higher ed

The Beyond the Academy Conference is now scheduled for June 10-11, 2008. It will take place on the Arlington Campus of George Mason University, beginning the evening of the 10th and continuing all day on th 11th. Meeting just outside the nation’s capital in the midst of a presidential campaign year, public scholars from across the country will discuss the ways in which their work is more than “academic,” how it helps strengthen democratic institutions and public life and can bring about civic change. For more information go to http://beyondtheacademy.wordpress.com/

NCDD member Mica Stark of the Carsey Institute at the University of New Hampshire just sent us the following…

The Democracy Imperative (www.unh.edu/academic-affairs/democracy) is embarking on an ambitious project to develop a deliberative democracy syllabi repository and they’re asking for public support and contributions. The purpose of this repository is to serve as a database of course syllabi and programs that advance learning in the principles and practices of a deliberative democracy, particularly inclusive dialogue, public reasoning, conflict management and transformation, and social and political policy and decision making. They are interested in courses that teach the theory and/or practice of deliberative democracy, as well as courses in which deliberative democracy may not be the sole focus of the course.

They welcome contributions that reflect a broad range of teaching and learning experiences that are discipline-based, interdisciplinary, associated with a variety of institutional structures such as diversity education, first-year experiences, learning communities, study abroad programs, and capstone courses — and are asking you to please spend some time looking through your own syllabi AND talking with your colleagues on campus and at different campuses, to unearth syllabi for the repository.

Learn more at the TDI Syllabi Repository website.

Charles Behling, the Co-Director of the University of Michigan’s Program on Intergroup Relations, emailed me this weekend asking me to share a job announcement with the network. The announcement is actually for two interdependent half-time positions, and you must apply for both:

The University of Michigan’s College of Literature, Science and the Arts seeks a highly motivated and inspired person to serve as Associate Director of the Program on Intergroup Relations. The Program on Intergroup Relations is a joint academic and student affairs program concerning social diversity and social justice. A sequence of at least eight courses is offered, with special attention to Intergroup Dialogue pedagogy (a formal methodology developed at UM and now employed nationally).

The Program on Intergroup Relations (IGR) also invites applications for a position as Adjunct Lecturer to begin September 1, 2008. The successful candidate is likely to have substantial experience in intergroup dialogue pedagogy, social justice education, and experiential teaching. The position will teach three courses each academic year, with at least one course being taught each term [Fall and Winter]. Among the courses to be taught include the processes of intergroup dialogues facilitation; a practicum in facilitating intergroup dialogues, and a first year seminar and/or foundations of intergroup relations.

See the full descriptions for both positions.

Young people working to bring about positive societal change in their communities are invited to apply for the YouthActionNet (youthactionnet.org) Global Fellows Program. Each year, twenty exceptional young social entrepreneurs are selected as YouthActionNet Global Fellows. The year-long fellowship program provides opportunities in skill-building, networking, and advocacy, including a seven-day, all-expenses paid, capacity-building retreat in Washington, D.C.; development of a customized learning plan based on individual leadership learning needs; networking with international and national aid agencies, NGOs, and corporate partners; peer-to-peer networking throughout the year; training in communications and media outreach; public relations technical assistance; and access to global advocacy platforms and media coverage as well as access to potential funding opportunities. The program is open to all young people between the ages of 18 and 29. Applicants should be founders of existing projects/organizations or leading a project within an organization. Proficiency in English is required; applications must be submitted in English. Applicants also must be available to attend the full retreat, November 1-8, 2008, in Washington, D.C. Visit the YouthActionNet web site for complete program information and application procedures. Deadline: May 15, 2008.

