degree.

Utica College (NY) has announced a new major in foreign languages, bringing the college’s total to 32 undergraduate majors. University of Evansville (IN) has announced three new majors offered through the University’s Department of Exercise and Sport Science. The majors are in clinical laboratory science, sport communication, and sport management. Juniata College (PA) has launched a new environmental science program. Students will spend an entire semester living off-campus at Raystown Lake, an 8,000-acre lake in Pennsylvania. Considered an experiment in “residential learning,” the students will take a full environmental science course load, with all classes taught inside lakefront research facilities or outside using the natural lakefront habitat.

Campaign Success

Several CIC institutions successfully reached the financial goals of their current campaigns. Ursinus College (PA) completed its capital campaign, Taking Our Place: The Campaign for Ursinus College, the most ambitious capital campaign by the college to date. The campaign raised more than $120 million to be used for construction projects, endowed scholarships and chairs, and other endowed funds to support departments and programs. Sweet Briar College (VA) completed Our Campaign for Her World, a four-year, $102 million capital campaign. The campaign raised nearly $111 million for campus upgrades, academic programs, scholarships and financial aid, and general operating expenses. Saint Vincent College (PA) completed its $75 million comprehensive development campaign, The Campaign for Saint Vincent College, the largest campaign in the college’s history. Campaign funds will be used for academic and athletic programs, building projects, and endowment for scholarships, technology, and professorships. Houghton College (NY) completed its seven-year capital campaign, The Campaign for Christian Liberal Arts at Houghton College, by raising more than $57 million for operating support, the college’s endowment, and capital projects. And Milligan College (TN) completed its five-year, $30 million capital campaign, the Campaign for Christian Leadership. The campaign was the largest in the college’s history, providing for new student scholarships and endowed funds, facility improvements and campus additions, and numerous new academic and student life initiatives.

Announcing Gifts and Grants

Five CIC institutions have announced record-breaking gifts and grants—the largest in their respective histories. Westmont College (CA) received a $75 million gift from an anonymous donor—one of the largest gifts ever to a national liberal arts college—to be used toward the construction and endowment of buildings. Ohio Northern University received a $10 million gift from alumnus Clayton Mathile and his wife Mary Ann for the construction of science education and research facilities. Albright College (PA) has received a $3.5 million bequest from Pennsylvania native Ella Rist to endow scholarships for incoming business students. Stephens College (MO) received $3 million from alumna Carolyn Boone and her late husband Jack to be used for a student support services and academic programs facility. And St. Joseph’s College (NY) was awarded a nearly half-million dollar grant from the National Science Foundation to support Mosaic: Meeting Our Scientific and Interdisciplinary Challenges, a scholarship and academic support program for students majoring in biology, chemistry, mathematics, computer science, and computer information systems.

Other CIC institutions have received sizeable gifts and grants. Pace University (NY) received $7.5 million from the Dyson Foundation to be used for science laboratories, scholarships in various fields, and special activities for students. Hamilton College (NY) received $3.6 million from alumnus Carl Menges to support the newly established Alexander Hamilton Center at the college. Xavier University (OH) received $3 million from the Schott Family Foundation for the college’s $200 million To See Great Wonders campaign. University of Indianapolis (IN) received a $2.3 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to be used for program activities at the college’s Center of Excellence in Leadership of Learning. Drury University (MO) received $2 million from financial services firm Edward Jones to establish the Edward Jones Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Southwestern University (TX) received a $2 million anonymous gift to help fund an $11 million Center for Lifelong Learning. And Marietta College (OH) received $2 million from alumnus Dave Rickey and his wife Brenda to fund a new college library (scheduled to open in 2009).

Other gifts and grants are enabling institutions to achieve significant accomplishments. Stonehill College (MA) received a $1.2 million gift from trustee Lawrence Salameno and his wife Theresa to establish a chair in history, the college’s first endowed chair. Elizabethtown College (PA) received a $1 million gift from Pennsylvania residents Judy and Paul Ware to create a Peacemaking and Global Citizenship Colloquium. Centenary College (NJ) received a $1 million grant from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to expand mathematics and science programs. And Rhodes College (TN) received a $250,000 National Leadership Grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services for Crossroads to Freedom, a digital resource project aiming to digitize and make public two newspapers and 1,200 photographs, letters, and other documents relating to the civil rights movement in Memphis and the mid-South.

Television professionals and Shenandoah University (VA) representatives tour the new studio for TV3 Winchester, an ABC network affiliate, recently built on the Shenandoah campus. The university is one of only two campuses in the country to host a network television station. Photo Credit: Cathy Kuehner, Shenandoah University.

Building New Facilities

Hilbert College (NY) has completed a new $6 million academic-auditorium complex. The academic facility includes 12 high-tech networked classrooms, faculty office space, and student study areas; and will house the college’s Institute for Law and Justice, Center for Creative Media, and Honors Program. The auditorium facility includes a 452-seat performance space with state-of-the-art sound and lighting capabilities, to be used for lectures, conferences, theater productions, music concerts, and special events.

Rust College (MS) has undertaken the most expensive building project in its 140-year history. The college is building the Hamilton Science and Mathematics Annex, a $4.7 million, 18,000-square-foot facility to be used for science and mathematics research and teaching. The college expects construction to be completed in spring 2008.

Online Resources

Two CIC institutions have launched new online resources for their students and alumni. Elmhurst College (IL) has launched EConnect (www.ecconnect.com), a job-hunting website. Individuals can browse job and internship listings posted by nearly 500 employers, as well as post their own academic and career profiles, access job-hunting tools and employer information, create a virtual job agent that searches job listings based on selected criteria, and connect with alumni mentors. More than 1,000 Elmhurst students and alumni have already registered to use the site. Xavier University (OH) has created Xavier Alumni & Friends (www.xavier.edu/alumni), a website for staying connected with alumni and the university. The site offers networking through an online directory of 60,000 alumni; access to cost-saving benefits available only to Xavier alumni and friends; and contains campus news, videos and photo galleries, alumni stories, and alumni activity sign-up forms.

Changing Names, Adding Colleges

Bethune-Cookman College (FL) changed its name to Bethune-Cookman University in February, and Randolph-Macon Woman’s College (VA) will change its name to Randolph College on July 1.

University of Scranton (PA) has established a new adult college, the College of Graduate and Continuing Education. The new college aims to serve a local and regional adult-learning population and accommodate an increased graduate enrollment that has nearly tripled in the last four years.