2003 Foundation Conversation

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2003 Conversation Between Foundation Officers
and College and University Presidents

Resources

• Welcoming Remarks
  - by Richard Ekman, President, Council of Independent Colleges
  
• Keynote Address
  - Eugene M. Lang, Chairman, E.M. Lang Foundation and
  Founder, Project Pericles
  
• Higher Education and the Making of Citizens
  - by Leslie Lenkowsky, Chief Executive Officer, Corporation for National and Community Service
  
  2003 Winter/Spring Independent article:
• Presidents and Foundation Officers to Discuss Liberal Arts College's Role in a Democratic Society

Friday, March 21, 2003

730 Third Avenue
TIAA-CREF Headquarters
New York, NY 10017
Time: 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

• Theme
• Agenda
• Schedule in Brief
• Program
• Hotel Information
• Questions

Theme

Making the Case: The Liberal Arts College’s Role and Responsibilities in a Democratic Society

This meeting is designed to provide an occasion for senior-level foundation officers to convey their interests about the future of independent higher education to college and university presidents from across the nation; to present foundations’ goals and objectives directly to college and university presidents; to learn what independent liberal arts colleges are planning to do that may affect a foundation’s own long-range planning; to gain some insight into how independent colleges and universities perceive their funding priorities; and in general, to enhance foundations’ relationships with independent colleges and universities. In order to preserve the candid nature of the “conversation,” only CIC member presidents are invited to participate along with the senior foundation officers; there will be no development officers present. In addition, we try to encourage effective participation by deliberately limiting the meeting to 100 presidents, thereby providing a high level of feedback to the foundation facilitators.

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Schedule in Brief

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Program

Some of the questions we anticipate being addressed at this meeting include, but are not limited to: What appears to work and what doesn’t with respect to programs and projects designed to increase and strengthen civic participation by students? What are the appropriate roles of faculty members, trustees, and administrators in informing students about civic engagement, and encouraging students to think critically about our democratic institutions? To what extent should foundations be concerned with, and support by way of grantmaking, specific content changes in a college’s curriculum so as to foster civic engagement? Will the “virtual campus” erode civic participation, or enhance it among students? How can foundations interested in strengthening civic engagement use liberal arts colleges and universities as resources? How can liberal arts colleges and universities work with foundations to strengthen and foster civic engagement? Is there a distinctive role for faith-based colleges and universities in helping to “make the case” about civic participation in a democratic society? Is it necessary for colleges and universities to incorporate a values and ethics component into their educational processes? The core of the program will consist of the exchange of ideas and sharing of perspectives between presidents and foundation officers about such issues.

What do we mean by “civic engagement?” By "civic engagement," we mean both community volunteerism (e.g., where students invest part of themselves in the betterment of society; where they give time and effort to others for some shared community purpose; or where they are willing to work for a "cause" that extends beyond the campus and beyond their family and friends); and political involvement (e.g., voting; encouraging others to vote; becoming knowledgeable about current public issues, about how government functions; etc.) "Civic engagement" might also be thought of as requiring the acquisition and nurture of skills, attitudes, and dispositions that are essential for responsible participation in the democratic process—skills such as: critical thinking that values argument based on factual evidence; recognizing that one must treat others with dignity; valuing inclusive diversity and the processes of political debate and deliberation; and affirming the validity of those processes even if the outcomes are other than what one would prefer them to be.

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Hotel Information

If you need information about hotel accommodations in New York City, please feel free to call The Inter-Continental/Barclay Hotel (111 East 48th Street, New York, NY 10017) at (877) 508-9890. Reservations must be made by February 26, 2003 to reserve this special room rate of $209 single/double, plus taxes. Please be sure to request the group room rate for the Council of Independent Colleges.

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Questions?

If you have any questions, please call Candace Groudine, CIC’s vice president for development at (202) 466-7230. We look forward to welcoming you to New York on Friday, March 21, 2003.

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