Global Majority (globalmajority.org), an international NGO dedicated to the promotion of peace and nonviolent conflict resolution through education, training and advocacy, in partnership with the United Nations University – International Leadership Institute (UNU-ILI), is hosting a pair of Peace Through Dialogue events in the upcoming months. From their press release…

The Latin America Session (Ciudad Colon, Costa Rica – May 26-June 6, 2008) — This training seminar will focus on environmental peace-making, negotiation, mediation, and international environmental law, directed towards graduate, high-level undergraduate students, and professionals. The seminar will be conducted by professors, trainers, and speakers from Latin America and the United States. Upon successful completion of the seminar, students will receive a certificate and/or four academic credits from University for Peace.

The Middle East Session (Amman, Jordan – July 20-Aug 3, 2008) — This training seminar will focus on negotiation, mediation, and conflict resolution with a focus on Palestine-Israel conflict. The seminar is directed towards graduate, high-level undergraduate students, and professionals. The seminar will be conducted by professors, trainers, and speakers from around the world. Upon successful completion of the seminar, students will receive a certificate and/or four academic credits from UNU-ILI. The seminar will be followed by a 3-day International Conference focusing on the engagement of civil society groups in nonviolent means of resolving conflicts and generating lasting peace strategies. Global Majority’s chief goals in planning this event are to raise the voice of global civil society in order to encourage decision-makers to negotiate, to promote dialogue and understanding across national and cultural boundaries, and to pursue nonviolent conflict resolution. Participants have an option to take part in a six day Israel/Palestine study tour prior to the event.

For detailed information and for application and registration forms please visit their website. The deadline for submitting an application and registration is nearing and discounts apply to early applicants. Number of admitted students will be limited to ensure high, professional quality training. Contact them by email at or by phone +1.831.372.5518 with any questions.

NCDD member and director of the Democracy Imperative, Nancy Thomas, has sent us some information about a great job opportunity at UMass Boston: Director of Community Engagement.

Complete details after the break… (more…)

The Werner Institute at Ceighton University has announced their international conference focusing on the application of chaos theory, complexity and emergence to the field of conflict resolution which will be held June 5-7, 2008 in the Skutt Student Center on the Creighton University campus, the Embassy Suites, and the rainforest at the Henry Doorly Zoo. Experts on complexity studies will come together with practitioners and educators of alternative dispute resolution. Some program highlights include:

• The shifting focus for dispute resolution
• Nonlinear dynamics and pattern recognition in complex organizations
• Chaos and complexity- principles for dispute resolution professionals
• Applying human dynamics in conflict situations
• Expanding your comfort with uncertainty- improvisation in conflict
• Jungle expedition- “finding the simple rules” of the jungle at the Henry Doorly Zoo, home of the world’s largest indoor rain forest

This forum is designed for anyone who is interested in improving the effectiveness of conflict resolution practices through integration of complexity principles and for those studying complexity and chaos who are interested in the theories and practices used by conflict resolution professionals. Due to the interactive nature of the format, the conference will appeal most to those who are interested in participatory learning through a variety of formats. Please visit the conference website today to access detailed information about the conference and to register while early bird registration is still available.

Nancy Thomas, Executive Director of The Democracy Imperative, recently surveyed all NCDD members affiliated with colleges and universities to see what level of involvement in NCDD they have, and whether they have interest in additional services and opportunities from NCDD and from The Democracy Imperative. Here are the results of the survey and Nancy’s recommendations for next steps… (more…)

Educating Students for Civic Engagement is a three-week (February 11-29) online course to learn about how student affairs professionals can educate students to become citizens, scholars, and leaders in their professions, their communities, the nation and the world. Both champions and critics of higher education are demanding that colleges and universities get serious about educating future generations of citizens who are committed to tackling society’s most pressing issues. Participants in this course will gain: understanding of what is civic engagement and why it is central to a college education; knowledge of the state-of-the-art developmental models and program examples; and access to resources for designing programs to achieve desired student learning outcomes.

To register and for the full course description visit www.myacpa.org/pd/e-Learning/.

Questions? Contact the instructor: , Senior Scholar, Adele H. Stamp Student Union – Center for Campus Life, University of Maryland.

