celebrating 50 years of advancing independent higher education 2005–2006 Annual Report Th e Council of Independent Colleges Celebrating 50 Years of Advancing Independent Higher Education Founded in , the Council of Independent Colleges (CIC) celebrates its th anniversary in . CIC is an association of independent colleges and universities working together to: y support college and university leadership y advance institutional excellence y enhance private higher education’s contributions to society CIC is the major national service organization for all small and mid-sized, independent, liberal arts colleges and universities in the U.S. CIC is not a lobbying organization, but rather focuses on providing services to campus leaders as well as seminars, workshops, and programs that assist institutions in improving educational programs, administrative and financial performance, and institutional visibility. Scripps College, CA Cover artwork by Ellen Cornett Table of Contents Message from the Chair 2 Message from the President 3 Meeting the Challenge 4 Connecting Leaders 5 Promoting High-Quality Education 10 Making the Case 14 Advancing Institutional Eff ectiveness 16 Collaborating to Strengthen Programs 18 Stimulating Reform 20 2005–2006 CIC Awardees 20 Resource Development 22 Financial Statement 23 Board of Directors 24 Advisory Committees and Task Forces 25 College and University Members 26 Affi liate Members 30 CIC Staff and Advisors 31 Connecting with CIC 32 2005–2006 Annual Report | 1 Message from the Chair y fi rst year as Chair of the CIC Board Th e Board of Directors also commends CIC for its Mof Directors coincides with CIC’s 50th continued successes in off ering new programs such as the anniversary, and I am delighted to extend American Graduate Fellowships, and taking on major initiatives hearty congratulations to the Council for such as the Historic Campus Architecture Project website, to be its half-century of exceptional service to launched in November 2006. independent higher education. How best to Other important barometers indicate CIC’s eff ectiveness celebrate such a milestone? CIC commis- as a leading higher education association. Th e Council sioned a book that would be both substan- continues to break records in membership totals as well as in tive and attractive, and that would include histories of both participation rates at its major conferences. Membership in CIC small and mid-sized private colleges over the past half-century for 2005–2006 reached a new high of 573 institutions. And and of the Council. Th e result, Meeting the Challenge: America’s both major conferences—the 2006 Presidents Institute and the Independent Colleges and Universities Since 1956, far surpassed 2005 Institute for Chief Academic Offi cers—broke previous our expectations. It is truly a noteworthy book of lasting value participation records. and importance for independent higher education. Over the next year, I look forward to working further with Our association was created 50 years ago by 63 small, my colleagues on the CIC Board of Directors as well as with the private colleges, most of them religiously-based, in an eff ort to very talented CIC staff to build upon the Council’s impressive meet the benchmarks required for regional accreditation. It has record of success. become a powerful ally to the more than 570 independent col- leges and universities that today are members. Th e Council for Sincerely, the Advancement of Small Colleges, as it was originally known, helped these institutions strengthen their academic programs, Nichols College, MA advised them on fundraising and fi scal management, and helped raise money directly for member institutions. CIC today continues to assist member institutions in many ways, working Antoine M. Garibaldi tirelessly to promote the eff ectiveness of independent colleges President, Gannon University and universities. Th e Board wants CIC to be a major voice for Chair, CIC Board of Directors independent higher education, to reach out strategically to the media and the public to ensure that students and their parents understand that the education off ered by small and mid-sized in- dependent colleges and universities is aff ordable, provides success and personal attention for diverse students, enables preparation for life, engenders alumni satisfaction, and involves students and alumni in contributing to the good of society and the world. 