Thinking Consortially: An Overview of a Values-Based Collaborative Culture

The Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges (COPLAC) is a unique higher education nonprofit that promotes an accessible liberal arts education in student-centered, residential environments at public regional universities. COPLAC is the only consortium of its kind in the United States supporting colleges and universities with a declared public liberal arts mission, with more than twenty-five member institutions from states across the country. The goals of the consortium are to facilitate member collaborations, such as multi-campus faculty and student research, professional development for faculty and professional staff, and advocacy to advance liberal learning. In this session, a panel of current and former provosts, deans, and faculty at COPLAC institutions will explore “consortiumness” as a values-based commitment to delivering an accessible, high-quality liberal arts education to diverse student populations. The campuses will share how collaborative initiatives are helping tackle institutional challenges such as declining enrollment, decreasing state funding, academic program portfolio management, and academic reorganization.