In addition to incredible discounts and a fantastic free book, here’s another example of why you should join NCDD…

Cynthia McDermott just sent this message to the main NCDD discussion list, and I thought a few more people might see it if we added it to the blog:

I am wondering if there is a skilled D and D practitioner in the LA area who might be interested in teaching a graduate level course for our education masters at Antioch University Los Angeles (our campus is in Culver City)? I would like to offer such a course this summer. If you might like to inquire about this possibility please email me at or give me a call 310-578-1080 ext 352.

Mobilize.org, an all-partisan network dedicated to educating, empowering, and energizing young people to increase civic engagement and political participation, has a handful of excellent intern opportunities available in both the Washington, D.C. and Berkeley, CA.

Mobilize.org works to show young people how public policy impacts our lives, and conversely the profound impact we can have on public policy. Their programs and projects are reflective of that belief. For more information on Mobilize.org, and their programs, please visit www.mobilize.org. Internships at Mobilize.org are hands on, high level opportunities to get involved in a fast-paced, youth-led, non-profit that works hard to ensure that the voices of the millennial generation are heard. Securing a Mobilize.org internship is generally a competitive process so they encourage you to get your application in early and contact the Mobilize.org staff if you have any questions or need additional information. For more information on internships available through Mobilize.org please contact Maya Enista, Chief Operating Officer, at .

Read all about the available internships after the break. (more…)

As part of Campus Compact’s 2008 Campus Vote Initiative, they’ve launched a new website to encourage students to take part in the upcoming elections. The site features voter registration and education resources, ways to connect service with civic engagement, strategies for encouraging democratic participation, and model campus programs.  The site also offers hands-on tools and templates for students, faculty, and community service staff as well as information on other nonpartisan democracy initiatives.

We’re pleased to help spread the word about Faculty for the Engaged Campus, a new national initiative of Community-Campus Partnerships for Health in partnership with the University of Minnesota and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The initiative aims to strengthen community-engaged career paths in the academy by developing innovative competency-based models of faculty development, facilitating peer review and dissemination of products of community-engaged scholarship, and supporting community-engaged faculty through the promotion and tenure process. The initiative, supported by a three grant from the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE) in the U.S. Department of Education, builds on the work of the FIPSE-funded Community-Engaged Scholarship for Health Collaborative of health professional schools that has been working to build capacity for community engaged scholarship (CES) on their campuses and among their peers nationally (Details at http://depts.washington.edu/ccph/healthcollab.html). (more…)

The Social Science Research Council (ssrc.org) has announced a new small grants program in support of outreach activities undertaken by Title VI-funded National Resource Centers on U.S. campuses, with a special thematic focus on ”Islam and Muslims in World Contexts.”  The objective of the program is to support activities that successfully disseminate the results and insights of academic research on different societies and regions to the general public, and encourage public scholarship by facilitating interaction between research scholars and a variety of constituents, including media, policy institutions, business, and local communities. Current Title VI NRC recipients on U.S. campuses are eligible to apply for grants of up to $50,000 per center, to be used over a period of twelve months to enhance existing capacities on their campuses, or to create new activities, for promoting public understanding of Muslim societies and communities in all their variety and diversity across all geographical regions of the world. Please visit the SSRC website for more information.

Here’s an award for graduating college seniors: The Samuel Huntington Public Service Award provides a $10,000 stipend for a graduating college senior to pursue one year of public service anywhere in the world. The award allows recipients to engage in a meaningful public service activity for a year before proceeding on to graduate school or a career. The award was created in honor of the late president and chief executive officer of the former New England Electric System, now National Grid (www.nationalgridus.com).

Applicants should develop a proposal for public service in the United States or abroad. The proposal may encompass any activity that furthers the public good. It can be undertaken by the student alone or working through established charitable, religious, educational, governmental, or other public service organizations. All graduating students from accredited colleges in the United States are invited to apply. Non-U.S. citizens are eligible to apply but must be graduating from a U.S. college or university. For further information and an application form, visit the National Grid Web site. The deadline for applications February 15, 2008.