2 | The Council of Independent Colleges Message from the President s we prepared to celebrate CIC’s 50th y Collegiate Learning Assessment Consortium— A anniversary this year, I was struck both A consortium of institutions that are using the CLA by the determination of early members instrument to learn more about the institution’s “value to help one another, and by the progress added” contribution to student learning. small colleges have made over the past fi ve y Presidential Vocation and Institutional Mission— decades. While CIC’s mission has broadened Workshops to assist current presidents and prospective considerably since 1956, small and mid-sized presidents (in separate meetings) to refl ect on their sense independent colleges and universities con- of calling as it relates to the mission of the institution tinue to join CIC in large part for the collective help they receive they each lead (or might lead). as members and, I think, because they have witnessed CIC’s progress over the years in becoming a dynamic organization that y Learning Spaces and Technology Workshops— off ers a growing array of services, programs, and benefi ts. Workshops to help colleges and universities plan for eff ective technology-enhanced learning spaces, and enable Many new programs and services are highlighted in this staff and faculty members to use technology more special anniversary Annual Report, among them: eff ectively in the service of learning. y American Graduate Fellowships—A humanities fellow- y Department/Division Chair Workshops—Workshops ship program to promote doctoral study in the humanities to assist independent colleges and universities in by the most talented graduates of smaller, private liberal strengthening leadership at the department level. arts colleges and universities. Two annual awards worth up to $50,000 each are the centerpieces of the program. I am confi dent that CIC will continue to thrive in many ways, thanks to the eff orts of CIC members, the Board of Directors, y Ancient Greece in the Modern College Classroom— sponsors, funders, and staff colleagues who are contributing to A seminar cosponsored by CIC and the Center for Hellenic these successes. Studies for faculty members in all fi elds in which partici- pants explore how classical texts can be utilized in a Sincerely yours, variety of social science and humanities disciplines, and in general education. Other CIC initiatives continue to help campus leaders enhance their decision-making capacity, leadership expertise, educational programs, administrative and fi nancial Richard Ekman performance, and institutional visibility, among them: President Council of Independent Colleges y Key Indicators Tool—A benchmarking tool providing comparative data on 18 measures of institutional performance that is customized for each institution. 2005–2006 Annual Report | 3 Meeting the Challenge ounded in 1956, the Council of Independent Colleges Th e signature eff ort in CIC’s 50th F(CIC) celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2006. Th e 50-year anniversary celebration is a publication, history of CIC is a story of helping member colleges and uni- Meeting the Challenge: America’s versities fi nd ways to increase their visibility and providing them Independent Colleges and Universities with a broad range of programs and services to improve the Since 1956, a 102-page hardcover book quality of education and strengthen institutional resources. that debuted at the 2006 Presidents As a result of providing high-quality service over the past Institute. Th is book has already become half-century, CIC has experienced exceptional growth—its an important piece of CIC’s eff ort to make the case about the membership has more than doubled since 1990 and increased value of the education off ered by private liberal arts institutions. by 173 institutions in the last six years alone—and now serves Meeting the Challenge highlights the evolution of smaller private 573 independent colleges and universities, including liberal colleges and universities and refl ects on the development of arts, comprehensive, four-year, two-year, and international CIC as an organization serving those institutions. institutions. Today, CIC institutions are drawn from across the Th e book is comprised of three essays written for general spectrum, including selective liberal arts colleges, medium-sized audiences. Th e fi rst, by historian John Th elin, reviews the private universities, religious colleges, historically black colleges, evolution of independent colleges and universities in American and single-sex institutions. In addition, CIC institutions are higher education since the 1950s. Th e second, by former U.S. found in nearly every region across America—in metropolitan News & World Report editor Alvin Sanoff , examines the present areas, small towns, and rural areas. Sixty national, state, and contributions and current status of these institutions. Th e third regional organizations are Affi liate Members. essay, by Welch Suggs, formerly a journalist at Th e Chronicle of Higher Education, gives a brief history of CIC’s half-century of CIC is the major national organization today that focuses service. Th e book features important facts, data, and histori- solely on providing services directly to independent colleges and cal information on private higher education; quotes numerous universities. To fulfi ll its mission, CIC provides ideas, resources, college and university presidents; incorporates beautiful photos and programs that help institutions improve their leadership from CIC institutions across the country highlighting the range eff ectiveness, educational programs, administrative and fi nancial of programs and services they off er; and is graced by original performance, and institutional visibility. Premier annual events cover artwork commissioned from DC artist Ellen Cornett.